mechanical engineering

ASME - American Society of Mechanical Engineers - is a 120,000-member professional organization focused on technical, educational and research issues of the engineering and technology community. ASME conducts one of the world's largest technical publishing operations, holds numerous technical conferences worldwide, and offers hundreds of professional development courses each year. ASME sets internationally recognized industrial and manufacturing codes and standards that enhance public safety.

The work of the Society is performed by its member-elected Board of Governors and through its five Councils, 44 Boards and hundreds of Committees in 13 regions throughout the world.

Technical Divisions and Subdivisions

Advancing the science and practice of mechanical engineering is the responsibility of the Society's 37 Technical Divisions and Subdivisions, which span a vast array of disciplines, technologies and industries:

• Advanced Energy Systems - Promotes the advancement of emerging energy conversion devices and processes, such as hydrogen technologies, fuel cells and heat pumps, and understanding of thermo economics.
• Aerospace - Concerns mechanical engineering of aircraft and manned/unmanned spacecraft design, including adaptive structures and materials, propulsion systems and life support equipment.
• Applied Mechanics - Advances the study of how media, including solids, fluids and systems, respond to external stimuli, as well as the specialized areas of shock and vibration and computer applications.
• Bioengineering - Focused on the application of mechanical engineering principles to the conception, design, development, analysis and operation of biomechanical systems.
• Computers & Information in Engineering - Concerned with the application of emerging computer simulation technology to enhance the entire engineering process.
• Design Engineering - Addresses the design concepts of machines and mechanisms, such as fastening/joining methods and gearing, as well as design aspects affecting reliability and manufacturability.
• Dynamic Systems & Control - Concentrates on control methods and devices, from servomechanisms and regulators to automatic controls, for dynamic systems involving forces, motion and/or the flow of energy or material.
• Electronic & Photonic Packaging - Fosters cooperation on mechanical engineering considerations of microelectronics, photonics, microwave and microelectromechanical systems design and manufacturing.
• Environmental Engineering - Concerns air, ground and water pollution control technologies, including environmental remediation and mixed hazardous/radioactive waste management.
• Fluids Engineering - Involved in fluid mechanics in all types of systems and processes involving fluid flow, including pumps, turbines, compressors, pipelines, biological fluid elements and hydraulic structures.
• Fluid Power Systems & Technology - Advances the design and analysis of fluid power components, such as hydraulic and pneumatic actuators, pumps, motors and modulating components, in various systems and applications.
• Fuels & Combustion Technologies - Dedicated to the understanding of fuels and combustion systems in modern utility and industrial power plants, including fuels handling, preparation, processing and by-product emissions controls.
• Heat Transfer - Enhances the theory and application of heat transfer in equipment and thermodynamic processes in all fields of mechanical engineering and related technologies.
• Information Storage & Processing Systems - Focuses on the mechanics of electronic information storage devices and their manufacture, with primary focus on rigid and floppy disks, magnetic tape, VCR and optical disk technologies.
• Internal Combustion Engine - Furthers mechanical engineering of all types of reciprocating combustion engines, including diesel and spark ignited engines for mobile, marine, rail and stationary power generation applications.
• International Gas Turbine Institute - Supports the design, manufacture and operation of gas turbine and aeroengine machinery in various applications, including aircraft, marine and electric power generation.
• Management - Concerns the management of the engineering process to control resources, both human and material, to improve the quality of products and services provided by organizations.
• Manufacturing Engineering - Fosters the transfer of technology related to manufacturing systems for improved production performance, including machine tools, computer integrated manufacturing and robotics.
• Materials - Focuses on the properties of materials, such as metals, ceramics, composites and polymers, and its influence on design consideration in materials selection for engineering structures.
• Materials Handling Engineering - Promotes the dissemination and application of technological advancements in material transport systems through mechanical engineering, systems engineering and information technology.
• Microelectromechanical Systems Subdivision - Furthers developments of miniature devices combining electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical and/or biological components fabricated via integrated circuit or similar manufacturing techniques.
• Noise Control & Acoustics - Advances the application of physical principles of acoustics to the solution of noise control problems, as well as the uses of acoustics in industrial applications.
• NonDestructive Evaluation Engineering - Covers the evaluation of critical system components for material/defect/structure characterization through nondestructive methods, such as ultrasonics, radiography and other techniques.
• Nuclear Engineering - Concerns the design, development, testing, operation and maintenance of nuclear reactor systems and components, fusion, heat transport, nuclear fuels technology and radioactive waste.
• Ocean, Offshore & Arctic Engineering - Promotes international technological progress in the recovery of energy resources in offshore and arctic environments, as well as systems, equipment and vehicles for underwater sea usage.
• Petroleum - Covers mechanical systems used in the entire area of petroleum drilling, production, refining, processing, and transportation, as well as management and environmental concerns.
• Pipeline Systems Division - Promotes pipeline systems technology, including automation, rotating equipment, geotechnics, heat transfer, offshore, materials, GIS, database, environmental issues, design, construction, and integrity.
• Plant Engineering & Maintenance - Focuses on the design, fabrication, installation, operation and maintenance of manufacturing systems, equipment, processes and facilities to create products of enhanced value.
• Power - Disseminates information on the research, design, operation, economics, and environmental effects of fossil-fired thermal power generation systems, including hydroelectric.
• Pressure Vessels & Piping - Concerns the design, fabrication, inspection, operation and failure prevention of power boilers, heating boilers, pipelines, pumps, valves and other pressure-bearing components and vessels.
• Process Industries - Focuses on the design of systems and machines for heating, cooling or treating industrial fluids and gases, including the efficient management and control of the processes themselves.
• Rail Transportation - Covers the mechanical design, construction, operation and maintenance of locomotives, freight, passenger and commuter cars in railroads and mass transit systems.
• Safety Engineering & Risk Analysis - Promotes practices that lead to reduced risk and loss prevention by creating safer products, processes, and occupational environments.
• Solar Energy - Concerned with all aspects of solar-derived energy for mechanical and electrical power generation, as well as wind energy and ocean thermal energy conversion.
• Solid Waste Processing - Addresses the design, construction and operation of solid waste processing and disposal facilities, including waste-to-energy combustors, materials recovery/recycling, landfills and composting.
• Technology & Society - Covers all issues concerning the inter-relationships between technological innovation and the world community, as well as the social responsibility of the engineer.
• Textile Engineering - Focuses on product and process technology for the improvement of fiber, composite material, textile, and apparel manufacturing operations, machinery and instrumentation.
• Tribology - Involved in all aspects of friction, lubrication and wear in mechanical designs and manufacturing processes, as well as its economic impact on system reliability and maintainability.
  

