Schedule
9–11 November 2026 • The Broadmoor • Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Monday, 9 November 2026 | |
| 8 a.m. | Welcome, Introduction and Conference Overview Terry Larson, Hevvy Pumps |
| 8:15 a.m. | Icebreaker Activity |
| 9 a.m. | Digitization, Automation and Visualization of Secondary Contact Cooling Water Treatment Dan Schwarz, NALCO Water, An Ecolab Company This presentation will address a recent innovation developed by NALCO Water that systematically monitors turbidity and oil levels within the secondary contact cooling water loop, serving both casters and hot rolling mills. Smart, self-cleaning sensors are employed to deliver continuous data to an advanced controller, facilitating automated chemistry dosing into the scale pit. This information is presented on the Ecolab3D online platform via a purpose-built dashboard, which features a water quality index tracking clarity as water recirculates through the loop. The primary objectives of this technology are to reduce defects by maintaining clean spray nozzles and monitor solids directed to descale pumps, thereby assisting operators in preventing equipment damage. |
| 9:30 a.m. | Break |
| 9:45 a.m. | Maintenance of Care for Fire-Resistant Hydraulic Fluids John Accurso, Quaker Houghton To ensure the performance of fire-resistant hydraulic fluids, the fluid must be in good operating condition to maintain pump life and fire resistance. From high water-based fire-resistant fluids to anhydrous fire-resistant fluids, knowing the parameters of the fluid will extend fluid life and safety. |
| 10:15 a.m. | Transient Torque Monitoring and Proactive Maintenance Chris Barkow, Regal Rexnord This presentation will cover transient strain-gauge-based long-term torque monitoring enables new data analysis insights. This data shows rotating equipment health in a trended manner to indicate impending failures before catastrophic ones. |
| 10:45 a.m. | Break |
| 11 a.m. | Bearing Fundamentals Jennifer Wagoner, NTN Bearing Corp. This presentation will review different bearing designs and features and give attendees an understanding of the rules all manufacturers must follow and when they can differ. Not all designs are the same across manufacturers and can lead to failures related to design differences. |
| 11:30 a.m. | Control System Modernization: Choosing the Right Strategy to Improve Reliability Mario Rodriguez, TMEIC Corp. Americas Aging control systems are a growing reliability risk — choosing the right modernization strategy is key to reducing downtime and improving maintenance performance. |
| Noon | Lunch |
| 1 p.m. | Predictive Maintenance Ian McKinnon, Reliability Solutions LP |
| 3:15 p.m. | Break |
| 3:30 p.m. | Reliability Achievement Award Silver — Digitizing Predictive Maintenance: A Guide for Reliability Teams Roger Whitehead, Gerdau Long Steel North America |
| 4 p.m. | Wireless Monitoring — Reliability and Safety Go Hand in Hand Mike Ciocys, IVC Technologies This presentation explores the application of wireless vibration and temperature monitoring technologies on critical steel mill assets where traditional data collection has become increasingly restricted due to enhanced safety barriers. It highlights how wireless solutions enable reliable condition monitoring during normal operation, ensuring early fault detection and improved maintenance decision-making without compromising personnel safety. |
| 5 p.m. | Reception |
Tuesday, 10 November 2026 | |
| 7 a.m. | Breakfast |
| 8 a.m. | Producers Roundtable Discussion |
| 9 a.m. | Break |
| 9:15 a.m. | Equipment Alignment, Coupling |
| 9:45 a.m. | Tribological Foundations of Modern Lubrication Programs Michael Miltenberger, ExxonMobil Attendees will gain a practical understanding of core tribological principles and how they translate into effective lubrication strategies, including base oil categories and additive functions. The session will also cover lubricant selection criteria and proven best practices that form the foundation of modern, reliability-centered lubrication programs. |
| 10:15 a.m. | Break |
| 10:30 a.m. | Transformer Services Bray Johnson, Reinhausen Manufacturing Inc. This presentation will cover the essential support transformer operators require throughout an asset’s life cycle, including reliable diagnostics, condition assessments, and ongoing maintenance that help detect emerging issues early and keep equipment operating safely and reliably. |
| 11 a.m. | Charter Steel — Skilled Trades Apprenticeship Program Andy Buechler, Charter Steel – Saukville, Wisconsin This presentation will showcase the skilled trades apprenticeship program used to develop talent at Charter Steel – Saukville, Wisconsin. |
| 11:30 a.m. | Paper to Precision: The Evolution of Document Control Clay Piper, Middough Inc. Effective document control and management are critical to the success of any project, ensuring that accurate, up-to-date information is accessible to all stakeholders at the right time. Strong document control practices reduce errors, prevent costly rework, and support compliance with contractual, regulatory and quality requirements. By maintaining clear version control, traceability, and standardized processes, organizations improve efficiency, accountability and overall project execution. |
| Noon | Lunch |
| 1 p.m. | Proper Water System Pump Selection Nicholas Guenther, Hevvy Pumps This presentation offers a look into water system pumps, proper sizing and wet end configuration. Is your OEM pump still keeping up with increasing water demands in the mill? |
| 1:30 p.m. | Cooling Tower Maintenance Bill Anderson, Cooing Tower Depot This presentation will discuss ways to maintain your cooling tower in order to keep it operating reliably and efficiently. |
| 2:15 p.m. | Break |
| 2:15 p.m. | Autonomous AI for Steel Outcomes Nick Giles, Infinite Uptime AI tools empower steel producers to orchestrate maintenance and reliability decisions and validate outcomes. This presentation will touch on a connected and centralized digital ecosystem, closed-loop machine learning models, vertical specific large language models, and human-in-the-loop CoE guardrails. In summary, building the trust architecture of industrial AI for steel. |
| 2:45 p.m. | Planning to Fail Landon Woody, Nucor-Yamato Steel Co. Case study on how to find and improve the life of components and how that impacts other components; pushing to find the next weak link and make it better. |
| 3:15 p.m. | Break |
| 3:30 p.m. | Are You Actually in Control of Your Hydraulic Fluid Danny Avalos, Evolution Motion Solutions This presentation will help you manage your hydraulic fluids that require data. One out of 20 have a true program based on data. This is a problem and there are solutions. |
| 4 p.m. | Beyond the Drive: Engineering VFD Cables for Reliability, Performance, and Retrofit Success Heather Opatrny, Amphenol TPC Wire & Cable Variable frequency drives (VFDs) improve efficiency and control but introduce electrical stresses that can reduce cable life and system reliability. This presentation covers best practices for VFD cable selection, focusing on insulation materials, shielding, and construction designed to withstand voltage spikes, heat and harsh industrial environments. Attendees will learn how to identify common failure modes and apply design strategies to minimize risks such as insulation breakdown, electrical noise and premature equipment wear. The session also addresses key considerations when retrofitting VFDs onto existing equipment, including cable compatibility, grounding and mitigation methods. The goal is to provide practical, technology-driven guidance to improve uptime and extend asset life. |
| 4:30 p.m. | Pressure to Perform: Unlocking Energy Savings in Steelmaking With Efficient and Reliable Compressed Air Systems Wendy DiMino, Universal Compressed Air |
Wednesday, 11 November 2026 | |
| 7 a.m. | Breakfast |
| 8 a.m. | Plant Tour of Rocky Mountain Steel |
| Noon | Return From Plant Tour and Conference Adjourn |