[Image above] Credit: ACerS
Since returning as an in-person event in 2021 following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ceramics Expo once again experienced a highly successful turnout in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 30–31.
The leading annual supply chain exhibition and conference for the advanced ceramic and glass industry kicked off Monday night with a VIP networking reception and casino night, followed by two days of exhibiting and conference talks. However, unlike previous years, the reception welcomed additional guests attending the all-new Thermal Management Expo that ran alongside Ceramics Expo this year.
This year at Ceramics Expo was especially meaningful for the glass manufacturing sector due to the United Nations designation of 2022 as the International Year of Glass.
“This is the first time a material has been designated for an International Year, and it points to the many important ways glass—as well as ceramics!—have impacted humanity through millennia, and will continue to do so in the future,” says ACerS executive director Mark Mecklenborg.
Below are a few highlights from Ceramics Expo 2022.
Cost gains renewed attention as companies emerge from pandemic protocols
The cost of innovation was a recurring theme that panelists touched on throughout both days of conference talks.
While everyone expressed relief that business is starting to resemble pre-pandemic operations, they also noted that federal assistance programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program loans are no longer available, leaving companies to face lingering pandemic-related costs themselves.
The often-high price of ceramics is one topic that panelists debated. Though ceramics offer much value regarding performance, their high price point may limit their appeal to customers.
During a panel on continued development of ceramic matrix composites, panelist Jim Weigner of Lockheed Martin said one way to combat this perception is to have engineers clearly communicate the benefits of ceramic materials with management and salespeople. Then, they can ensure the customer understands how high initial cost can lead to lower operational costs over the material’s lifetime.
Later, during a panel on the future of the technical ceramics market, panelist Anand Raghu of Morgan Advanced Materials suggested that engineers consider ways of increasing a part’s value without affecting the cost, for example, by improving the speed or scalability of production.
Additionally, during a panel on improving industry efficiency, panelist Jimmy Hutto Jr. of Imerys emphasized the importance of ensuring equipment is running to its potential so the benefits are fully realized.
Finally, fulfilling a customer’s needs sometimes requires acknowledging they do not need the most advanced (and pricier) option. Plus, the less expensive option may offer surprising additional benefits. During the industry efficiency panel, panelist Bruce Lung of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office gave the example of replacing compressed air systems with a leaf blower to clean floors, which cleaned the floors faster and at a much lower price.
‘A lot of room for innovation’
Despite cost concerns, panelists also expressed much hope for the future of ceramics in various markets, particularly high-tech fields such as aerospace, medicine, and semiconductors.
During the opening plenary, American Elements CEO Michael Silver identified five applications that he believes will be the next “monster growth areas” for ceramics: mixed metal oxides, MXenes, ceramic fibers, aerospace composites, and electrolytes and cathodes.
While high-tech areas received the most attention, panelist Kelleen Loewen of Superior Technical Ceramics noted that the future of ceramics is not just in highly technical areas. She shared her experience working with companies needing grinding wheels and abrasive grains, an equally important application of ceramics.
Celebrating IYOG—The role of glass in sustainable development
As noted above, this Ceramics Expo was especially meaningful for the glass manufacturing sector due to it being the International Year of Glass. The last session on Day 1 acknowledged this celebration by focusing on the role of glass in sustainable development.
Panelist Kyle Sword of NSG Pilkington talked about manufacturing float glass more sustainability, such as by using hydrogen instead of fossil fuels for heating, while panelist E.A. “Andy” Axtell of Ferro Corp described designing bird-safe glass, for example, by adding a lined or dotted glaze to the glass.
See more pictures from Ceramics Expo 2022 on the ACerS Flickr page. Next year, Ceramics Expo will move from Cleveland to the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Mich. It will revert to its usual springtime scheduling, May 1–3, 2023.