KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Dr. Daniel Sordelet

Dr. Daniel Sordelet, FASM, earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Materials Science from Iowa State University (ISU). During the first ~20 years of his career he worked as a Senior Scientist and Group Leader at the Ames National Laboratory on the campus of Iowa State University. During this time, he also served on the faculty in ISU’s Materials Science & Engineering Department. Dan formed the Ames Lab Plasma Spray Facility around 1990 with the emphasis of developing refractory coatings to contain molten reactive alloys during high-pressure gas atomization in the Powder Synthesis Facility located next door; many instances of making powder in the morning and spraying coatings that same afternoon occurred using these inhouse tandem capabilities! In later years, Dan added HVOF capabilities to broaden his group’s research topics into wear-resistant and corrosion-protective layers. During his tenure at Ames National Laboratory and ISU, Dan published over 160 articles in peer-reviewed journals, was the recipient two R&D 100 awards, and received over 20 US and international patents, several of which were licensed by companies including Praxair Surface Technologies and Rolls Royce North America.

In 2009 Dan joined Caterpillar Inc. in the Advanced Materials Technology team at the Caterpillar Technical Center near Peoria, IL. His early work focused on developing new materials and processes to support the CAT Reman business using thermal spray and laser cladding technologies that provided dimensional restoration and improved functional performance. Over the last ten years he expanded applications of thermal spraying and laser cladding throughout the Caterpillar global organization and network of dealers. In his current role as an Engineering Fellow, Dan has responsibility for the development and implementation of surface engineering technologies across the Caterpillar enterprise. He has successfully expanded the capabilities within the Advanced Materials Technology’s Surface Engineering Laboratory to include new forms of thermal spraying and laser cladding which, collectively, have enlarged the portfolio of components that may now be remanufactured and replaced longstanding production processes to deliver cost savings and performance improvements for new and aftermarket components. During his 15 years with Caterpillar, Dan has been granted 10 US patents involving new thermal spray feedstock materials and advanced processing methods. He was named an ASM Fellow in 2017.

Sordelet was recognized for “For sustained, innovative development of surface engineering materials and processes and successfully transferring them from laboratory-scale ideas to full production industrial practices.”

FEATURED SESSIONS AND SPEAKERS

• 
  Julio Villafuerte - Reviving Infrastructure: Leveraging CenterLine SST™ Cold Spray in Repair, Remanufacturing & Production Across Heavy Machinery Industries

  For over six decades, CenterLine has provided advanced solutions to the automotive, aerospace, defense, and manufacturing sectors. For more than 20 years, our Supersonic Spray Technology (SST™) has enabled low-heat repairs and restorations in applications where traditional thermal spray may be impractical. At this year’s ITSA meeting in Peoria—home to Caterpillar—we will showcase how cold spray is transforming heavy machinery remanufacturing by restoring worn and obsolete components, reducing downtime, and minimizing environmental impact. In this context, we will also introduce the next generation of repair procedures: intelligent, automated processes where machines scan for defects and autonomously apply repairs, significantly reducing reliance on intensive manual labor. Beyond repair, SST™ is rapidly advancing into production-scale applications across automotive, energy, and microelectronics. By partnering with industry leaders, CenterLine continues to expand cold spray’s role in delivering sustainable, cost-effective, and future-ready solutions for modern manufacturing.

• 
  John Haake - Laser Additive Re-Manufacturing

  Mr. Haake is president and owner of Titanova, Inc., which is a ISO:9000:2015 certified contract manufacturing laser job shop and machine shop founded in 2008 specializing in laser processing and system integration for laser heat treating, cladding, hard facing, and welding. Mr. Haake has been involved in the development of the diode lasers and their applications for over 36 years. Before Titanova, Mr. Haake was co-founder of Nuvonyx Inc an industrial diode laser manufacturer. He was instrumental in developing, marketing, and commercializing many novel processes based on diode lasers. Nuvonyx was acquired in 2007 by Coherent Inc. Previous to Nuvonyx, Mr. Haake was a principal engineer at Boeing researching and developing photonic based weapon and avionics systems, smart structures, and advanced methods for manufacturing carbon composite structures using diode lasers. Mr. Haake is a graduate of Missouri Science and Technology with a MSEE. He is the recipient of 29 patents and a member of AWS, ASME, ASM, and NTMA.



