Hans D. Baumann, an honorary member of the International Society of Automation (ISA), is a world-renowned expert on control valves. Currently registered as a professional engineer in four states, he personally designed or directed the development of more than 28 valve lines during his professional career. One of them — the well-known Camflex valve and its derivations — is produced in eight countries where over three million units have been sold.

Baumann is credited with more than 150 United States and worldwide patents and has published 205 papers and articles in addition to co-authoring seven handbooks on valves and instrumentation. He recently wrote Fluid Mechanics of Control Valves: How Valves Control Your Process (published by ISA), and he was a co-author of two major acoustic handbooks.

Baumann holds degrees from Case Institute of Technology (now part of Case Western Reserve University) and Northeastern University, and he earned a doctorate degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia Pacific University. He has been a member of ISA for 60 years. We recently interviewed Baumann to learn more about his life, his work and what ISA means to him.

This interview has been edited and condensed for space and to conform to editorial guidelines.

ISA: In your early career, did you have any mentors or role models who influenced you?

HB: Paul Wing was my first boss in 1958. He was the chief engineer at Masoneilan International, Inc. My background then was in power plants, and he introduced me to the oil and refinery market. He helped me to publish my first ISA paper. He later got the ISA honorary member title.

ISA: Looking back on your 60 years as an ISA member, what accomplishments or moments bring you the greatest satisfaction, and why?

HB: Promoting ISA standards during my 38 years as the US delegate to IEC 65-WG9 was not easy. Valve sizing equations written by the German standards committee presented a challenge. Decisions on the matter would greatly affect the international control valve market. I was pleased when ISA standards finally prevailed.

ISA: What advice would you have for ISA members early in their careers today?

HB: My advice is to get involved, early on, with ISA local chapters. Besides learning technical information, you can also network and make new connections.

ISA: What does being an ISA member mean to you?

HB: For a former immigrant coming to the US from Germany, ISA helped me find easy acceptance and career help. It also helped me find great friends.

ISA: What else would you like to share? 

HB: I speak six languages — German,  French and English fluently, and Polish, Spanish and Italian conversationally. For relaxation, I enjoy playing the piano. 

More About Hans Baumann

Prior to founding his own control valve manufacturing company in 1977, Baumann was an international consultant and corporate vice president of Masoneilan International, Inc. and manager of R&D at Worthington S/A in France. After selling his company to Emerson, he worked as a senior vice president for Fisher Controls.

Usually ahead of his time, Baumann's critical flow factor and pipe reducer correction factors (FL and Fp) for valve sizing — introduced in the early 1960s — later became part of ISA sizing standards in 1972. His proposal in 1970 to use modified jet noise theories for aerodynamic valve noise prediction became the basis for the ISA-75.17-1989 and IEC standard 60534-8-3, and he modified laminar flow sizing equations. In 1963, he invented the “class system” definition for pressure rating valves and fittings — the “pound pressure” definition was formerly used. In 1997, he wrote section 7 of IEC Standard 6-534-8-3 on aero noise.

Among the various positions he has held in societies and associations, Baumann has served as:

• Director of the ISA Standards & Practices Department Board
• Chairman of the ISA75.11 Committee
• The US technical expert for IEC Committee SC/65B/WG9 for 38 years
• A member of and the former standards chairman for control valves for the Fluid Controls Institute
• A member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Bioprocessing Equipment Executive Committee and chairman of its equipment subcommittee on seals

As a well-received guest speaker around the globe, Baumann has also been invited to be a guest professor at Kobe University in Japan and the Korean Advanced Institute of Science & Technology in South Korea. In addition to memberships in a wide range of engineering and scientific research organizations, he is an honorary member of ISA, a life fellow of ASME, an honorary member of the Spanish Chemical Engineering Society and an honorary life member of the Fluid Controls Institute, and he has received many other distinguished recognitions and awards.

Baumann’s valve designs have been honored in Germany, France and Japan, and they have received seven Vaaler awards.