Ceramic Industry December 2011

December 2011 | Volume 161 | Issue Number 12 www.ceramicindustry.com

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the expertise

CERAMITEC 2012 Technologies | Innovations | Materials

22 – 25 May 2012 New Munich Trade Fair Centre

The best gathering: Take advantage of the trade fair’s leading international role. As a global trade fair, CERAMITEC is the most international event of its kind and features the industry’s most extensive range of machines, equipment, systems, processes and raw materials for ceramics and powder metallurgy.

Contact: U.S. Office CERAMITEC 2012, Ms. Anika Niebuhr Ph: 646-437-1014 | [email protected]

ate Save the d y 2012 22 – 25 Ma

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Your kiln. Like no other. Your kiln needs are unique, and Harrop’s experienced staff will thoroughly analyze your process and objectives before recommending a final solution. This review often includes precise characterization of your ceramic materials and pilot testing at our in-house facility. After defining the most efficient thermal cycle for your product, Harrop then engineers an energy-efficient, properly sized kiln that is uniquely suited to your operation. Hundreds of customers will tell you that this expert application engineering is what separates Harrop from “cookie cutter” kiln suppliers. Learn more at www.harropusa.com, or call us at 614-231-3621 to discuss your special requirements.

Fire our imagination www.harropusa.com

³ TABLEOFCONTENTS December 2011 | Volume 161 | Issue Number 12

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DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

Inside CI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

³Ceramics in the Electronic Age Miniaturized electronic ceramic components make many futuristic products possible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

International Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Ceramics in the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Market Forecasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Buyers’ Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

³Fitting Square Optics into a Round Hole A new beam-shaping technology sets an example for modern manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ³Micro-Milling Media A new class of rare-earth-aluminate-zirconate-glass ceramics has been developed for micro-milling media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Classified Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Advertiser Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

ON THE COVER: Photo courtesy of SCHOTT Lighting and Imaging.

³Fiber Glass-Reinforced Polycarbonate Compounds Fiber glass-filled formulations of HFD copolymers result in improved visual appearance and higher surface gloss in injection molded parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 ³Regulating Nanomaterials Government agencies and regulators have struggled to expand existing regulatory frameworks to cover nanomaterials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

SPECIAL REPORT FIRING/DRYING Large-Scale Microwave Drying Microwave drying cycles can be 30-40% shorter than conventional processes while providing improved reliability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

SPECIAL SECTION | SERVICES DIRECTORY AND BUSINESS GUIDE Kaizen Events Manufacturers in the glass and ceramic industry could benefit by implementing Kaizen events in the workplace. . . . . . . 30 Planning for Productivity Manufacturers can use technology to help weather the economic downturn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Preventing Hearing Loss Occupational hearing loss costs workplaces an average of $242 million a year in workers’ compensation claims alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Maintenance Management Software A good maintenance management software product helps manufacturers manage unplanned/ breakdown maintenance while planning for preventive maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 2011-2012 Services Directory The Address Index (p. 40-41) offers complete supplier contact information, while the chart-style listings (pp. 42-45) detail areas of expertise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 CERAMIC INDUSTRY (ISSN 0009-0220) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media, 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $178.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $216.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $228.00 (Int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by BNP Media. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: CERAMIC INDUSTRY, P.O. Box 2145, Skokie, IL 60076. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada) to Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to CERAMIC INDUSTRY, P.O. Box 2145, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].

CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

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³ INSIDECI by Susan Sutton | Editor-in-Chief, Integrated Media

Happy Holidays!

®

www.ceramicindustry.com 6075 B Glick Road • Powell, OH 43065 281-550-5855 (p) For subscription information or service, please contact Customer Service at: 847-763-9534 (p) • 847-763-9538 (f) • [email protected]

EDITORIAL / PRODUCTION STAFF Amy Vallance, Publisher 281-550-5855 (p) • 248-283-6543 (f) • [email protected]

We have many advanced ceramic and glass treats to share with you this holiday season. For example, a new beam-shaping technology is setting an example for modern manufacturing. Read “Fitting Square Optics into a Round Hole” (pp. 11-12) to learn more. Miniaturized electronic ceramic components make many futuristic products possible, and “Ceramics in the Electronic Age” (pp. 13-15) has all the details. In addition, a new class of glass-ceramics has been developed for “MicroMilling Media” (pp. 16-19). We’re also excited to bring you our fifth annual Services Directory and Business Guide in this issue. The Services Directory Address Index (pp. 40-41) includes complete supplier contact information and a brief description of the services offered by each company. The accompanying chart-style listings (pp. 42-45) specify each service provider’s area(s) of expertise.* The Business Guide features articles that aim to help manufacturers improve their performance. Many manufacturers have embraced lean as a way to streamline their businesses and improve quality, and they’re finding that “Kaizen Events” (pp. 30-32) can be a beneficial practice. Additional articles in this section include “Planning for Productivity” (pp. 33-34), “Preventing Hearing Loss” (pp. 35-36), and “Maintenance Management Software” (pp. 37-39). As 2011 draws to a close, rest assured that all of us at Ceramic Industry continue to focus on sharing information to help your businesses succeed; please contact me at (330) 336-4098 or [email protected] with your comments or suggestions. Best wishes for a happy and gg healthy holiday season!

Susan Sutton, Editor-in-Chief, Integrated Media 330-336-4098 (p) • 248-502-2033 (f) • [email protected] Teresa McPherson, Managing Editor 734-332-0541 (p) • 248-502-2102 (f) • [email protected] Kelsey Seidler, Associate Editor 614-789-1881 (p) • 248-502-2051 (f) • [email protected] Mike Holmes, Art Director 412-306-4358 (p) • 248-502-1075 (f) • [email protected] Bryon T. Palmer, Production Manager 248-244-6435 (p) • 248-502-9113 (f) • [email protected] Ralph Ruark, Senior Technical Editor Charles Semler; Sandra Spence; Lynn Bragg; George Muha, Contributing Editors

SALES STAFF Patrick Connolly • Europe/Asia 44-1702-477341 (p) • 44-1702-477559 (f) • [email protected] Amy Vallance • Midwest, West and Southwest U.S., and Western Canada 281-550-5855 (p) • 248-283-6543 (f) • [email protected] Brandon Miller • Eastern U.S. and Canada, Latin America 610-436-4220, ext. 8513 (p) • 248-502-9065 (f) • [email protected] Peg Van Winkle, Reprint Sales 614-760-4222 (p) • 248-283-6530 (f) • [email protected] Kevin Collopy, Postal List Rental Manager 845-731-2684 (p) • [email protected] Michael Costantino, Email List Rental Account Manager 800-223-2194 x748 (p) • [email protected] Christopher Wilson, BNP Custom Media Group 248-244-8264 (p) • [email protected]

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Terry Owens • Corporate Audience Development Manager Kelly Carlson • Multimedia Specialist Carolyn M. Alexander • Audience Audit Coordinator Kevin Collopy, Sr. Account Manager 800-223-2194 x684 • [email protected] Michael Costantino, Sr. Account Manager 800-223-2194 x748 • [email protected]

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

ONLINE EXTRA: Demand for Advanced Ceramics Continues to Rise Demand for advanced ceramics in the U.S. is forecast to increase 6% annually to $14 billion in 2015.

ONLINE EXTRA: SOFC Opportunities Abound The global solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) market totaled $380 million in 2011 and is expected to hold a value of $530 million in 2016.

ONLINE EXTRA: Kiln Connection Columnist Ralph Ruark describes a method of repairing and protecting kiln linings.

SERVICES DIRECTORY The online version of the Services Directory at www. ceramicindustry.com/servicesdirectory is searchable by product or company, and includes extras such as hotlinks, spec sheets, and videos for select suppliers.*

DIGITAL EDITION CI’s digital editions are easy to read, search and download. This month’s digital edition is sponsored by NSL Analytical Services.

*Supplier listings indicate paid advertising. Contact Darlene Dipzinski at [email protected] for pricing and additional details.

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December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

Surinder Maheshwary, Director, Quality Assurance/Process Improvement, Dal-Tile International; William Babik, Technical Sales Manager, Nabertherm Inc.; Charles Semler, Ph.D., Refractories Consultant, Semler Materials Services; Gary Childress, General Manager, Orton Ceramic Foundation; Matthew Centa, Technical Support Manager - Ceramics & Glass, Rio Tinto Minerals; James E. Houseman, Ph.D., President, Harrop Industries, Inc.

CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700 • Troy, MI 48084-3333 248-362-3700 (p) • 248-362-0317 (f)

CORPORATE DIRECTORS Publishing: John R. Schrei Corporate Strategy: Rita M. Foumia Information Technology: Scott Krywko Production: Vincent M. Miconi Finance: Lisa L. Paulus Creative: Michael T. Powell Directories: Nikki Smith Human Resources: Marlene J. Witthoft Events: Scott Wolters Clear Seas Research: Beth A. Surowiec

BNP Media Helps People Succeed in Business with Superior Information



³INTERNATIONALCALENDAR

JAN 23-26 36th Annual Conference on Composites, Materials and Structures ³Cape Canaveral, Fla., http://advancedceramics.org FEB 7-10 Cevisama 2012 ³Valencia, Spain, http://cevisama.feriavalencia.com * FEB 21-23 Composites 2012 ³Las Vegas, Nev., www.acmanet.org

Sunrock Ceramics specializes in high alumina industrial ceramics for the most severe firing applications of the technical ceramics and powder metallurgy markets.

* MARCH 11-15 Pittcon ³Orlando, Fla., www.pittcon.org * MARCH 24-26 DECO ‘12 ³Las Vegas, Nev., www.sgcd.org * MARCH 26-28 St. Louis Section 47th Annual Symposium ³St. Louis, Mo., www.ceramics.org MARCH 27-29 Westec ³Los Angeles, Calif., www.westeconline.com April 17-20 Coverings ³Orlando, Fla., www.coverings.com  April 18-19 NanoManufacturing Conference & Exhibits ³ Boston Mass., www.sme.org/cgi-bin/get-event.pl?-002081-000007-home--SME* May 8-10 Powder and Bulk Solids ³Chicago, Ill., www.powderbulksolids.com  May 15-17 CISILE 2012 ³Beijing, China, www.cisile.com.cn/en * May 22-25 ceramitec 2012 ³Munich, Germany, www.ceramitec.de

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May 28-31 Ceramics China ³Guangzhou, China, www.ceramicschina.com.cn June 13-16 KERAMIKA 2012 ³Moscow, Russia, 7-495-983-06-71 June 19-21 AAT Expo ³Rosemont, Ill. www.aatexpo.com * July 10-12 SEMICON West ³San Francisco, Calif., www.semiconwest.org * Look for Ceramic Industry magazine at these events! For a more detailed listing, visit our website at www.ceramicindustry.com.

CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

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³ INTHENEWS Rio Tinto Reports Increased Bauxite Production for 2011 Third Quarter

Ceramic Fuel Cells Receives Export Award

Rio Tinto recently released its third quarter operations review. Bauxite production was up 7% compared with the same quarter of 2010. Aluminum was 2% higher, while alumina was 5% lower. Global iron ore production of 64 million tons (50 million tons attributable) was up 5% on the third quarter of 2010. Third quarter 2011 iron ore sales of 60 million tons (100% basis) from the Pilbara operations in western Australia reportedly set a new quarterly record as the ports and rail recovered strongly from the inclement weather experienced earlier in the year. Mined copper continued to be impacted by lower grades at Escondida and Kennecott Utah Copper, and was down 32% on the third quarter of 2010. Visit www.riotinto.com for additional details.

Ceramic Fuel Cells Ltd. recently announced it received the Minerals and Energy Award, one of 12 categories at the annual Governor of Victoria Export Awards in Melbourne, Australia. Ceramic Fuel Cells is a finalist in the 49th Australian Export Awards, to be announced this month in Brisbane. The Australian Export Awards, operating since 1963, is a national program that recognizes and honors exporters who have achieved sustainable export growth through innovation and commitment. The awards measure exporters against their peers, based on the strength of their exporting, innovation, marketing and financial strategies. Additional information is available at www.cfcl.com.au.

Ferro Relocates Global Headquarters The global headquarters for Ferro Corp. has been relocated to Mayfield Heights, Ohio. The new location allows consolidation of several office locations and approximately 150 employees from the Cleveland metropolitan area into a single site. Ferro reports it will continue to occupy a technology development center and a shared-services office in Independence, Ohio, in addition to the new headquarters offices. The address for the new headquarters location is 6060 Parkland Blvd., Mayfield Heights, OH 44124. For more information, visit www.ferro.com.

Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for CS Energy Materials Plant in Japan An official groundbreaking ceremony recently celebrated the construction work for the CS Energy Materials Ltd. (CSEM) plant in Minamata, a joint venture between H.C. Starck and Japan New Chisso (JNC) Corp. for the development and production of cathode materials for high-performance lithium-ion batteries used to power electric and hybrid cars. Since the founding of the joint venture in September 2010, CSEM had primarily focused on research and development of the cathode materials, as well as production engineering at the sites in Goslar (Germany) and Minamata.

GE to Build Largest U.S. Solar Plant in Colorado GE recently announced plans to build its new solar panel factory in Aurora, Colo. When completed, the advanced manufacturing facility will create 355 jobs and will reportedly be larger than any existing solar panel factory in the country today. GE says it anticipates the new factory will start up earlier than expected, with the first panels coming off the line in 2012 and commercial availability in 2013. GE will locate the factory in an existing building in Aurora, just east of Denver. This location, which is also in proximity to GE’s existing Solar Center of Excellence, reportedly enables an accelerated startup schedule with production equipment installation beginning in January 2012. At capacity, the new factory will produce enough panels each year to power 80,000 homes and will be larger than 11 football fields. When complete, the new solar factory will highlight a $600 million investment in GE’s solar business. For more information, visit www.ge.com.

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December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

Tested by independent institutions, samples of the cathode materials have reportedly achieved excellent results. The plant in Minamata aims to commence operations by mid-2012. For additional information, visit www.hcstarck.com or www.chisso.co.jp/english.

KEMET Participates in Conflict Minerals Program KEMET Corp. recently announced it has volunteered to participate in the pilot implementation phase of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas. The pilot program is intended to assist with the implementation of the OECD Guidance and its Supplement on tin, tantalum and tungsten, as well as share information and discern best practices, tools, and methodologies for performing due diligence. Visit www.kemet.com for additional details.

NSG and Saint-Gobain Plan Float Glass Line in Argentina NSG Group and Saint-Gobain recently announced plans to build a new float glass line in Argentina. The plant, to be constructed at Exaltación de la Cruz in the state of Buenos Aires, will be the second float line operated by Vidriería Argentina S.A (VASA), the NSG Group/ Saint-Gobain Glass joint venture in Argentina. With a planned daily output of 800 tons, the plant will reportedly supply Argentina’s construction and automotive glazing markets. It will also allow VASA to support market growth and to enhance its service in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia. The new line is due to come on stream in the first quarter of 2014. Visit www.saint-gobain.com or www.nsg. com for details.

Thermal Technology Receives Orders from Australian University Thermal Technology recently announced it has received orders for a 10-ton,

4000-amp spark plasma sintering (SPS) system and a high-temperature laboratory furnace from the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM) at the University of Wollongong in Australia. The machines will reportedly be integral to ISEM’s interdisciplinary research programs on superconductors and electronic and energy materials science and technology, including energy storage, transmission, efficiency, and conservation. The high-temperature laboratory furnace, as specified by Xun (Joe) Xu, Australian Research Council (ARC) postdoctoral fellow at ISEM, is Thermal Technology’s model 1000-2560-FP20. Its graphite hot zone reaches 2900°C; it is designed to operate in inert gas or rough vacuum and has an optional muffle tube assembly for oxidizing atmospheres. For additional information, visit www.thermaltechnology.com.

PPG to Supply Windshields, Windows to Dassault Aviation PPG Industries’ aerospace transparencies group announced it has signed an agreement with Dassault Aviation to supply all-glass heated windshields and all-glass heated side cockpit windows for Falcon 20 and Falcon 50 business jets. Under the contract, PPG will produce replacement windshields and side windows for Dassault to support operators as long as four of these Falcon aircraft are flying, according to Arthur Scott, PPG Aerospace global director for General Aviation Transparencies. There are 1200 Falcon 20 and Falcon 50 jets flying today. PPG has updated the designs of the three forward-facing windshields with newer technology and is designing number-two side windows to meet Dassault’s requirements and to fit without necessitating aircraft modifications, Scott said. The cockpit windows are being

qualified by testing with pressure cycles representing five times that encountered during a typical aircraft’s lifetime. Scott said PPG has supplied first articles of the windshields and expects to supply first articles of the new side windows by the end of this year. All five cockpit windows are being manufactured at PPG’s Huntsville plant. Additional information is available at www.ppg.com.

