Editor's Note: The editors of Pumps & Systems were happy to spend some time with new FSA President Ed Marchese and FSA Technical Director Pete Petrunich to discuss FSA's role in standards development, how they affect the sealing industry and the growth of the organization. Both experts were candid with their comments and provided important insight and commentary.
P&S: What is FSA's role in standards development, and how does it affect the industry?
Pete Petrunich: FSA's primary role is to engage in and support the development of fluid sealing-related standards. This most often consists of contributing input to the task groups and committees of organizations that publish widely-accepted standards, such as the API, ASME, ASTM International and 3 A Sanitary Standards.
The FSA is actively participating in the task groups on the fourth edition of the API-682/ISO 21049 and 3A Sanitary Standards for mechanical seals .We also provided input on sealing systems to the ASME EA-2-2009 Energy Assessment for Pumping Systems standard. The API & 3A standards provide the latest technology updates for formidable industry applications, while the ASME Standard addresses the critical issues of energy efficiency and sustainability.
Another important role is the development of internal FSA standards. In the cases where no sealing-related standards have been issued, they serve as the principal documents. Recently, our newly formed Heavy Industry Process Damper Division issued four standards describing tests for key functional characteristics of these products, none of which had yet been documented.
Where sealing standards do exist, FSA Standards respond to important needs not yet addressed in the industry. They are offered to leading standards organizations to help serve as a basis for one of their more visible standards. This helps advance sealing technology more quickly and effectively into the mainstream voluntary consensus process.
FSA Standards nearing publication include a guideline for the properties of elastomers employed in piping expansion joints and a test procedure for determination of the gasket factors M & Y used in design of flanges per ASME Section VIII, Divisions 1 and 2 Codes.
P&S: What has happened in the sealing industry in the last year that would affect our readers?
Ed Marchese: One very serious subject is the extremely volatile market conditions surrounding PTFE resins. What appears to be greatly increased demand for fluoroplastic resins in the emerging economies has pushed up PTFE prices drastically.
At the same time, a very serious shortage of the resins has developed worldwide. Frankly, there does not seem to be any relief in sight for this critical sealing material. It should also be noted that many other fluoroplastics are in a similarly tight market condition. They include PFA, MFA, FEP and PVDF, to name a few.
P&S: What seems to be the biggest challenge for the sealing industry right now?
Ed Marchese: The North American sealing industry is dealing with a number of serious challenges. As mentioned above, commodity prices are increasing, in some cases significantly. Shortages have also developed. Perhaps the most serious challenge continues to be the flight of the industrial manufacturing sector to the emerging economies.
The lower cost economies, especially those with large, captive, specialty, raw material resource supplies are proving to be a serious problem for the North American sealing industry and the European sealing industry, for that matter.
Finally, the reduction in industrial manufacturing has led to fewer manufacturing companies, necessitating company mergers in a number of cases. All of this has led to membership problems for both the FSA and European Sealing Association (ESA).
P&S: What is going on within FSA that our readers should know about?
Ed Marchese: Two years ago, the FSA established a Government Affairs Committee. Committee members have met with both government and non-government organizations in Washington, D.C., on two occasions to make them aware of the FSA. Our mission is to promote and make readily available our expertise in fluid sealing technology to key decision makers who are developing environmental, energy and workers' safety regulations, to assist in the interpretation and implementation of new regulations from the perspective of sound engineering, and to monitor legislation changes that will impact our member companies, and to provide a forum for the exchange of this information. Meetings in Washington, D.C., will continue on an annual basis. The FSA Strategic Planning Committee met with the ESA in February to discuss each association's strategic plan. Since the body of the fluid sealing technology in the world resides with association members, the unique opportunities of the FSA and ESA consist of a link to the end-user community and together are the single most reliable source of objective input on the application of fluid sealing technology—which has an impact on environmental and safety issues, as well as plant operation issues. The development of a users' group is being considered. This group will consist of end users who could offer suggestions and discuss concerns within their particular industries that utilize fluid sealing products.
P&S: What are the goals of FSA for the upcoming year?
Ed Marchese: Our strategic plan for this year, and beyond, is to continue to improve the value proposition of the association, increase FSA participation in external training, focus the technical direction of the association on the evolving the needs and wants of the market, maintain a Government Affairs Working Group, increase FSA brand identity and promote better cross-divisional understanding of best practices.
P&S: Through the years, can you describe how FSA has grown and changed and positively impacted the sealing industry?
Pete Petrunich: Through the years, the FSA has transitioned from an exclusive focus on member networking. Initially, the FSA served primarily as an effective forum for the exchange of information important to the membership businesses, which were primarily first in the U.S. and then in North America.
Over time, FSA has broadened its scope to international membership and a more global focus. This process was enhanced with the increased collaboration with the ESA on a broad range of issues—from standards to publications.
In parallel, the organization moved to
