ASME Program Certifies Nuclear Quality Assurance

ASME Program Certifies Nuclear Quality Assurance ASME Program Certifies Nuclear Quality Assurance ASME Program Certifies Nuclear Quality AssuranceThe ASME Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA-1) Certification Program provides centralized, independent, third-party certification for quality assurance programs in conformance with the ASME NQA-1 standard, Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications. Officially launched three years ago, the NQA-1 Certification Program aims to expand the nuclear industrys supply chain with organizations that are committed to understanding quality and providing first-class nuclear products and services. ASME worked with industry leaders in the field of quality assurance, members from the NQA Standards Committee and its Subcommittees, and the Committee on Nuclear Certification, to develop the NQA-1 Certification Program, which was designed ensure the proper application of the NQA-1 requirements. To receive NQA-1 certification, a companys quali ty assurance program is assessed by a team of trained ASME auditors with an extensive background in quality assurance. Once the team conducts a complete audit and determines that the supplier is implementing its QA program in einhaltung with the NQA-1 standard, the company will receive an NQA-1 Quality Program Certificate. The NQA-1 Certificate indicates to customers that the certified company has an established nuclear quality assurance culture and that its QA program has been continuously updated to meet the latest edition of the standard.Eighteen months ago, Premier Technology became the first company to complete the NQA-1 Certification program. The company, which is located in Blackfoot, Idaho, specializes in manufacturing for government and the commercial nuclear, pharmaceutical, food processing, and mining and petrochemical industries.Having the certification from ASME has increased ur visibility within the nuclear community, including opening doors to gaining access to bids, according to Burke. In addition, having the ASME certification has reduced the time customers spend conducting additional audits by more than half, and cut the size of those audit teams in half. In the past, the first thing an audit team would ask for is to our manual, Burke said. Now, the first thing people want to see is our NQA-1 Certificate. In addition to those benefits, the program has also shown Premier Technology a financial return in the marketplace, according to Sayer. We have been able to secure millions of dollars in contracts based solely on our company having an NQA-1 Certificate, he said. Recently we were awarded a contract because one of the requirements was to be NQA-1 Certified by ASME. Not only has the company seen a benefit in the nuclear arena, the certification from ASME has also benefited Premiere in unexpected ways, including helping the company secure two international contracts in the aerospace and oil and gas markets, Sayer said. Even though we have a cert ification in NQA-1, the two companies felt comfortable that we possessed the knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the NQA-1 standard throughout our shop, he said. NQA-1 certification is available to companies and organizations located throughout the world that have implemented a nuclear quality assurance program in conformance with the ASME NQA-1 Standard (2008 edition and later editions and addenda). Certification is based upon an initial full audit of the program, followed by two interim audits within a three-year certification period to verify that the QA program is being maintained in compliance with the NQA-1 standard. Certification can be renewed at the end of the third year, provided that the company remains in compliance.For more information on ASMEs Nuclear Quality Assurance program, including how to start the certificate application, visit go.asme.org/nqa-1. Chris Mahler, business development manager at ASME, and Joseph Pang of ASMEs Standards Certification department, will be discussing the NQA-1 Program at the Energy, Technology and Environmental Business Association (ETEBA) DOE Supplier Conference in Phoenix, Ariz., from June 15 to 18. To learn more about their appearance at the conference, or for information on upcoming conferences, contact Chris Mahler by e-mail at mahlercasme.org.

