This year’s Electrical Apparatus Service Association Inc. (EASA) Convention will feature 23 education sessions, three general sessions, three days of exhibits, two social events, one optional service center tour and five additional optional tours June 24 through 26 at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee.
The convention has been planned to include education mixed with other enriching experiences tailored toward learning more about the area. Outings like a St. Louis Cardinals versus Milwaukee Brewers game; a Bikes, Beers and Bustling Milwaukee tour; riverboat cruise; Milwaukee ethnic foodie tour; and Milwaukee’s Museum Experience are options for attendees.
The New Product Theater will provide an opportunity for companies that are EASA exhibitors to show EASA Convention attendees about their latest products with demonstrations and presentations.
The education portion of the event will feature many speakers and presenters with expertise in the field. Here are just a few of the programs that will take place:
Opening Remarks and Keynote Speaker Troy Hazard: Purpose, Passion, People, Profits — Troy Hazard has founded 12 businesses over two decades, and in that time, there are very few situations that he has not experienced and survived. In this keynote, Hazard will provide information about how business owners can have a more purposeful view.
Introduction to Problem Solving and Root Cause Failure Analysis by Mike Howell, EASA Technical Support Specialist — The goal of root cause failure analysis (RCFA) is to determine the root cause(s) of a failure. But to be effective, RCFA must take place within the context of a practical, problem-solving methodology or framework. The analysis may be of little value unless feasible countermeasures are implemented to prevent recurrence. This session will provide an intro to problem solving and RCFA that can be applied generically to any process.
Pump Curves and Affinity Laws in Layman’s Terms with Gene Vogel, EASA Pump and Vibration Specialist — This program will discuss Murphy’s Law for pump repair warranties that says if you fixed the motor and the pump doesn’t work right, the problem is the motor; if you fixed the pump and the motor fails, the problem is the pump. To deal with this clause of Murphy’s Law, service center owners, managers and engineers need to understand the factors that determine pump performance and the load they impose on motors. This session will provide that practical understanding without overly
technical equations.
Open Technical Forum Facilitator: Austin Bonnett, Bonnett Engineering, Gallatin, EASA Technical Support Team — Join EASA’s world-renowned engineering team for an open discussion of technical questions and issues.
Understanding the Interactions of Pumps, Motors and Drives by Bill Livoti, WEG (on behalf of Hydraulic Institute) — AC induction motors drive approximately 90 percent of all pump systems. Variable-speed controls power an ever-growing portion of these pumping systems. The pump, motor and drive are components of the total "pump system." Understanding how these react to each other is critical to achieve higher reliability and improved performance. Many plants evaluate individual components rather than considering the interactions of motors, pumps and drives within the total system. This session will focus on how the pump, motor and drive function and operate as individual components and a total system.
Top 10 HR Mistakes to Avoid in 2018 with David Schein, MBA, JD, Ph.D., Claremont Management Group Inc., Houston, Texas — Being an employer in the U.S. has never been easy, and the complexities continue. This session will discuss the top 10 human resources mistakes, including failing to provide employee and supervisor training; employment record-keeping; bullying and violent tendencies in the workplace; not fighting unemployment claims; insufficient (or no) vetting of new employees; tolerating poor performance for too long; and more.
EASA Industry Research: Deeper into the Data — What Else We Learned with Michael Marks, Indian River Consulting Group, Melbourne, Florida, and Jerry Peerbolte, J. Peerbolte & Associates, Fort Smith, Arkansas — The findings revealed from EASA’s latest industry research were among the highlights of the 2017 convention. Evolving developments in how customers source products and services are becoming more important to future success. This session will discuss what else has been learned about EASA businesses, markets and customers.
The Economy: A Bend in the Road by Brian Beaulieu, ITR Economics Manchester, New Hampshire — Brian Beaulieu will describe the status of the current business cycle of the U.S. and global economy and forecast where the economy is heading. The session will look at the upside opportunities and what risks lie ahead for the economy and explain why it is important to understand the difference between a potential slump in activity (2019) versus the extended upside potential looking further into the future. There will be challenges, including the ongoing labor shortage. The session will discuss effectively managing labor costs and other pressures stemming from business-cycle changes.
Editor’s note: Visit Processing at the Process Flow Network’s Booth 650 at EASA.
