[Image above] Screen capture from Manufacturing Day’s YouTube video “Open Your Doors 2015”; Credit: Manufacturing Day; YouTube
It’s officially October. For many of us around the country, that means cooler temps, changing leaves, and—of course—celebrating National Manufacturing Day!
Today, manufacturing companies and other organizations all over the country are expected to host about 400,000 people who want a first-hand look into U.S. manufacturing.
This year marks the U.S. Department of Commerce’s fourth annual Manufacturing Day. But the goal always remains the same: to increase public awareness about what and where manufacturing is in the U.S., provide a pathway toward a new career for individuals interested in the field, and demonstrate manufacturing’s value to the U.S. economy.
“Manufacturing Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is—and what it isn’t… Manufacturers will begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry,” says the MFG Day website.
Credit: Manufacturing Day; YouTube
Ceramics and glass professionals understand the importance of a robust manufacturing sector to our country’s economic growth and success.
ACerS established a new division of the organization in April 2015—the Manufacturing Division— to address the needs of members and prospective members worldwide who work in the ceramics and glass manufacturing industry and its supply chain.
And the August issue of the Bulletin debuted a new department dedicated to manufacturing, called Ceramics in Manufacturing. Check it out here!
In addition, ACerS is leading a NIST funded Advanced Manufacturing Technology project on advanced manufacturing of functional glasses—Functional Glass Manufacturing Innovation Consortium (FGMIC).
At CTT, we follow and report on the latest manufacturing trends—especially when it comes to ceramics, glass, and materials science. In honor of National Manufacturing Day, we’ve pulled together a roundup of stories that cover three of the latest materials manufacturing trends.
1. Commercially viable graphene—The hype continues when it comes to the potential use of graphene in commercial electronic applications. Check out these recent stories that cover the latest trends in manufacturing graphene:
- Time-to-market gap for commercially viable graphene in electronic applications may be narrowing
- Is producing ‘defective’ graphene the new scale-up solution?
- Promising new approach to manufacture graphene could be key to faster, more efficient electronics—and it’s scalable
2. More efficient, economical solar cell technology—Commercialized solar energy use in the U.S. spiked 33% in 2014, thanks to soaring solar industry expansion. And that number is growing, as the U.S. and other countries commit to greener energy solutions. We’ve kept our finger on the pulse of what’s new when it comes to scalable solar energy solutions. Check out our latest coverage.
- First-of-its-kind ‘green’ antenna could double efficiency of solar cells
- Perovskites could be new key to developing highly efficient, low-cost solar fuel cells
- Could a solar fuels future be closer within reach thanks to nanowires?
3. Smarter glass—Glass is getting more durable and finding practical applications across many industries, including energy, health care, and automotive. And the latest innovations have been nothing short of amazing. Check out some of the latest glass manufacturing trends we’ve covered.