Study The average workers inbox contains 199 unread emails

Study The average workers inbox contains 199 unread emailsStudy The average workers inbox contains 199 unread emailsEmails fly into your inbox at all hours of the day and night, making the elusive inbox zero feel even more out of reach.Just how bad is it?Anew report bycloud-based Enterprise Work Management providerWorkfrontfound that US employees average 199 unread or unopened emails taking up space in their inboxes at any given time.Sixty percent of respondents were on board with the idea that the time I have to spend dealing with email is time I could be more productive.Here are just a few of the other findings from the research.People find their emails pretty annoyingFor the report, researchers surveyed 2,001 enterprise U.S. office employees who work at places with a minimum of 500 workers, work with others on assignments, and use a computer for their work.This is how knowledge workers use and feel about emails.A whopping 94% of workers rely on email for work management,with sprea dsheets (78%), shared documents (77%), shared networks and/or folders (73%), and handwritten lists (57%) among other popular choices.Excessive emails welches found to be the second most chosen thing when it comes to what hinders productivity at 53%, second only to welchesteful meetings at 57%.These are among the things people labeled as a big/somewhat of a problem when it comes to emailUsing a lengthy email to relay info that would be better conveyed through face-to-face or a phone call (55%)Following a conversation through lengthy email threads (55%)Getting copied on emails that are not relevant to your job (54%)Alex Shootman, CEO of Workfront, commented on the findings in a statement. Our survey confirms that email, used for the wrong purposes, has become a productivity hazard for workers The undeniable fact is there are plenty of issues when it comes to email because email was never intended to manage work, Shootman said.People dont like hearing this jargon at work eitherIf one t hing is also clear, its that certain terminology grates on peoples eardrums likenails on a chalkboard.Whilepassive-aggressive work phrases and ridiculous jargonare classic parts of the workplace, the Workfront report also found that certain terms bug people in the office.People thought these were the most overused. Think outside the box was hands-down, the most popular choice at 47%.Synergy and bandwidth both trailed behind in second place at 18%, followed by circle back at 13%, at a high level at 12%, and table this conversation at 8%, among others.Heres what people think work will look like in the futureWhile 95% of respondents in the Workfront report thought that despite advances in AI, there will always be the need for the human touch in the workplace, 88% agreed thatthere are a lot of opportunities for those with the right skills in the automated workforce.But 34% also think that people in their fields will be going head to head with robots, machines and/or AI in the not-so-dis tant future.Asked about the workplace of the future, 63% said companies will welcome more use of platforms like Slack, social media, Yammer, and other chat apps when it comes to working together, 53% said more than half of employees will work remotely, and 52% said email will fall further out of favor as people use other communication methods.When asked to predict how the office will change five years from now, 61% said that theyll be able to work remotely because of video conference calls, 50% agreed that mobile phones will become your mobile office, and 20% think email wont be a main way to work together anymore.

