Conferences are excellent ways to further your skills and work towards recertification or a renewal. The American Welding Society (AWS) has an excellent program where attending a conference earns you PDH's, or Personal Development Hours. These hours can be used towards a renewal or recertification through AWS. Conferences are good places to network and an excellent way to make yourself more valuable as an employee or further your career.
The AWS will hold a new conference at the Crowne Plaza Charlotte Uptown Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina August 16-17, 2011. This conference is called “Corrosion-Resistant Alloys, The New Chrome-Moly Steels”. If you have attended AWS conferences before, you will find that this one is set up a bit differently from conferences in the past.
The first day will cover the newer alloys that are corrosion-resistant. Materials such as nickel-base alloys, titanium, and duplex stainless steels will be covered. There is a lot to be learned about the duplex stainless steels as these grades are starting to replace austenitics stainless steel in some cases. Welders will have to learn how to weld these materials. Less expensive duplex alloys will be introduced as well. A new titanium alloy will be on the program since welders should be aware that it could potentially replace the 6Al-4V grade. Another important topic that will be covered is cladding.
The second day will be all about the new chrome-moly steels. These are steels like the 911, 91, and 92 grades. There is a lot to learn about these new steels and some good benefits to knowing about them. The fabrication of these materials is tricky and the market is for low hydrogen consumables. A lot of attention has to be paid to heat treating and welding dissimilar metals. It's a problem for some and will be covered to help everyone.
This new conference is worth 14 PDH's. If you are a member of the AWS the price is $550. For nonmembers the price is $680. Exhibitors who are AWS members pay $750 and nonmembers pay $880. You can find out more information about the conference, schedule, an exhibitor kit, and about the hotel at AWS.
