Advanced Materials & Processes back issues from September 2007:
How to monitor bridge structures.(Material Technologies Inc. introduces Electrochemical Fatigue Sensor)(Sandia National Laboratories introduces Comparative Vacuum Monitoring sensor)(University of Michigan College of Engineering develop sophisticated coating material)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Since the collapse of the bridge in Minneapolis, several companies and universities have informed AM & P about nondestructive technologies they have developed to monitor bridge structures. Most are not very expensive, and they should definitely be brought to the attention of the various ...
ASM Global Community Website.(GUEST EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Over the past few years, many ASM members have asked us to make changes to our website, particularly to improve its navigation and content. As ASM's president and chairman of the ASM Web Committee, I can tell you that all of us felt that something positive had to be done. But at the same ...
Welcome to Detroit!(GUEST EDITORIAL)(Speech)
Sep 01, 2007; ... Materials Science & Technology 2007 and the ASM Heat Treating Society Conference & Exposition are approaching fast. The city of Detroit is proud to host this year's event at Cobo Center. If you have not visited downtown Detroit in many years, you will be quite surprised at its dramatic ...
ABS/PA blend picked for stirrup inserts.(Polymar BVBA uses ABS/PA blend from BASF AG)
Sep 01, 2007 ... The injection-molding company Polymar BVBA, Brasschaat, Belgium, recently started using Terblend N, BASF AG's ABS/PA blend, to produce stirrup toe-cage inserts sold under the name Compositi. Up to now, this was primarily an application for leather or metal. The lightweight, easy-to-install ...
F-35 Lightning II carrier variant completes design review.(METALS/POLYMERS/CERAMICS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... The U.S. Navy's F-35C Lightning II carrier variant has completed its Air System Critical Design Review (CDR), a significant development milestone that verifies the design maturity of the aircraft and its associated systems. The Lockheed Martin F-35C, depicted here in an artist's concept, ...
Al-Li aerospace alloy reduces costs and improves durability.(METALS/POLYMERS/CERAMICS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Aluminum-lithium alloy 2099 enables better fuel efficiency, reduced carbon dioxide emissions, lower cost of ownership, improved durability, and enhanced reliability for a range of aircraft components, reports Alcoa, Pittsburgh, Pa. By controlling and refining the composition, temper, and ...
Aluminum hybrid front end technology cuts fuel consumption.(METALS/POLYMERS/CERAMICS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A front end manufactured as a plastic-aluminum composite structure provides 15% lower weight, lower fuel consumption, and improved driving characteristics, says Lanxess Corp., Pittsburgh, Pa. Applied on the Audi TT, the structural component consists of three sheets of aluminum that are ...
Ceramic-coated titanium anode combats corrosion in boats.(METALS/POLYMERS/CERAMICS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... An anode that is part of a system for protecting metal parts of marine drives against corrosion consists of a titanium plate coated with ceramic and protected in a rugged housing injection molded from DuPont Zytel 75LG40HSL nylon, says Mercury Marine, Fond du Lac, Wis. Consisting of PA66 ...
Superalloys developed via formation of nanoparticles.(METALS/POLYMERS/CERAMICS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A system of experiments to study the formation of metal and alloy nanoparticles in the creation of superalloys is under development at Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M. "We're using radiation to break down the molecular structure of substances and form nanoparticles--a ...
Thermoplastic composite can replace metals.(METALS/POLYMERS/CERAMICS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A technology in which glass fiber reinforcement is incorporated within polymer matrices to greatly enhance structural strength of a variety of engineering plastics in sheet and thick plate has reportedly been developed by Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products, Belgium. Because ...
High-flow polymers enable shorter cycles, lower costs.(METALS/POLYMERS/CERAMICS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A range of high-flow and high-productivity materials that enable significant system cost reductions has been announced by DSM Engineering Plastics, Evansville, Ind. The materials are said to enable shorter production cycles, which lead to lower processing costs per part; greater design ...
Fabricable cobalt-base alloy is strengthened by nitrides.(METALS/POLYMERS/CERAMICS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A developmental wrought cobalt alloy designed for sheet applications is strengthened by titanium nitride and niobium nitride dispersions, report researchers at Haynes International, Kokomo, Ind. Called Haynes NS-163, the alloy was discussed in a paper presented at the AeroMat 2007 ...