How to Keep Your Job Skills Current

How to Keep Your Job Skills CurrentHow to Keep Your Job Skills CurrentThere are many factors involved in getting hired. Some are out of your control, but there are others that you can work on to enhance your hireability. If youre seeking a promotion at work or are looking to make a job change, taking the time to enhance your skills and your qualifications will make it much easier to take the next step up the career ladder. Individuals who continually upgrade their skills to keep pace with developments in their field will have the best chance of doing well in their career, both with their current employer and when job searching. 10 Ways to Keep Your Job Skills Current 1. Check out the Most In-Demand Skills for Your Occupation The first step in keeping your skills current is to identify the talents which employers value the fruchtwein in your field. Reviewjob titlesfor positions in your career field. Also review thetop skills required by employers, both general and job-specific. Se arch job sites like Indeed or Monster using phrases related to your job to find the job titles most appropriate for your current job and for any positions that youd love to work at, if you could. Review job descriptions and make a list of the skills which employers are most often seeking in applicants. 2. Get the Scoop Speak with human resources staff at your current employer to gain more insight into the most preferred skills for your profession. Analyze the background of standout performers at your employer or stars from your professional associations and identify any skills that have helped them to excel. The descriptions within the LinkedIn profiles of high-level performers can provide insight, too. Note the skills which their reference writers mention in LinkedIn recommendations for these individuals. Review the agendas forconferencesandonline workshops for your field to gain insight regarding other areas of knowledge or skills which people in your field are eager to acquire. 3 . Follow Industry Leaders on Social Media Many corporate CEOs and industry leaders now post regularly on social media sites like LinkedIn in order to establish themselves as thought leaders or influencers. By following them on social media, youll be better able to identify new directions in your profession, learn about the skills employers most often seek in your field, and decide upon which skills would be the most important for you to focus upon. 4. Make a Professional Development Plan Once you have identified your target skills, make a professional development plan to chart your career trajectory and then strengthen or gain the most in-demand skills for your occupation. Professional associations offer workshops at annual and regional conferences and throughout the year. Many organizations have online tutorials or workshops. Review agendas and speak with leaders of those organizations to identify opportunities. 5. Attend a Workshop Technology workshops or online tutorials are ofte n offered by software providers and third-party groups. For example, there are free or low-costonline programming classesavailable. Speak with IT professionals at your organization to determine what your employer offers and to get recommendations about other reputable learning providers. Many professional organizations will have a technology committee, and the chair may also have some useful suggestions. 6. Go to School In addition, check with local colleges and adult education programs since they will often offer courses or seminars to help employees upgrade their knowledge and skills. Check outcertificate programsandonline educational coursesyou can take to revamp your skill set quickly. 7. Attend Professional Networking Conferences and Other Events Professional networking conferences are a great way to both build your professional conference list and to compare your skills to those of others in your career field. unterstellung conferences will also often have seminars or workshop s dedicated to professional development, and thus provide a wonderful opportunity to swiftly learn about the job skills you should add to your career toolbelt. 8. Read Professional Journals Professional journals and trade magazines are one of your best resources to keep abreast of technology developments in your industry and to track changes in best practices. By reading these regularly, youll be able to keep a running list of the rising areas where you might improve your knowledge. 9. Volunteer Volunteer to take on projects at work or volunteer at organizations where you can develop and apply the skills youre working on. Your ultimate goal should be to be able to document your key skills when you want to land a new job, gain a promotion, or justify a pay raise. Yourvolunteer work can be included on your resumejust like paid work experience. 10. Develop Both Hard and Soft Skills While its vital that you remain current on the hard skills of your profession (the job-specific skills yo u learned in college or in a training or certificate program), there is always room for improvement in interpersonal soft skills as well. Take a hard look at how well you communicate with others, organize your workflow or office space, or manage your time. If there are areas where you find yourself lacking, it may be time for you to focus on strengthening these soft skills. Additional Tips on Updating Your Skills Highlight Your Applicable Skills When Applying for JobsBe sure to reference your most relevant skills in your cover letters and resumes. Its important that what you include in your job application materials is as close a match to the job as possible Thecloser a match you are, the better your chances of getting the job. Start OverOnce you have done some or all of the above, start over. Keeping your skills current is an ongoing process. Technology is constantly changing, and your skills need to keep pace in order for you to be as marketable as possible. If you plan on spe nding some time engaging in professional development on a regular basis, youll be able to upgrade your skills without too much effort. Its easier to plan ahead than it is to scramble when youre job hunting and realize that you dont have the qualifications employers are seeking.

7 Video Resume Tips From a Video Pro

7 Video Resume Tips From a Video Pro7 Video Resume Tips From a Video ProLights, camera, action Get your video seen and provoke the reaction you desire.Townley Paton, president and owner of InterviewClips.com, shared these additional tips on how to best produce a video resume.Employers review most paper resumes in less than 10 seconds bear that in mind and keep your clips short.Dont bother with VHS tapes, DVDs or CD-ROMs. Provide a link to the video resume instead.Dont use YouTube, Vimeo or any other video-server service where other material may provide distractions. Many companies block their employees access to those sites anyway.Divide your presentation into video segments with a progress bar below the frame so employers understand how much longer the clip will run. Dont use online video players that remove the bar.Never use a Tele-Prompter. Employers will think of it as cheating.Never edit an answer or bugfix together the voice track. It erodes viewer trust.Beware of poor producti on values. Not using a tripod low camera quality poor sound rough compression or worst of all, poor lighting, will kill your chances of making a good impression.