Etex-Creaton Uses Sacmi Technology European roof tile manufacturer EtexCreaton group has begun constructing a plant in Poland for the production of 30 million roof tiles a year. The new plant’s drying department, which will be handling both tiles and trims, has been designed by Sacmi. The plant features on-roller fast drying technology, which is reportedly a first for a plant located in Europe. Completely automated, the Sacmi-supplied plant fea-

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Japan

Tokuyama Corporation Shapal Sales Department, Specialty products Business Division Shibuya Konno Bldg. 3-1, Shibuya 3-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8383 Tel: +81-3-3597-5135 e-mail: [email protected] URL http://www.shapal.jp/index.html

CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

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IN THE NEWS

³ MARKETFORECASTS Carbon Nanotube Market to Grow 56% Through 2014

tures two six-channel roller dryers, each of which is 79 m long. During drying (completed in 220 minutes), the roof tiles are supported by special metallic frames that contain nine pieces. Sacmi also supplied the trim/accessory piece drying plant, which uses the static drying room method. Robots are an integral part of this area of the plant, thus ensuring a high degree of automation and minimizing the need for manual piece handling. For more information, visit www.sacmi.com.

American Standard Joins HSPC The Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium (HSPC) recently announced that American Standard Brands has joined as a Founding Member. With more than 4.5 million hotel rooms in the U.S., the products that American Standard produces can be major investments for all hotels, brands and owners. As an element of in-room bathroom design, the products also have a substantial impact on the guest experience and the environmental footprint of a hotel. Twenty-five organizations comprise the Consortium, including more than a dozen industry-leading suppliers, brands, architects, designers, purchasing firms and sustainability consultants. Additional details are available at www.hpsiconsortium.com. American Standard’s website is located at www.americanstandard.com. 

Starbar and Moly-D elements are made in the U.S.A. with a focus on providing the highest quality heating elements and service to the global market.

Over 40 years of service and reliability I Squared R Element Co., Inc. Akron, NY Phone: (716)542-5511 Fax: (716)542-2100

Email: [email protected] www.isquaredrelement.com

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December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

According to the new report entitled “Global Carbon Nanotube Market 2010-2014” from MarketResearch.com, the global carbon nanotube market will grow at a CAGR of 56.5% from 2010-2014. The report, which covers the AsiaPacific region, the Americas and Europe, indicates that the market is being driven by the increased demand from the aerospace and defense industries. The report also highlights that the high production cost could hinder the growth of this market. However, the emergence of several research initiatives in this field is expected to boost market growth. This market is also marked by a substantial decline in carbon nanotube prices.

World Demand for Windows and Doors to Reach $192 Billion in 2015 Global demand for windows and doors is forecast to rise 6.8% per year through 2015 to $192 billion, significantly exceeding the pace of growth registered between 2005 and 2010, according to “World Windows & Doors,” a new study from The Freedonia Group Inc. Gains are expected to be exaggerated by an extremely weak 2010 base in the developed world, particularly in the U.S. Demand for windows and doors in the residential building construction market will outpace demand in the nonresidential building construction market, as in most developed countries the residential market was far more adversely impacted by the recession in 2009 and 2010. Through 2015, demand for energy-efficient windows and doors is expected to increase faster than the overall market because of increasing consumer awareness and government support in the form of tax credits.

Global Sensors Market to Reach $76.7 Billion by 2017 The world sensors market is forecast to reach $76.7 billion by the year 2017, according to a new report from Global Industry Analysts Inc. Technological refinements in terms of improved efficiency and performance will re-emerge to drive growth in the marketplace, stimulating the world market for sensors in the post-recession period. Sensors are used widely in industries including automotive, medical, industrial, entertainment, security, and defense due to the increased use of process controls and sensing elements in different sectors. While micromachining enhanced the scope of sensor fabrication applications, nanotechnology and micro-electromechanical technology led to improvements in sensor development, design, and the production of inexpensive compact sensors. Emerging application areas for sensors in the post-recession period include defense/aerospace, consumer goods, process/control, automation, medical, automotive and other markets. Specifically, automotive, information technology and medical applications are expected to emerge as the most promising markets for sensors over the next five years.  Editor’s note: Visit www.ceramicindustry.com for additional details, including contact information, on each of these forecasts.

Ceramics in the

Electronic Age ³ Miniaturized electronic ceramic components make many futuristic products possible. by Jerry Kolbe, Director of Technology and Marketing Communications, Murata Electronics North America, Inc., Smyrna, Ga.

Ceramic components are used in smart grid applications, such as smart meters.

I

t may come as a surprise to many, but advanced electronic ceramics are right at home at events such as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), based each year in Las Vegas. Major companies have all used CES as a launching pad to showcase their newest products. While hightech consumer gadgets get the most attention from the approximately 150,000 people who flock to CES from all over the world, it is miniaturized electronic ceramics that make many of these coveted futuristic products possible.

Electronic Ceramics To get a better sense at how influential electronic ceramic components are in the development of a wide range of consumer devices—from smart phones and smart homes to healthcare and computers—we need to first understand what is meant by electronic ceramics. The functions of electronic ceramic materials are varied and can include dielectric, pyroelectric (rapid response to temperature change), insulating, magnetic (electromagnetic energy conversion), piezoelectric (converting electric signals to oscillation), and semiconductive. These materials are used to implement single-function electronic components such as capacitors, filters, sensors and resonators, as well as multifunctional devices such as a Bluetooth ® wireless module using a low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate.

The evolution of electronic ceramic components can be defined by several key factors, but size reduction is one of the more significant. As consumer electronics decreased their size and became sleeker and thinner, so did the ceramic components used inside them, including multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), dielectric filters, sensors, and ceramic resonators. In fact, the downsizing trend essentially began in 1955, with the invention of the first transistor radio, and rapidly progressed with the popularity of mobile phones in the 1990s. Electronic ceramics have been shrinking ever since.

Ceramic Evolution Ceramic technology and a deep knowledge of ceramic materials at the molecular level have ushered in the futuristic electronics we see today, such as smart meters, 3-D TVs, and even robots. In addition, this broader understanding of ceramic properties has led to the realization that these materials can replace and, in many cases, outperform traditional materials. Further, they do not have negative global impacts, such as tantalum, which is a conflict mineral. In 2000, a 10 microfarad MLCC in an Electronic Industry Association (EIA) 1206 case size was nearly state of the art. Through technology improvements, the case size for a 10 microfarad MLCC has been reduced to EIA case sizes 0805 and then to 0603. One of the driving factors behind the miniaturization of MLCCs includes new high-dielectric-constant ceramic materials, which feature submicron particles and fine electrodes. Tight processes enable the production of highly reliable ultra-thin dielectric layers down to the sub-1.0 micrometer thickness. Not only does this evolution include dramatic size reduction, but an impressive increase in functionality has enabled design engineers to develop products that achieve both a sleek profile and perform several sophisticated functions at once. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

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ELECTRONIC AGE

The Murata Boy and Murata Girl robots use numerous ceramic components.

Myriad Applications Overall, the evolution of electronic ceramics is a result of market demands, specifically consumers demanding more features in a smaller package without sacrificing quality, and engineers delving into the mechanics of ceramics to exceed these needs. For example, a module design using a LTCC substrate results in a highly integrated, miniaturized and full-featured solution that features embedded passive component functionality. As another example, wireless modules incorporating Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chipsets are being used more frequently as engineers are recognizing the value propositions compared to discrete circuit implementations. A LTCC-based module occupies significantly less (double-digit percent) motherboard real estate than a functionally same discrete implementation. Smart phones are also using wireless modules, along with a host of other electronic ceramic-based components. Today’s typical smart phone contains nearly 250 capacitors, about 50 chip inductors and electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppression filters, and a handful of other ceramic electronic components. While this is impressive, it is important to recognize that just about every consumer device could contain a significant quantity of ceramic electronic components. Another relevant example is that of a digital TV, which may contain more than 1000 ceramic capacitors and 50 EMI suppression filters. One of the newest consumer demands is not just space-saving devices, but energy-saving characteristics as well. Long-lasting battery power is a critical aspect of any new mobile device, and electronic ceramics are leading the way for battery power conservation. Electronic ceramic components are also integral to energy management, as they are now used 12

in numerous wireless smart grid products designed to manage and conserve energy use and lower utility costs. Consider smart meters (a part of the smart grid), which provide two-way communication on energy consumption from the home/ business to the utility and vice-versa. These high-tech devices rely on new component technology to improve reliability, cost savings and communication capability. Typical electronic components used in a smart meter include ceramic resonators, dielectric RF and ceramic IF filters, MLCCs, highvoltage safety caps, chip inductors and EMI filters, thermistors, electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices, wireless modules, anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) sensors, ceramic shock sensors, and radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. Each of these technologies performs a different yet necessary function within the meter. If the meter is shaken, moved, etc., a shock sensor can detect the movement and send a signal to the utility to alert them. To achieve this, each meter is fitted with an advanced piezoelectric ceramic shock sensor that generates an electric charge or a voltage that is proportional to the applied acceleration. Power management is also an emerging application, particularly to extend battery life in mobile devices. Low equivalent series resistance (ESR) MLCCs are indispensible for use in conjunction with IC chips sets. Taking power management a step further, engineers have been working on various ways to recharge devices. One of the more advanced options is wireless charging, including equipment that can charge multiple devices at once. Using capacitive coupling instead of conductive or inductive charging, conductive mate-

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rial or coils are replaced with transmitters and receivers. Unlike conductive or inductive charging, the capacitive charging system is not subject to coils alignment issues. Another area of great interest and promise is energy harvesting, which can be used to generate a small amount of electric energy from vibration, heat or light. Devices made from piezoelectric materials can extract energy from vibration, while thermoelectric conversion elements based on multilayer technology use thermal differentials. In addition, photovoltaic cells are able to generate electricity from just room light. Energy around us exists in minute quantities, usually less than 1 milliwatt, but by effectively managing it, equipment can be operated for some time without the need for wires or batteries. Of particular interest is the use of energy harvesting in conjunction with wireless sensor networks, where changing batteries on a periodic basis is not practical. Needless to say, this technology has potential for a vast range of applications. One application that draws a lot of interest is robots. A bike-riding robot called Murata Boy can move effortlessly with the aid of numerous ceramic-based electronics, including capacitors; induc-

These MLCCs measure only 0.4 x 0.2 mm.

tors; thermistors; shock, ultrasonic and gyro sensors; antennas; and filters. Perhaps more impressively, Murata Girl rides a unicycle and can balance while moving backward and forward. She, too, is manufactured using high-quality ceramic components like ultrasonic and gyro sensors, DC-DC converters, and Bluetooth modules. In both robots, the ultrasonic sensors detect obstacles to avoid collisions, and the gyro sensors provide the robots with the ability to idle while positioned on the bikes and ride very slowly without losing their balance. While applications in healthcare devices and products may seem to be a stretch for ceramics, the progression is actually very natural. For example, consider sensing and wireless communication technologies, which enable products such as health management equipment for home use and even fitness games. Ceramic-based sensors can calculate pulse and blood oxygen content by detecting minute voltage changes from either heart activity or in the hemoglobin concentration (both of which are based on electrocardiographic and plethysmographic methods). By combing low-energy-use wireless technology such as Bluetooth Low Energy with this sensor, new types of devices can be developed. Measurement findings can also be recorded on a remote server, and healthcare practitioners can check the results from just about anywhere and any time by using a smart phone.

Continued Development CES is the benchmark when it comes to showcasing all of the latest and greatest consumer products and technologies. Some products are immediate, while others are more futuristic concepts. Either way, ceramics are always a constant in this evolution. What happens in Vegas shouldn’t necessarily stay in Vegas—particularly when it comes to products enabled by advanced ceramics.  For more information, contact Murata Electronics North America, Inc., 2200 Lake Park Dr., Smyrna, GA 30080-7604; call (800) 241-6574; or visit www.murata-northamerica.com. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

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³ A new beamshaping technology sets an example for modern manufacturing.

by Werner Sklarek, Ph.D., Manager, Strategy and Business Development, SCHOTT Lighting and Imaging

I

n a constantly evolving industry that demands continued affordability, manufacturers of glass and ceramics must be able to adapt to new technologies. For experienced manufacturers, adaptability is the link between

a company’s history and the innovative solutions that keep industry technology modern. These manufacturers meet the needs of rapidly evolving markets and remain current by constantly developing technical expertise and reliability.

One of technology’s newest developments, the flexible laser beam shaper, stands out as an example of technical expertise meeting adaptability because of its effect on the landscape for lighting and imaging technology. Over the last 10-15 years, laser technology has become increasingly inexpensive. However, the cost of the technology’s beamshaping components—specifically micro-mirrors and fast-axis collimation (FAC) lenses—remains high. The need for a high-quality cost-efficient beam shaper became clear.

Developing Laser Technology

The beam shaper consists of multi-component glass fibers.

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To address the obstacle of expense vs. quality in the development of new beam shaper technology, SCHOTT capitalized on decades of knowledge in the medical and industrial imaging fields. In May 2010, SCHOTT unveiled its solution for forming “square” laser diode light into a homogeneous beam of light of any desired shape. The beam shaper consists of multicomponent glass fibers that have been fused into a rectangular-shaped input profile. The light emitted by the laser diodes can be converted into various shapes, such as circular with a small diameter. Coupling the laser diodes with the beam shaper means that the light can be shaped without FAC lenses, improving the overall performance and flexibility of the technology.

With anti-reflective coatings on both ends, 90% transmission can be achieved. This level of transmission makes it possible for common light guide lengths of up to 2000 mm without any additional components and coupling losses. In addition, the beam is designed with fibers covering a numerical aperture range from 0.4 to 0.8, thereby replacing the need for an FAC lens.

A Simpler Design These changes not only reduced the need for more expensive components in laser beam technology, but they also led to a robust beam shaper design that maintains easy handling for optical engineers. Engineers have to be mindful of every detail when working with a precision-based technology like lasers. If a laser diode system’s power supply exceeds the recommended maximum current for even a microsecond, it can cause significant damage to other components in the system. Any solution that was developed had to fit in seamlessly with the technology to which the engineers were accustomed. The way laser diodes are applied was also simplified through the development of cost-effective and easy-to-handle components for laser technology. Because the new beam shaper can transfer light from any shape into the round beam that is required for many optical components, it widens the pool of opportunity for laser diode systems. If a system has a rectangular bar from which the light is reflecting, it can be used with the beam shaper to form a round laser beam measuring up to 15.0 x 1.0 mm. This permits the use of a rounded laser beam in a system that originally may not have had one. This ability to transfer properties into a special shape makes the beam shaper applicable to processes in many fields. It is currently used in sensing technology, and is being adapted for broader use in the medical and industrial fields. When applied in the industrial fields, the beam shaper’s multi-component fiber quality is important to plastic melting applications. These fibers need to handle the transfer of near-infrared light well, a process that is usually made difficult by more traditional silicon fibers.

The new beam shaper can transfer light from any shape into the round beam that is required for many optical components.

Modern Methods The quality technology that provides the basis for this kind of development is made possible through technical expertise. SCHOTT requires team members to be qualified in servicing all different levels, from system design to integrated system solutions. The company’s team needs to be able to move technology forward by adjusting it according to customers’ needs and to lessons learned from each field. Quality products, technical expertise and applying market knowledge to develop solutions for any industry will be the deciding factors in how manufacturers can stay modern. The flexible beam shaper is a prime example of how technology companies can be leaders in an evolving market landscape.  For more information, contact SCHOTT Lighting and Imaging at 122 Charlton St., Southbridge, MA 01550; call (508) 765-9744; fax (508) 765-1299; or visit www.us.schott.com/lightingimaging. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

15

Micro-Milling Media

³ A new class of glass-ceramics has been developed for micro-milling media.

