ASM International, The Materials Information Society, strives to serve members and customers with products that generate value, excitement and vitality. An online progress report describing the society's efforts to serve the worldwide materials community can be viewed as streaming video at www.asminternational.org/synergy.
"ASM's approach to Strategic Planning over the past six years has resulted in bold new initiatives that are making a positive difference for our society," said ASM President Frederick J. Lisy, president of Orbital Research Inc. "The $6 million dollars that we invested to create the ASM integrated enterprise provides the infrastructure that makes all of our new online products and community sites possible."
Presentations by Lisy, Immediate Past President Roger J. Fabian of Bodycote Thermal Processing, and ASM Managing Director Stanley C. Theobald describe how volunteerism, collaboration and partnership are creating a synergistic environment that results in innovative new services.
Certification: With strong industry pull, ASM's Thermal Spray Certification Committee is constructing a program for the Certified Thermal Spray Operator (CTSO). "We look forward to launching this program in 2010, and expect the CTSO program to be a model for other ASM certification programs needed by the industries we serve," Lisy said.
Collaboration: "At MS&T, our partnering societies (ACerS, AIST, ASM and TMS) created an experience that was far more than the sum of its parts, featuring 1900 abstracts and a Keynote with more than 900 attendees," Lisy said. "We also brought more than 700 students to Pittsburgh through the Material Advantage Joint Student Member Program. More than 400 high school students enjoyed learning about materials at a Mini-Materials Camp founded and organized by the ASM Pittsburgh Chapter."
ASM Materials Solutions: ASM's online suite of core reference products started with fewer than a dozen multi-user subscriptions in 2002. "Now we're up to more than 350 multi-users from companies, government and universities, and total sales of more than $1 million annually," Lisy said.
Materials and Processes for Medical Devices: One of ASM's fastest growing business initiatives brings materials knowledge to the medical devices market. "Our database now has 50 corporate licensees, including the FDA," Lisy said.
Industrial Design: "Thousands of new designers are graduated every year, and they need a home where they can find out about Everything Material," Lisy said. ASM has launched its /Mtrl initiative to provide the materials inspiration and information needed by industrial designers.
Solutions Centers: In collaboration with other leading societies, and building on information technologies invested in over the past five years, ASM is developing the world's most comprehensive resources for researching, understanding, preventing and solving materials-related problems. "Together with TMS, we are developing a comprehensive and authoritative solution for energy related materials, with TMS leading Energy Materials Events, and ASM leading the online Energy Materials Information Network," Lisy said. "ASM is also partnering with NACE to provide an authoritative and comprehensive network that will provide direct access to premium content developed by the DoD, the DoT, leading universities and other leading authorities."
Materials Park: Now in its 50th year, Materials Park has been listed on the National Registry of Historical Places. "Our next step will be to achieve the first of its kind: An historical renovation of a modern facility not to preserve the past, but to boldly symbolize the future," Theobald said.
Working Fast and Furious: Focusing the efforts of our volunteers and staff is the key to driving our initiatives forward. We continue to make tangible progress in support of our Critical Issues: Lifelong Learning and Education, Content is Everything Material, Emerging Technology and Volunteerism. "Every part works together to create something stronger than the individual parts can achieve alone," Lisy said. "We encourage all materials engineers and scientists to join with us as we work fast and furiously to make great things happen for ASM and the worldwide materials community."