A Metallurgical Engineering graduate of Michigan Tech University, Mr. Kaarlela has more than 43 years of experience in the Automotive (General Motors) Aerospace (General Dynamics & Lockheed) and Chemical Industries (Dupont and Union Carbide).  His career spans various engineering assignments in Testing, R&D and Management, the last two being:  Manager Materials & Process Control & Manager Advanced Technology Center at General Dynamics/Lockheed Texas Division.  He is an internationally recognized expert in Failure Analysis and Metalworking with extensive background in Failure Analysis, Metalworking, Joining, Corrosion, Heat Treating, Testing, Inspection, NDT, Composites, Polymers, Steels, Light Metals and Precision Measurement.  He holds 22 active US patents, has contributed to seven books and published a vast amount of technical papers. 

Bill has served on the Materials Advisory Board-National Academy of Science, served as a national sub-committee chairman for ASME, served as Deputy National Chairman for NADCAP (ISO 9000 forerunner) and assisted the US Congress in drafting legislation (Fastener Act).  He has been involved as an industrial consultant and an Adjunct Professor for industrial seminar training as well as an adjunct professor at the college level for more than 26 years.  His most frequent seminar subjects include:  Failure Analysis, Corrosion, Basic Metallurgy, Visual Inspection, Precision Measurement, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerance, (GD&T) Nondestructive Testing, (NDT), Welding, Testing, Composites and Heat Treating.  In recent years, he has been honored with two prestigious awards: “Distinguished Lifetime Educator” (1995) and “Instructor of Merit”  (1996) by ASM International.