Why Micro-Milling Media? In high-energy bead mills, which are the most common manufacturing method for fine particle dispersions, stirring’s kinetic energy is absorbed by grinding media and then exerted upon a milled product. The extent of the milled product’s size reduction strongly depends on both the number of contacts between the grinding bead and milled product per unit of time, and the intensity of these contacts. Correspondingly, the generation of sub-100 nm particles benefits from using milling media in sizes of 100 microns and below. One example taken from research presented by Bühler AG demonstrates that a three-fold reduction in the ultimate par16

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ticle size can be attained by use of 90-micron media instead of 300-micron media (see Figure 1).1 In addition, milling efficiency, which is defined as the energy input required to reduce the particle size of a certain fraction of a slurry to a desired final value, increases as the milling media size decreases. Figure 1 demonstrates that by using 90-micron media instead of 300-micron media, a 40 nm particle size can be generated at half of the required mass-specific energy. As with most technologies, adoption depends on the existence of cost-effective production methods. For the production of nanoscale dispersions, the media cost often becomes a limitation, especially in the size range of 100 microns and below. For example, at a price for micro-milling media of $500-600/kg for 100 microns and up to $1000/kg for 50-micron beads, the cost of media required to fill a 10 L production mill can be comparable to the cost of the mill itself. Currently, only one type of ceramic material, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), has the performance characteristics adequate to meet the stringent contamination demands of micro-milling applications. The wear resistance of milling media should be

Particle Size d50 [nm]

T

he use of mechanical energy in the manufacturing of inorganic-based products is well established. Throughout major stretches of history, the technology has primarily been restricted to morphological modifications of naturally occurring minerals, such as the refinement of ores and rocks. Over the years, grinding technology has evolved toward direct size reduction, with the “cutting edge” being several micron particles in the 1960s, 1 micron in the 1980s, 100 nm in the 1990s, and currently progressing toward sub-10 nm. This evolution coincided with an explosion of industrially important applications using the unique properties of nanomaterials. Thus, an interesting conjuncture has formed in recent years. The mechanical path to high-surface-area materials could be at least as feasible a synthesis path as other traditional methods of small particle preparation (e.g., solution-derived, gasphase condensation, etc.). Indeed, direct milling has been rapidly expanding, driven in part by demand in the following areas: • Pigment dispersions for color filters (latest generation LCDs) • Ink jet products of the highest quality level • Nano-additives with various functional properties • Functional ceramics (e.g., for multilayer ceramic capacitors) • Nanodispersions of metals • Pigment preparation

Mass-Specific Energy Em [kWh/t] Figure 1. Influence of bead diameter on quality and productivity of grinding process.1 *Referred to commercially as 3M™ Micro Milling Media ZGC.

extremely good so that nanoparticulate dispersions do not become contaminated by media wear debris. Zirconia is chosen for its high strength; its resistance to breakage is among the highest for all ceramic media materials currently produced. In addition, its specific gravity (among the highest at around 6 g/cc) affords high milling intensities and helps in resisting hydraulic packing. Hydraulic packing in a stirred mill occurs when drag forces on the media due to product flow overcome the natural turbulence of the media, causing beads to pack around the mill’s discharge screen. High media costs, along with the general difficulties of handling smaller beads resulting from spillage concerns and poor flowability, are often cited as barriers to the broader adoption of small bead milling technology. Yet markets show a healthy appetite for nanomaterials produced via milling.

Nanocrystalline Glass-Ceramic Due to the demand for affordable nanomaterials, a new class of rareearth-aluminate-zirconate glasses with high amounts of Al2O3 and ZrO2 (U.S. patent US7563293) has been developed. Such glasses, when crystallized by subsequent heat treatment, yield beneficial mechanical characteristics such as strength and hardness. With the emergence of a need for cost-effective, high-performing micro-

Figure 2. Optical micrograph of a collection of glass microspheres prepared in the first process step.

Figure 4. SEM micrographs of fracture surfaces of ZGC material heat treated for 30 minutes at temperatures (A) T1; (B) T2, where T2 > T1; and (C) premium YSZ material used in 0.1 mm grinding bead.

Specific Gravity g/cc

by Anatoly Z. Rosenflanz, Ph.D.; Amy S. Barnes, Ph.D.; and John T. Wallace, 3M

milling media, a composition that demonstrates the right combination of properties required for micro-milling media was also developed. The composition for this product is (wt%) 45 La2O3, 20 Al2O3, 30 ZrO2, 5 TiO2.* (This product is currently being field tested. It is an experimental product that has not been introduced or commercialized for general sale.) Processing of these materials starts with the formation of glass microspheres, as shown in Figure 2. To attain the highest mechanical characteristics and density, the glass is crystallized via a routine heat treatment process. Due to the highly metastable nature of a “kinetically frozen” glass state, conversion to nanoscale glass-ceramic occurs without the need for nucleating agents. The conversion takes place in three distinct crystallization events, as shown in the inset to Figure 3.

Heat Treatment Temperature Figure 3. Specific gravity as a function of heat treatment temperature. Inset: DSC scan of glass material showing three distinct crystallization peaks. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

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MICRO-MILLING MEDIA 0.30

Hardness, GPa

2000 1500 1000

0.25 0.20

500 0

Heat Treatment Temperature

Heat Treatment Temperature

Wear, %

Crush Strength MPa

2500

O

0.00

Figure 6. Wear rate during milling in NETZSCH LabStar™ mill at 3200 rpm with 480 ml volume of ceramic media. (LabStar is a trademark of NETZSCH.)

ingly, some volumetric expansion occurs in these materials when heat treatment temperatures greatly exceed the third exothermic peak temperature, as evident in Figure 3 (p. 17). The microstructure of glass-ceramic material obtained via crystallization of the parent glass is distinctly nanocrystalline. As shown in Figure 4 (p. 17), the initial grain size of a few tens of nanometers coarsens to a maximum size of about 100 nm after heat treatment temperatures just exceed the third exothermic event. Near-complete elimination of the glassy phase is achieved at this point, as evidenced by microstructural and density analysis. In this case, the present glass-ceramics differ from conventional systems with common glass formers (e.g., SiO2), in which a residual glassy phase amounting to 2-10 vol% always remains. As a comparison, Figure 4(C) demonstrates that the microstructure of YSZ used for micro-milling media is significantly coarser, with grain sizes typically ranging from 0.2-0.5 microns. Fine microstructures and the corresponding reductions in grain sizerelated flaw dimension are typically cited as a prerequisite for high mechanical properties in ceramic materials. This holds true for most ceramics on the marketplace today, such as Al2O3 and ZrO2 and, as was discovered, also applies for the new material. Figure 5 demonstrates that attainment of the highest strength and hardness characteristics coincides with the development of sub-150 nm size microstructure and the elimination of the residual glassy phase.

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0.10 0.05

Figure 5. (A) Bead fracture strength as a function of the heat treatment temperature. (B) Hardness as a function of the heat treatment temperature. 3N force was used in measurements.

The highest density (~ 5.8 g/cc) is achieved after the third exothermic event is completed. Overall structural compaction upon conversion from the glass to the crystalline state is about 11.5 vol%, which translates into about four linear percent shrinkage. This densification has nothing to do with the traditional sintering compaction that takes place during the preparation of YSZ or other crystalline ceramic materials. In the latter case, porosity introduced during a prior manufacturing step is eliminated first through atmospheric sintering and then, optionally, through hot isostatic pressing. In glass crystallization, there is no initial porosity and the compaction is purely “structural” in nature. Interest-

0.15

are eliminated. This typically occurs within the first hour of running a media mill and is a commonly known effect in the industry. By tailoring the composition and heat treatment profile, a novel nanocrystalline glass-ceramic bead material that demonstrates both high specific gravity and excellent mechanical characteristics has been developed. The composition and processing method is distinctly different from that of YSZ, but the mechanical properties and milling performance are distinctly similar. The employed manufacturing method is especially suited for microsized beads and is designed to be very cost effective. Based on these results, the overall performance of the new media in highenergy mills is expected to be comparable to the more widely known and more expensive YSZ media. 

Further heat treatment to temperatures greatly exceeding the third exothermic crystallization peak results in a decrease of mechanical characteristics due to the onset of significant grain coarsening, consistent with commonly acceptable theories in ceramic materials. Interestingly, very high crush strength (> 1200 MPa) is obtained in as-prepared glass spheres. This phenomenon is attributed to surface compression induced via rapid cooling, similar to the “thermal tempering” effect in regular glass. As a comparison, data from commercial premium YSZ beads demonstrates that the present glassceramics exhibit comparable (if not higher) strength and higher hardness.

Performance Considerations For additional information, contact Amy Barnes, Ph.D., Materials Specialist, 3M Energy and Advanced Materials Division, 3M Center, Bldg. 236-GB-27, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000; call (651) 7363477; or email [email protected].

A typical method for evaluating the performance of milling media involves a wear test in which beads are run in a high-energy bead mill under fairly aggressive conditions. During the test, the mass loss of the media at predetermined time intervals is measured. The result of such a test conducted by an independent third party shows excellent performance of the new material (see Figure 6). The higher initial wear rate of the glass-ceramic material is likely related to a “conditioning” effect in which finer and weaker beads

Reference 1. Brochure for Bühler MicroMedia™ Mill. (MicroMedia is a registered trademark of Bühler AG.)

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CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

19

Fiber GlassReinforced Polycarbonate

COMPOUNDS ³ Fiber glass-filled formulations of HFD copolymers result in improved visual appearance and higher surface gloss in injection molded parts.

by Jon Malinoski, SABIC Innovative Plastics, Mt. Vernon, Ind.

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and flexural modulus. In addition, the melt viscosity and spiral flow molding performance of the glass-filled HFD and standard PC materials are presented. Injection molding studies using a polished square plaque tool were performed in order to evaluate the effect of resin melt temperature, mold temperature, and injection speed on surface gloss for the glass-filled HFD and PC materials. Finally, the influence of melt viscosity, as well as formulation heat deflection temperature on molded plaque surface gloss, was evaluated by screening a range of HFD copolymer compositions with varying HDT and melt viscosity rate (MVR) properties. The materials used in this study are standard glass-filled LEXAN polycarbonate and LEXAN HFD resins. The standard polycarbonate samples are commercially available LEXAN 500R resin (10% glass), LEXAN 3412R resin (20% glass), and LEXAN 3413R resin (30% glass). The LEXAN resin HFD materials used in this study are LEXAN resin HFD3211 (10% glass), LEXAN resin HFD3412 (20% glass), and LEXAN resin HFD3413 (30% glass) grades. The test materials in this study are coded according to their composition followed by their fiber glass content: Standard polycarbonate examples

hermoplastic compositions derived from bisphenol-A (BPA) polycarbonate (PC) are used in a variety of applications that leverage the inherent ductility, clarity, heat and chemical resistance, and dimensional stability of polycarbonate resins.1 Chopped glass fiber is often added to polycarbonate formulations at loadings ranging from 5-50 wt % in order to increase stiffness and improve certain mechanical properties. It has been documented that the addition of short-fiber glass to polycarbonate materials results in an increase in modulus, improved dimensional stability and enhanced flame resistance.2-4 However, several disadvantages are involved when adding fiber glass to polycarbonate materials, particularly loss of transparency, decrease in ductility and toughness, and increase in melt viscosity. Numerous studies have focused on investigating the affect of glass fiber surface coating, fiber aspect ratio, and fiber orientation on the mechanical properties of thermoplastic compositions.5-7 A new range of polycarbonate copolymers composed of BPA and a bio-sourced co-monomer derived from castor bean oil has recently been introduced.8-14 These 20

materials, designated LEXAN™ high-flow ductile (HFD) resins,* show an improved flow and ductility balance compared to standard PC while retaining similar optical clarity and light transmission properties. Some demonstrated advantages of the HFD copolymer resins compared to standard BPA polycarbonate include improved molding capability for long flow-length or thin-wall parts, lower temperature processing capability, improved low-temperature ductility, and superior mold release performance. In addition, preliminary studies have shown that fiber glass-filled formulations of HFD copolymers result in improved visual appearance and higher surface gloss in injection molded parts.14

Study Specifics A study was undertaken to examine the physical and mechanical properties of fiber glass-filled HFD copolymer compositions at 10, 20, and 30% glass loadings, and to compare the performance of these materials to comparable glass-filled standard polycarbonate products. The comparison covers typical ASTM testing parameters such as melt flow rate (MFR), heat deflection temperature (HDT), izod and multi-axial impact, as well as tensile

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*LEXAN is a registered trademark of SABIC Innovative Plastics IP B.V. SABIC Innovative Plastics is a trademark of SABIC Holding Europe B.V.

Figure 1. Viscosity vs. shear rate for GFPC-20 and GFHFD-20.

Figure 2. Viscosity at 1500 s-1 for GFPC and GFHFD.

Figure 3. Spiral flow molding for GFPC and GFHFD (Tmelt 310°C, Tmold 85°C).

Figure 4. Molded plaque surface gloss (Tmelt 320°C, Tmold 115°C).

are labeled GFPC and the HFD copolymer examples are labeled GFHFD. Thus, standard polycarbonate at 10% glass loading is coded as GFPC-10. All formulations were thoroughly compounded in a 30 mm co-rotating twin screw (Werner & Pfleiderer, ZSK-30) extruder using a melt temperature of 300°C with a rate of 20 kgs/hr, 20 in. of mercury vacuum and a screw speed of 400 rpm. Chopped fiber glass was added during the compounding step via a downstream feeder. The extrudate was cooled under water, pelletized and dried at 120°C for four hours with a desiccant bed dryer. To make test specimens, the dried pellets were injection molded using a Van Dorn 80T molding machine at 300°C melt temperature to form test parts for impact and mechanical testing. Physical and mechanical properties of the test materials in this study were measured using ASTM and ISO test standards. Viscosity vs. shear rate measurements were performed using a Kayeness capillary rheometer. Spiral flow molding studies were performed at a melt temperature of 310°C; mold temperature of 95°C; and channel depths of 1.5, 2.3, and 3.0 mm. The surface gloss for glass fiber-filled PC and HFD samples was measured on 100 mm square plaques at 2.5 mm thickness; 60° gloss measurements were recorded using a BYK Microgloss gloss meter.

Results and Discussion The physical and mechanical properties of fiber glass-filled HFD copolymer and standard PC materials were screened using a battery of standard ASTM and ISO test methods. The results of this comparative study are listed in Table 1 (p. 22). The HFD copolymer samples show significantly higher MFR and MVR compared to the standard polycarbonate examples for 10, 20 and 30 wt % glass loadings. The increase in melt flow between HFD and standard PC materials becomes larger as glass content increases. For example, GFHFD-10 shows 2.5 times higher MVR compared to GFPC-10. However, GFHFD-30 shows four times higher MVR compared to GFPC-30. (The relative differences in melt viscosity between the glass-filled HFD and PC materials will be further evaluated using capillary rheology and spiral flow molding in upcoming sections.) As was previously reported for unfilled HFD copolymer resins, the glass-filled HFD samples consistently show lower HDT values compared to the glass-filled standard PC materials.14 As is expected with fiber glass-filled systems, the glass-filled HFD and PC materials show roughly 5-10°C higher HDT values compared to their unfilled counterparts. The difference in HDT between GFPC and GFHFD examples increases with increasing fiber glass CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

21

FIBER GLASS-REINFORCED PC COMPOUNDS Table 1. Comparison of physical and mechanical properties of glass-filled PC and HFD. Test Test Method Melt flow rate, 300°C, 1.2 kfg (g/10 min) ASTM D 1238 Melt volume rate, 300°C, ISO 1133 1.2 kgf (cm3/10 min) HDT, 0.45 MPa, 3.2 mm, unannealed (°C) ASTM D 648 HDT, 1.82 MPa, 3.2 mm, unannealed (°C) ASTM D 648 Izod impact, notched 23°C (J/m) ASTM D 256 Izod impact, unnotched 23°C (J/m) ASTM D 256 Instrumented impact total energy 23°C (J) ASTM D 3763 Flexural modulus, 1.3 mm/min (MPa) ASTM D 790 Tensile modulus, 5 mm/min (MPa) ASTM D 638 Tensile strength, 5 mm/min (MPa) ASTM D 638 Density (g/cm3) ASTM D 792 Mold shrinkage, flow, 3.2 mm (%) SABIC Method CTE -40°C to 95°C, flow (1/°C) ASTM E 831 UL 94 flame rating UL 94

GFPC-10 7.5 6.5

GFHFD-10 18 16

GFPC-20 5 4

GFHFD-20 15.5 13

GFPC-30 4 3

GFHFD-30 16 14

142 134 106 2020 45 3500 4530 49 1.25 0.2-0.4 3.2 x 10-5 V-0 at 1.5mm

130 123 87 1390 39 3500 4000 46 1.25 0.2-0.4 3.3 x 10-5 HB at 0.75mm

146 141 116 880 25 5210 6630 86 1.35 0.1-0.3 2.7 x 10-5 V-0 at 3.0mm

130 125 130 860 19 5060 6370 82 1.35 0.1-0.3 2.8 x 10-5 HB at 0.75mm

146 143 134 840 22 7840 9100 102 1.44 0.1-0.3 2.1 x 10-5 V-0 at 3.0mm

129 125 140 890 21 7500 8800 101 1.44 0.1-0.3 2.2 x 10-5 HB at 0.75mm

Figure 5. 50x optical microscopy of plaque surface for GFPC-10 and GFHFD-10.

