RE: Query-Sump caisson Piping

From: <Christopher>
Date: Wed Aug 21 2002 - 22:00:00 EDT

>Isnt this why we have learned societies such as ASME, I Mech E, IE Aust, etc.
It's not clear what 'this' refers to, but if you mean a source of technical information, the ASME certainly is that. The ASME Transactions are a wonderful source of information although my experience is that the quality is way down in recent years. There's less emphasis on practical information and a lot more articles of the academic 'publish or perish' variety. Articles tend to be summaries of dissertations without enough methodology to actually reproduce results. That may be a result of the fact that engineering research is unfashionable in the US these days. The biggest contribution of the ASME is the pressure vessel and piping codes. The ASME also promulgates a great many other standards, but nothing so good as the Boiler Code or as far reaching.

>These bodies have requirements to meet in regard to one's education,
>professional standing, continual professional development.
Not the ASME. Pretty much anyone can join. Although there are various grades of membership, they're more in recognition of professional or academic standing than requirements. There are no continuing education or professional development requirements.

The ASME is a technical association rather than a professional society, in that its activities concern the science rather than the art or practice of engineering. Societal obligations or member welfare insn't of much concern. In the US professional practice is regulated by the states, pretty much independently of the major technical societies. Most mechanical engineers are corporate employees, so the profession has no autonomy and no true professional association like the Bar Asociations or the AMA.

I've been an ASME member for about 40 years, and I probably will remain a member until I quit practicing, but my own experience is that the ASME has become pretty much an old boy's club. It's relying more and more on sidelines such as low cost insurance to attract new members. Apart from the Codes and standards activity and a great storehouse of information in the Transactions from former times, the Society seems to be rushing headlong toward irrelevance. This may have as much to do with the fact that engineering development is no where near as fashionable or as well-funded a pursuit in the US as it once was.

> Perhaps we should encourage our forum memebers to put their names
> in and add their post numerals.

That typically isn't done in the States, except for the occasional P.E. for engineers in private practice like me. I know it's different in Europe, but the general view here is that it's a bit pretentious.

Christopher Wright P.E. |"They couldn't hit an elephant at <a href="/group/PipingDesign/post?postID=mig85kcV6HoGrS-FLLOMJgQZ0LUHRM18qj3Zl4zcLLjTpBLdpN667ssm6Chv3A0itsLbmGpUc7SS">chrisw@skypoint.com</a> | this distance" (last words of Gen.

___________________________| John Sedgwick, Spotsylvania 1864)

<a href="http://www.skypoint.com/~chrisw">http://www.skypoint.com/~chrisw</a> Received on Wed Aug 21 22:00:00 2002