10 Cover Letter Samples From Jobseekers Who Got Hired at IKEA or IBM

10 Cover Letter Samples From Jobseekers Who Got Hired at IKEA or IBM10 Cover Letter Samples From Jobseekers Who Got Hired at IKEA or IBMAt first sight, it might seem there are no guidelines for writing a good deckblatt letter - the ultimate key to the heart of the recruiter. Dont underestimate its power and unleash its full potential by learning from people who know what theyre doin.Weve collected 10 exceptionally well-written titelseite letters from 10 job candidates who got hired bytop-notch companies like IBM or IKEA. Let us briefly highlight the key features of these titel letters that paved their way to success.1. IBM- Junior Product Manager Cover Letter SampleA good cover letter guides the recruiter through the applicants experience and achievements. Demonstrate with examples how you approach problem-solving and deal with obstacles that you need to overcome.No one wants to waste time skimming through vague information unrelated to the position. Answer the basic questions. With paragraphs entitled - Why me? Why IBM? Why this role? you give your cover letter a clear structureandgo straight to the point.2. NYUAlways include information about your previous experience that is relevant to the current position. Highlighting your key strengths in your cover letter will specifically target the the post you are interested in. Dont forget the cover letters are not only about your professional abilities. Soft skills do matter, so take advantage of bringing them to light as well.3. Pepsico- Sales Intelligence ManagerCover Letter SampleCompanies hunt for smart people whose actions are synonyms for progress, improvement and innovation.Go beyond the plain list of the tasks you were responsible for. Its important to make it clear that youve made a positive contribution to an already established system. Provide the recruiter with convincing examples and describe the outcome.4. SemperFortis SolutionsThis cover letter proves brevity can be the key to success. Being eloq uent doesnt mean you need to fill the whole page with words. Dont waste the recruiters time. Steve Jobs once said that you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. This applies to your cover letter as well. Every word should be there for a reason. All the rest can go.5. Planetromeo- Social Media Officer Cover Letter SamplePresent your background that is directly related to the desired position. Anything besides the professional background will come in handy. Whether its your pastime activities like traveling, sports or online presence. Show the recruiters that you are actively engaged in the field in both professional and daily life. The mora you are immersed in the discipline, the more likely you will be selected as the best candidate6. Solar WorldThink about formulating the sentences in a smart way. Create meaningful implications. Make it clear that thanks to your previous experience, your expertise will directly foster the organisations growth and developme nt.7. IKEA- eCommerce Operations Manager Cover Letter SampleUnleash the beast. Show your passion and zeal for what you do. Using words like enthusiasm, passion, enjoy, thrive, thrill will add colour to your cover letter. Remember that this is your chance to make a good first impression. Dont miss it8. University of Toronto- Study Team Leader Cover Letter SampleShare your sincere motives for getting the job youre targeting. Incorporating your volunteering experience into the cover letter will present you as a honest and trustworthy person.Demonstrate your flexibility and willingness to adapt. If appropriate, be specific in outlining the schedule of how youd like to work.9. SheratonIf you boast any relevant certificates or awards, go ahead and put them on a pedestal in your cover letter. Active involvement in the field will let the recruiters recognise your full potential.10. Philips- Marketing Management Intern Cover Letter SampleMake sure to get familiar with the philosophy of the o rganisation youd like to work for. Use that knowledge to present a strong work ethic in your cover letter that is in alignment with the core values of the company.Grab them by the cover letterGo ahead and embrace the freestyle narrative of the cover letter. Embellishing the crude facts laid out in your resume, it allows you to tell your personal story, show your motivation and state your ambitions.The cover letter can make or break your application. If youre still in the dark, followthese 10 valuable tips. Whether its an internship or a senior position, always write with a purpose. Craft individual phrases and sentences until you are satisfied with the message you intend to convey. After all, a well-structured cover letter can give your career a real head startFind more resume and cover letter examples from real professionals HERE Share Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments

