Oct 8 2009
Throughout the vast spectrum of materials science and engineering, I have found failure analysis to be one of the most fascinating topics. It's also one of the most popular, because I can assure you that someday, you will be working on a failure investigation.
ASM International's failure analysis symposia at Materials Science & Technology (MS&T) have been among the most well-attended sessions in recent years. This month in Pittsburgh, we will hold a special memorial symposium on failure analysis and prevention to honor the late Charles R. Morin, P.E. Chuck was one of the founders of Engineering Systems Inc. and a leading failure analyst who worked on some of the most high-profile investigations of our times.
From the DC-10 accident in Sioux City, Iowa, to the crane collapse that occurred during construction of the Miller Park baseball stadium in Milwaukee, Chuck brought proven methodologies and techniques to his pursuit of the facts and his goal to determine the root cause. His was a multidisciplinary approach, and he appreciated the complex interactions between design, specifications, construction and quality control. "Do we really learn from our mistakes?" he would ask, stressing the importance of sharing knowledge and experiences so that lessons would not have to be expensively re-learned.
The presenters and topics covered at our failure analysis and prevention symposium will be invaluable to the practicing failure analyst, but also to the materials engineer interested in learning how it is done. As I mentioned, you will most likely be involved in a failure investigation at some point in your career. It's a good idea to become familiar with the concepts and the professionals who work with failure analysis on a regular basis, to determine how they perform their analyses, and to learn from some of the top experts in our technical community.
I encourage you to attend our symposium at MS&T in Pittsburgh. You will not have a better opportunity to meet your fellow ASM members - friends and colleagues who are willing to share what they know so that all of us can truly learn from past mistakes.