Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Meeting Announcement

Birmingham, Chapter 143

Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa

Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa invites SME 143 Birmingham members/guests to tour

Date:               Thursday February 16^th, 2012

Time:               5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Place:               Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa

                        1700 Holt Road N.E.

                        Tuscaloosa, AL  35404

                        (205) 562-1300

                        www.nucortusk.com

Built in 1985, Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa, Inc. has consistently demonstrated product versatility, quality, and cost advantages over traditional plate mills.  Our mill was the first U.S. steel mill to employ Steckel mill technology to produce high quality wide plate from coil.  Our company produces over 1.2 million tons of carbon and pressure vessel steel coil, discrete plate, and cut-to-length plate products annually.

PPE Requirements:  Steel toe boots, hard hat, safety glasses required.  Hearing protection and jackets will be provided (along with hard hats and safety glasses if you do not have your own).  There will be lots of stairs to climb along the tour route.

 From Birmingham: Take I-59 South to Exit 73.  At the bottom of the ramp turn right onto US Hwy 82 West. Travel just over 3 miles and take exit on the right labeled Jack Warner Parkway.  At the end of the ramp turn left onto Jack Warner.  The main gate is @ 1.5 miles on the left.  Check in at the guard house.

SCHEDULE:

·  4:30 pm                     – Early Bird arrival

·  5:00 - 5:30 pm           -  Meet and greet

·  5:30 pm                      –Tour begins

·  7:30 pm                      – After Hours to follow, off-site meet-up

Please register for this event by sending an e-mail to Blane.Vines@nucor.com.  You must register to be allowed to enter plant site.

We wish to thank our local 2010 - 2012 Sponsors:

Hager Oil Company, Inc.

Processing Custom Steel Plate & Bar

Precision Grinding, Inc.

Birmingham Fastener  Global Solutions, Local Service

Osborne Machinery Movers, Inc.

Blake & Pendleton: Compressed Air & Gas, Pump and Heat Transfer

SME Birmingham to travel Jan 26 to GA TECH to meet Atlanta Chapter members

The Atlanta, Georgia SME Chapter invites Birmingham, AL SME Members to hear "How Dalton became the Carpet Capitol of the World."

Speaker:  Dr. Douglas Flemming
Date:  Jan. 26, 2012
Location: Manufacturing Research Center, GA Tech, 813 Ferst Dr. NW, Atlanta, GA, 30318

Schedule:  Eastern Time Zone
5:30 - 6:15p   Networking/Dinner
6:15 - 7:00p   Presentation: "How Dalton Became the Carpet Capitol of the World"
7:00 - 7:15p   Q&A Session and Closing

Dinner will be provided for all Registrants.

RSVP by Jan. 23, 2012 in order to reserve your spot.

$10 Dinner Donation for SME Members who pre-register.  Register Here

Upon Registering, please, contact Blane, LaVada, Doug, or Brian to confirm traveling plans.

"From the 1880s through the 1950s, Dalton, Georgia, was a typical southern cotton mill town – similar to hundreds of other little textile cities of the Southern upcountry.  In the 1960s, Dixie’s textile industry began to falter and fail, leaving many towns to wither.  Dalton’s cotton mills closed their gates forever during the 1960s.  By then, however, Dalton had a new industry in town – a homegrown miracle: broadloom carpets.  How did Dalton become the “Carpet Capital of the World”?  Dr. Douglas Flamming, professor of history at Georgia Tech, will tell the tale, a fascinating story of southern entrepreneurship and regional transformation." Quoted Email.

Please, contact Brian Everling, Precision Grinding, Inc. for more information.
(205) 942-2491 office     BrianE@PrecisionGrinding.com  email

October Meeting Postponed

This tour has been postponed. Please check back for the rescheduled date.

August Meeting: Birmingham Fastener

Date: Thursday August 18th, 2011
Time: 4:30 p.m. (tour starts promptly at 5pm)
Place: Birmingham Fastener Manufacturing
Address: 931 Avenue W, Birmingham, AL


Birmingham Fastener is a leading manufacturer and distributor of fasteners for structural steel fabrication, metal building manufacturers, transportation, water works and utilities, original equipment manufacturers, construction, MRO and more. They manufacture custom and non-standard fasteners and operate the highest volume distribution center of nuts and bolts and standard fasteners in the U.S. Many manufacturing processes are utilized in the Birmingham location including cold heading, hot heading, thread rolling, among others.

From Birmingham: Take I-59 South to Exit 121. At the bottom of the ramp turn right onto 19th Street. Take 1st right onto Avenue V. Avenue V turns into Avenue W. Facility is on the right side of Avenue W.
From Tuscaloosa: Take I-59 North to Exit 120. At the top of the ramp turn right onto Ensley 5 Points W Ave. Take 1st left onto Pike Road. Continue Straight on Pike Road. Pike road turns into Avenue V. Avenue V turns into Avenue W. Facility is on the right side of Avenue W.

Upon arrival, tell the guard that you are with the SME tour group and you will be directed to the office area to park.

SCHEDULE:
• 4:30 pm – Meet and greet
• 5 – 6 pm –Meeting/Tour begins.

PPE: Hard hats, steel toe boots, safety glasses, and ear plugs are required. Hard hats, glasses, and ear plugs can be provided, but bring your own if you have them.

Please register for this event by sending an e-mail to Blane.Vines@nucor.com.

