W. CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. -In recent years, there has been significant interest in using surface coatings as an alternative to steels in erosive conditions, with a view to maximizing the tribological properties of the coating and the substrate material. An upcoming ASTM workshop addresses advances in coating developments for erosion resistance, from high-temperature environments relevant to gas turbines to aqueous slurries encountered in pipelines in the oil and gas industries. Developments in modeling, surface characterization, test procedures and mechanistic understanding will be discussed by a range of international experts in this field. Standardization of erosion testing will also be discussed as part of the workshop. The workshop will be of interest to engineers and scientists wishing to learn of new developments in tackling erosion problems and to those who are keen to update their knowledge of the latest research in the field. It will bridge the gap between papers presented at the 15th International Conference on Wear of Materials (WOM) and the International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films, both to be held in San Diego during a two-week period from April 24 to May 6, 2005.

For information about the workshop, access the ASTM website at www.astm.org/SYMPOSIA, click on "Next 12 Months," scroll down and click on Workshop on Erosion of Coatings: Developments in Testing and Modeling, click on "General Information."

For additional information, contact workshop co-chairmen: John Magee, Carpenter Technology Corp., Reading, Pa. (JMagee@cartech.com); Margaret Stack, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, U.K. (margaret.stack @strath.ac.uk); or Diane Rehiel, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa. (phone: 610/832.9717; drehiel@astm.org).