Dirty Facts About Resumes Preparation Uncovered

Dirty Facts About Resumes Preparation Uncovered Resumes Preparation Can Be Fun for Everyone Once youve reviewed resumes in your field, peruse resumes across fields to know how to vary the usage of action verbs and receive a feel for what makes a highly effective accomplishment statement. Now you know how to rock the mock interview, youre prepared for the true thing. If at all possible, mock interviews ought to be completed in person so that it is possible to practice greeting the interviewer with a good handshake and enthusiastic smiletwo things which can help you start off on the correct foot. A mock interview will be able to help you formulate wise answers and explain to you where your weak spots are. For example, if youve got a substantial employment gap since your final position, you can want to use a functional resume rather than a chronological one. This exposure is an unusual chance for students to show what they are able to provide these companies. Whatever position youll be applying for, resumes will contain most likely the very saatkorn information for employers to take a look at. Many surveys demonstrate that the greater part of them social recruit. What Everybody Dislikes About Resumes Preparation and Why To learn more about choosing the very best template for your application, it is necessary to observe the differences between the sorts of resumes and what their strengths are the next. Your resume is critical. A good resume is not easy to come by. Your screener may have gone to the identical university or was from precisely the same country as you. Such resumes are extremely detailed and long drawn. Recommended for people who have an extremely robust or specific skill set 5. Her teaching style is a mix of encouragement, artistry, professionalism, and company know-how. You also have to speak about past experience. Its about your experience, and the way you make it sing on paper. Choosing Good Resumes Preparation The area of inf ormation technology gets more important each day. Therefore, our aim is to offer you the very best tools you have to succeed. The employee produces a very small bit less then a normal full time employee for a time period where the work contract is for. Our resume development procedure is tailored to your requirements. Resumes might be organized in various ways. Its crucial that you dont simply apply these resumes verbatim. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously offer you an advantage. Writing resumes can be exceedingly tedious and time-consuming. Make certain you highlight the ones that relate to the qualifications that are required of the work position youre applying for. The discipline placement indicates what preparation is required to teach the class. Applicants using this are those that are asking for an entry-level position or if youre transitioning to some other career. Highlights the experience and skills you have that relate to the job which you a re applying for. Knowledge in Oracle will be an extra advantage. Accounting and finance managers may want to landsee your technical understanding. Characteristics of Resumes Preparation Possessing a strong resume will permit you find quite a few great jobs. Landing that dream job will end up being easier than it seems and wont be as daunting as you might think that it is. Distinct kinds of work in the food service industry require resumes with lots of the exact skills. Everything in your resume must align with what theyll be on the lookout for in candidates. That hiring manager ought to be fired. Employers will have different standards in seeking applicants based on the work position they are searching for. View the Hiring Process items and services you will receive from DAC Company. Transportation jobs involve a great deal of responsibility and your resume will want to reflect you can manage that.

