The WAI New England Chapter has rescheduled its previously planned Aug. 7 educational meeting at FENN’s plant in East Berlin, Connecticut, to October 9. The annual educational meeting will include a plant tour and a networking dinner, featuring food and drink trucks for the celebration.

The cost is $105, or $85 for WAI members. All proceeds support the WAI New England Chapter Scholarship Fund, helping invest in the next generation of industry professionals.

The Ohio Valley Chapter (OVC) will hold its golf tournament and target shooting event on Thursday, Aug. 21. As with its prior event, the OVC will offer a unique split activity format. Golfers will play at the Kensington Country Club (www.kensingtongolf.com), while the OVC shooting event will again be held at the Training Range (www.thetrainingrange.com) in nearby Austintown. Following both events, the Ohio Valley Chapter will hold an educational program.

Meanwhile, the New England Chapter returns to the Tunxis Country Club (www.tunxisgolf.com) on Monday, Sept. 8, for its highly anticipated 31st annual Golf Tournament, with 140 golfers expected to participate. The event will feature a DJ, raffle prizes, awards, and ample time to reconnect with colleagues and make new industry connections in a relaxed setting. If you’re not interested in golf, you can register for just the afternoon portion.

Closing out the schedule will be the WAI Southeast Chapter’s Annual Golf Outing on Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Rock Barn Country Club and Spa (www.rockbarn.com) in Conover, North Carolina. See more in the next issue.

Registration for all these events can be made through the individual chapter pages at www.wirenet.org. These events, a perfect blend of camaraderie and competition, are an excellent way to meet peers, support good causes (such as college scholarship programs), and enjoy a day on the links.

The WAI Midwest Chapter established this scholarship program, administered by The Wire Foundation, to improve educational opportunities for academically qualified high school seniors or college students who are children, grandchildren, or dependents of WAI Midwest Chapter members in good standing.

The Chapter made this commitment to reinforce the value of higher education in today’s society and to provide members with an opportunity to benefit from their membership in WAI and the Chapter. Below are the winners.

Mia Robillard is the daughter of Brad Robillard, owner, Elk Technologies. She is attending The Ohio State University, where she is seeking a degree in mechanical engineering.

Hailey Walker is the daughter of Robert Sears (Retired), BS Wire. She is attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she is seeking a degree in English.

Amy Skolozynski is the daughter of Stephen Skolozynski, general manager, Master Spring & Wire Form Co. She is attending the University of Iowa, where she is seeking a degree in English and creative writing.

The WAI will partner with Hyperion Materials & Technologies to host a two-part technical webinar series via zoom in September focused on wire die quality designed for wire die tool makers and wire producers.

Part 1: Differentiating High-Quality PCD Wire Dies will be presented at 11 am EST on Sept. 17. Presenters Hector Ferrer Ribas and Andrew Gledhill will cover the fundamentals of carbide and PCD, explaining how to separate high-quality wire dies from substandard ones. An interactive segment will include “red flags” such as EDM cutting problems and cracks. Also covered will be the causes/impact of material defects on Total Cost of Ownership (TOC). It will provide a checklist to assess product quality based on manufacturing processes, material consistency, traceability and supplier expertise as well as cover innovations in PCD materials, testing methods, certifications and quality assurance.

Part 2: Key Differentiators in Carbide Wire Dies will be presented at 11 am EST on Sept. 24. It will focus on identifying quality indicators in carbide wire dies. The presenters will outline common defects such as casing issues, breakage, cavities, pores, and scratches. Attendees will learn about the causes of these problems and how they affect TCO. A practical checklist will help evaluate wire dies based on consistency, process control, and supplier standards. The session will also address testing methods, material traceability, and recent innovations in carbide materials.

Each webinar requires separate registration. You may register for one or both using the register now buttons above. The cost is free for WAI members and $75 per session for non-members. Non-members planning to attend should consider joining WAI for $150 per year during checkout to access the webinars for free.

For more information or for assistance with registering, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The WAI Education Center has publicly released the introductory videos from its four completed courses. These videos, shared on LinkedIn, YouTube, and via email, showcase the high-quality content and end with a call to action to enroll.

Interest has grown since Interwire this past May. Notably, Prysmian enrolled 18 extrusion operators from its Colombia plant in all three available extrusion courses, with more expected to follow.

Multiple new courses are in development, such as Extrusion – Special Process Considerations and Introduction to Wire Dies. WAI is working with instructional designers to add interactive activities and expanded quizzes to selected courses.

For more details, go to wirenet.org or contact WAI at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..