Eyes on tomorrow
Edward P. Salek, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report November 2019
STLE’s 75th anniversary celebration combines past, present and future.
One 21st Century item on STLE’s tribology timeline is the introduction of metallocene polyalphaolefins, used in a variety of automotive and industrial applications. The timeline will be displayed at the Hyatt Regency Chicago during STLE’s 75th Anniversary Annual Meeting & Exhibition in May 2020.
© Can Stock Photo / focalpoint
The countdown is on for STLE’s 75th Anniversary Annual Meeting and Exhibition. The celebration takes place May 3-7 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago, the organization’s birthplace and the only location we have ever called home.
The annual meeting is the culmination of a year-long campaign to highlight the importance of tribology and lubrication engineering and to promote STLE’s value as an organization. A team of industry volunteers has been directing that activity and working on a variety of commemorative projects to be featured at the Chicago meeting in May.
One highlight of the Chicago displays will be a fascinating tribology and lubricants timeline that spotlights many of the theoretical and commercial breakthroughs that form the foundation of the industry.
A good example from the theory category is the Stribeck curve, which was first described in late 1901 and is one of the fundamental concepts in the field of tribology. The Stribeck curve defines the effect that changes in load, viscosity and speed have on friction. It is named for the German engineer Richard Stribeck.
A second example, this one from the 21st Century, has been the introduction of metallocene polyalphaolefins, or mPAOs, by a variety of companies. These synthetic lubricants target a variety of automotive and industrial applications, including gear oils, greases and automotive lubricants.
More timeline information is being solicited and evaluated. STLE members are invited to contribute their recommendations for other noteworthy events, inventions or products by sending an email with details to me at the email below no later than Dec. 30.
While STLE and its members are proud of our history, society leadership also has an eye on the future in order to discern what changes will influence the organization and the field. Two projects are at the forefront of this effort.
STLE’s Report on Emerging Issues and Trends in Tribology and Lubrication Engineering, informally known as the Trends Report, is being updated with a target release date of early 2020. Since it was first published in 2014, the report has garnered notoriety for identifying current and future developments in the field.
This third edition of the report builds on the previous trends and conclusions and has been refocused and reorganized to reflect the rapid pace of change affecting all areas of relevant technology. As a result, the 2020 report has consolidated application sectors into four high-interest topics: transportation, medical and health, energy and manufacturing.
The latest research has identified more than 140 trends for consideration in these four sectors. Transportation yielded the highest number (57), with considerable interest surrounding not only the implications and opportunities presented by electric and self-driving vehicles but also developments in internal combustion engines.
A second future-focused project involves STLE leadership in the creation of an updated three- to five-year strategic plan for the organization. This initiative explores how rapid technological change is likely to impact the tribology field and will explore resources and tools to help members anticipate trends and address them proactively. The discovery phase of the project is utilizing planning sessions with STLE’s leadership team and a needs assessment survey of both member and non-member audiences. This phase will be completed in the first quarter of 2020.
The culmination of the work will be a refreshed strategic plan, released as the organization marks its 75th anniversary. This roadmap will guide STLE in helping members navigate the current landscape and meet their future professional challenges.
You can reach Certified Association Executive Ed Salek at esalek@stle.org.