Office Team Building Activities - Spark Hire

Office Team Building Activities - Spark HireArranging employees into work teams is a time honored tradition that has proven to be effective in the work place, but getting it done is notlage as important as doing it well. You need to identify individual weaknesses and strengths in order to compose work teams that will be self-sufficient and reliable with as little supervision as possible.There are right ways to build a team and there are wrong ways to build a team, along with the methods that are just plain time wasters. There is also a time for everything, and some methods will be mora or less effective depending on the cohesiveness of the team. Just like those icebreakers everyone hated doing on the first day of class, there are methods that straight up just will not work.The first thing you need to do is figure out the initial cohesion of the team you are assembling. If you are replacing another HR professional who had developed teams, everyone might already be buddy-buddy and work well together. In that case dont mess with the chemistry. For these current teams you can employ more embarrassing yet appropriate activities because theyll all be more comfortable around each other and team building exercises that were once ineffective become fun and relaxing. Here are a few examples-Two Truths and a Lie-Relay Races-Comic CharadesFor new groups you need to find a way to get everyone to work well together, and what better way to do that than to get them working together? Give them some sort of hypothetical assignment and put them to work. Depending on the composition, a natural leader may emerge who will get a discussion going and rally the others to be open to opinions. Also, dont stand around them while theyre doing this. Go leave for a while and let them be in a relaxed environment where they can just talk. Here are a few activities that work in this situation-The Tin Foil Boat (only if there are other teams involved)-Outdoors Geocaching on Google Maps (if its a nice day)But then there are a few things you should NEVER do. These are activities that, while fun in kindergarten camp, can lead to problems by singling out individuals or lowering self-esteem. These usually involve more physical exercises and can be okay with certain team conditions, but as a rule of thumb just never do them.-Trust Fall-Three-legged raceYou get the picture. Just be reasonable and remember, these are adults after all. Theres a reason Stanley despises Michael in The Office.What team buildingactivitieswork for you and your office? Any of the ones mentioned? Let us know in the commentsIMAGE Courtesy of Flickr bygenvessel

The 3-step method to stop making careless mistakes at work

The 3-step method to stop making careless mistakes at workThe 3-step method to stop making careless mistakes at workMistakes. Weve written about them over and over again here at CC. Weve made them over and over again, too.We think about them, talk about them, obsess about them. Theyre what make us human and help us grow, but they can also be devastatingly embarrassing, shameful, and costly to our companies and our egos.Its impossible to eradicate mistakes from our lives completely. In fact, humans are really only capable of remembering more than five unrelated pieces of information at once, as Joseph T. Hallinan writes in his book,Why We Make Mistakes How We Look Without Seeing, Forget Things in Seconds, and Are All Pretty Sure We Are Way Above Average. Youre only human, in other words, and mistakes are part of life and work.How do I avoid mistakes at work?It is possible, however, to make a few small adjustments to the way you approach your work in order to mitigate those pesky, emba rrassing blunders. Just being willing to believe you might make a mistake puts you ahead of the curve. Aseries of studies on decision-makingfound that people who believed that they could be wrong were more likely to learn from and avoid repeating mistakes. On the other hand, those who thought that they were always right, or experts were bedrngnis only more likely to make mistakes, but were also more likely to make them again.So accept that youwillscrew up at work sometimes. But once youve done that, use these three simple steps to avoid the really, really dumb ones.1. Do a trefflich checkWhen you begin a task at work, you probably have a gut feeling about how important it is. Did your boss assign it to you with casual nonchalance or was she vibrating with stress when she passed it across your desk? Will your work be seen only by you and your department or will hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions of eyeballs see it?When you work in a busy environment, it can be easy to forget th at your work doesnt just disappear into the ether when you submit it, send it, or release it. Internal team members, customers, users, readers, students, or patients might see it and interact with it, and if theres a mistake, those people will notice.Even though it might be hard to remember in the moment, take a second when you begin a new task to do a gut check about the weight of what youre doing. Just visualizing the people on the other end viewing or interacting with your work may be enough to remind you that the project is real and important to them- not just a list of annoying to-dos standing between you and happy hour.The good news? Most of us are actually really skilled at this part. Within a tenth of a second or so after looking at a scene, we are usually able to extract its meaning, or gist, Hallinan writes. But the rest? Not so easy. The price we pay for this rapid-fire analysis is that we miss a lot of details.2. Write a checklist, go through it, then take a break to rev isit your workThis parts super easy - you just need a piece of scrap paper. Once youve completed your task, take five minutes to think about everything you need to double-check in order to avoid mistakes. Did you run a spell-check, triple-check measurements, comb your spreadsheet for bugs, re-read that email? Write down everything you need to check before hitting submit, then physically check it off. This relieves you and your brain of the responsibility of remembering more than five pieces of information about the project.Then add another failsafeto your process. Go to the bathroom, come back, and check again before you hit send. Looking at your work with fresh eyes is never a bad thing. Even if youre on a quick deadline, our guess is that a bathroom trip wont make or break anything. But it will give you peace of mind.3. Ask yourself and your organization if youre working efficientlyIf youre reading this article because youre a type-A overachiever whos suddenly making a million mi stakes at a new job, consider thisitmight not be you. In Hallinans book, he talks about how anesthesiologists used to make frequent fatal errors because of inconsistencies in the machinery they were using. Then in the 80s, a group of doctors advocated for standardizing the machines to make their process more efficientand now, anesthesiologists rarely make those lethal mistakes.What does this mean for you? Many organizations hire expertsto make their processes and workflow more efficient, but others rely on the employees themselves tospeak upwhen something isnt working. If you feel comfortable enough to do this in your role, consider talking to your manager about what makes your job tedious, inefficient, and anxiety-provoking- but come prepared with solutions. Dont forget to thank your manager for taking the time to listen, even if she doesnt implement the changes right away.But the problem could also be smaller Is one of the processesyoureusing a little bit broken? Is there an Excel formula or keyboard shortcut that could streamline something time-consuming and monotonous? Consider this as youre doing your daily tasks, and then Google around or ask friends in similar jobs how they deal with the issue. Sometimes, thesolution is something youve never considered but is totally easy and doable.This article first appeared on Career Contessa.

