Mid-holiday edition:
NanoMaterials Innovation Center welcomes new technical manager, process engineer
The Nanomaterials Innovation Center is pleased to announce additions to their science and technical staff. The NMIC appointed John W. Matteson, as technical manager. Matteson brings over 20 years’ engineering and materials processing experience across several industries inclusive of manufacture of industrial furnaces and kilns, new plant development, energy conservation, and thermal processing system development. He has held positions as furnace manager for MWI Inc. and has also served as senior project engineer at Corning Inc. and manager of new technology for Harper International. Vera Dansoh, NMIC’s new process engineer, is a graduate of Alfred University, earning a BS in materials science engineering with a minor in physics. Her technical experience includes X-ray photography and characterization services, working with SEM and optical microscopy using deposition machines, and CVD. NMIC is an open-access research laboratory providing client services in microwave and high-temperature processing applications.
Apple wins patents relating to multi-touch advancements and processes for manufacturing iDevice glass
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of thirty-six newly granted patents for Apple Inc. last week. This report describes two of Apple’s patents. The first patent relates to Apple’s ongoing work with advancing multi-touch displays which Apple first introduced with their iPhone in 2007. The second patent relates to new processes that Apple invented for shaping glass for iDevices like the iPhone and iPad so that they would be both esthetically pleasing while eliminating processes involving dangerous chemicals and gasses.
Allied leads the refractory industry in the development and application of dry vibratable technology for steel ladle safety linings
With the introduction of Ladle Vibe 88 in the late 1980s, Allied Mineral Products became the first refractory producer in the world to apply dry vibe technology to steel ladle safety linings. Replacing brick linings with dry vibratable materials offer the following advantages: better resistance to steel penetration, improved operating safety, and reduced operating cost. Products in this series offering special benefits include Ladle-Lite 123A (patented technology offering a 45% reduction in thermal conductivity abd substantially lower steel shell temperature), Ladle Vibe No Bond (an intermediate safety backfill between working and safety lining, with a strong monolithic barrier to penetration), Dri-Vibe 481A (designed to zone in highest wear areas behind the working lining), and Dri-Cast 581A and 591A (designed for hot patching high wear areas of the working lininginstalled by tossing the material into a hot ladle forms a strong refractory hot patch with high permeability improves stir plug reliability).
Oxford Instruments acquires Asylum Research
Asylum Research is pleased to announce that it has been acquired by Oxford Instruments Plc., a publicly owned company based in the UK. Oxford Instruments is a leading provider of high technology tools and systems for research and industry. They design and manufacture equipment that fabricates, characterizes, manipulates and analyzes matter at the atomic and molecular levels. Combining our leading SPM and AFM technology with Oxford Instruments strengthens our position in the worldwide nanotechnology market. Our partnership will also allow us to make significant investments in additional R&D that will translate into new product development bringing the most innovative AFM instrumentation to market faster. This will accelerate research in the world for material and life sciences, energy research and other emerging applications. From the first MFP-1D that shipped out to Cambridge University in December 1999 to the Cyphers and MFP-3Ds that went out the door yesterday, you, our customers, have made it all possible. Our passion will always be to make the best, most reliable AFMs on the planet and to continue to support our customers at the same high standard we have always had. We are looking forward to our future within Oxford Instruments plc where we can raise that bar to an even higher level and move on to the next great discoveries.
Harper International’s Pulse Program offers enlightened service
Today’s demands for superior quality, performance, reliability, minimized downtime, and ever-tightening delivery schedules in foreign and domestic markets requires a new level of timely, comprehensive aftermarket service. Harper’s comprehensive Pulse team service offers one-call technical support, domestic and overseas field service, proactive preventative maintenance programs, fast-turnaround genuine replacement parts, and engineered solutions for a broad spectrum of your service and maintenance requirements. The Pulse team brings a passionate, collaborative and innovative focus nurtured by years of process technology know-how to bring timely and practical solutions to the most difficult challenges. The Pulse team is the one-call solution to all of your technical and commercial needs, including parts, technical, service, and aftermarket support.
Owens-Illinois applauds legislation on energy efficiency and recycling in manufacturing signed into law
Owens-Illinois Inc. says it applauds Congress for passing H.R. 6582, the “American Energy Manufacturing Technical Corrections Act.” The legislation directs DOE, in coordination with the industrial sector and other stakeholders, to conduct a study on legal, regulatory, and economic barriers to deployment of industrial energy efficiency efforts. The study will estimate energy savings from the use of recycled material in manufacturing processes. Jay Scripter, O-I’s vice president of integrated operations for North America, testified in support of the bill, saying “we know that a one percent increase in energy efficiency equals $10 million in savings to O-I and enhances global competitiveness and job preservation in North America.” A company official says the legislation provides opportunities for America’s industries, including glass manufacturing, to work cooperatively with government to increase energy efficiency.
PPG wins China CSR award for third consecutive year
PPG Industries received the CSR Award–Special Prize for the third consecutive year and was named one of the top 100 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) companies in China at the 2012 China Social Responsibility Annual Forum in Beijing. The award recognized PPG’s social responsibility practices as exemplary among more than 3,000 candidates. Cathy Yan, PPG general manager for government affairs and business development, Asia Pacific, also won recognition for her leadership of PPG’s corporate social responsibility endeavors in China with this year’s Award for Excellence in Social Responsibility for an Individual. The 2012 China Social Responsibility Annual Forum was sponsored by the China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment (CAEFI), China Foundation of Consumer Protection, China Private Economy Research Association and China Forum of Environmental Journalists (CFEG), in association with the Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Development Research Center of Tsinghua University and many other related institutions. The forum is regarded as one of the major events in the field of social responsibility and is now in its fourth year. Recognizing the needs and concerns of society is one of PPG’s key corporate values and is an integral part of the company’s sustainable growth strategy. PPG embraces corporate responsibility by actively and continuously supporting various charitable efforts across the Asia Pacific region and by investing in education, disaster rescue, care for disadvantaged groups and environmental protection efforts.
Keyence offers new ultralong-range multi-function analog laser sensor
Keyence Corp. has announced its new IL Series, which represents a significant advancement in laser displacement technology, incorporating performance features typically not found in other systems. The measurement range of this compact triangulation based laser sensor reaches a full 11.48 ft (3.5 m) with 3.94 mil (100 µm) repeatability, regardless of target color. An easy-to-use interface offers a simple approach to measuring height, thickness, liquid fill level, roll diameter, part positioning, width, long distance or hot metal part sensing. The IL Series control system includes numerous built-in, application specific operation modes including thickness and step height, enabling most installations to be configured and operational within seconds after powering on the system.
Capital Refractories appoints sales manager for India
Naresh Kumar joined Capital Refractories Ltd. on Dec. 1, 2012, as sales manager for India. Naresh has over 20 years’ experience working in and around the foundry industry; his previous position was sales manager for a leading international steel shot manufacturer. One of Naresh’s duties will be to liaise with Capital’s distributor to help with sales and technical visits and become a key link between India and the head office in the UK. His other duties will include expansion into key geographies and sectors, such as mini steel mills, for direct sales of our induction furnace product range.