How can MFN better accompany industry throughout European economy evolution, technical challenges and innovation opportunities? Interview with Pierre Bruchet, A3TS President, "Association de Traitement Thermique et de Traitement de Surface", a new MFN Partner for training and promotion of the shot peening process in France.

(?) MFN: MFN has heard much positive feedback about A3TS from the real industrial life so that we could not avoid A3TS as a major MFN partner in France and Europe! How would you define A3TS's purpose?

(!) P.B.: At first, I would say that our reputation is the result of real team work, which is mainly made up of bringing information to our attendance: we do not produce information, but we gather people producing and sharing it. This is our selfless passion. 
Back to your question, A3TS has a double vocation: to facilitate professional exchange and contribute to knowledge circulation. These goals are reached thanks to paper and electronic communication, holding of workshops, organization of events and seminars, congresses, and technical days at regional level and training sessions.

(?) MFN:: What can the French industry expect from the A3TS and MFN partnership?

(!) P.B.: Did you ever experience once in your professional life when you just attended an international conference about your main professional topic of interest and a few weeks after, you would need additional training on another of your attributed tasks? A3TS is gathering several topics of interest in which a single person can be involved at the same time, or all along his career. This is saving time and money when experts of different but similar or imbricated topics can be at the same place for a limited amount of time, speaking your native language, and delivering the latest available information.

(?) MFN: "TS" stands for "Traitement de Surface" surface treatment; in English, what fields does this cover inside the A3TS organization?

(!) P.B.: "TS" could be translated into "Surface Engineering". Any surface treatment technology is concerned: thermo-chemical treatments, wet coating and treatments such as conversion, electrolytic and chemical deposits, dry deposits such as CVD, PVD and thermal spay, varnishing and technical paintings and impact surface treatments. During our congresses, two sessions at least are dedicated: one for heat treatments and thermo-chemical treatments; the other for surface treatments.

(?) MFN: What are the other A3TS fields of action?

(!) P.B.: Over the last few years, hot topics are related to the environment and compliance with European and international regulations, as well as the implementation of NADCAP requirements for special processes that are exactly within the A3TS fields of interest and one of the major concerns for aerospace industry players.
New technologies and technology-watching are natural A3TS vigilance fields in nanotechnologies and additive fabrications, of which heat treatment and surface treatments should be a necessary complement.
Over the last few years, A3TS has also developed a privileged relationship with SFV (Société Française du Vide), a French company for vacuum products. At the occasion of our annual congress, together with SFV, we organize the SVTM show and exhibition (Salon du Vide et des Traitements des Matériaux), vacuum and material treatments show.

(?) MFN: What are the real challenges in which MFN and A3TS can help?

(!) P.B.: Starting from additional safety policy, the industry is now looking for active use of the shot-peening process as a design tool to ensure fatigue lifetime and reduce components mass. Of course, this is leading also to cost reduction in component processing and its material type and quantity. This means that individuals have to be educated, trained, and also informed so that they can exchange new trends, innovations and challenges. In this objective, our cooperation will bring accurate training together with National conferences such as our first "Journée Technique", held in Paris last year.

(?) MFN: How do people become practically involved with A3TS?

(!) P.B.: A3TS team is composed of actual players within the industry, such as contactors, suppliers, job shops from any industrial branch such as aerospace manufacturing and maintenance, automotive, energy, medical, etc. Their action inside A3TS is led beside their professional involvement, in nonprofit purpose.

(?) MFN: Does A3TS have any activity or influence out of France?

(!) P.B.: A3TS is a French organization acting at the European level together with similar partners in others European countries. Every year, A3TS meets with its partners in a different country. A3TS is also a member of IFHTSE, the International Federation for Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering. The French-speaking part of Belgium is included inside A3TS as the Northern-France and Belgium sub-organization.

(?) MFN: What are A3TS's main recent achievements?

(!) P.B.: In June 2014, the SVTM show and exhibition welcomed 600 attendees and visitors in Reims. In October, in Nantes, two days were dedicated to paint coatings, including an AIRBUS plant tour.

(?) MFN: What are the main next A3TS events?

(!) P.B.: In February 2015, a day will be dedicated to defectology and NDT. In June 2015, the A3TS congress will be held in Saint-Etienne, and in December 2015, a two-day seminar concerning thermal spraying will take place in Pau.

(?) MFN: How will the A3TS and MFN cooperation work?

(!) P.B.: Surface engineering naturally includes impact surface treatments, which is the MFN field of interest. During technical events organized by A3TS, the topic of shot peening as a means of material valorization are part of the contents. Nevertheless, A3TS did not include shot peening in its training programs. Therefore, A3TS is happy welcoming MFN for the organization of its own training sessions produced within the French territory and which will be relayed throughout the A3TS website. A3TS will also ensure the functional and legal sheltering of MFN training sessions. In this way, we hope to reinforce our training offer and help dispatch the recognized MFN skills.

(?) MFN: When will A3TS and MFN start their cooperation?

(!) P.B.: The first MFN shot peening workshop supported by A3TS will take place over 3 days, in Paris, on March 10th to 12th, 2015. A3TS and MFN are also working on the integration of shot peening in an international conference.

(?) MFN: We thank you, Pierre Bruchet, and appreciate your availability and remarkable input together with the A3TS team in preparing, promoting and launching our partnership. Could you please state your own conclusion?

(!) P.B.:  We believe that our cooperation with MFN will bring to the industry a better combination of training and information about the shot peening process, innovation and challenges. We wish that our partnership will enjoy great success to the benefit of the shot-peening process players.

MFN would like to thank Pierre Bruchet for the interview!

For Information: L'A3TS
(Association de Traitement Thermique et Traitement de Surface)
71, rue Lafayette, 75009 Paris, France
Tel. +33.01.45 26 22 35
Fax +33.01.45 26 22 61
E-mail: a3ts@a3ts.org
www.a3ts.org