ASME Press and Wiley Publish Latest in Their Joint Book Series

ASME Press and Wiley Publish Latest in Their Joint Book Series ASME Press and Wiley Publish Latest in Their Joint Book Series ASME Press and Wiley Publish Latest in Their Joint Book SeriesApril 7, 2017 ASME Press and Wiley Sons recently issued the latest book in their co-branded Wiley-ASME Press Series in Mechanical Engineering imprint. The new title, Applications of Mathematical Heat Transfer and mutabel Flow Models in Engineering Medicine, is now available in both print and digital e-book editions.The Wiley-ASME Press Series in Mechanical Engineering welches launched two years ago following an agreement ASME signed with technical publisher John Wiley Sons to collaborate in the development and distribution of mechanical engineering-related books. In addition to the new title, the series encompasses several additional books, including Bioprocessing Piping and Equipment Design, Fundamentals of Mechanical Vibrations and Introduction to Dynamics and Control in Mechanical Engineering Systems.Applications of Mathematical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow Models in Engineering Medicine, which was written by Abram S. Dorfman, is intended to acquaint readers with the various innovative fluid flow and heat transfer methods that have been developed and used during the past 50 years. The book focuses on mathematical models, which perform a vital role by validating the results obtained during fluid flow and heat transfer research activities.The new 456-page book is divided in to three partes, each addressing an aspect of the current application of modern mathematical models. In the first section of the book, readers will be provided with a comprehensive look at the applications of contemporary conjugate heat transfer models in various industrial and technological processes, from aerospace and nuclear reactors to drying and food processing. The second part of the book examines the theory and application of two recently developed models in fluid flow the similar conjugate mo del for simulation of biological systems, including flows in human organs, and applications of the latest developments in turbulence simulation by direct solution of Navier-Stokes equations, including flows around aircraft. The books third section covers the fundamentals of laminar and turbulent flows and applied mathematics methods. These discussions are supported by more than 360 examples selected from a list of 448 cited papers, 239 exercises and 136 commentaries.The book, which is the perfect reference guide for graduate and post-graduate students and engineers, also covers peristaltic flows in normal and pathologic human organs modeling flows around aircraft at high Reynolds numbers special mathematical exercises that allow the reader to complete expressions derivation following directions from the text procedure for preliminary choice between conjugate and common simple methods for particular problem solutions and criterions of conjugation, definition of semi-conjugate solutio ns. Applications of Mathematical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow Models in Engineering Medicine (Order No. 861MHT), is available to ASME members for $96 ? a savings of $24 off the list price. Print copies of the new book can be purchased through ASME.org at www.asme.org/products/books/applications-mathematical-heat-transfer-fluid. The title can also be purchased as an eBook through the ASME Digital Collection.For more information on ASME Press publications, visit www.asme.org/shop/books.