Popular Publications from ASME

The ASME committees within the different divisions and subdivisions develops, updates and publish some of the worlds most used codes and standards. Some of the popular titles are:

• ASME 2004 Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code - The Code, which is issued once every three years, is comprised of 28 separate volumes which establish rules of safety governing the design, fabrication and inspection of boilers and pressure vessels, including nuclear power systems. The Code has been updated to incorporate advancements in boiler and pressure vessel design, materials and applications, and provides the latest information to maintain ASME Code Symbol Stamps.
• ASME A17-CD - CD-ROM for Elevators and Escalators. Includes: A17.1 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators - A17.2 Guide for Inspection of Elevators, Escalators and Moving Walks - A17.3 Safety Code for Existing Elevators and Escalators
• ASME B31.1 - 2001 Power Piping - The code prescribes minimum requirements for the design, materials, fabrication, erection, test, and inspection of power and auxiliary service piping systems for electric generation stations, industrial institutional plants, central and district heating plants. The code covers boiler external piping for power boilers and high temperature, high pressure water boilers in which steam or vapor is generated at a pressure of more than 15 PSIG; and high temperature water is generated at pressures exceeding 160 PSIG and/or temperatures exceeding 250 degrees F.
• ASME B31.3 - 2002 Process Piping - The Code contains rules for piping typically found in petroleum refineries; chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, paper, semiconductor, and cryogenic plants; and related processing plants and terminals. The Code prescribes requirements for materials and components, design, fabrication, assembly, erection, examination, inspection, and testing of piping. The Code applies to piping for all fluids including: (1) raw, intermediate, and finished chemicals; (2) petroleum products; (3) gas, steam, air and water; (4) fluidized solids; (5) refrigerants; and (6) cryogenic fluids. Also included is piping which interconnects pieces or stages within a packaged equipment assembly.
• ASME V14.5M - 1994 Dimensioning and Tolerance - The standard establishes uniform practices for stating and interpreting dimensioning, tolerances, and related requirements for use on engineering drawings and in related documents. For a mathematical explanation of many of the principles in this standard, see ASME Y14.5.1m. Practices unique to architectural and civil engineering, land, welding symbology are not included.
• ASME B16.5 - 1996 Pipe Flanges and Flange Fittings - The Standard covers pressure-temperature ratings, materials, dimensions, tolerances, marking, testing, and methods of designating openings for pipe flanges and flanged fittings in sizes NPS 1/2 through NPS 24 and in rating Classes 150, 300, 400, 600, 900, 1500, and 2500. Flanges and flanged fittings may be cast, forged, or (for blind flanges and certain reducing flanges only) plate materials as listed in Table 1A. Requirements and recommendations regarding bolting and gaskets are also included.
• ASME B31.4 - 1998 - Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquid Hydrocarbons and other Liquids - The Code prescribes requirements for the design, materials, construction, assembly, inspection, and testing of piping transporting liquids such as crude oil, condensate, natural gasoline, natural gas liquids, liquefied petroleum gas, carbon dioxide, liquid alcohol, liquid anhydrous ammonia and liquid petroleum products between producers' lease facilities, tank farms, natural gas processing plants, refineries, stations, ammonia plants, terminals (marine, rail and truck) and other delivery and receiving points. Piping consists of pipe, flanges, bolting, gaskets, valves, relief devices, fittings and the pressure containing parts of other piping components. It also includes hangers and supports, and other equipment items necessary to prevent overstressing the pressure containing parts. It does not include support structures such as frames of buildings, buildings stanchions or foundations or any equipment such as defined in para. 400.1.2(B). Requirements for offshore pipelines are found in Chapter IX. Also included within the scope of this Code are: (A) Primary and associated auxiliary liquid petroleum and liquid anhydrous ammonia piping at pipeline terminals (marine, rail and truck), tank farms, pump stations, pressure reducing stations and metering stations, including scraper traps, strainers, and prover loop; (B) Storage and working tanks including pipe-type storage fabricated from pipe and fittings, and piping interconnecting these facilities; (C) Liquid petroleum and liquid anhydrous ammonia piping located on property which has been set aside for such piping within petroleum refinery, natural gasoline, gas processing, ammonia, and bulk plants; (D) Those aspects of operation and maintenance of liquid pipeline systems relating to the safety and protection of the general public, operating company personnel, environment, property and the piping systems.