About the American Foundry Society

Technology Transfer

● Under direction of the AFS Division Council, 88 Technical Committees, comprised of more than 800 volunteer AFS members, are leading the way in technology development and transfer.

● The AFS Technical Division coordinates the technical program for the annual Metalcasting Congress.

● AFS Research recommends and develops several research projects each year.

● The full-time staff of the AFS Technical Department regularly respond to "hotline" requests for technical and operational assistance.

● The AFS Library is the most complete library of metalcasting technology available in the English language. Information is available through technical literature searches, information retrieval, videotapes and compiled literature series.

Education & Training

● The Cast Metals Institute, the educational arm of AFS, provides more than 80 courses throughout the year, covering nearly every aspect of the metalcasting process and industry.

● AFS Special Publications offers metalcasters, design engineers and casting buyers a wealth of information through the publication of books and special reports.

● The annual Metalcasting Congress provides metalcasters with the latest innovations in technology and services available to the industry.

● CastExpo, held every third year in conjunction with the Metalcasting Congress, provides access to the latest in metalcasting equipment, processes, supplies and services.

● Technical, management and government advocacy conferences are held each year to keep metalcasters informed of the latest developments in management training, legislative issues and technological innovations.

Government Advocacy

● The AFS Washington Office monitors the activities of congressional committees, subcommittees and governmental agencies. AFS, with its chapters and state metalcasting associations, works to provide proactive representation on industry issues. AFS also works with government agencies to set reasonable environmental standards, determine acceptable ways of disposing or reusing waste metalcasting material and impact proposed legislation.

● The annual Government Affairs Conference offers metalcasters a unique opportunity to be proactive in their government by scheduling face time with their state leaders.

● The annual Environmental, Health & Safety Conference offers metalcasters the opportunity to learn about the latest legislative and regulatory standards.

Management Services

● Human Resources: AFS provides assistance and information in the areas of personnel, employee relations and management. The annual Labor Relations & Human Resources Conference offers HR professionals the latest information and best management practices for dealing with employee issues.

● Marketing: The biennial Marketing & Selling of Castings Conference offers marketing professionals a unique opportunity to learn more about market trends, forecasts and shifts in the domestic and global metalcasting market.

● AFS regularly publishes several management surveys and reports each year to provide metalcasters with the latest information on operational costs, wages, benefits and market forecasts.

Industry Marketing

● The Marketing Division regularly attends trade shows to promote the use of castings in engineering designs.

Casting Design/Sourcing Assistance

● AFS offers assistance to casting buyers and design engineers through publications, courses and special conferences to educate the end users on the benefits of castings as well as provide design tips and assistance.