A New Class of Polymers

A New Class of Polymers A New Class of Polymers A New Class of PolymersPolymers can be flexible, polymers can be hard. Their versatility is what puts them in practically every product imaginable. But these days, its not enough for a werkstoff to be useful. To maximize utility,it should be recyclable as well. Yet, the problem with the hardest plastics is that theyre also the hardest to break down.Of course, its a major advantage to be able to reform the plethora of water bottles that get tossed in the blue bin. But they dont need to be able to withstand heat, or much pressure, when used as intended. Circuit boards and dashboards, however, need to be more durable, and theyre made with thermosets. Heat up such a polymer and its chemical bonds change. It sets, never to return to its earlier form. Great for toughness, not so good for the landfill.Accidental DiscoveryChemists at IBM were looking to create a thermoset that could also be recycled. And they were doing that in the time-honored way of creating new polymers varying existing polymers with different chemicals. Jeannette Garcia thought she had done just that when she left the lab at IBM one day. She thought she had mixed three ingredients together as planned. In fact, shed left one of them out.Thanks to its unique properties, the new polymer would be ideal for the aerospace, transportaition, and semiconductor industries. Image IBM CorporationI had left it going overnight, and when I came back to it, it had solidified into a hard plastic in my flask, she says. I welches very, very surprised that anything had happened at all. I couldnt get this hard white plastic out of my flask. I had to break the flask with a hammer to get it out and it didnt seem to be effected at all by this operation. I hit it with a hammer and it didnt break up.Garcia had inadvertently made the very product that the lab had been searching for. The stubborn white plastic was as hard as bone and completely recyclablejust add an acid fluid a nd it returns to its previous uncured state. The combination is unique among thermosets.Under analysis it turned out that when heat was added, the material lost weightnot a phenomenon usually associated with polymers of this type. The amount of weight lost depended on the temperature at which the polymer was cured. The loss was due to water being trapped in a stable intermediate version of the material. This was a clue that the polymer was even more unusual than expected.The computational team that worked with Garcia soon confirmed that the thermoset was so unusual that it was in fact a new class of polymer the first discovered in decades.Garcia and her colleagues started tweaking the new polymer directly. By adding carbon fiber, the Youngs modulus went up from 14 to 20 gigapascals. That is, it became even stronger. By changing the monomer, they created polymers with other characteristics. One of them is a self-healing organogel. Trapped inside a polymer metric, you have an OH group capable of hydrogen bounding, says Garcia. When you cleave the gel and separate it and then put it together, those hydrogen bonds re-form.Polymer PossibilitiesThe potential applications are many. In particular, theres a good chance the polymer will soon be used in cars in Europe and Japan where, by 2015, 95% of every car will have to be recyclable. It could also be used in airborne vehicles and in computer chips. Because you can revert it and take it back down to its starting material, its good for manufacturing, says Ari Entin, of IBMs Research Communications Department. If you make a mistake, you can bring it back and rework it instead of starting all over again.The gel could be used to make self-healing paint. If scratched, it could be wiped with water and made new again. And, as the gel returns to water, it could be used with slow-release therapeutics or even perfumes.Flexibility made polymers versatile in use. Looks like they just became even more flexible and tough.Michael Ab rams is an independent writer. For Further DiscussionThe computational team that worked with Garcia soon confirmed that the thermoset was so unusual that it was in fact a new class of polymer the first discovered in decades.