Lexi Springer is a smart and talented professional already making an impact in the heat treating industry. She excelled academically at Iowa State University, where she majored in Materials Engineering with a focus on metals and polymers, and was selected as an undergraduate research assistant, performing tests to investigate material properties related to the processing of additive manufactured materials and executing research plans in accordance to ASTM standards. Additionally, her hands-on education experience included being a metallurgical engineering intern at Danfoss Power Solutions and a peer mentor for WiSE (Women in Science & Engineering).

After beginning her career as a materials engineer at John Deere in 2020, she came to Advanced Heat Treat in 2021 as a Materials and Quality engineer and has been a positive influence of change in their organization from the very beginning. She initially worked at their Monroe, MI, location and provided solutions to complex client problems while also making sure that quality procedures supported clients’ needs. While Lexi has knowledge of all the company’s heat treat offerings, her intimate understanding of processes like ferritic nitrocarburizing, gas nitriding, and ion nitriding allows her to excel in communications with clients. Her natural ability as an agent of change made her a natural fit to be involved as an integral force for the company’s continuous improvement program. Lexi transferred to work out of the company’s corporate facility in December 2022 and has continued to have a positive impact throughout the entire organization.

Now, Lexi manages members of the Monroe lab team remotely and contributes to quality and metallurgy improvements for all four Advanced Heat Treat locations. She is very helpful when explaining things and helping educate coworkers in terms that will help them understand the process. She has the qualities of a great leader and knows how to keep her team uplifted and to feel heard. She leads by example and goes above and beyond, staying late with her team, without being asked, to help get work finished.

While many 26-year-olds are just getting a handle on their chosen career path, Lexi is already leading the pack, involved in numerous professional organizations, contributing to the industry as a conference speaker and award-winning writer, and earning multiple certifications. Lexi has been an active ASM International member since 2017 and a Nadcap voting member since February 2023. Lexi has contributed to the company website, and has educated others in the industry, recently speaking at the 2023 Motion Power Technology Expo in the session: “New Trends in Global Heat Treating,” and co-publishing an ASM International article, “Practical Aspects of Plasma Nitriding Kinetics for 17-4 PH Stainless Steel.” Lexi was also recognized as an “ASM Heat Treating Society Prime Contributor” for the article, an honor awarded to only a couple other recipients in 2022. In addition, Lexi has earned numerous quality certifications such as IATF 16949:2016 Supplier Auditor and “Heat Treating: Nadcap Auditor” certificate through PRI.

Lexi also has a passion for giving back, particularly in the growth of career pathways of women in engineering. She was recently named to the Iowa State University Materials Engineering department advisory board. Lexi has also participated in local Junior Achievement events to show young people the pathway to becoming a materials engineer, presenting a true passion and excitement for the field.