Our Team
Steven Garcia | Subject Matter Expert
Steven Garcia is a co-founder of Ameriscan.
Having worked in field testing for over 20 years, Mr. Garcia assists in client interactions to define work scope, define field test setup, as well as perform data acquisition and interpretation/analysis.
He has done extensive work in the area of Fitness for Service using Acoustic Emission testing, including:
Mechanical integrity assessments of ASME pressure vessels and coke drums
Pre-service proof testing
Re-qualification testing
In-service monitoring
Leak detection and location for service facilities
Above ground storage tank inspections
Strain gaging
He has also provided general fitness-for-service applications of pressure vessels, piping, and other components related to refineries and chemical plants in several countries worldwide. Furthermore, Mr. Garcia has provided field engineering/testing support using high-speed data acquisition systems in remote locations for long-term monitoring of critical equipment.
He belongs to the American Society of Nondestructive Testing. He holds a B.S. from Texas A&M University in Mechanical Engineering.
Ismael Baqdounes | Project Manager
Mr. Baqdounes is Ameriscan’s engineer in charge of technical communications, data analysis, and quality control of Acoustic Emissions testing and Laser Scanning.
He has experience in multiple industries such as Manufacturing, Transportation and Warehousing, and Oil and Gas. He has held engineering positions in the fields of Safety, Asset Integrity, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing Engineering, as well as a management position in Inventory and Warehousing.
Mr. Baqdounes received his B.S. in Industrial Engineering with the highest honors from the University of Houston. He is a certified ASNT Level 2 in acoustic emission testing.
Gilbert Grimaldo | Senior Inspector
Mr. Grimaldo supports Ameriscan’s coke drum Laser Scanning and video visual inspection field services, interpretation/analysis, training, and development of test procedures.
Mr. Grimaldo has over 25 years of experience in NDT field services and has performed over 1000 Laser Scans and video visual inspections on coke drums and other pressure vessels worldwide. He has implemented and managed a Laser Scanning department and has experience using various leading scanners and visual inspection cameras.
Mr. Grimaldo also has experience in fitness-for-service, failure analysis, and inspections of pressure vessels, piping, tanks, and other components related to refineries and chemical plants. He also has extensive knowledge of metallography, heat treatment, mechanical testing, and NDT methods such as UT, PT, MT, and AE.
He holds an Associate’s degree from Texas State Technical Institute in Mechanical Engineering Technology and several certifications from ASM International.
Mahmod Samman, Ph.D., P.E. | President
Dr. Mahmod Samman is a co-founder of Ameriscan.
He has thirty years of engineering experience mostly in the analysis and assessment of fixed plant equipment. He specializes in the mechanical integrity and reliability of coke drums.
Dr. Samman earned a Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics from Duke University and is a licensed professional engineer in Texas. He has six US and international patents five of which are related to coke drums.
A Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and a Fulbright Scholar, he received the Herbert Allen Award for “outstanding technical achievement by a young engineer” from the South Texas Section of ASME and the Young Engineer of the Year Award from the City of Houston. He is a member of the Joint ASME/API Fitness-For-Service Standard Committee that writes the API-579 / ASME-FFS standard and the API 934G and 934J Workgroups on coke drums.
Stanley Botten | Subject Matter Expert
Mr. Botten is an independent Acoustic Emission (AE) consultant serving as Ameriscan's corporate ASNT Level III.
Well-known in the AE industry, he supports Ameriscan in interpreting and evaluating AE data; training, qualifying, and certifying personnel in Non-Destructive Testing (NDT); and verifying and approving Ameriscan's AE test procedures and Written Practice.
Mr. Botten has over 50 years of experience in NDT and over 45 years of experience in AE Testing. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Technology – Non-Destructive Testing in 1975 and has been an NDT Level III since 1977. Mr. Botten has held leadership positions in several basic NDT and AE Testing organizations worldwide. In addition to NDT consulting, he is an adjunct lecturer for NDT at San Jacinto College.
Mr. Botten has published over 25 technical papers, mainly in the field of AE, and has developed a software to identify and grade the severity of defects in AE signature data.
Dr. Ron Miller | Subject Matter Expert
Dr. Miller is an independent Acoustic Emission (AE) consultant providing support to Ameriscan on an as-needed basis.
Well-known in the Acoustic Emission industry, he supports Ameriscan in its development of a Written Practice, AE qualification and certification, and AE test procedures. In addition, Dr. Miller provides guidance and consulting in entering new AE markets and developing new AE applications. He brings over 45 years of AE experience dating back to graduate school at Purdue University, starting in 1975.
He is best known for being the Technical Editor on the two AE Handbooks published by ASNT and leading the effort to rewrite ASME, Section V, Articles 11, 12, and 13.