Heat Treat Today publishes eight print magazines a year, and included in each is a letter from the publisher, Doug Glenn. This letter first appeared in November 2023 Vacuum Heat Treat print edition.
Feel free to contact Doug at doug@heattreattoday.com if you have a question or comment.
Publisher
Heat Treat Today
Forty-one relative newbies to the North American heat treat industry attended this year’s Heat Treat Boot Camp in Pittsburgh.
There are four reasons why sending someone to Heat Treat Boot Camp is a good business decision:
Technical and Commercial Content
The content is right on target. The technical information is presented in layman’s terms so beginners can understand. Thomas Wingens, of WINGENS LLC, does a great job explaining rudimentary concepts like austenite, martensite, phase transformations, lattice structures, and other potentially intimidating concepts.
The non-technical content is presented by yours truly and gives attendees a solid understanding of the importance of heat treating, the equipment and components used, the companies that manufacture the equipment, and resources for staying up to date.
Attendees did have one request: extend the event so that more time could be spent on the topics. That’s a nice criticism to hear, and we’re considering extending the event to include another half day.
Connecting with People
One of the most valuable parts of the event was the networking. It’s nice to know there are others in the industry who are also early in their careers and need to learn heat treat basics. The mix of attendees was quite diverse, including in-house heat treaters, commercial heat treaters, and industry suppliers.
Two Excursions
at the DoubleTree in Downtown Pittsburgh for some classic “yinzer” dining and
fellowship. (Source: Heat Treat Today)
At the end of the first full day of classes, the entire group loaded a school bus (yes, a yellow school bus) and took a brief drive to the famous Duquesne Incline which goes to a fantastic view of downtown Pittsburgh.
The final day ended with another school bus trip to a local commercial heat treat plant where attendees saw heat treat equipment in operation. Penna Flame Industries in Zelienople, PA, hosted nearly 30 of us. Andrew and Michael Orr, third-generation family owners, did an excellent job showing the group around their flame and induction hardening heat treat operation.
Food
There were also plenty of good opportunities for networking during the six food functions — and the food was fantastic. There is nothing better than chatting over food. This year’s group excelled at mealtime fellowship!
Most Importantly
Deidra Minerd, owner of Euclid Heat Treating, summed up the most important benefit of sending someone to Heat Treat Boot Camp:
“Thank you for taking good care of one of our new employees . . . at the Heat Treat Boot Camp. He said he really enjoyed it and learned a lot. As soon as he returned, he said he’d like to take part in more training. It’s encouraging that his time at Heat Treat Boot Camp inspired him to pursue more knowledge to further his career.”
Hopefully, we’ll see you or someone from your company next year. Dates for Heat Treat Boot Camp 2024 will be announced before the end of this year. Stay tuned.
