The Metal Powder Industries federation (MPIF) has reported the death of Harry D Ambs who died on March 4, 2019. His thirty-five-year career in Powder Metallurgy began in 1954 at Frankford Arsenal, a former US army ammunition facility which was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, before its closure in 1977.

Ambs worked for IBM and Glidden Metals before SCM Metal Products, now Kymera International, purchased the Glidden Company. The majority of his career was spent at SCM. He was also a charter member of the American Powder Metallurgy Institute, now APMI International, and served as its president from 1984–1988.

Ambs received the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF)’s ‘Distinguished Service to PM’ award in 1985, and served as chairman of the MPIF Standards Board for more than a decade. He additionally served on the Metal Powder Producers Association’s Standards Committee and spoke at numerous MPIF Basic PM Short Courses and seminars.

He was reportedly heavily involved in the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) International’s Committee B09 on metal powders and metal powder products beginning in 1971. For thirty-four years, he served as the liaison to ISO Technical Committee 119 on Powder Metallurgy, Subcommittee Two on Metal Powders, through Subcommittee B09.09. In 2010, Ambs received the ASTM International Award of Merit in recognition for individual contributions to ASTM in standard activities.