CHATTANOOGA ENGINEERS CLUB

http://www.utc.edu/~engrcs/cec/cec.htm
Volume L November 1, 1999 12:00 NOON
Number 39 The Loft, 328 Cherokee Blvd.

THIS WEEK____________________________________________________________
Bill Chapman, Vice-President Operations of EPB Telecommunications will
discuss development of the telecommunications business at EPB. He will also
discuss the overall entry process and business strategy to enter the
telecommunications market as well as the technology that will make EPB unique
in this marketplace. Bill Chapman has over twenty years of experience in the
telecommunications business.

LAST WEEK____________________________________________________________
The joint CEC/AIChE tour of the UT Space Institute's Center for Laser
Applications was led by Dr. Atul Sheth and Carol Thomas. Dr. Narendra B.
Dahotre, Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, introduced the group
to several rooms where samples are prepared and analyzed including two
microscopy labs, a materials testing lab and an x-ray diffractory lab. Mr.
Fred Schwartz demonstrated the use of a YAG (yttrium/aluminum/garnet) laser
to fuse a nickel/chrome powder to the surface of a 10/10 steel plate to
practically eliminate the tendency for surface corrosion. Scott Scarborough
showed a similar laser attached to a MotoMan robotic arm which can be
programmed to trace a specific path on a material's surface. Mr. Pat Lynch
explained using lasers for the Surgical Instrument Marking and Tracking
Consortium (SIMTRAC) to apply a 2-D code similar to a bar code to instruments
which can be easily scanned for identification and inventory purposes.
Finally, Chris Parigger, Associate Professor of Physics, explained some
hard-core physics principles of the He/HCl Gas laser, Copper Vapor Laser, and
NH Laser in the "Pico" Lab. He also described the process of laser ignition
of fuels (as opposed to using spark plugs) which has many applications for
gas-turbine engines and space propulsion systems. He invited the group to
surf the lab web site at www.utsi.edu/cla for more information. A more
detailed description of the tour can be seen at the CEC web site,
www.utc.edu/~engrcs/cec/cec.htm.

COMING PROGRAMS___________________________________________________

November 8 - Freddie Wilkerson, UPS, "E-Commerce: Privacy on the Internet".
November 15 - Jim Thames, Blue Star Communications, new CLEC in Chattanooga.
November 22 - TBA
November 29 - Fieldtrip, new Channel 9 facility, 4279 Benton Drive, off Hwy.
58 South.

Future Events ___________________________________________________

CEC Election of Officers, November 22. The nominating committee consists of
Ron Burton, Doug Jacobs, Terry Reynolds, and Jack Wagner. Please contact
them if you are interested in serving or would like to nominate someone.

CEC Christmas Party, December 4, Saturday, 6:00 p.m., Clarion Hotel downtown.