CryoLife.(METALS/POLYMERS/CERAMICS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... CryoLife, Atlanta, Ga., has patented a protein hydrogel foam for rapidly filling and sealing open wounds to limit blood loss in soldiers injured in battle. Called BioFoam, it contains an expansion agent and rapidly fills ...
Multifunctional rocker cover provides strength, low warpage.(METALS/POLYMERS/CERAMICS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A multifunctional rocker cover for the six-cylinder petrol engines with variable valve timing from BMW is made of a mineral-filled and glass-fiber reinforced grade of DuPont Minlon nylon-66, says DuPont Automotive, Troy, Mich. The cover measures approximately 700 mm long by 330 mm wide, ...
Advanced armor materials made of ceramic composite laminates.(METALS/POLYMERS/CERAMICS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Advanced ceramic composite armor materials that can function as effectively as metal armor solutions have reportedly been developed at Ceradyne Inc., Costa Mesa, Calif. The company has been notified by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Command (TACOM) that its alternate lightweight armor ...
Alcan Inc. is planning to acquire 76% of the shares of Alukbond India Private Ltd.(BRIEFS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Alcan Inc. is planning to acquire 76% of the shares of Alukbond India Private Ltd ....
BASF.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... BASF announces that the biodegradable plastics Ecoflex and Ecovio recently received the International Forum design material award 2007. The IF ...
GE Plastics.(GE Plastics introduces Xenoy 6620U-1001GT and 6620-BK1066GT injection-molding resins )(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... GE Plastics says that its Xenoy 6620U-1001GT and 6620-BK1066GT injection-molding resins have been approved by the California Air Regulations Board (CARB) as an Innovative Product, offering manufacturers the opportunity ...
Mittal Steel USA announces that the company will now be called ArcelorMittal.(BRIEFS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Mittal Steel USA announces that the company will now be called ArcelorMittal. The ...
NASA announces a High-Performance Materials Technologies Industry Briefing.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... NASA announces a High-Performance Materials Technologies Industry Briefing. It will cover proven materials and emerging research ...
Polyscope Polymers.(Polyscope Polymers Corp. introduces Xiran styrenic maleic anhydride copolymers )(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Polyscope Polymers, Geleen, The Netherlands, has developed Xiran styrenic maleic anhydride copolymers that have been impact-modified and are available in general purpose, extra-rigid, ...
R & M Manufacturing has acquired Die Products Co.(BRIEFS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... R & M Manufacturing has acquired Die Products Co., a privately owned stamping and tooling company located in Fridley, Minn. Established in 1975, ...
RTI International Metals Inc.(BRIEFS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... RTI International Metals Inc. has entered into a $100 million contract expansion with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. The contract is ...
Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics.(BRIEFS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics announces that it will triple its production of ...
Timken Co.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Timken Co. has expanded its capabilities to produce long-length steel tubing to meet a customer's request. Modifications have increased tubing length from 31 feet to 37 feet, quenched and ...
Aluminum foil plasma lamps are lighter and brighter.(EMERGING TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Thin-panel microcavity plasma lamps that are lighter, brighter, and cheaper to make than incandescent lamps have been built of aluminum foil, sapphire, and small amounts of gas by researchers at the University of Illinois, Champaign. A plasma panel consists of a sandwich of two sheets of ...
Carbon nanotube bundles could act as efficient interconnects.(EMERGING TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A new method of compacting carbon nanotubes into dense bundles has been developed by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, N.Y. These tightly packed bundles are efficient conductors and could one day replace copper as the primary interconnects on computer chips and even ...
Silicon nanowires upgrade data-storage technology.(EMERGING TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A hybrid memory device in which silicon nanowires are combined with a more traditional type of data storage has been fabricated by scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), along with colleagues at George Mason University and Kwangwoon University, Korea ....
Three-dimensional memory array enhances data capacity.(EMERGING TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A three dimensional memory cell array structure that enhances cell density and data capacity without relying on advances in process technology has reportedly been developed at Toshiba Corp., Japan. In the new structure, pillars of stacked memory elements pass vertically through ...
"Pervasive materials development" to guide future Air Force research.(EMERGING TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... To enable the efficient and cost-effective development of long-range aero systems and space access systems, the Air Force Research Laboratory will make an effort to focus on "pervasive materials development," according to a paper presented at the ASM AeroMat 2007 Conference, Baltimore, Md ....
Boron nitride nanotubes raise strength and fracture toughness.(EMERGING TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A method to improve the mechanical properties of barium calcium alumino-silicate glass that acts as a sealant for planar solid oxide fuel cells has reportedly been developed at NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio. Glass composites reinforced with boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) ...
