ACRC Honors Dr. David Weiss and Dr. Fred Major for Their Contributions to the Industry
By MPI June 12, 2012
The Advanced Casting Research Center (ACRC) of the Metal Processing Institute (MPI) is pleased to announce the winners of the Merton C. Flemings and Ray H. Witt Awards for 2012. Each year the ACRC recognizes two individuals who have made significant contributions to the metal casting industry. These awards were presented at the Spring 2012 ACRC meeting on June 6.
Dr. David Weiss Receives the ACRC 2012 Merton C. Flemings Award
The Merton C. Flemings Award, established in 1991, is given in recognition of significant contributions to the understanding of solidification processing fundamentals that have been applied commercially in the foundry. The 2012 ACRC Merton C. Flemings Award was presented to Dr. David Weiss, V.P. of Sales & Engineering, Eck Industries, during the June meeting of the ACRC at WPI.
Dr. Weiss is responsible for development and application of high performance alloys and casting concepts for the foundry and their customers. Eck Industries is an acknowledged leader in the production of high strength aluminum alloy and aluminum alloy composite castings. Weiss participated in the development of the lost foam casting process for magnesium alloys for which he shared the Howard Taylor Award from the American Foundry Society (AFS), has worked on modified low pressure casting techniques for sand molds and has patented a hybrid high-pressure shell casting process. He received a second Howard Taylor Award for his work on low pressure casting of magnesium. He is past chairman of the AFS aluminum and magnesium divisions. Weiss has authored over 40 papers on the processing and application of aluminum, metal matrix composite and magnesium castings and in 2005 received the Hall/Heroult Scientific Merit Award for his development work on aluminum alloys. In 2008 Weiss shared a third Howard Taylor award for work on aluminum nanocomposites and was a recipient of the William Frishmuth Award from the aluminum division of AFS.
Dr. Fred Major Receives the ACRC 2012 Ray H. Witt Award
The Ray H. Witt Award, established in 1999, is given to an individual for his/her leadership in the aluminum casting industry; for investing resources to broaden the technology base; for introducing advanced concepts and techniques; for encouraging the education and training of new talent and for inspiring others to advance the industry through technical achievement. The 2012 Ray H. Witt Award was presented to Dr. Fred Major.
Dr. Major completed his Bachelor of Applied Science degree (B.A.Sc.) at the University of Toronto in 1981 where he also completed his M.A.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees. He joined Alcan in 1989. During his time at Alcan International, Fred has worked on many shape casting related projects and topics, including process and casting die development for the launch of the Lincoln Mark VIII lower rear suspension control arm, castability of 319/320 alloys, alloy metallurgy for Ford/Cosworth cast Aluminum engine blocks, factors controlling porosity in the A356 casting alloy system, effect of microstructure and porosity on fatigue life in A356-T61, microstructural control of alloy AA 512, chemistry/property relationships in AA 535, and elevated temperature fatigue in piston alloys. Dr. Major has received honors from the AFS in the form of the Aluminum Division best paper award for 1993, and the Hall-Heroult Award for Scientific Merit in 2002. Fred retired from Alcan in May of 2012.
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