content; at 10% glass the delta is 11-12°C, whereas at 30% glass content the difference is 17-18°C. The impact and mechanical properties of the fiber glass-filled HFD copolymer and standard PC materials were analyzed using 23°C notched and unnotched izod, as well as multi-axial impact test methods. The GFHFD and GFPC materials do not show any significant differences in impact energy for notched izod impact across the range of fiber glass loadings. At 10% glass content, the GFPC-10 sample did demonstrate higher impact energy for unnotched izod impact (2020 J/m) compared to GFHFD-10 (1390 J/m). At 20 and 30% glass loadings, the difference between GFPC and GFHFD un-notched izod impact becomes negligible. The GFPC-10 and GFPC-20 samples show 10-20% higher instrumented impact energies compared to GFHFD-10 and GFHFD-20, while GFPC-30 and GFHFD22

30 materials displayed nearly equivalent performance. It is important to note that the GFPC-10 and GFHFD-10 samples both showed 100% ductility in the 23°C instrumented impact testing, whereas the 20 and 30% glass PC and HFD samples all showed 0% ductility. A comparison of the mechanical properties of glass-filled polycarbonate and glass-filled HFD copolymer materials shows very similar flexural and tensile modulus values. As expected, the modulus or stiffness of these materials increases with increasing fiber glass content. Tensile strength results were also nearly identical between the GFPC and GFHFD samples. These results indicate that there are no significant differences in resin-glass adhesion, and no significant differences occur in glass attrition during processing between the HFD copolymer and standard PC materials. Density, mold shrinkage performance, and thermal expansion properties were nearly identical between

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the PC and HFD samples across the 10-30% fiber glass content range. It is important to note that the glassfilled PC samples in this study are capable of achieving a UL94 V-0 rating, whereas the glass-filled HFD copolymer samples are only formulated to achieve an HB rating. Future studies on the glass-filled HFD materials will focus on evaluating various formulation options for improving flame resistance capability. In order to further examine the differences in melt viscosity between the GFPC and GFHFD materials, a capillary rheometer was used to measure viscosity over a range of shear rates and melt temperatures. The results of this analysis for 20% glassfilled PC and HFD samples are shown in Figure 1 (p. 21). In the shear rate range that is most typical of injection molding processes (in general, between 1000-5000 s-1), the GFHFD-20 material shows around 50% lower melt viscosity compared to GFPC20 at 300°C melt temperature. The viscosity vs. shear rate curve for GFHFD-20 at 260°C overlaps almost perfectly with the curve for GFPC-20 at 300°C. From a practical perspective, this data indicates that in an injection molding application the GFHFD20 material should process similar to the GFPC-20 sample, but at around a 40°C lower melt temperature. Molding at lower melt temperatures can have several advantages, including lower energy costs, reduced degradation of the polymer matrix, and

Figure 6. Surface gloss vs. MVR for GFHFD-20 compositions (Tmelt 320°C, Tmold 115°C).

reduced visual defects such as mold deposits or splay. The capillary melt viscosity at a constant shear rate of 1500 s-1 for 10, 20, and 30% glass-filled HFD and PC materials is shown in Figure 2 (p. 21). At a melt temperature of 300°C, the glass-filled HFD materials show 40-65% lower melt viscosity compared to the GFPC samples. As is expected based on the MFR and MVR data, the difference in melt viscosity between HFD and PC materials is larger at higher glass content. Spiral flow molding is a tool often used to compare the practical flow length of materials under similar processing conditions. The spiral flow tool used in this study has a fixed channel width of 16 mm and a channel depth that can be varied from 1.5-3.0 mm. The results of spiral flow molding at a melt temperature of 310°C and a mold temperature of 85°C are shown in Figure 3 (p. 21). Based on this data, the GFHFD materials show 50-130% longer flow lengths compared to their GFPC counterparts at similar fiber glass loading. The magnitude of increased flow length for GFHFD vs. GFPC increases with increasing glass content. It is possible to make an estimate of potential part thickness reduction by measuring spiral flow molding over a range of channel depths and comparing the GFHFD and GFPC materials at a given spiral flow. For example, the spiral flow value of GFHFD20 at ~ 2 mm thickness is equal to the spiral flow of GFPC-20 at 3.0 mm, which corresponds to a roughly 33% reduction in part thickness.

Figure 7. Surface gloss vs. HDT for GFHFD-20 compositions (Tmelt 320°C, Tmold 115°C, inject speed 75 mm/s).

Longer flow lengths and the opportunity for part thickness reduction are desirable attributes for GFHFD materials, particularly for applications such as mobile

phone housings and frames. In addition, the higher flow properties of glass-filled HFD materials enable the use of higher fiber glass loadings for a given part geom-

CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

23

FIBER GLASS-REINFORCED PC COMPOUNDS

Table 2. Surface gloss molding study, GFHFD-20 and GFPC-20. Condition 1 2 3 4 Melt temperature (°C) 300 325 300 325 Mold temperature (°C) 80 80 115 115 Inject speed (mm/s) 75 75 75 20 GFHFD-20 60° gloss 90 94 97 87 GFPC-20 60° gloss 61 77 70 70

etry compared to standard glass-filled PC, which results in increased part stiffness and dimensional stability. It has been previously documented that fiber glass-filled compositions of HFD polycarbonate copolymer show higher surface gloss in injection molded plaques compared to comparable glassfilled standard polycarbonate materials.10,14 An example of this is shown in Figure 4 (p. 21), where, under a given set of molding conditions, the GFHFD materials show 30-50% higher 60° gloss compared to the GFPC samples. When the surfaces of the plaques generated in this study are analyzed by optical microscopy, it is clear that the reduction in gloss for glass-filled materials (compared to an unfilled sample) is caused by exposed glass fibers at the part surface (see Figure 5, p.22). In the case of the GFHFD-10 example, the glass fibers are buried underneath a thin layer of resin, resulting in higher gloss and overall improved surface aesthetics. An injection molding study was completed using a polished-surface square plaque tool to illustrate the effects of melt temperature, mold temperature, and molding injection speed on surface gloss. The results of this study, which compares results for the 20% glass-filled GFHFD and GFPC materials, are shown in Table 2. From the data, it is clear that increasing resin melt temperature, increasing mold temperature, and increasing injection speed all result in an increase in surface gloss. In all cases, the GFHFD-20 material showed higher surface gloss than the GFPC-20 samples. The ability to achieve higher surface gloss is particularly important for parts requiring a good aesthetic appearance or applications where multiple coats of paint are normally required to hide any exposed 24

5 325 115 75 101 78

6 325 115 125 103 91

glass fibers. In addition, certain part geometries or designs do not allow for extremely high melt or mold temperatures to achieve a high surface gloss. The glass-filled HFD materials therefore offer a broader processing window to achieve a higher gloss finish compared to a standard glass-filled PC.

The glass-filled HFD samples yield improved surface gloss in injection molded plaques compared to the standard glass-filled PC materials. As stated previously, the two major physical property differences between the GFPC and GFHFD compositions are melt flow and HDT. It is conceivable that either or both properties could contribute to producing higher gloss surface appearance for the GFHFD materials. In order to isolate and evaluate these properties, two separate experiments were performed. In the first experiment, a range of 20% glass-filled HFD compositions was compounded at the same HDT target

December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

(130°C at 0.45 MPa), but with varying melt flow targets. The results of injection molding studies with these materials are shown in Figure 6 (p. 23). Based on the gloss data at slower injection speeds (25 mm/s), it is evident that surface gloss decreases with decreasing melt viscosity (increasing MVR). However, it was noted during these experiments that, as MVR increases, the pressure inside the mold decreases accordingly. When the injection speed was raised (125 mm/s), a consistently high surface gloss was observed across the entire MVR range. These results indicate that the in-mold pressure, which is a function of both resin melt viscosity as well as injection molding speed, is a key contributor to achieving higher surface gloss. A material with a higher MVR, such as the glass-filled HFD compositions, allows for larger/ thinner wall parts and faster injection speeds, which can potentially improve molding cycle time and productivity. In the second set of experiments, a range of 20% glass-filled HFD copolymer compositions were compounded at the same MVR target (11 cm3/10 min at 300°C/1.2 kg) but with varying HDT targets. Injection molding studies on these materials at a fixed set of process conditions resulted in a clear trend, showing decreasing surface gloss with increasing formulation HDT (see Figure 7, p. 23). From these results, it is clear that, at a given processing condition, the GFHFD materials with lower HDT remain in a molten state for a longer time during injection molding, which allows the resin to flow around the glass fibers and yield a more resin-rich surface. Therefore, the combination of lower HDT and higher melt flow (ability to mold at faster injection speeds) enables the glass-filled HFD copolymer compositions to yield a higher gloss surface compared to an equivalent glass-filled standard polycarbonate material.

Conclusion In summary, the fiber glass-filled HFD polycarbonate copolymer materials are characterized by significantly higher melt

flow compared to their equivalent glass-filled standard polycarbonate samples. The GFHFD compounds show 11-18°C lower HDT compared to the GFPC products, but have relatively similar impact, mechanical, and dimensional stability properties. The glass-filled HFD copolymer materials allow for longer practical injection molding flow lengths and part thickness reduction. In addition, the glass-filled HFD samples yield improved surface gloss in injection molded plaques compared to the standard glass-filled PC materials. In general, increasing resin melt temperature, mold temperature, and injection speed results in an increase in surface gloss and improved aesthetic appearance. Due to their higher flow and lower HDT properties, the glass-filled HFD copolymer materials offer a broader injection molding process window to achieve a higher gloss surface.  For more information, contact SABIC Innovative Plastics at One Plastics Ave., Pittsfield, MA 01201; call (413) 448-7110; or visit the website at www.sabic-ip.com.

Author’s Notes The author would like to acknowledge Don Wedding and Mike Oeth for their work in formulating/compounding the test materials and performing the injection molding studies. Figures and tables are provided for general information only and are not for the purpose of warranty or specification. In all applications, testing of a part in end use conditions is strongly recommended.

References 1. LeGrand, D. G., Bendler, J. T., Handbook of Polycarbonate Science and Technology, 2000, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York. 2. Schweizer, R. A., Winterman, A. W., Thermoplastic Polymer Additives, 1989, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York. 3. Ramsteiner, F., Theysohn, R., Composites Sci. and Tech., 1985, 24, 231-240. 4. Gallucci, R. R, “Short Fiber Glass Reinforcement of Ductile Resins,” ANTEC 2004. 5. Parkar, A., Nunn, R. E., Orroth, S. A., “Fiber Length Degradation in the Feed Zone During Injection Molding,” ANTEC, 1994. 6. Wolf, H. J., Kunstoffe, 1993, 83, 69-72. 7. Gemmell, L. M., Tennant, O. W., Gallucci, R. R., U.S. Patent 5,384,353. 8. Goldberg, E. P., U.S. Patent 3,169,121. 9. Fontana, L. P., Buckley, P. W., U.S. Patent 5,025,081. 10. Fontana, L. P., Morioka, M., U.S. Patent 5,106,904. 11. Fontana, L. P., Reed, R. A., U.S. Patent 5,455,323. 12. Hoover, J. F., Fontana, L. P., U.S. Patent 5,608,026. 13. Dan, W. H., Patterson, D. J., Boutni, O. M., Fontana, L. P., U.S. Patent 5,777,009. 14. Malinoski, J. M, “Physical and Mechanical Properties of New HighFlow Polycarbonate Copolymers,” ANTEC, 2010. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

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Regulating

Nanomaterials ³ Government agencies and regulators have struggled to expand existing regulatory frameworks to cover nanomaterials. by Susan B. Harty, Partner, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, Columbus, Ohio

T

he primary regulatory focus for nanomaterials involves human health and environmental concerns. To date, efforts to deal with nanomaterials have been patchwork attempts as government agencies and regulators have struggled to expand existing regulatory frameworks to cover nanomaterials.

Current Framework In the U.S., the regulation of nanomaterials occurs primarily at the federal level among various federal agencies. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) all have a role with respect to nanomaterials. For example, the EPA has addressed multi-walled carbon nanotubes by issuing a Significant New Use Rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and has addressed nanosilver through the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). However, those regulatory efforts remain in the preliminary stages. Most of the discussion regarding regulating nanomaterials focuses on future action. There has been much discussion in the U.S. about the need to amend TSCA. It is anticipated that any revisions 26

to TSCA would more specifically address and encompass nanomaterials. In addition, several states are also considering enacting their own regulations regarding the use and safe handling of nanomaterials. California, in particular, is looking at regulating nanomaterials as part of its Green Chemistry Safer Alternatives regulation. Outside the U.S., the primary regulatory driver is the European Union, where the main regulation addressing chemical substances is the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). Although not specifically enacted to address nanomaterials, REACH embodies many of the regulatory trends that are anticipated to apply to nanomaterials in the future. Within the European Union, there is currently a debate as to whether REACH, in its present form, is sufficient to cover nanomaterials or whether it needs to be amended to more specifically address them. The primary issue is that REACH generally only applies to chemical substances manufactured or used in excess of one metric ton per year. Current guidance is that REACH, as written, does cover nanomaterials to the extent that their manufacture or use within the European Union exceeds the one metric ton limitation, thus requiring that such substances will need to be registered and safe use information provided. However, because of the miniscule nature of nanomaterials, there is concern in particular from cer-

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tain European Union member states and the non-government organization (NGO) community that the one metric ton limit is much too high for nanomaterials. As a result, the European Commission has identified this as an issue to be addressed with respect to the potential amendment of REACH.

Future Trends Any discussion regarding the future regulation of nanomaterials inevitably stalls at how nanomaterials are going to be defined. While one might think that this would be a relatively simple challenge for legislators who are used to developing definitions, it has proven to be a significant stumbling block. For example, the European Union has been working to develop a common definition of nanomaterials for years. In 2009, the European Parliament issued a resolution calling for the development of such a definition. It is expected that a non-binding definition will be finally articulated by the European Commission this year. It is hoped that the definition will create a common understanding and be used in a number of different regulations. Most trends discussed with respect to nanomaterials are part of the broader

Answers Needed The future regulatory framework for nanomaterials will ultimately be determined based on the answers to these questions: • Can a sufficient common definition of nanomaterials be developed and adopted? • Will the international community be able to develop a consistent coherent set of regulations, or will the regulatory framework develop in a patchwork of regulations by different countries and different agencies? • Will new regulations be developed specifically to deal with nanomaterials, or will the existing regulatory framework just be stretched to cover these materials?

debate on regulating chemicals. This broader debate can be seen most clearly in the discussions regarding amending TSCA. For example, a key issue is whether to adopt the precautionary principle in place of the current approach, which generally calls for regulation of a substance only if a hazard has been specifically identified. Additional trends include the call for greater public discourse and involvement in the regulations, the increased need for research and the open sharing of the results, the minimization of the ability to claim information as confidential or trade secret, the increased expectation that companies manufacturing or using the same materials will share information despite antitrust concerns, and the need to have the regulatory framework be more flexible and agile to allow regulators to address new or perceived risks in a more expeditious fashion. The Principles for Regulation and Oversight of Emerging Technologies recently adopted by the U.S. echo these trends. These principles include scientific integrity, public participation, communication, benefits and costs, flexibility, risk assessment and risk management, coordination, international cooperation, and adherence to certain other existing regulations. Applying these general trends to the unique considerations posed by nanomaterials provides a glimpse of future regulations. For example, current regulations of chemical substances are generally based on familiar concepts of dose and length of exposure, resulting in occupational exposure limits. Many in the scientific community anticipate that the current occupational exposure limits that apply to large-scale substances will be insufficient to protect against exposure to the nanoscale versions of those

• Will the regulations adopt the principles advanced by the European Union as evidenced in REACH, as opposed to the traditional principles that formed the basis for TSCA and other existing regulations? • Will regulators continue to discuss nanomaterials as a whole, rather than recognizing the incredible and complex diversity of materials that fall within that definition?