• 
  Andrew Ang - High Entropy Alloy Coatings: Potential for Functional Wear and Corrosion Performance

  The distinctive alloy design strategy and characteristics of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) have demonstrated immense promise for engineering applications, ranging from corrosive media to elevated temperatures. The combination of HEA and surface coating technology has been further explored to develop robust and thick coatings for industrial applications operating in extreme engineering environments. Over a decade-long research at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia we have combined HEAs with thermal spray and laser deposition techniques, developing robust and thick coatings ideal for extreme engineering applications.



• 
  Tanner Niehaus - R&D in the Wake of Reform: What the New Law Means for Credit Claims, Compliance, and Strategy

  New legislation and IRS guidelines have changed certain aspects related to the R&D Credit. This presentation will cover those updates at a high level, as well as provide a general overview of the credit tailored to the Thermal Spray industry, giving the audience pertinent information regardless of their familiarity with the credit.



• 
  David Sansom - The Rockit Family: Iron-Based Solutions for Wear and Corrosion Resistance in Mining, Steel, and General Industry

  Director of Technology for Coating and Brazing at Höganäs AB. There are many applications in large-scale manufacturing—whether in mining, steelmaking, or general industry—that must operate and withstand tough environments. The Rockit® family of materials from Höganäs, applied through laser cladding, offers cost-effective solutions tailored to these challenges. For example, Rockit® 485 combines high hardness with high-temperature resistance, Rockit® 452 delivers excellent corrosion resistance in marine environments, and Rockit® 402 enables high productivity with high-speed laser cladding. Together with other Rockit® materials, Höganäs helps enhance product performance and application reliability across industries.




• 
  Scott McLaughlin - AI for Thermal Spray

  Scott founded McLaughlin & Associates Thermal Spray, Inc. in 2008 after having spent 20 years working at Praxair Surface Technologies (now Linde Advanced Materials and previously known as Union Carbide Coating Services). There, he was National Sales Manager for the industrial coatings group and held several previous positions including Account Manager, Plant Quality Manager, Plant Engineer and Quality Assurance Engineer at locations in North Kansas City, MO and Alsip, IL outside Chicago. Scott sold M&A to a new ownership group in 2024 and now heads MiV, LLC a business consulting company based in Carmel, IN. Scott earned a BS Mechanical Engineering (1981) from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, IN and an MBA (1997) from Keller Graduate Schools in Chicago. He currently serves on the Rose-Hulman ME Advisory Board and is a director on the board for Kelli’s Kegs N’ Eggs 5k Run/Walk, a 501c3 charity raising funds for brain cancer (glioblastoma) research.



• 
  Chin Ma - Advancements in HVOF Sprayed Coatings onto Small Inner Diameters
  

  Dr. Chin Ma received his Ph. D degree in Material Science and Engineering. Currently he is a director of technology support with Surface Technologies Division of Curtiss-Wright Corporate and Curtiss-Wright Corporate Technical Fellow. He is responsible for the development of new materials, coating processes and qualifications for major turbine engine OEMs within CWST division. His research and engineering activities have involved in developing new coating systems and process techniques for thermal barrier coatings, including SPPS/SPS TBCs, ID-HVOF coatings, low-k TBCs and CMAS-resistant TBCs, as well as high entropy alloy (HEA) coating, advanced abradable materials and coatings,  He is the members of ASM/TSS, AWS/ITSA, AMPM, MRS and ACS,  Dr. Ma has authored more than 130 technical papers and more than 18 patents to his name. 
  
  The application of thermal spray coatings to the inner diameter (ID) surfaces of small bores and inner cavitations, such as those found in landing gear cylinders and engine bores, presents significant challenges and is of critical importance. This presentation will introduce the most recent advancements in small ID-HVOF technologies designed for spraying small diameter surfaces, along with their ability to apply a variety of coatings. A technical review of the ID-HVOF methods will be provided, including examples of their applications. Additionally, the advantages and limitations of ID-HVOF technologies will be examined, and potential technical solutions for future applications will be discussed.



• 
  Dan Hayden - President, Hayden Corporation, West Springfield, MA.
  

  "Going Mobile". An overview of the many complexities that go into planning and executing thermal spray work in the field, rather than in the shop. Intended as a comprehensive guide to the items required for successful planning of field work, and an overview of the kinds of pitfalls that are common in that arena.



• 
  Fred Paonessa - Fred Paonessa, Sales Director, Polymer - Aalberts Surface Technology
  

  Hybrid Coatings Technology - Engineered Coatings to Provide Enhanced Performance. Used on unusual substrates including paper, plastic, aluminum and carbon fiber. Exploring how to create unique textures with more surface area, increasing wear resistance for release coatings, and optimizing surface temperature.