Tax credit boosts investment in American manufacturing
Since its inception, the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) has leveraged an unprecedented level of investment to low income communities that has created jobs, improved services and jumpstarted local economies ordinarily left out of the economic mainstream—in short, it is a highly successful federal program.
Why glass is still beating sapphire
Around this time last year, the tech world was buzzing around rumors that Apple’s new iPhone would have a screen made out of sapphire, a material considered tougher than typical glass. But shortly thereafter it became clear that facility wouldn’t be able to produce the amount of sapphire Apple would need, and the whole endeavor was scrapped. Since then, Apple hasn’t shown much interest in using sapphire to cover entire iPhones, opting instead for the latest version of Corning’s Gorilla Glass.
Vitrum online registration now open
On-line registration for Vitrum 2015 has opened. Vitrum 2015, Milan, Italy, October 6–9, is one of the leading exhibitions in the glass industry, which has a particularly rich line-up of new technologies, appointments and special events this year. Vitrum will be the perfect opportunity to source the main innovations from the five continents in technologies applied to industrial glass, glass for the building industry, furniture and the home, for the pharmaceutical and automotive industry, with a special focus on energy costs and savings in production.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to help small ‘green’ businesses
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been tapped as one of five national laboratories to lead the Department of Energy’s new Small Business Vouchers Pilot. SBV will help small clean energy firms get technology assistance from world class scientists, engineers and facilities within the DOE national laboratory system.
Corning Watch: Demand for top product declining
Demand for Corning Inc.’s best-selling product—cover glass for smartphones and tablet computers—is beginning to decline. That’s the view of IHS Inc., where analysts say maturing markets for the electronic devices are causing cover glass revenue to slide. Growth in the cover glass industry has fallen from 39% annually in 2013 to an estimated 11% this year.
Libbey introduces new glassmaking process for ClearFire glass formula
Libbey Inc. recently introduced a new line of glassware manufactured with a new ClearFire glass formula, developed by professional glassmakers. The company invented a state-of-the-art process from furnace to forming to finishing that enables the most brilliant and strongest soda lime glassware to be produced in the U.S. The introduction of this collection represents the culmination of nearly two years of research and development, planning, installation and testing of new production equipment.
Carbon fiber technology facility set to scale up industry
The Carbon Fiber Technology Facility at Oak Ridge National Lab offers a unique, highly flexible, highly instrumented research space for demonstrating ways to scale up and bring down the overhead of testing carbon-fiber prototypes for use in new polymers and products. The 42,000-square-foot facility can make up to 25 tons of carbon fiber each year. The CFTF is also playing an increasingly important role in bridging the gap between R&D and commercializing new materials for mass market.
Minitab’s custom development service integrates software into any workflow
Businesses that want to save time and money can hire a statistical programmer to streamline their quality improvement program with Minitab Statistical Software. Minitab developers can automate analyses, create custom dashboards and reports, and tailor Minitab in any way that simplifies and improves a customer’s workflow. Programmers also have a wide range of quality improvement experience that allows them to create solutions that fit seamlessly into any business process.