substances. An example of this is carbon. This is of particular concern because scientists believe that certain nanomaterials have the potential to cross biological barriers more effectively than larger particles. This belief also raises the question of whether new mechanisms of toxicity may be discovered that would then lead to additional regulatory measures. Future regulations are likely to require longer term studies of the various nanomaterials to determine their safety, especially as it relates to different uses and the effectiveness of protective measures. Some of the studies may have to consider the entire lifecycle of the material. Those entities conducting these studies will face enhanced expectations to disclose the results regardless of confidentiality concerns. In addition, because of the increasing involvement of the public in the regulatory process, these studies will likely face enhanced scrutiny and challenges from outside the scientific community based on perceived risks. An important consideration when determining the potential health and safety impact of a nanomaterial is the particle size, shape, and bundling. These variations in properties may impact the toxicity of that particular nanoform. Thus, exposure limits should be specific to the particular nanoform, to the extent practicable. Finding the applicable level of regulatory specificity will be a challenge. If the particular nanomaterial is defined too broadly, any required protective measures will likely be both over- and underprotective. In contrast, if the particular nanomaterial is defined too narrowly, the costs of the necessary testing and the required disclosures of what may generally be considered proprietary informa-

tion (e.g., details of particle dimension, manufacturing process, uses, etc.) may be unacceptable to the business community. Another current difficulty has been the availability of tools and techniques for measuring and monitoring exposures. Existing regulations, as well as those to be implemented in the very near term, will necessarily be limited to standards using existing equipment and means of measurement. As better means of determining and measuring exposure are developed and gain acceptance within the scientific community, regulations will be revised to incorporate the use of such means. Regulations designed to cover exposures in the workplace are likely to focus on hazard communication (including safety data sheets) and employee notification; worker training and safe work practices; and exposure analysis, monitoring and prevention. An existing regulation that could be currently applied to nanomaterials is OSHA’s General Duty Clause, which requires an employer to provide its personnel with employment that is free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm. It is expected, however, that future regulations will provide more specificity for these requirements. For example, future regulations may specify the exact nature of the hazards and prescribe particular wording for hazard communications and employee notifications. Specific occupational exposure limits may be enacted, along with prescribed monitoring activities and their frequency requirements.  For more information, contact Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease at (614) 464-6400 or visit www.vorys.com. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

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Large-Scale

Microwave Drying ³ Microwave drying cycles can be 30-40% shorter than conventional processes while providing improved reliability.

by L. N. Satapathy, G. Swaminathan, S. Vijay Kumar, and Shriya Dhar, Ceramic Technological Institute, Corporate Research and Development, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., Bangalore, India

T

he most important steps in the ceramic manufacturing process arguably lie in drying and sintering. Drying becomes especially critical if the amount of moisture is high or if the product is large or a complicated shape. Drying also

A 30 kW batch-type microwave drying system.

depends on the method of fabrication. Dry pressing or cold isostatic pressing components can result in < 2% moisture, in contrast to slip-cast components that have more than 15% moisture. All of the above problems can be overcome through the use of environmentally friendly microwave technology for ceramic processing. The heating rate can be substantially higher during microwave processing, which results in shorter cycle times and lower energy costs. The use of 2.45 GHz microwave energy has been used by many researchers worldwide, mainly for sintering various ceramic materials at high temperature. However, though microwave drying has been extensively studied by many worldwide materials researchers, few reports 28

are available on the use of the technology for processing ceramic materials. We initiated the microwave drying of high-voltage insulators at a small segment level1 and demonstrated the technology’s effectiveness in a larger scale at the 1 metric ton (MT) level. A 30 kW microwave drying system was developed for drying 1 MT of material up to a height of 2.5 m. One question arises regarding whether the fast microwave drying process creates defects. This has been tested, and the results indicate that no deterioration takes place for the porcelain components that were dried using the fast microwave process. Most of the available literature has discussed the processing of these materials in the laboratory scale; very little information is available for the largescale processing of these components. This article describes our effort in drying porcelain insulators using microwave energy in an industrial scale. In addition, developments from a laboratory level to the establishment of a pilot-scale facility, as well as a demonstration of the technology in the large-scale processing of electro-porcelain insulators, are highlighted.

Insulator Details Drying is a critical processing step for ceramic components. The process assumes significance for large and complicated components with high moisture content. The porcelain insulators are alumina, silica and flux-bearing compounds

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that undergo complex reactions during sintering. BHEL manufactures insulators in the range of 11-800 kV. Available types include post and pin insulators; disc insulators, including HVDC disc insulators up to 530 kN rating; solid core insulators; and hollow insulators of different ratings. Insulator sizes vary, with diameters ranging from 100-450 mm, and complicated creepage to 2.3 m long for solid core station post insulators of core and shade structure. The process for manufacturing these insulators enables the green components to contain 15-18% moisture after the fabrication stage. The components need to be dried to < 1% moisture prior to glazing and sintering. In the conventional process, the drying of the insulators is carried out using a humidity-assisted dryer in order to avoid the formation of defects during drying. Due to the insulators’ complex shapes and sizes, the drying times varied from 50-60 hours for disc insulators, and 250300 hours for solid core insulators. It was therefore essential to develop a technology for the fast drying of these components without introducing defects.

Overcoming Complexity Moisture content during drying is critical, and care is needed to maintain appropriate heating cycles in the low temperature range, as well as the final drying stage that takes place in the 110130°C temperature range. Microwaveassisted drying has been proven to be the best method for reducing the drying time

special report | firing/drying

for such components. It has been shown that the drying time can be substantially reduced for high-voltage porcelain segments (in the range of 15-20 Kg of green weight) by 40-50% using a 3 kW pulsed microwave furnace. The drying of all types of insulators have been tested and yielded similar results, indicating that the components’ complexity is not an issue in microwave drying. The moisture determination was carried out in all experiments after drying at different locations of shade and core. Moisture uniformity ranging from 0.91.0% throughout the 0.5 m long and 145 m diameter solid core samples was noted. This indicated that the process is capable of uniform moisture removal in a complex configuration like that of solid core porcelain insulators. The other major issue is the effect of fast microwave drying on the green properties of insulators. It has been shown elsewhere that no deteriorating effect on the microwave-dried components’ green properties (e.g., bend strength, modulus, phase and microstructure) is evident.1 This was further substantiated in another study by measuring the reliability of microwave-dried components. It was reported that the Weibull modulus of microwave-dried components is higher compared to that of conventionally dried components, confirming that microwave drying of porcelain material is a feasible process.2 The microwave-dried components were also conventionally fired and their microstructure compared with conventionally dried components. The components that were dried in the microwave were found to be better in terms of a defect-free structure.3 Based on observations following detailed lab-scale experimental studies, a 30 kW batch-type microwave drying system was designed and fabricated using the multiple magnetron concept and 3 kw microwave sources. The system consists of a PLC-controlled 30 kw microwave source, a steel chamber measuring 1.1 x 1.1 x 2.8 m, a multiple temperature measurement system, a chilling

water circulation system, and a programmable temperature controller. A wooden trolley interfaced with a metallic base was designed with a proper grounding system in place for loading the green high-voltage insulators inside the chamber. The system uses a patented sine wave reflector design for maintaining a uniform microwave field inside the chamber, which can hold six solid core insulators up to 2.5 m long with a green weight of 1000 Kg. Similarly, up to 800 Kg of high rating disc insulators can be dried in the chamber. Temperature measurement is carried out at multiple points on the

which is a unique achievement due to the volumetric nature of heating using microwave technology.

Summary and Future Outlook A systematic approach has been made to understand the microwave drying of high-voltage electro-porcelain materials. A 30 kW pure microwave-based drying system was developed, and detailed experiments were carried out to establish the 1000 Kg drying of porcelain insulators with cycle time reduction and energy efficiency. The drying time can be reduced in the range of 30-40%, resulting in overall energy efficiency in the range of 20-30%, compared to the conventional process. This system is successfully running in a facility that produces high-voltage insulator products.  For more information, contact the lead author at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Ceramic Technological Institute, Malleswaram Complex, Bangalore-560012, India; (91) 80-22182403; fax (91) 80-23466714; email satpathy@bhelepd. com; or visit www.bhelceramics.com.

Acknowledgements The system chamber can hold six solid core insulators up to 2.5 m long with a green weight of 1000 Kg.

actual and dummy products using both infrared pyrometers and sheathed k-type thermocouples interfaced with the programmable controller. A large fan at the top of the system is used to act both as a mode stirrer and to assist in the exhaust of water vapor during the drying process. The drying cycle is configured in such a way that no extra humidity is needed inside the chamber, as is required in the conventional drying process. Using this system, it has been demonstrated that the drying cycle time can be reduced in the range of 30-40% compared to that followed in the conventional process for actual high-voltage porcelain insulator components. The moisture content was noted to be in the 0.9-1.2% range throughout the length of the component,

The authors thank BHEL management for permitting the publication of this manuscript. The authors are also thankful to Sri Sushil Chandra and Sri K. V. Ravishankar of the BHEL Insulator Production department for drying trials and regular use of the drying system for commercial production.

References 1.

2.

3.

Vinayashree, Prabhu, and Satapathy, L. N., “Effect of Microwave Drying on the Green and Fired Properties of High Voltage Electrical Porcelain Insulator,” Am. Cer. Soc. Bull., 87(6), (2008), 36-44. Hemanthakumari, P. N., and Satapathy, L. N., “Reliability in Microwave Drying of Porcelain Insulator Components,” Intl. J. Appl. Cer.

Tech., 5(1), (2008), 94-100. Satapathy, L. N., “Microwave Sintering of High-Voltage Porcelain Material and its Characterization,” J. Cer. Proc. Res., 10(5), (2009), 637-642.

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³ Manufacturers in the glass and ceramic industry could benefit by implementing Kaizen events in the workplace.

by Vincent W. Howell, CMfgE, Engineering Project Portfolio Manager, Corning, Inc., Corning, N.Y.

D

espite some good news, the sluggish economy continues to take a toll on manufacturing as a whole. The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s index of manufacturing activity fell to a -10 from -1 the previous month, indicating a contraction in manufacturing activity. However, the world of manufacturing is seeing some positive signs. The auto industry has again started to invest in new plants. In addition, news publications recently reported global factory expansions in the glass and ceramic industries. A new study from ABI Research entitled “Global Photovoltaic Cells and Modules Market” reports that the U.S. photovoltaic (PV) market is expected to become the largest market for annual PV installations by 2013. What does all this mean for the global world of manufacturing? Essentially, manufacturers must respond by remaining focused on continuous improvement. 30

In a tight economy, some companies may feel that they have limited resources to apply to this type of project. The result is that efforts to improve are often idled. Even in a world with limited resources, however, an organization must be mindful of what Goldman stresses: “There’s always a better way, and never a best way.”1 One way to put improvements into action is through the application of the Kaizen philosophy. Translated from its Japanese origin, Kaizen means improvement. Since its implementation after World War II, this philosophy has grown in acceptance in industries and organizations around the world.

What is Kaizen? Kaizen represents a change for the better. It refers to a philosophy or a set of practices that focuses on the continuous improvement of processes in manufacturing or any other organizational

December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

environment. It can be applied to both manufacturing and business processes, such as logistics, engineering, and supply chain. When used from a broader business perspective and applied to the workplace, Kaizen refers to activities that continually improve all functions, and involves all employees from the shop workers and engineers up to the CEO. In other words, Kaizen is “a system of continuous improvement in quality, technology, processes, company culture, productivity, safety and leadership.”2 As such, “everyone is encouraged to come up with small improvement suggestions on a regular basis. This is not a once-amonth or once-a-year activity. It is continuous. In Japanese companies, such as Canon, a total of 60-70 suggestions per employee per year are written down, shared and implemented.”3 It is important to keep in mind that Kaizen is a component of lean manu-

special section | business guide

facturing. Contrary to a common belief, lean does not just mean running an operation with fewer employees. It is much broader than that. The Lean Enterprise Institute, an organization that advances lean thinking throughout the world, emphasizes that:

sultancies and agencies that specialize in Kaizen, Kaizen events, and lean manufacturing. (The sidebar provides suggested sources.) After you have done some reading, a next step can be to institute Kaizen events.

Kaizen Events Lean thinking changes the focus of management from optimizing separate technologies, assets, and vertical departments to optimizing the flow of products and services through entire value streams that flow horizontally across technologies, assets, and departments to customers. Eliminating waste along entire value streams, instead of at isolated points, creates processes that need less human effort, less space, less capital, and less time to make products and services at far less costs and with much fewer defects, compared with traditional business systems. Companies are able to respond to changing customer desires with high variety, high quality, low cost, and with very fast throughput times. Also, information management becomes much simpler and more accurate.4 Thus, Kaizen is a building block for making improvements that reduce waste and inefficiency in the process. Another way of looking at this is to ask, “How can we make what we do better, so that we can add more value for our customer while building a stronger company and market position?” Starting your learning process is the first key step. Numerous articles and books focus on the topic, along with con-

Improvement consultant Greg Hart describes a Kaizen event as “a breakthrough workshop—planned, organized, and facilitated to challenge and enable a cross-functional team of five to 10 members to design or improve the designated process. Team members immediately apply what they learn about lean and other improvement tools to solve problems. Changes are dramatic. Analysis, brainstorming and targeted actions deliver operational performance breakthroughs.”5 Tom McBride of Partners for Creative Solutions provides a supportive point by stating that Kaizen events can be used when an organization experiences any of the following challenges:6 • Urgent need for a solution • Competitive crisis • High customer dissatisfaction • Big impact projects • Significant impact on sales or profits • Bottlenecks • Intolerable, prolonged disruption A targeted activity is one that focuses on implementing the results from the event within about a five-day period. When you make the decision to conduct a Kaizen event, your focus is to get the right people on the problem in order to achieve immediate results and a permanent solution.

To conduct the event, you will need to make sure your team has dedicated enough work time (including preparation time) for the event. You will also want to have a trained leader or experienced outside resource to run the event. Preparation for the team should typically include the following:7 • Training (e.g., lean concepts, Kaizen basics, 5S and problem-solving techniques) • Problem definition and goal setting • Documenting the current state (e.g., flow charting and value-stream mapping) • Brainstorming and developing a vision for the future process • Implementation (e.g., how to standardize a process and monitor results) • Developing a follow-up plan • Presenting results • Celebrating successes The training should emphasize the importance of sustaining results after the event. The above list highlights training for implementation. This focuses on making sure the team can help and support long-term changes and improvement. In addition, since the effort includes attaining (and verifying) results, you will want to gain the service of your finance or accounting group to confirm bottom-line results. In short, it will take the whole organization working together to make the improvement happen. In order to support this level of action, the team (along with others) needs to have the appropriate training. With this training, team members should then be able to standardize processes to the new, improved

Kaizen Event Implementation Steps 1. Training and kickoff activities: lean manufacturing (if in production area), tools of continuous improvement (pareto, fishbone, run charts, 5-whys, process analysis) 2. Analyze current “state”

3. Select areas of focus 4. Create possible solutions 5. Select solution 6. Establish metrics for success 7. Plan and implement (repeat if necessary)

8. Standardize and sustain 9. Report results 10. Celebrate Source: Tom McBride, “Key Steps in Implementing a Kaizen Event”

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KAIZEN EVENTS

level, train everyone involved to the new standard and monitor the results over time.8

Benefits of Kaizen Events Much of the recent research and writing on Kaizen events highlights that there are qualitative and quantitative benefits. Anthony Manos speaks about the importance of qualitative results when he says that “we might be able to quantify a 5S event’s outcome in terms of shorter distance traveled within a workplace, fewer safety incidents and reduced supplies or inventories. But few companies actually take the time to understand the human side of lean.”9 Manos goes on to say, “If you listen to participants at a successful lean event, you’ll hear things like: ‘Now I can find things around here,’ or ‘These changes will help reduce my stress level,’ or ‘Look how much more room we have.’ These are important and lasting human results that are just as vital as the measurable ones.”10 Relative to quantitative results, the following are some results that users of the philosophy have achieved, based on research presented in The Kaizen Blitz: • Inventory reduction: 30-70% • Operating space: 50% of baseline • Lead-time reduction: 40-80% • Productivity improvement: 20-60% • Setup time reduction: 70-90% • Walking distance reduction: 40-90% Lincoln Industries, which offers a variety of metal finishing and anodizing capabilities, has also shared its successful experience with Kaizen events: In 2007, Lincoln Industries held over 27 Kaizen events and identified over

$630,000 in savings. In 2008, Lincoln Industries held over 35 Kaizen events and identified over $1,630,000 in savings. To drive consistency, each event is reviewed by the Continuous Improvement Team to make sure key actions have been followed through once the initial event has been completed. Eighty-four people participated in Kaizen events and 20% of the people were trained in lean thinking during this year [2007]. [In 2008], almost 200 people participated in Kaizen events, and 100% of the people have been trained in lean thinking during this year.11

Kaizen for Glass and Ceramic Processes Kaizen, along with the broader philosophy of lean, has been successfully used in both assembly and process plants. Events can focus on small- or large-scoped efforts. Regarding the glass and ceramic industry, Peter King, author of Lean in the Process Industry, writes:

32

As you proceed with considering the application of a Kaizen event, understand that the essence of Kaizen is continual improvement. But Kaizen is not just continual improvement in a single or periodic opportunity; instead, it should be seen as a philosophy that is ingrained in the fabric of the organization. Starting your lean journey with a Kaizen event can become a building block for making improvements that reduce waste and inefficiency in the process for the long term.  For more information or to share your experience with Kaizen events, contact the author at (607) 974-8179 or howellvw@ corning.com.