Altergy Systems.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Altergy Systems has initiated a high-volume fuel cell assembly line consisting of robots, lift and transfer stations, turntables, ...
FEI Co.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... FEI Co. has released its new Phenom microscope, an innovative system that bridges the critical price and performance gap between optical and scanning electron microscope technologies ....
Johns Hopkins University.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Johns Hopkins University undergraduates have invented a small handheld metal detector to help doctors locate hidden orthopedic screws that need to be removed from patients' bodies ....
Purdue University.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Purdue University researchers have used nanotechnology to design transparent transistors and circuits. They are made ...
The Stanford Linear Accelerator Center.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... The Stanford Linear Accelerator Center announces that the Linac Coherent Light Source will be the world's first X-ray/free-electron laser when it becomes ...
Tegal Corp.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Tegal Corp. announces that it has received an order for a Tegal AMS SMT aluminum nitride plasma vapor ...
U.S. Dept. of Energy.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... The U.S. Dept. of Energy will invest up to $375 million in three new Bio-energy Research Centers that will be located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Madison, Wisconsin; and ...
University of Pennsylvania.(BRIEFS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... University of Pennsylvania researchers have produced low-density aerogels made of carbon nanotubes that are capable of supporting 8000 times their own weight ....
Researchers at Yale University and 12 other institutions will share $12.8 million over three years in the DOE Solar Energy to Chemical Fuels initiative.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Researchers at Yale University and 12 other institutions will share $12.8 million over three years in the DOE Solar Energy to Chemical Fuels initiative. The ...
Power materials evaluated by residual stress methods.(TESTING/CHARACTERIZATION)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Quantitative residual stress characterization of actual power generation structural materials is critical to the understanding of premature failures, report researchers from Proto Mfg. Inc., Old-castle, Ontario. Residual stresses are important in the prediction of fatigue life, in ...
Informatics data needed to develop constitutive models.(TESTING/CHARACTERIZATION)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... The type and extent of material information routinely collected is not always sufficient to meet the current, much less future, needs of the material modeling community, according to a presentation at MS & T 2007. Titled "Paradigm Shift in Data Content and Informatic Infrastructure ...
Strain measurements validate cold expansion in aluminum.(TESTING/CHARACTERIZATION)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A simple, yet effective validation technique for fastener-hole cold expansion in aerospace aluminum has been demonstrated by Direct Measurements Inc., Atlanta, Ga., in conjunction with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). DMI's strain measurement and strain anomaly detection technology ...
Impact tester is simple to build and easy to operate.(TESTING/CHARACTERIZATION)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... An impact tester that has the advantages of being simple to build and very safe has been developed by NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. It consists of a steel pipe with an inside diameter of 20 cm and a length of 216 cm. A lightweight polyethylene piston carries the test ...
Portable infrared spectrometer enables materials analysis on site.(TESTING/CHARACTERIZATION)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A portable infrared spectrometer that enables materials analysis to be conducted on site has been developed at Fraunhofer Institute, Germany. Solid items are irradiated with light and the spectrometer measures how much light of a certain wavelength is reflected. In the case of liquids and ...
Thermal analysis instrument enables 100 nm nanoresolution.(TESTING/CHARACTERIZATION)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Nanoscale thermal analysis (nano-TA) enables the study of thermal properties locally at sub-100 nm resolution, an improvement of over fifty times that of existing technologies, reports Anasys Instruments, Santa Barbara, Calif. The nano-TA can be interfaced to most commercially available ...
Structural monitoring sensors detect damage on components.(Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC develops Structural monitoring sensors )(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Structural monitoring sensors that can detect damage in real time, directly in the component, have been developed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Wurzburg, Germany. Only half a millimeter thick and with a surface area of just a few square centimeters, ...
Reinforced concrete tested under earthquake conditions.(TESTING/CHARACTERIZATION)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... An earthquake test device that weighs 40 tons and contains more than a mile of pipes to transport oil pressure to its 40 jacks has been built at the University of Houston, Texas. Each jack is capable of applying 100 tons of force to test the strength of element panels of steel-reinforced ...
Carl Zeiss SMT Inc.(TESTING/CHARACTERIZATION)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Carl Zeiss SMT Inc. has moved its North American headquarters from Thornwood, N.Y., to a new facility in Peabody, Mass., located close to the city of Boston. The move goes along with the operational integration of ALIS Corp., Peabody, Mass., a technology startup developing helium ...
