STLE launches Industry Insights
Edward P. Salek, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report November 2021
Join the discussion in this monthly virtual event series.
STLE has added another dimension to one of our most valuable membership benefits—the opportunity to connect with member colleagues in a casual but meaningful conversation. While the concept likely dates to STLE’s founding year of 1944, the new twist is that the conversation now is happening in the virtual world.
The program, known as Industry Insights: A Virtual Event Series, was tested with good results during the 2021 STLE Virtual Annual Meeting & Exhibition in May. The series, which returned this fall in a slightly modified format, began in September and will be presented for the third time in November.
Each online event is focused on a single topic for discussion. An expert on the topic gives a brief presentation and then facilitates conversation by asking questions and providing a summary of takeaways from the conversation as a conclusion. Programs are scheduled to be 40-60 minutes in length and take place at 12 p.m. Central Time (U.S.).
Participants must register in advance, and attendance is limited to the first 40 registrants. Group size is capped to enhance dialogue and to allow for a dynamic exchange of ideas. You also must be a current STLE member to participate in the event and agree to follow the STLE Virtual Programs Code of Conduct.
The debut program topic was Electric Vehicle Fluids – Requirements and Testing. The moderator was Dr. Peter Lee, staff engineer - chief tribologist at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas. The premise for discussion was that as electric vehicles (EVs) become mainstream, there will be increased need for tailor-made EV fluids. With this comes the need to test these lubricants to demonstrate compatibility and differentiation. The focus was on current and potential future EV fluid requirements and possible testing methods for these EV fluids.
In October, Jennifer Lunn, senior research chemist and product manager for JTM Products, Inc.’s Metalworking Division, located in the Cleveland area, led a conversation titled Raw Material Shortages and the Effect on Formulating New Products. This Industry Insight focused on current reasons for shortages and possible ways of overcoming them. It was clear that disruptions in the supply chain have impacted everyone, whether at the chemical manufacturing end to the finished part supplier and everyone in between. One conclusion: The need to consolidate raw materials has become a primary consideration during development and even in reformulations.
More information about Industry Insights is available at
www.stle.org under the Events tab. Members with a future topic idea to present or discuss are encouraged to contact
membership@stle.org.
You can reach Certified Association Executive Ed Salek at esalek@stle.org.