References 1.

Process industry Kaizen events may require even more planning and data gathering than their assembly counterparts. In assembly processes, genchi genbutsu [meaning “go and see”] is often an effective way to understand the current state. Assembly operations, inventories, bottlenecks, and flow discontinuities are often readily visible. In a process plant, many of the operations take place in large vessels, ovens, or chambers so that the material being processed can’t be seen. Inventories are often stored in . . . tanks where the contents can’t be estimated by eye. Thus, in many cases, current inventory data cannot be tallied by walking the floor and counting.

Kaizen Event Information Sources • • • • •

Therefore, much more thought must be given to deciding which data will likely be needed, as well as much more time in gathering that data.12

Kaizen Institute USA, www.kaizen.com American Society for Quality, www.asq.org Lean for the Process Industries: Dealing with Complexity, by Peter King, CRC Press Kaizen Training, www.kaizen-training.com “Kaizen Event Fieldbook, Lean Certification,” Society of Manufacturing Engineers

December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

Goldman, A., “Importance of Continuous Improvement, www.gaebler.com/Importance-of-Continuous-Improvement.htm. 2. “What is Kaizen?” www.graphicproducts. com/tutorials/kaizen/index.php. 3. Ibid. 4. “What is Lean?” www.lean.org/whatslean/. 5. H a r t , G . , “ K a i z e n E v e n t , ” w w w. hartinnovations.com/. 6. McBride, T., “Key Steps in Implementing a Kaizen Event,” www.nescon.org/ docs/2005/McBride_Key%20Steps%20 in%20Implementing%20a%20Kaizen%20 Event.pdf. 7. Dolcemascolo, D., “When and How to Use Kaizen Events,” www.reliableplant.com/ Read/8904/kaizen-events. 8. Manos, A., “The Benefits of Kaizen and Kaizen Events,” www.proferoinc.com/pdf/ qp0207lean.pdf. 9. Ibid. 10. Ibid. 11. “Continuous Improvement,” www.lincolnindustries.com/who_we_are/culture/ improvement. 12. King, Peter, Lean in the Process Industry: Dealing with Complexities, CRC Press, New York, p. 157.

special section | business guide

Planning for

Productivity ³ Manufacturers can use technology to help weather the economic downturn. by Alison Falco, President, Dynamic Systems Inc., Redmond, Wash.

M

You must ask yourself, “What prevents me from 100% efficiency?”

anufacturers implementing technology for financial reporting purposes often overlook efficiencies that can generate cash flow and reduce costs on the manufacturing floor. Accurate information that provides a

Developing a Plan

Making employees’ jobs easier by ensuring that they have what they need to perform at their best reduces stress.

Barcode technology has been actively used for over 20 years in manufacturing, distribution, and retail to track inventory and jobs.

business owner with the ability to make immediate, profit-boosting decisions about their operation is crucial during an economic downturn. If revenue is down and the market mood does not permit price increases, then profitability can only be realized by reducing costs.

An airline cannot survive when planes are not in the air producing revenue. Your business cannot survive unless you know where your assets are and how they can be used efficiently. Imagine being able to view the location of your tools and equipment at

Focus on “faster and better.” Every asset, machine, tool, and person you have must be accountable and cycle more quickly.

any moment so you can plan to transfer them to the next job. The ability to locate a unique asset when it is required on another active job helps to avoid downtime. What if you knew exactly how many hours were spent on each step in the assembly process and where the bottlenecks were? Inefficient situations can cause accelerated costs and reduced productivity. Take a proactive approach by developing a plan. Under normal circumstances, a business owner/manager reviews financial information, overhead and direct operating margin at the end of a month or quarter. But this economy does not constitute “normal” circumstances. “Companies must plan their destiny and not look in the rearview mirror,” says Bill Allen of W.A. Allen Consulting. “Instead of flying blind until a work order is completed, it’s time to operate from a plan. Understand what prevents you from 100% efficiency.” Buy-in happens from the top down. Start by developing a culture that compels events to conform to your plan. Anything that deviates from the plan is an opportunity for cost savings and efficiencies. Do you have too much time loss in CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

33

PLANNING FOR PRODUCTIVITY

non-direct labor areas (i.e., idle or downtime)? By evaluating what interrupts the workflow on a daily basis, you can uncover areas that, with improvement, will provide an increased bottom line. It is up to the company to make a conscious decision to manage from a plan—and hold all employees accountable for following the plan—rather than react to circumstances. This transition will be easier with the adoption of the appropriate technological tools.

Identifying Problem Areas Evaluate your operations to determine where your technology dollars are best spent. For instance, can you reduce or minimize the time spent looking for machines, tools and other assets? Is it possible to plan maintenance and calibration to avoid machine downtime? A barcode tracking system can show where assets are at the time they are needed by tracing which job they were checked out for and by whom. In addition, an integrated maintenance scheduler flags required maintenance as it is due and ensures OSHA compliance. Proper control of tools and inventory prevents costs that result from hoarding, irresponsibility or downright theft. It is up to the company management to declare that shrinkage is unacceptable and hold employees accountable for losses that are under their control. This policy is given “teeth” when assets and inventories can be effectively tracked using technology. Bottlenecks in the production process slow down productivity. Although you may not be aware of all the bottlenecks in production, these are probably the most important variables. What are your capacities for output, and what is the optimal load of people, machines and tools to meet 100% capacity? How do you route the work to prevent downtime? A computerized system that tracks labor hours to a specific function within the assembly process and on the fly will help prevent these costly issues by identifying those points where workflow gets interrupted. 34

Does your staff spend unproductive minutes (or hours) manually recording transactions? Work hours devoted to manual recording and recordkeeping do nothing to increase revenue or control costs. Technology can provide the integrated systems control over asset use, capacity, maintenance, and location—and do it 24/7.

Implementing New Technology You don’t have to be one of the “big guys” to afford technology. Today, reasonably priced systems are available to help avoid many of the costs consumed by inefficiencies in operations. Such systems can be purchased as stand-alone entities that are focused on one aspect of the business. Deciding where to start depends on which areas are losing the most money.

An inventory control software package accounts for stock parts and produces alerts when it’s time to reorder. A time and attendance software package helps identify who is working when, on what job, and for how long, and can produce reports for payroll. It can be set up to account automatically for start and end times, breaks, lunch, etc. to reduce the time employees spend recording their time. Barcode scanning makes the input fast and easy. Job costing software adds the ability to track inventory costs plus the labor hours consumed against the specific job while the job is in progress. Similarly, work in process (WIP) software is a subset of job costing and tracks a specific work order through the production process. It tells the scheduler and production manager the stage of each work order in the production process at any moment. An inventory control software package accounts for stock parts and produces alerts when it’s time to reorder. It can issue parts to a work order or job

December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

and confirm that the correct items have been pulled. The software keeps track of finished goods inventories and reports replenishment requirements. Barcoded inventory makes it quick and easy to take an inventory count. Barcode technology has been actively used for over 20 years in manufacturing, distribution, and retail to track inventory and jobs. The barcode terminals are similar to PDAs and provide immediate and accurate information. Barcode labels can be designed to withstand the dirt, grease and rough use experienced in many harsh environments, while other labels can be printed on a laser printer. Barcodes can easily be added to work orders in the form of a laser “font,” which allows parts, jobs, etc. to be barcoded on the work order.

Simplifying the Job Making employees’ jobs easier by ensuring that they have what they need to perform at their best reduces stress. Showing employees that you are taking steps to increase profitability will provide them with more confidence in the company. “Our…ability to readily locate critical tools, monitor routine maintenance schedules, and track broken equipment has saved countless labor hours and lowered the frustration level of our shop employees,” says Thomas Hortman, Project Manager for AAI Services Corp., a Division of Textron Systems. “By providing our employees with an efficient method for obtaining, maintaining, and tracking tools and equipment, the CheckMate Tool Tracking System has effectively helped lower our operating costs.” While technology won’t cure the credit crunch manufacturers are facing, automated processes that improve cash flow and keep lenders in the loop demonstrate that a business “has its act together” and can go a long way in convincing lenders that their risk is low.  For additional information, contact Dynamic Systems Inc. at (800) 3423999 or v isit http://abarcode.com/ manufacturing.html.

Preventing

special section | business guide

Hearing Loss ³ Occupational hearing loss costs workplaces an average of $242 million a year in workers’ compensation claims alone.

by Mike Rich, Marketing, Safety Services Co., Tempe, Ariz.

O

ne of the largest safety risks for the North American manufacturing industry is occupational hearing loss,

Earmuffs consist of sound-attenuating material and soft ear cushions that fit around the ear inside hard outer cups.

which accounts for roughly one in every nine illnesses reported through Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) forms. In order for a person’s hearing loss to be recorded by OSHA, however, it must be determined to be work related, and the hearing loss must be severe enough that the worker has become hearing impaired. This means the true number of employees suffering hearing loss is actually much higher.

Financial Impact While the number of employees suffering from hearing loss is staggering, the financial impact of the illness is even greater.

Occupational hearing loss costs workplaces an average of $242 million a year in workers’ compensation claims alone. Yet this figure does not include medical or personal costs, which can cause the true financial impact of hearing loss to more than double. One example of the true impact of hearing loss is illustrated by a five-year study conducted in British Columbia. During this timeframe, the workers’ compensation board paid $18 million in disability awards to workers suffering hearing loss. An additional $36 million was paid out for hearing aids. In another example, the U.S. Army saved $504.3 million by reducing hearing loss among combat arms personnel between 1974 and 1994. The good news is that these costs and injuries are a preventable phenomenon.

The rate of hearing loss for employees exposed to these conditions is highest during the first 10 years of exposure, which means that hearing loss prevention is especially important for new workers. However, with continued exposure, the hearing loss spreads into those frequencies most needed to understand speech, so preventing occupational hearing loss is also important for workers in their middle and late careers. To protect both new and existing employees from hearing loss, it is important to have a hearing conservation program in place that addresses administrative controls, engineering controls, hearing protection, and education. Administrative Controls Administrative controls are changes in the workplace that reduce or eliminate worker exposure to noise. Examples include: • Operating noisy machines during shifts when fewer people are exposed. • Limiting the amount of time a person spends at a noise source. • Providing quiet areas where workers can gain relief from hazardous noise sources. For example, a soundproof or enclosed break room can keep noise significantly below hazardous levels. Table 1. Common decibel levels. Decibels

Sound Source

Securing Protection

150

Firecracker

Studies by OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that occupational hearing loss occurs when employees are exposed to noise 85 decibels and above for a timeframe of eight hours. (Table 1 lists decibel levels for some common noises.) Signs that noise may be a problem in the workplace include: • Employees hear ringing or humming in their ears when they leave work. • Employees have to shout to be heard by a coworker an arm’s length away. • Employees experience temporary hearing loss when leaving work.

120

Ambulance siren

110

Chain saw, rock concert

105

Personal stereo system at maximum level

100

Wood shop, snowmobile

95

Motorcycle

90

Power mower

85

Heavy city traffic

60

Normal conversation

40

Refrigerator humming

30

Whispered voice

0

Threshold of normal hearing

CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

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HEARING LOSS

Ear Protection Employees should know which noises can cause damage and wear ear plugs when they are involved in a loud activity. 110 Decibels: Regular exposure of more than 1 minute risks permanent hearing loss. 100 Decibels: No more than 15 minutes of unprotected exposure recommended. 85 Decibels: Prolonged exposure to any noise at or above 85 decibels can cause gradual hearing loss.

• Restricting worker presence to a suitable distance away from noisy equipment. This effective (yet simple and inexpensive) administrative control is applicable when workers are present but are not actually working with a noise source or equipment. In open space, for each doubling of the distance between the source of noise and the worker, the noise is decreased by 6 dBA. Engineering Controls Engineering controls involve modifying or replacing equipment or making related physical changes at the noise source (or along the transmission path) to reduce the noise level at the worker’s ear. In some instances, the application of a relatively simple engineering noise control solution reduces the noise to the point that no further noise protection is necessary. Examples of inexpensive yet effective engineering controls include some of the following: • Choosing low-noise tools and machinery. • Maintaining and lubricating machinery and equipment (e.g., oil bearings). • Placing a barrier between the noise source and employee (e.g., sound walls or curtains). • Enclosing or isolating the noise source.

Hearing Protection Devices Hearing protection devices (HPDs), such as earmuffs and plugs, are considered an acceptable but less desirable option to control exposures to noise. These options are generally used when administrative controls are not feasible 36

or not suitable alone to reduce noise to acceptable limits. Ear plugs are inserted to block the ear canal. They may be premolded (preformed) or moldable (foam ear plugs). Ear plugs are sold as disposable products or reusable plugs. Custom molded ear plugs are also available. Semi-insert ear plugs consist of two ear plugs held over the ends of the ear canal by a rigid headband. Earmuffs consist of sound-attenuating material and soft ear cushions that fit around the ear inside hard outer cups. They are held together by a headband. The effectiveness of hearing protection is greatly reduced if the hearing protectors do not fit properly or if they are worn only during periods of noise exposure. To maintain the effectiveness of hearing protection devices, they should not be modified. Selecting an HPD involves a number of factors, including the level of noise, comfort, and the suitability of the hearing protector for both the worker and their environment. Most importantly, the hearing protector should provide the desired noise reduction. The product’s noise reduction rating (NRR) is based on the amount of noise the device will eliminate. NIOSH recommends that the labeled noise reduction value be derated as follows: • Earmuffs: subtract 25% from the manufacturer’s labeled NRR • Formable earplugs: subtract 50% from the manufacturer’s labeled NRR • All other earplugs: subtract 70% from the manufacturer’s labeled NRR For example, a set of earmuffs rated to reduce noise by 100 dB would be viewed as reducing noise by 75 dB.

December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

Ear plugs may be premolded (preformed) or moldable (foam ear plugs).

Education Education is one of the most important aspects of a hearing conservation program. During the educational component of the program, employees must be taught administrative controls, engineering controls and the proper use of hearing protection equipment. In addition to these three topics, it is important to discuss the potential for hearing loss in the workplace, signs of hearing loss and any other pertinent information. This training should be provided upon hire and then again a minimum of once per year to remind employees of the importance of hearing protection. Manufacturers should document every time employee training is conducted, and post notices in areas that have high levels of noise to remind employees to wear hearing protection equipment. Beyond these hearing conservation program requirements, employers must conduct workplace noise sampling, which includes personal noise monitoring to identify those employees who are at risk from hazardous levels of noise. Employers also need to maintain a worker audiometric testing program (hearing tests) in order to professionally evaluate the health effects of noise upon individual worker’s hearing and implement comprehensive hearing protection follow-up procedures for workers who show a loss of hearing (standard threshold shift) after completing baseline (first) and yearly audiometric testing. The entire program should be in writing and updated annually.  For additional information, contact the author at [email protected].

special section | business guide

by Sanjay Murthi, Sales and Support, SMGlobal Inc., Apex, N.C.

Maintenance Management

Software

³ A good maintenance management software product helps manufacturers manage unplanned/breakdown maintenance while planning for preventive maintenance.

