NASF Report: Dec. 2016

NASF recently launched a major partnership with the Detroit-based Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG). The two organizations finalized a memorandum of understanding aimed at closer collaboration on mutual projects and expanding engagement between the surface finishing industry and original equipment manufacturers and automotive supplier base.

Many NASF supplier and job shop members are familiar with AIAG and some have already joined. Formed over 30 years ago, AIAG provides a venue where professionals from member companies—including automakers, suppliers of all sizes, manufacturers, service providers, academia and government—can collaborate to improve industry processes through global standards development and and harmonized business practices.

Through its various programs, AIAG provides a neutral, open and legal forum to:

Facilitate industry action on common issues
Develop business process standards and guidelines
Publish standards, guidelines, and white papers, and
Educate and inform through assessments, training, events, and newsletters.

AIAG will join NASF as a top “Alliance Partner” and NASF corporate members meeting certain criteria can join AIAG at no charge with AIAG membership fees waived. Some members of both groups have participated in various AIAG initiatives such as the CQI 11 Plating System Assessment. Other AIAG programs and resources include training and tools to address industry problems in quality, supply chain and corporate responsibility.

As part of the memorandum, NASF and AIAG have agreed to meet regularly to:

Discuss updates on industry issues, initiatives and projects,
Share meeting announcements, newsletters and other information pertinent to ongoing initiatives of the associations and
Foster open communication between staff on all levels of each organization.

AIAG will also work with NASF and its training arm, the AESF Foundation, to develop and facilitate a new Automotive Finishing and Quality Workshop at next year’s NASF Sur/Fin conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

For more information on the NASF-AIAG partnership and NASF member advantages, please visit nasf.org or contact Matthew Martz at NASF headquarters at mmartz@nasf.org.

NASF Secures EPA Pollution Prevention Grant with National Center for Manufacturing Sciences

NASF’s research and training division, the AESF Foundation, has been awarded a pollution prevention grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The grant proposal was submitted earlier in the year under the NASF’s joint partnership with Ann Arbor, Michigan-based National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS).

The new project focuses on evaluating and benchmarking current and emerging industry pollution prevention practices. NCMS and NASF will prepare a comprehensive list of pollution prevention options and develop a survey and audit tools for evaluating pollution prevention options at surface finishing facilities. The project will engage approximately six potential facilities from the Michigan Chapter of NASF to participate in the survey.

NCMS and NASF will provide training and technical support for implementing pollution prevention options, offer workshops to promote implementation, prepare company case studies on the participating facilities, and incorporate the results into the association’s educational courses.

For more information, please contact Christian Richter or Jeff Hannapel with NASF at crichter@thepolicygroup.com or jhannapel@thepolicygroup.com.

TSCA Reform: NASF Focuses on Implementing New U.S. Chemicals Law

NASF is a member of the North American Metals Council (NAMC) that monitors North American and global regulatory issues that impact the use of metals. NAMC has prepared a working document that identifies a timeline for the EPA to achieve the mandates identified in the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (Lautenberg) that amended the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In addition, the EPA has also posted its first-year implementation plan on its website at short.pfonline.com/EPATSCA.

NASF will continue to review the new requirements associated with the implementation of the new TSCA Reform legislation and provide updates to members. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Jeff Hannapel with NASF at jhannapel@thepolicygroup.com.

Upcoming NASF Events

2017 Leadership Conference
Keynote: Disney’s Lee Cockerell
February 26 - March 2, 2017
LaPlaya Resort and Spa: Naples, Florida
NASF’s Leadership Conference brings together over 100 attendees to network and learn about the issues and challenges facing the surface finishing industry. This year’s keynote speaker is the former Executive Vice President of Operations for the Walt Disney World Resort.
The conference covers topics such as “What the Finishing Industry Can Expect from the New White House and Congress” as well as new initiatives from the NASF that provide members an advantage in 2017. Read more at nasf.org.

2017 Washington Forum
April 25-27, 2017
Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City: Arlington, Virginia
The NASF Washington Forum offers both strategic and practical updates from top leaders and decision makers on the challenges that impact the surface finishing industry. The event includes a day and a half of sessions and networking followed by an optional day of meetings with legislators and congressional staff. With a new administration coming to Washington, attendees will get first-hand news on how decisions in and outside of Washington will affect their businesses in the coming years.

NASF Sur/Fin on Track to Sell Out Exhibit Space
The NASF Sur/Fin Manufacturing & Technology Conference and Trade Show is on track to sell out for Atlanta next June. With seven months to go, nearly 70 percent of booth space has been reserved. Attendees and exhibitors will not only continue receiving the best in conference programming but will see expanded show hours as well.

The event will take advantage of Atlanta’s easily accessible location in the Southeast region of the U.S., the “new Detroit” for the automotive industry. Additionally, the geography boasts a strong presence from the aerospace, defense and other key sectors for surface finishing technologies. Regardless of the industry you serve, Sur/Fin will deliver the newest and most innovative technologies in the marketplace. Visit nasfsurfin.com for more information.

The NASF/AESF Foundation 2017 Course Catalog is Back
The NASF/AESF Foundation course catalog is back for 2017 and is offering several training courses on pertinent topics in the surface finishing industry. Choose from a selection of classroom courses, web-based training, home study or design your own course. Go to nasf.org/education to download the full course schedule and catalog.

NASF Technical Papers: Edited by Dr. James Lindsay, NASF Technical Editor

Electrodeposition of Ni-Fe-Mo-W Alloys: 14th Quarter Report
By Yujia Zhang and E.J. Podlaha-Murphy, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
The NASF Research Board extends a grant for work at Northeastern University, in Boston. The project, “Electrodeposition of Ni-Fe-Mo-W Alloys,” is under the direction of Professor Elizabeth J. Podhala-Murphy. There are a number of industrial applications for electrodeposited molybdenum and tungsten alloys, given their corrosion resistance, magnetic properties and wear resistance. This project involves a study of incorporating titania particles in the alloy matrix. In this quarter, composite Ni-W-TiO2 films were deposited from a citrate-boric acid electrolyte. The amount of particles in the deposit followed a Langmuir-like behavior with the amount of particles in the electrolyte. The full paper can be accessed and printed at short.pfonline.com/NASF16Dec1.

Crack Formation during Electrodeposition and Post-Deposition Aging of Thin Film Coatings : 2nd Quarter Report
Prof. Stanko R. Brankovic, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
“Crack Formation during Electrodeposition and Post-Deposition Aging of Thin Film Coatings,” is directed by Prof. Stanko R. Brankovic and studies fundamental aspects of crack formation in electrodeposited thin films. The aim is to identify and quantify key parameters of the electrodeposition process affecting the crack formation in thin films, with emphasis on chromium electrodeposits. This study hopes to develop a strategy applicable when electrodeposition for crack-free films is needed. The 2nd quarter studied electrodeposition of chromium thin films on polycrystalline copper substrates from Cr+3-containing electrolytes. The work reveals more about the electrodeposition process of chromium films in terms of mechanical integrity, signs of stress and more. The full paper can be accessed and printed at short.pfonline.com/NASF16Dec2.

Note: In the October Technical Papers section, the name of the lead author should have been Ahn Phong Tran. We regret the error.