SCRS announces full lineup for SEMA OEM Technology Summit
By onAnnouncements | Associations | Market Trends
The headliners from the aluminum and steel industries revealed in September, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists has announced the rest of the panelists for its SEMA OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit.
Doug Richman, vice president of engineering and technology for Kaiser Aluminum, and Blake Zuidema, director of automotive product applications for ArcelorMittal, will be joined by more of what SCRS called the “industry’s most respected subject matter experts who bring rich histories of involvement in the sophisticated advancements seen in the automotive and collision repair fields.”
The summit Thursday, Nov. 5, will open at 9:30 a.m. with “Structural Connectivity – Understanding the Future of Automaker Joining Techniques.” It’ll feature 3M senior technical service engineer Shawn Collins, LORD technical applications engineer Doug Craig, Wielander + Schill chief engineer and director Klaus Reitzig and Advanced Collision Repair Solutions President Oliver Woelfel. I-CAR industry technical support manager Steve Marks will moderate.
“A panel of specialists with backgrounds in automotive joining will discuss the advanced structural joining approaches being used in modern automotive architecture,” the SCRS news release states. “The panelists will have expertise in riveting, bonding and welding of aluminum, steel and mixed materials.”
“Tech Crunch -The Role of Programming and Diagnostics in Post-Repair Road Worthiness,” will follow at 10:30 a.m., moderated by Assured Performance Network technical compliance Vice President Aaron Clark.
“A panel of automakers and technology specialists discuss the real world application of vehicle scans, diagnostics and calibrations,” SCRS wrote. “These subject matter experts will bring a focus on technical aspects of vehicle scan code requirements and the role that diagnostic testing plays in repairing vehicles and restoring roadworthiness.”
Other panelists include Ellis & Associates managing director John Ellis, Toyota collision repair and refinish training assistant manager Eric Mendoza, Collision Diagnostics Services diagnostics and technical support director Chuck Olson and the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s own vehicle technology Vice President John Waraniak.
Next at 12:30 p.m. will be the first of the two material-specific discussions with Richman’s “The Future of Aluminum in the Automotive Industry.”
“A fascinating presentation on technological advancements in aluminum manufacturing, construction and engineering, joining and other advancements that are predicted to impact how frequently aluminum will be present in your repair facility, and how it will be used on automotive bodies,” SCRS wrote. “The presentation will include perspectives on how light weighting is driving innovation, and the role repairability plays in aluminum development.”
After Richman’s presentation, a panel from Audi, Mercedes and General Motors will discuss how the metal translates into the real world. You’ll hear Audi collision programs and workshop equipment specialist Mark Allen, Mercedes-Benz product technical support service engineer Brandin Benson and GM advanced series of design engineer Mark Szlachta.
At 3 p.m., it’ll be steel’s turn in the limelight, with Zuidema’s “The Continuing Evolution of Advanced Steels in Automotive Bodies.”
“Automotive light weighting and looming governmental expectations relative to emissions standards are driving major changes and innovations in the steel industry,” SCRS wrote. “Aluminum may have been all the rage in collision industry information, but steel continues to be poised to play the most significant role in the automotive footprint for the foreseeable future; although, not necessarily the same steel that that the industry is accustomed to. This program will elaborate on technological advancements in steel manufacturing that have driven changed in automotive structural designs, and to make parts that meet the expectations of safer, lighter and more advanced automobiles.”
As with the aluminum session, the steel event will feature an OEM panel. See Toyota technical training administrator Joe DiDonato, FCA collision repair specialist John Hughes, GM North American structures and closures team leader Robert Hartman and Honda instructional designer Chris Tobie.
The summit will be in Room N241 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Register for all three $85 sessions together or separately. If you’re going to all three, you might want to consider buying the $400 SCRS Repairer Driven Education Series Pass, which lets you into anything SCRS is doing Nov. 3-6, including the Sky Villa afterparty Nov. 5.
More information:
“SCRS Announces Featured Experts for OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit”
Society of Collision Repair Specialists, Oct. 20, 2015