I

n 1996, E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co. reported that “the largest, single controllable expenditure in a plant is maintenance, and in many plants the maintenance budget exceeds annual net profit.” Maintenance failures can be expensive, not only through lost production, but also due to reduced product quality and customer satisfaction. It makes sense for companies to seriously consider how to improve and manage their maintenance management systems. Many organizations might begin a maintenance management program with paper and pencil charts; others might even use computer spreadsheets. While these methods may work with a small number of machines and few maintenance tasks to manage, it can quickly become uncontrollable. Maintenance teams must typically operate in fire-fighting mode—no time is available for pre-

ventive maintenance, and the team simply runs from one breakdown to the next. In situations like this, manufacturers should consider using maintenance management software. Also known as computerized maintenance management software (CMMS), maintenance management software is a fairly mature software category. A good maintenance management software product helps manufacturers manage unplanned/breakdown maintenance while planning for preventive maintenance. Being able to collect data on completed maintenance and analyzing it is extremely helpful for identifying areas of improvement and reducing maintenance costs.

Selection Criteria Hundreds of different maintenance management programs are available, and the sheer variety often makes it difficult for manufacturers to identify the product

that is most suitable for them. Following are a few selection criteria and useful features to look for in a good maintenance management system. One should first consider the size of the maintenance team, the number of locations being managed and the level of integration required with other company systems. Very large maintenance teams spread across multiple locations may require an enterprise-class system in order to consolidate all maintenance data. Most enterprise resource planning (ERP) packages typically offer maintenance modules and provide integration with other systems. The downside of enterprise-class systems is they can be expensive to purchase and deploy. Substantial training, consulting services and ongoing support are often required. For small- to mid-sized maintenance teams (under 50 people), an enterpriseCERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

37

MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT

Figure 1. The system can compare equipment maintenance costs/ duration against other equipment.

class system is frequently overkill. A packaged CMMS targeted for small- to mid-sized teams is often the best choice. These systems allow manufacturers to create standard maintenance procedures for different types of equipment. For example, an HVAC system may need a monthly service to replace filters, as well as a semi-annual service to check heating/cooling systems. Once the templates are created, they can be associated with the different equipment and reused. In this case, the specified HVAC tasks can be associated with all the different HVAC equipment that may need this service. CMMS systems also provide the ability to schedule work orders from these tasks by different criteria (e.g., day of the week or month, changes in a meter reading, alarm conditions, involvement with another work order, etc.). For example, the ability to schedule a work order based on the completion of a prior work order can be very useful when handling a complex job that may need to be done by multiple sub-contractors. Once a work order for one contractor is completed, the work order for the next contractor is scheduled, and so on. Scheduling and managing maintenance on both equipment and locations is another benefit. While most maintenance is typically done on equipment, being able to schedule maintenance by location(s) makes it easy to support any location38

Figure 2. The Work Order Analysis Report enables users to check average days to complete work orders over different time periods.

related maintenance that may be needed (e.g., needs related to assembly stations, storage areas, loading docks, etc.). Support for maintenance calendars enables users to create different work calendars for different equipment and maintenance technicians. The system can use the calendar to adjust job schedule dates or provide warnings when personnel will be unavailable to complete a job.

Easy-to-see reminders/reports can let personnel know about work orders that are past due and may have been skipped. CMMS systems enable manufacturers to create and manage both preventive and unplanned maintenance work orders. Having a single interface to manage both types of maintenance makes it easier to keep track of what is going on in the maintenance system and to capture all relevant data. It’s also beneficial to create daily/weekly plans of maintenance due. Being able to generate all work

December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

orders due and distributing them to different maintenance personnel makes it easier to handle maintenance work. The planning function can also provide warnings if a job might clash with another task, people will be unavailable or working on a prior scheduled job, parts are running out of stock, etc. Easy-to-see reminders/reports can let personnel know about work orders that are past due and may have been skipped. The system also offers the ability to review current and future maintenance work, and provides options to balance them out. This can help avoid having days where too much work is scheduled and other days during which very little is done. CMMS systems can keep track of maintenance-related parts and spares, enabling manufacturers to associate parts with maintenance tasks and track their use as work orders are created. The software can help track inventory, let personnel know when to restock items, and quickly identify parts that are no longer required in situations where the equipment is retired. In addition, being able to track the unusual use of certain parts is helpful because it can help identify potential pilferage or inefficient maintenance practices. The system can also keep track of vendors for parts and equipment, which makes it easy to reorder parts or contact vendors for any equipment-related ques-

³ BUYERS’

CONNECTION

tions. Good systems support multiple parts vendors and allow users to rate vendors so they can decide which to use the next time a part needs to be reordered. A variety of reports is also available to analyze the system and keep track of system “health.” While many complex statistical analysis reports can be created, most are not very useful for maintenance personnel. Key basic reports include the ability to check the maintenance plan; compare unplanned vs. planned maintenance work over

Access to better statistics regarding maintenance needs, as well as information on failures, can help identify areas for improvement. time; compare equipment maintenance costs/duration against similar or other equipment (see Figure 1); the use and costs of parts/spares; part reorder reports; maintenance costs; and work order duration by category, location, equipment, etc. For example, the Work Order Analysis Report enables users to check average days to complete work orders over different time periods (see Figure 2). The average days to complete work orders represents the average of the difference between the completed date and the original planned date for different work orders. A continuous and high days to complete work orders means that the maintenance plan needs to be investigated, most probably because the tasks are taking more time to complete than estimated or there are possible scheduling issues. On the other hand, if the average days to com-

plete work orders varies significantly, the maintenance plan may be unbalanced (i.e., too many big tasks may be scheduled together). In the case shown, the manufacturer would want to check what happened to planned work orders during the month of April. Depending on how a manufacturer’s maintenance is organized and if a lot of non-maintenance personnel/client requests need to be processed, some companies may find work request management very useful. Email/SMS alerts when a work request is submitted/processed can also be beneficial.

CMMS Benefits Selecting a maintenance management software product may seem like a complex and confusing task, especially considering the variety of available product choices. However, the benefits of buying and using a maintenance management product are well worth the trouble. Improving maintenance inventory management reduces the costs of holding spares/parts. In addition, access to better statistics regarding maintenance needs, as well as information on failures, can help identify areas for improvement. A good system can help reduce the frequency of equipment downtime and maintenance personnel burnouts because of better work order tracking and helpful analysis of collected historical data. Establishing and recording best practices provides better maintenance at lower cost. Maintenance reports created by the system may also be useful to achieve certification and comply with local health and safety standards. While the costs of such a system may look high at first glance, the multiple savings opportunities and benefits can result in a payback period of six months or less.  For more information, contact SMGlobal Inc. at 5448 Apex Peakway #308, Apex, NC 27502; call (919) 647-9440; email sales@ smglobal.com; or visit www.smglobal.com.

NETZSCH introduces the new LFA 457 MicroFlash® system to measure thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity and specific heat of advanced materials, including advanced ceramics, metals, polymers, liquids and more. Using the laser flash principle, the instrument operates from -125 to +1100°C, in pure gas atmospheres or in vacuum, and includes an automatic sample changer for unattended overnight operation. For details please visit: http://netzsch-thermal-analysis.com Netzsch Instruments Burlington, MA 01803 Ph: 781-272-5353 • Fax: 781-272-5225 E-mail: [email protected]

Contact Amy Vallance 281-550-5855 • [email protected]

CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

39

2011-2012 SERVICES DIRECTORY ADDRESS INDEX A-TEN-C, INC. 226 Grant Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15209 (412) 821-5566 Fax: (412) 821-5577 [email protected] or [email protected] www.ceramicrecycling.com Joy Werl, Gen. Mgr.; Robert Mullen, Plant Mgr.; Pat Revezzo, Clerk; Mary Jane Moffet, Acctg./ Logistics Dept.; Faith Goetz, Cust. Serv./ Logistics Mgr. Recycles ceramics, refractories, and abrasives. Also processes client waste ceramic for reuse. Silicon carbide crucibles, alumina zirconia crucibles, graphite, metallurgical slags. AADVANCED MACHINERY 35044 Automation Dr. Clinton Township, MI 48035 (586) 790-1717 Fax: (586) 790-1871 [email protected] www.aadvancedmach.com Tim Crosson Supplying the powder process and chemical industries with quality new and used equipment for over 20 years. ACTIVATION LABORATORIES LTD. (ACTLABS) 1336 Sandhill Dr. Ancaster, ON L9G 4V5 CANADA (905) 648-9611 Fax: (905) 648-9613 [email protected] www.actlabs.com Dr. Eric Hoffman, Pres. Offers high-quality comprehensive analytical services at competitive prices. ADVANCED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY 803 W. Angus Ave., Orange, CA 92868 (714) 538-2524 Fax: (714) 538-2589 [email protected] www.advancedceramictech.com William Roberts, V.P. Precision manufacturer of ceramic components servicing the aerospace, computer and industrial markets. ALLIED KILN SERVICE INC. 1349 Moorings Dr., LaCrosse, WI 54603 (608) 783-4455 [email protected] www.alliedkilnservice.com Timothy J. Tobin Industrial kiln service and repair parts, as well as new roller hearth kilns. AMERICAN ISOSTATIC PRESSES INC. 1205 S. Columbus Airport Rd. Columbus, OH 43207 (614) 497-3148; (800) 375-7108 Fax: (614) 497-3407 [email protected] www.aiphip.com Cliff Orcutt, V.P. Builds, sells and services hot and cold isostatic presses, furnaces, thermocouples, and repairrelated items. AVEKA INC. 2045 Wooddale Dr., Woodbury, MN 55125 (888) 317-3700; (651) 730-1729 Fax: (651) 730-1826 [email protected] www.aveka.com Research and development and contract manufacturing company specializing in particle processing. Facilities are available to service a variety of applications, including specialty chemicals, industrial materials, ceramics and nutraceuticals, pet food, agriculture, microelectronics, personal care, and medical and pharmaceutical. BRINKS, HOFER, GILSON & LIONE NBC Tower, Ste. 3600, 455 N. Cityfront Plaza Dr. Chicago, IL 60611-5599 (312) 321-4200 Fax: (312) 321-4299

BULLEN 1301 Miller Williams Rd., Eaton, OH 45320 (937) 456-7133 Fax: (937) 456-2779 [email protected] or [email protected] www.bullentech.com Greg Fitch, Dir.-Bus. Devel.; Jim Vidic, Sales Engr.; Tom Fote, Dir.-Bus. Devel.; Tom Fraga, Sales Engr. Precision machining of hard, brittle materials, including glass, quartz, sapphire, alumina, silicon carbide and other technical ceramics. Ultrasonic machining, microabrasive jet machining and CNC machining. Single- and double-side polished borosilicate wafers. Prototype through production. Advanced metrology capabilities. ISO 9001-2000. C-TECHNOLOGY BV, INTERNATIONAL SALES OFFICE Meester Van Coothstraat 53d 5141ER Waalwijk, NETHERLANDS (31) 0-6 248-72572 Fax: (31) 0-847599-217 [email protected] www.c-technology.nl Pascal van Maren, Prod. Engr. Techl. Quartz/Ceramics Fast-growing supplier of high-end technical ceramics and quartz parts in western Europe. Industries include automotive, solar, semiconductor and general machinery. Projects from problem solving and prototyping to production. CCE TECHNOLOGIES INC. 7555 95th St. S., Cottage Grove, MN 55016 (651) 688-2656 Fax: (651) 688-8989 www.ccetechnologies.com Designer and manufacturer of fluid energy pulverizers and centrifugal air classification systems to the dry powder processing industry; maintains a testing and toll process facility. CENTORR/VACUUM INDUSTRIES 55 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, NH 03062 (603) 595-7233 Fax: (603) 595-9220 [email protected] www.centorr.com Scott Robinson, Mkt. Mgr. Aftermarket services; vacuum furnaces; controlled atmosphere furnaces; R&D furnaces; hot press furnaces; and sintering furnaces for ceramics, metals, and advanced materials. CERADYNE VIOX INC. 6701 6th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98108 (206) 763-2170 Fax: (206) 763-2577 [email protected] www.viox.com Harlan Brown; Reynold Hagel A leader in the development and production of specialty and electronic-grade glass materials suitable for capacitor, thick film, solar cell, bioceramic, hybrid, LTCC and other applications. Lead- and cadmium-free glasses are also designed and produced. Glass design services include laboratory test melting and in-house analytical capabilities. CERALINK INC. 105 Jordan Rd., Troy, NY 12180 (518) 283-7733 Fax: (518) 283-9134 [email protected] www.ceralink.com Morgana Fall, Oper. Engr.; Patricia Strickland, CEO Microwave Technology Center including high-temperature microwave testing lab and radio frequency (RF) lamination lab. Services include feasibility testing, process development, scale-up, materials engineering/advanced materials R&D, specialized equipment design and technology commercialization. CERAMIC CONSULTING SERVICES 6 Glendale Woods Dr., Southampton, MA 01073 (413) 527-7337 Fax: (413) 529-2674 [email protected] CERAMIC MAINTENANCE SERVICES P.O. Box 119, Conneaut, PA 16316 (814) 510-9014 Fax: (814) 510-9146 [email protected] www.ceramicservicesonline.com Richard Porto, Pres. Providing quality service for over 25 years. Mill lining installation and relining reconditioned process equipment, ball and pebble mill parts.

CHARLES ROSS & SON CO. 710 Old Willets Path, P.O. Box 12308 Hauppauge, NY 11788-0165 (631) 234-0500 Fax: (631) 234-0691 [email protected] www.mixers.com Chris Ross, V.P.-Sales; Ken Laughorn, Mgr.-Techl. Serv. Manufactures an extensive line of dry solids and paste mixing, blending, drying, and dispersion equipment. Manufacturing plants are located in the U.S., China and India. COALITION TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD. Fl.10-1, No. 530, Yingcai Rd., West District Taichung City, 40360 TAIWAN, R.O.C. (886) 4-2301-5868 Fax: (886) 4-2301-9308 [email protected] or [email protected] www.ctc-ceramics.com.tw William Lee, Gen. Mgr. Products include fine and structural ceramics for semiconductor, photonics, electronics, and optics applications; mechanical and fine ceramic ball bearings for special environments; porous ceramics; refractory ceramic; and more. COORSTEK TECHNICAL CERAMICS, INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 16000 Table Mountain Pkwy., Golden, CO 80403 (303) 271-7000 Fax: (303) 271-7009 [email protected] www.coorstek.com Jim Schienle, Techl. Sales; Tim Haen, Dir.-Techl. Sales; Harrison Hartman, Corp. Mktg. Mgr. Large, vertically integrated manufacturer of technical ceramics provides contract manufacturing, analytical labs, and consulting services serving virtually every segment of the global economy from over 50 facilities worldwide. CUSTOM PROCESSING SERVICES INC. 2 Birchmont Dr., Reading, PA 19606 (610) 779-7001 Fax: (610) 779-4785 [email protected] www.customprocessingservices.com John Hill, Dir.-Wet Processing Offers a complete range of particle size reduction services capable of producing nanoparticles. Contaminant-free slurries and dispersions produced on a contract manufacturing basis. Strong technical support for product development.

FERRO-CERAMIC GRINDING INC. 5 Cornell Pl., Wilmington, MA 01887 (800) 282-1833; (781) 245-1833 [email protected] or [email protected] www.ferroceramic.com Costa Sideridis; Mark Belanger, Sales Mgr AS900 (ISO9001:2002)-registered. An advanced ceramic component supplier specializing in the manufacture and machining of technical ceramics, glasses, ferrites, quartz and other related materials. Laser machining, metallizing and shipping/polishing services offered. FUSE TECH/HOT TECH GROUP 3400 Silica Rd., Sylvania, OH 43560-9727 (419) 841-9323; (800) 301-3873 Fax: (419) 842-0693 [email protected], www.fusetech.com Donald E. Shamp, Pres. Ceramic welding specialist/hot repair specialist, extending furnace life without production loss. GEA PROCESS ENGINEERING INC. 9165 Rumsey Rd., Columbia, MD 21045 (410) 997-8700 Fax: (410) 997-5021 [email protected], www.niroinc.com James Schak; Michael Fazio; Nzinga Turner Spray drying conditions are based on product specifications to enable reproducible, free-flowing granulates for press-body production. GELLER MICROANALYTICAL LAB INC. 426E Boston St. (Rt.1) Topsfield, MA 01983-1200 (978) 887-7000 Fax: (978) 887-6671 [email protected], www.gellermicro.com Joseph Geller Offers reverse engineering, cross sectioning, and high accuracy micro-analysis of ceramic and other materials. Certified to ISO-9000 and ISO-17025. GENERAL SPRAY DRYING SVC. INC. 1001 Newark Ave., Elizabeth, NJ 07208 (908) 353-2477 Fax: (908) 353-0060 [email protected] www.generalspraydrying.com Clifford S. Brucker, Pres. Custom drying (spray and spin flash) of ceramics, metals and chemicals; liquids, filter cake or paste.

