Hans D. Baumann

West Palm Beach, Fla. - It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of a giant in the process control/control valve industry. On March 25, 2025, Hans D. Baumann, Ph.D., P.E. passed away at home in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was 94. His passing marks the end of an era.

His professional career, spanning nearly 70 years, began in his native Germany in the early 1950s. The contributions to his chosen field are vast and varied, and his dedication to advancing the state-of-the-art is unsurpassed.

Preferring the practical over the political, Hans was never shy about steering away from the crowd in order to get to the underlying fundamentals, or to resolve a conflict with a practical approach. Getting to the physical truths of process control was of key importance to him. In that spirit, Hans pioneered many, what are today, fundamental concepts relating to valve sizing and valve noise prediction, e.g. critical flow factor (FL), pipe reducer correction factor (Fp), and a modified valve style modifier (Fd). His proposal in 1970 to utilize modified jet noise theories for aerodynamic valve noise prediction became the basis for the ISA-75.17-1989 and IEC Standard 60534-8-3.

His most recent efforts resulted in the development of novel, simplified, physics-based noise prediction methods, known as the ABC Method. His scientific and engineering appetites were insatiable, right to the end.

Early in his working career, he was able to work at a foundry, as well as at a tool and die maker. These experiences were to prove invaluable in his ability to design practical and cost-effective control valves.

"My aim is simple: to eliminate any unnecessary features and focus on cost-effective designs."
- Hans D. Baumann -

Dr. Baumann received an industrial engineering education in Germany and then studied under U.S. Government sponsorship at Western Reserve University, and later at Northeastern University, culminating in a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia Pacific University. In addition, he was registered as a Professional Engineer in four states.

During his professional career, he personally designed or directed the development of over 30 valve lines. One of them, the famous "CAMFLEX" valve and its derivations, is produced in eight countries where over three million units have been sold.

He is credited with over 150 U.S. and worldwide patents and has published over 200 papers and articles in addition to co-authoring seven handbooks on valves and instrumentation. Hans more recently wrote Fluid Mechanics of Control Valves, and the Control Valve Primer (fifth edition), both published by ISA.

He began his professional career at Welland & Tuxhorn, working as Engineering Manager. In 1958, he moved to the United States to work for Masoneilan Company as Development Engineer. From there, he progressed to Director of Engineering at A.W. Cashco in Illinois, Manager of R&D at Worthington S/A in France, and Corporate Vice-President of Masoneilan International, Inc. In 1977, while working as an international consultant, he determined it was time to form his own control valve manufacturing company (H. D. Baumann Assoc. Inc). After selling his company to Emerson Electric, he worked for Fisher Controls as Senior Vice President.

He served as a director of the ISA Standards & Practices Department Board, Chairman of the ISA75.11 Committee, U.S. Technical Expert for IEC Committee SC/65B/WG9, was a Member of the ASME Bioprocessing Equipment Executive Committee, and Chairman of the Equipment Subcommittee on Seals, and was the former Standards Chairman for Control Valves for the Fluid Controls Institute (FCI).

A well-received guest speaker around the globe, he also served as guest Professor to Kobe University in Japan and to the Korean Advanced Institute of Technology in South Korea.

His professional affiliations include: Honorary Member of International Society of Automation (ISA), Life Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Honorary Life Member of the Fluid Controls Institute (FCI), and member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society.

Some notable awards for his control valve designs include: seven Vaaler awards, the ISA UOP Technology Award, the ISA Chet Beard Award, a Gold Medal from Germany, and prizes from France and Japan. He was named by InTech magazine one of the 50 Most Influential Industrial Innovators, was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the New Hampshire High Technology Council, as well as being inducted into the Process Automation Hall of Fame.

Hans lived purposefully; he lived authentically; he lived fully. He was very generous, sharing his knowledge, his experience, and his success. He was ever the gentleman, in manner and appearance.

He will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on.

"Our country desperately needs innovative entrepreneurs and efficient managers in order to survive this increasingly competitive global environment."
- Hans D. Baumann -

"I would advise students and graduates alike to make more use of their brain and imagination."
- Hans D. Baumann -