The Materials Science and Engineering, Industrial Applications, and Processing of Magnesium Products

Sponsored by: TMS Light Metals Division
Dates and Times:
Saturday, February 12, 2005 ~ 8:30 am-5:00 pm
Sunday, February 13, 2005 ~ 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Advance Fees: Members $645; Non-Members $735. If you register by January 17, 2005 you will save an additional $50.00.

To register for a course, please use the 2005 TMS Annual Meeting Registration form. You may register any time prior to the Annual Meeting and on-site. Course size is limited and a sufficient number of pre-registered attendees are necessary to offer each course, so please register early!

Who Should Attend

This two-day course is intended for materials scientists, professors/students, engineers/technicians, managers and others who wish to gain an in-depth understanding on the materials science and engineering of magnesium, including the manufacturing, applications and issues with magnesium products. Attendees will get a full exposure to the valuable functional attributes of this lightest of industrial metals, including where magnesium is used and where it might be employed in future industrial applications. The course will conclude with a detailed analysis of global magnesium R&D efforts. Attendees will be encouraged to interact with the speakers in an open forum on issues which influence the “magnesium industry” including how magnesium technology could be a fruitful area for a future career.

Course Overview

Magnesium has recently emerged from obscurity as a reactive metal to become part of the suite of light material choices for modern industry. Currently, magnesium is used in automotive components (~ 5 kg/vehicle), IT products (1/3 of all laptops, many camera, cell phones and PDA bodies), and hand held home and industrial equipment. Magnesium science, engineering and processing technology have been extensively studied in Europe for over 10 years. But there is limited exposure in North American colleges and universities.

The course will cover the basic elements of the science, engineering, and technology including the physical, mechanical, chemical, and metallurgical properties of magnesium and its alloys and will conclude with a detailed analysis of current magnesium research activities in North America, Europe, Japan, Australia, and China. This analysis will include the major efforts to improve the high temperature mechanical properties of cast and worked magnesium alloys, and the extensive efforts to produce sheet, stampings, and extrusions.

About the Presenters

Gerald Cole PhD, FASM received his PhD from the University of Toronto. He retired in 2001 after 35 years with Ford Motor Company supervising R&D in metallurgy, metal casting and NDT, working on vehicle weight reduction with cast magnesium and aluminum and consulting on quality, productivity, supply and product-process issues for automotive components’ producers throughout Ford’s supply chain. He has published over 130 papers, has patented 9 innovative solutions in producing and using light metal castings, has presented hundreds of seminars around the world, has taught graduate-level manufacturing and engineering science courses in US, France, Mexico, Australia, and Israel and has organized global training seminars and technical programs. Dr. Cole now manages his own consulting company, LightWeightStrategies LLC.

David St. John is currently CEO of one of the world’s dominant light metal research and engineering centers, the Cooperative Research Centre for Cast Metals Manufacturing (CAST) located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. CAST has 18 industry and research provider participants and is focused on light metals research for companies that span metal producers, their equipment suppliers, die casters, Tier 1 suppliers and automotive companies. CAST also delivers education and training at high school, vocational, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels. David has published over 200 papers, is a co-inventor on three patents, and has a career covering academia and industry including managing industry research and development teams and teaching undergraduate and industry short courses. His work in solidification, and alloy design and heat treatment of aluminum and magnesium alloys is extensively cited. David can be contacted at cast@cast.crc.org.au.

For More Information

Christina Raabe
TMS, Manager of Continuing Ed and Information
184 Thorn Hill Road
Warrendale PA 15086 USA
Tel (724) 776-9000 ext. 212
Fax (724) 776-3770
E-mail raabe@tms.org