May Meeting: Alabama Power Technology Application Center

Date: Thursday May 12th, 2011
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: GSC Building 7B
Place: Alabama Power General Services
Address: County Road 87 North, Calera



SME Chapter 330 has invited us to join them for a joint meeting and tour of Alabama Power Company's Technology Application Center. Please come out to learn about the wide range of projects and activities that take place within the TAC facility and to network with your peers.

Directions: (http://www.alabamapower.com/commercial/directions.asp)

From Birmingham: Take I-65 South to Exit 234. At Exit 234 turn right (toward Airport). Continue right (go over I-65) onto Hwy 87 North. Turn right into the APC General Services Complex. After the guard booth, turn right at stop sign. Follow the road around to the TAC in Building 7B.

From Montgomery: Take I-65 North to Exit 234. At Exit 234 turn right onto Hwy 87 North. Turn right into the APC General Services Complex. After the guard booth, turn right at stop sign. Follow the road around to the TAC in Building 7B.

Schedule:
5:30 pm - Meet and greet
6:00 pm - Meeting and tour

Bottled water, soft drinks, and coffee will be provided.

Please register for this event by sending an e-mail to
Blane.Vines@Nucor.com

March Meeting: Tennessee Spring & Metal

Date: Thursday March 24, 2011
Time: 5:00 pm
Location: Upstairs Conference Room
Place: Bass Pro Shop, Exit 140, I-20
Address: 5000 Bass Pro Blvd. Leeds.
http://www.basspro.com/


Tennessee Spring and Metal, LLC will share information with us on a burgeoning, new technology through their presentation entitled, "An Introduction to Fluid Forming." SME Birmingham members are invited to network with peers as we discuss various metal forming processes.

Tennessee Spring and Metal, LLC, located in Hartsville, TN, manufactures Mechanical Steel Springs for tension, torsion, compression, and extension applications.

During our meeting we also plan to cast a VOTE for 2011 Executive team members for our SME Birmingham Chapter 143, we shall review the upcoming SAE BAJA UAB 2011 event to be held in April, and we shall discuss plans and alternatives for future 2011 tours and meetings. Please, view the recent SME Blog article (below) to view introductory information about the UAB Baja event, April 14 - 17, 2011.

Schedule:

5:00 pm - Networking & Soda Social
6:00 pm - Meeting Begins

Please, register for this event by sending an email to Blane.Vines@nucor.com .

$10.00 Donation for members accepted. Please, bring along a friend who may also find interest to learn more about Fluid Forming.

SME Members to volunteer for UAB Baja 2011

UAB Materials & Mechanical Engineering: 2011 Baja Birmingham

An invitation from the local SAE Chapter to meet the UAB Baja team brought several of our membership groups together to meet the students and staff from the UAB Materials and Mechanical Engineering Departments that participate with the UAB Baja Team. Please, visit their 2011 UAB Baja Birmingham informational site for information about their upcoming event.

Several of our SME members plan to attend and to Volunteer to serve various positions at this Innaugural UAB Baja event, scheduled for April 14 - 18, 2011 at Stony Lonesome OHV Park, near Cullman, AL.

While on our February tour at UAB, Tina Oliver, PhD presented us with information about the UAB Baja team, their Engineering leadership, and the students who devote so much of their time to building one of the premier University Baja teams in the world. Tina informed us that there may be 50 - 100 University Teams from all over the world entering a Baja mobile in this event. She also explained the many events, such as Acceleration, Water Maneuverability, Land Maneuverability, Suspension & Traction, Design, and the rugged, Endurance Event. Following the open discussion, Dr. Tina, Dr. Bharat Soni, Dr. Brian Pillay, and Dr. Uday Vaidya offered group tours of their labs:

Dr. Pillay strolled across campus with approximately 15 or so guests to see the new Materials Engineering Design Lab. Already worldwide recognized as one of the most unique and advanced, new and upcoming Composite Material Education Labs in the world, Dr. Pillay showed us how companies such as Honda and Mercedes (company members present) are able to test new composites, gaining valuable research and testing experiences. Please, take a few moments to review a little information about the UAB Materials Engineering Composite Design Lab.

Dr. Soni and his Staff walked with 15 or so other guests to view the nearby Advanced 3D Visual Labs, located within the same Mechanical Engineering Building, the Business Engineering Building. Recent innovations and projects viewed include Real-time Distance Surgical Procedure Education and Modeling support for Emergency situations.

Dr. Vaidya, Dr. Tina Oliver and most of the Baja students took the remainder of the guests to view the INDYCar and the Baja Team Machine Shop. Shown below, some of the SAE and SME sponsors that help to support the team.

Later, on a recent Monday during the middle of February, the SME Birmingham Board members met to discuss SME participation with the UAB Baja Team. Our Board panel, including Blane Vines of Nucor Tuscaloosa, Mark Partyka our retiring Chair Member, LaVada Varner of ATN, Brian Everling of Precision Grinding, Inc., and now, Doug Cole from Aerotek agreed that it's a good idea for SME Birmingham members to pursue volunteering a 1/2 day or more each to serve as Registration/Check-In, Parking/Traffic Attendants, Field Sum Scorers, Food Services/ Hospitality hosts, and possibly as Field Evaluators. Please, again, visit the UAB BAJA internet site to submit your name to volunteer to serve a position, sometime during the Th - Sun weekend event.

For more information about SME Birmingham or for more information about UAB Baja, please, email Brian Everling at BrianEverling@phd1.com.

We look forward to hearing from you.

If your company would like to offer sponsorship to support the UAB Baja Team, please, send us an email or submit a request to the UAB Baja Team. Sponsorship positions include Banner Opportunities, Lunch / Dinner / Snack Hospitality Tents, and Career Fair Tents.