ASTM International.(TESTING CHARACTERIZATION)
Sep 01, 2007 ... ASTM International's new publication, Manual 46, Metallographic and Materialographic Specimen Preparation, Light Microscopy, Image Analysis and Hardness Testing, includes 27 comprehensive chapters that cover all important aspects of the metallographic and materialographic specimen ...
The 7th Edition of the ASTM International Fire Standards and Related Technical Material is now available in print and CD-ROM.(BRIEFS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... The 7th Edition of the ASTM International Fire Standards and Related Technical Material is now available in print and CD-ROM. This new two-volume set provides 246 ASTM standards, seven ...
Bruker AXS.(BRIEFS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Bruker AXS announces the Quantax EDS system, which utilizes a high-resolution 125 eV XFlash detector and, with the latest release of ESPRIT software, ...
Instron.(Instron Corp. awarded U.S. and European patents for extensometers)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Instron announces that the innovative technologies in its noncontacting Advanced Video Extensometer (AVE) and Standard Video Extensometers (SVE) have been awarded U.S. and ...
NSL Analytical Services announces the acquisition of the Perkin Elmer Spectrum Spotlight 300 FTIR imaging system for its materials testing laboratory.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... NSL Analytical Services announces the acquisition of the Perkin Elmer Spectrum Spotlight 300 FTIR imaging system for its materials testing ...
Olympus NDT Inc. has acquired Addley NDT Supplies.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Olympus NDT Inc. has acquired Addley NDT Supplies, a distributor of nondestructive testing instruments located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The new business is called Olympus NDT Canada ...
Profile Technologies Inc.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Profile Technologies Inc. has developed a corrosion detection technology in which electromagnetic waves are scanned at high speed across pipelines to detect external corrosion and other anomalies. In blind tests, the technology ...
Team Industrial Services Inc. has completed the acquisition of Aitec Inc.(BRIEFS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Team Industrial Services Inc. has completed the acquisition of Aitec Inc., an NDT inspection services company head-quartered near Toronto with 13 service locations across Canada, ...
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.(BRIEFS)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has launched the Niton XL3 Series, the third generation of Niton handheld XRF ...
Electron-beam freeform methods studied for making parts in space.(PROCESS TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... To make spare parts for long-duration space missions, electron beam deposition is being investigated as a method of freeform fabrication, according to a presentation at the ASM AeroMat 2007 conference. Titled "Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication in the Space Environment," the presentation ...
Rapid solidification process extends tool life by 25%.(PROCESS TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A Rapid Solidification Process (RSP) tooling machine that can extend tool life by 25% or more, and has recently demonstrated 200% longer life for forging dies, has reportedly been developed by Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls. The technology involves spraying layers of ...
Platinum thermal barrier coating protects superalloy turbine blade.(PROCESS TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A platinum-base thermal barrier coating applied to engine turbine blades made of a nickel-base superalloy is designed to withstand temperatures approaching 1150[degrees]C (2100[degrees]F) inside the hot section of a jet engine, report researchers at Iowa State University, Ames. A platinum ...
Ceramic coating prevents high-temperature corrosion.(PROCESS TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A low-cost ceramic coating for prevention of high-temperature (700 to 1000[degrees]C) corrosion of steel and superalloys in chemical processing and industrial power generation has reportedly been developed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), in partnership with the University ...
Dissimilar sheet materials joined by spinning consumable bit.(PROCESS TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... A spot joining technology for sheet materials based on a consumable spinning bit has been developed and evaluated on dual phase (DP) 965 steel and a dissimilar combination of aluminum alloy 5754-O and DP 965, according to a paper presented at MS & T 2007. Titled "Multi-body Joining: A New ...
Advanced processes expand applications of brittle material.(PROCESS TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Highly precise techniques and some unique shaping capabilities have been developed for shaping and attaching parts to brittle materials at McCarter Machine Inc., Deer Park, Texas, with funding by the Missile Defense Agency. The proprietary processes include shaping, finishing, and bonding ...
Hybrid laser welding joins manganese steels at lower cost.(PROCESS TECHNOLOGY)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2007 ... Hybrid laser-arc welding combines deep penetration keyhole laser welding with an arc welding process in a single process zone, reports TWI, Cambridge, England. The process was discussed in a paper titled "Hybrid laser-MAG welding procedures and weld properties in 4, 6, and 8 mm thick C-Mn ...