American Foundry Society
The American Foundry Society (AFS) is a professional, technical and trade association for foundries and the broader metal casting industry. The society promotes the interests of foundries to policymakers, provides training for foundry workers, and supports research and technological advancements in foundry science and manufacturing. AFS represents ferrous and nonferrous foundries based in North America, as well as industry suppliers and end-users of metal castings from around the world. The society has individual and corporate members across 48 countries, organized into regional chapters and student chapters in the United States, Canada and Mexico. AFS presents Metalcasting  Congress, a yearly industry conference, as well as CastExpo, a trade show and exposition that occurs every three years. AFS is based in Schaumburg, Illinois, and also maintains an office in Washington, D.C. Doug Kurkul is CEO of the organization. History. The American Foundry Society traces its roots to 1896, when the American Foundrymen's Association was formed. For a number of years prior to the founding of the society, many local bodies of foundrymen met for mutual protection in regard to labor, prices and interchange of technical information. The attendance was usually strong in these organizations in times of  prosperity but waned when economic conditions slowed. Early in 1896 the Philadelphia Foundrymen's Society through discussion with its members conceived that a more general, larger benefit might be gained through organizing a wider group of foundrymen. They invited foundrymen from around the country to Philadelphia for a meeting. The response was spontaneous and well received. On May 12, 1896, the American Foundrymen's Association was formed. The organization's name was subsequently changed to The American Foundrymen's Society. In 2000, it was renamed as the American Foundry Society, or AFS. Organization. The Society has approximately 930 corporate members  and 7,000 individual members. There are 40 regional chapters, as well as 40 student chapters at colleges and universities. AFS is organized into 13 Divisions with committees under each division: In addition to these divisions, the organization has technical staff to assist with engineering services, a system to support research, and an extensive library containing more than 15,000 articles available free of charge to all members. AFS also operates the AFS Institute, previously known as the Cast Metals Institute. The AFS Institute provides classroom training, web courses and e-learning for foundry professionals across all major alloys and foundry processes . Regional Activity. Regional Chapters organize educational events and hold chapter meetings, usually at monthly intervals, to promote technical or business subjects related to foundries and the foundry business.