DETROIT PROCESS MACHINERY INC. 1404 S. Gratiot Ave, Unit B Mount Clemens, MI 48043 (586) 469-0323 Fax: (586) 469-3393 [email protected] www.detroitprocessmachinery.com or www.stokespressparts.com

GLASS INC. INT’L. 14055 Laurelwood Pl., Chino, CA 91710 (909) 628-4212 [email protected], www.glassintl.com A. Lewis Specializes in all aspects of engineering, construction, etc., of glass fiber plants, including both continuous and insulation glass fibers.

DU-CO CERAMICS 155 S. Rebecca St., P.O. Box 568 Saxonburg, PA 16056 (724) 352-1511 Fax: (724) 352-1266 www.du-co.com Manufacurer of custom-designed ceramics by using dry pressing, extrusion and roll compaction methods. Materials include steatite, magnesium oxide, alumina, cordierite and forsterite

HARROP INDUSTRIES INC. 3470 E. Fifth Ave., Columbus, OH 43219 (614) 231-3621 Fax: (614) 235-3699 [email protected] www.harropusa.com D. O’Brien Designs and manufactures tapecasters, burnout ovens, kilns and plants for ceramic products.

EBL PRODUCTS INC. 22 Prestige Park Cir., East Hartford, CT 06108 (860) 290-3737 Fax: (860) 291-2533 [email protected] www.eblproducts.com Paul Stokes, V.P.-Sales Manufacturer offers precision machining of piezoceramics and other hard materials. EISENMANN CORPORATION 150 E. Dartmoor Dr., Crystal Lake, IL 60014 (815) 455-4100 [email protected] www.eisenmann.com or www.eisenmann.us.com Jeff Wehner, Gen. Mgr. Leading worldwide supplier of industrial process equipment offers service programs to extend equipment life, optimize system performance and reduce operating costs. Also offers refurbishment services for equipment alterations due to changing production requirements and processes, as well as spare parts at competitive prices from a single source.

HED INTERNATIONAL INC., UNIQUE/PERENY Rte. 31, Box 246, Ringoes, NJ 08551 (609) 466-3600; (609) 466-1900; (800) 433-5456 Fax: (609) 466-3608 [email protected] www.hed.com James Dennis, Pres./Gen. Mgr. Manufactures heat processing equipment and tapecasting machines for continuous production and high-temperature periodic furnaces and kiln applications. I SQUARED R ELEMENT CO. INC. 12600 Clarence Center Rd., Akron, NY 14001 (716) 542-5511 [email protected] www.isquaredrelement.com Audrey Kirsch, Techl. Sales; Gary Schwartz, Sales Mgr. Manufacturer of silicon carbide and molybdenum disilicide heating elements for use in high-temperature applications (up to 1750°C temperature). No-charge engineering service for furnaces with SiC or MoSi2 heating elements.

Bold listings indicate Services Marketplace advertisers.

40

December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM/SERVICESDIRECTORY

2011-2012 SERVICES DIRECTORY ADDRESS INDEX IPSEN INC. P.O. Box 420, Pecatonica, IL 61063-0420 (815) 239-2385 ext. 101 Fax: (815) 239-2387 [email protected] www.ipsenceramics.com Aaron Bolhous, Oper. Mgr.; Dan Binz, Sr. Sales Assoc.; Aaron Schlett, Ceramic Engr.; Brenda Elliott, Cust. Serv. Produces a range of custom-designed ceramic refractory shapes and toll firing services. JTF MICROSCOPY SERVICES LLC 9064 Wixson Rd. Hammondsport, NY 14840-9334 (607) 292-6808; (607) 731-8863 Fax: (607) 292-3932 [email protected] www.jtfmicroscopy.com J. Terry Fisk, Owner/Pres. Independent consulting company providing microanalytical services to customers around the world, primarily in the glass, raw materials, refractory, furnace repair, recycling, and related industries. Typical services include glass defect analysis and source identification; raw material contaminant identification; furnace refractory failure investigations; glass technology support services related to glass defect issues; and more. MACHINED CERAMICS INC. N. Industrial Park, 629 N. Graham St. Bowling Green, KY 42101 (270) 781-0512 Fax: (270) 781-9361 [email protected] www.machinedceramics.com Kaye M. Durrant Ceramic machining specialists. Prototype development and production quantities. Fast response with quotes. Expediting services available. MICROLAP TECHNOLOGIES INC. 213 First St. N.W., P.O. Box 280 Rolla, ND 58367-0280 (800) 382-2496; (701) 477-3193 Fax: (701) 477-6579 [email protected] www.microlap.com Tom Neameyer, V.P.-Sales/Mktg. Custom manufacturer of high-precision ceramic components used in a variety of applications. Also a leading U.S. manufacturer of ceramic ferrules and sleeves for fiber optics. MICRON INC. 3815 Lancaster Pike, Wilmington, DE 19805 (302) 998-1184 Fax: (302) 998-1836 www.micronanalytical.com James F. Ficca, Jr., Pres. Analytical testing for morphology, chemistry and structure. MOHR CORPORATION P.O. Box 1600, Brighton, MI 48116 (810) 225-9494 Fax: (810) 225-4634 [email protected] or [email protected] www.mohrcorp.com Arthur W. Mohr, Pres. Provides professional ceramic machinery and equipment resale, valuation/appraisals and liquidation from one machine to entire plants, specializing in previously owned machinery. Trades worldwide and has a full range of complementary services, including removal and shipping referrals and assistance. NETZSCH INSTRUMENTS NA LLC 37 North Ave., Burlington, MA 01803 (781) 272-5353 Fax: (781) 272-5225 [email protected] www.netzsch-thermal-analysis.com Bob Fidler Thermal analysis instrument sales for complete thermal characterization, including dilatometers, TGA-DTA, TGA-DSC. Provider of thermal properties testing services. Thermal conductivity, diffusivity, expansion, specific heat.

NETZSCH PREMIER TECHNOLOGIES LLC 125 Pickering Way, Exton, PA 19341 (484) 879-2020 Fax: (610) 280-1299 [email protected] www.netzsch.com Melanie McHenry A diversified manufacturer of specialized industrial equipment. Provides proven solutions for a broad range of industries, and is a leading manufacturer of grinding and dispersing machinery for media milling. NSL ANALYTICAL SERVICES 4450 Cranwood Pkwy., Cleveland, OH 44128 (216) 438-5200; (800) 497-6752 Fax: (216) 438-5050 [email protected] www.nslanalytical.com Joan Cornuik, Techl. Sales; Rich Balamut, Bus. Devel.; Jim Grant, Bus. Devel. Provides a range of chemical analysis services, including elemental analysis and classical wet chemistry. Testing labs provide analytical testing throughout a variety of sample substrates to levels ranging from trace analysis (10 ppb to 1 ppm), low level analysis (1 ppm to 100 ppm), and major element and high purity (100 ppm to 99.99%). Also offers a complete microscopy and materials characterization lab for product evaluations. O’KEEFE CERAMICS 845 Research Dr., Woodland Park, CO 80863 (719) 687-0888 Fax: (719) 687-0889 [email protected] www.okeefeceramics.com Brian O’Keefe, Pres. Precision fabrication of advanced ceramics; machining and grinding specialist. PLINTH GALLERY (JONATHAN KAPLAN CERAMICS) 3520 Brighton Blvd., Denver, CO 80216 (303) 295-0717 Fax: (303) 296-3581 [email protected] www.plinthgallery.com Jonathan Kaplan Specialized ceramic work in design, mold and model. POWDER PROCESSING AND TECHNOLOGY LLC 5103 Evans Ave., Valparaiso, IN 46383-8387 (219) 462-4141 Fax: (219) 462-0376 [email protected] www.pptechnology.com Alan Sukovich Custom powder toll processing. Supplies ferrite powders and oxide powders. POWDER TECHNOLOGY INC. 14331 Ewing Ave. S., Burnsville, MN 55306 (952) 894-8737 Fax: (952) 894-0734 [email protected] www.powdertechnologyinc.com Jeff Friederichs Materials processing company with expertise in the total spectrum of particle modification. PRAIRIE CERAMICS CORPORATION 465 McCormick St., San Leandro, CA 94577 (510) 562-4200 Fax: (510) 562-4201 [email protected] www.prairieceramics.com Mariann Mesek, Office Mgr.; Owen Vaughan, Gen. Mgr. Supplier of materials used in high-temperature kilns. Relining of gas and electric kilns. PREMATECH ADVANCED CERAMICS 160 Goddard Memorial Dr., Worcester, MA 01063 (508) 791-9549 Fax: (508) 793-9814 [email protected] www.prematechac.com Ellen Costello Precision ceramic machining specialist offers complete grinding and machining capability for a variety of hard ceramics and composite technical ceramics.

QUANTACHROME 1900 Corporate Dr., Boynton Beach, FL 33426 (561) 731-4999 Fax: (561) 732-9888 [email protected] www.labqmc.quantachrome.com Analytical lab measures surface area, pore size, pore volume, particle size, density, water vapor sorption of powders and porous materials, and mental area and dispersion of cataysts. RAGAN TECHNOLOGIES INC. 204 Pleasant St., Winchendon, MA 01475 (978) 297-9805 [email protected] www.ragantech.com Bill Belko, Pres. Green tape fabrication technology compatible with virtually any ceramic, metal or organic powder. Thickness from .004 in. to over 1 in. Green densities from 50% to over 85%. RICHARD E. MISTLER INC. 1038 Lafayette Dr., Yardley, PA 19067 (800) 641-1034 Fax: (215) 321-0805 [email protected] www.drblade.com Richard E. Mistler, Pres.; Elizabeth B. Mistler, V.P. Consultation regarding tape casting and technical ceramics. Supplier of materials and equipment for tape casting. RUARK ENGINEERING INC. 703 N.E. Pilgrim Way, Lees Summit, MO 64086 (941) 730-2253 Fax: (888) 370-2546 [email protected] www.ruarkengineering.com Ralph Ruark, Pres. Analysis, operation, and training services for kilns and dryers. Registered PE with 36 years of experience in quality, energy savings, and design engineering. Customized on-site training seminars in combustion, controls and operation. SBL KILN SERVICES INC. 200 Bursca Dr., Ste. 210, Bridgeville, PA 15017 (412) 257-1606 Fax: (412) 257-1615 [email protected] Lawrence Bauer, Pres. Kiln troubleshooting/evaluations/audits; on-site kiln operator training; engineers, repairs and upgrades kilns; combustion and control systems; kiln replacement parts. SEM-COM CO. INC., TECHNICAL & ELECTRONIC GLASSES 1040 N. Westwood Ave., Toledo, OH 43607 (419) 537-8813 Fax: (419) 537-7054 [email protected] www.sem-com.com Michael Pfaender; Neil Nofziger Manufactures specialty and technical glasses and glass/ceramics as powders, frits or fabricated products. Offers consulting and composition development. SEMLER MATERIALS SERVICES 10153 E. Elmwood Dr., Chandler, AZ 85248 (480) 895-9830 Fax: (480) 895-9831 SETARAM INC. 5880 W. Las Positas Blvd., Ste. 50 Pleasanton, CA 94588 (925) 847-9500 [email protected]; www.setaram.com Marianne Rivera, Sales/Mktg. A leading manufacturer and supplier of highperformance thermal analyzers, calorimeters, gas sorption and high-pressure mass spectroscopy instruments. Offers complete and dedicated solutions for all different applications. SMAHT CERAMICS INC. 181 W. 1700 S., Salt Lake City, UT 84115 (801) 483-3100 Fax: (801) 483-3101 [email protected] www.smahtceramics.com Rama Nageswaran, Pres./CEO Ultra-low CTE, extremely thermal-shock-resistant NZP-ceramic products and technologies; injectionmolded ceramics; advanced ceramics testing and materials consulting. Testing services offered support physical, phase, mechanical and thermal properties evaluation of ceramics/advanced materials.

SONIC-MILL 7500 Bluewater Rd. N.W. Albuquerque, NM 87121-1962 (505) 839-3535 Fax: (505) 839-3525 [email protected] www.sonicmill.com Charlie Wilhite, Sales/Mktg. Provides machining services for a variety of technical ceramics and glass materials, including multiand deep-hole drilling. Also manufactures and sells rotary and sinker ultrasonic drilling equipment. SPECIALTY GLASS INC. 305 Marlborough St., Oldsmar, FL 34677 (813) 855-5779 [email protected] www.sgiglass.com Colleen Morrissette Provides custom melting, forming, and milling of glass and glass-ceramic compositions in pounds to tons. Can provide R&D technical support to labs and industry. Electric and gas melting up to 1600°C. Production flexibility enables standard and custom-tailored processes and materials (e.g., frit, cullet, micron and submicron powders, rods, and ingots) to meet individual application needs. SUPERIOR TECHNICAL CERAMICS CORP. 600 Industrial Park Rd., Saint Albans, VT 05478 (802) 527-7726 Fax: (802) 527-1181 [email protected] www.ceramics.net Maria Puma, Sales Engr.; Brian Gold, Engrg. Mgr.; Barbara Gleason, Sales Engr. Manufacturer of custom and standard ceramic components. Materials include alumina, zirconia, ZTA, steatite, cordierite, boron nitride and macor. Applications typically involve wear and corrosion resistance, electrical isolation, and high temperatures. TAPE CASTING WAREHOUSE 1038 Lafayette Dr., Yardley, PA 19067 (215) 493-2008 Fax: (215) 321-0805 [email protected] www.drblade.com Richard Mistler, Pres. Provides materials and equipment for tape casting. TAYLOR, TUNNICLIFF LTD. Normacot Rd., Longton Stoke-On-Trent, ST3 1PA ENGLAND, U.K. (44) 0-1782-501174 Fax: (44) 0-1782-328807 [email protected] www.taylortunnicliff.co.uk TEVTECH LLC 100 Billerica Ave., North Billerica, MA 01862 (978) 667-4557 Fax: (978) 667-4554 [email protected] www.tevtechllc.com John R. DeCosta, V.P. Custom furnaces for sintering, CVD, heat treating and purification. Hot zones from 3 to 84 in., and temperatures to 3000°C. UNION PROCESS INC. 1925 Akron Peninsula Rd., Akron, OH 44313 (330) 929-3333 [email protected] www.unionprocess.com Robert Schilling, Natl. Sales Mgr. Size reduction services from particle size analysis and lab testing to toll milling. WEST PENN TESTING GROUP/ SPECTROCHEMICAL LABORATORIES 155 Prominence Dr., New Kensington, PA 15068 (724) 334-4140 Fax: (724) 334-4143 [email protected] www.westpenntesting.com Cindy Naughton, Sales; Matt Smith, Lab Mgr. Chemical analysis of ceramics, refractories, glass, raw materials and related products.

Bold listings indicate Services Marketplace advertisers. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

41

Thermal Analysis

Laboratory and Testing Services

Independent Agents

Glass Services

Laboratory and

Design/Engineering

Repair

Installation

Firing and Drying Services

Finishing and Machining Services

Firing and Drying Services Contract Manufacturing Services

Company

Consulting and Engineering Services

SERVICES DIRECTORY

Batching and Forming Services

2011-2012



A-TEN-C, Inc. Aadvanced Machinery



Activation Laboratories Ltd. (Actlabs)



Advanced Ceramic Technology



Allied Kiln Service Inc.



American Isostatic Presses Inc.



AVEKA Inc.



Brinks, Hofer, Gilson & Lione













Bullen







C-technology bv







CCE Technologies Inc. Centorr/Vacuum Industries



Ceradyne VIOX Inc. Ceralink Inc.



Ceramic Consulting Services



 



 

Ceramic Maintenance Services Charles Ross & Son Co. Coalition Technology Co. Ltd.

 

CoorsTek Technical Ceramics Custom Processing Services Inc.

















Detroit Process Machinery Inc. Du-Co Ceramics





EBL Products Inc. EISENMANN Corporation











 

Ferro-Ceramic Grinding Inc.



Fuse Tech/Hot Tech Group GEA Process Engineering Inc.



 

Geller Microanalytical Lab Inc.



General Spray Drying Svc. Inc.

 

Glass Inc. Int'l. Harrop Industries Inc.





HED International Inc.





I Squared R Element Co. Inc.

42















December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM/SERVICESDIRECTORY

Contact information for each of these companies is listed in the Address Index (pp. 40-41).





 









 







Contact information for each of these companies is listed in the Address Index (pp. 40-41).

















   

   

















 





 

Used Parts and Equipment

Metal Reclamation/Recycling

Auctions/Used Equipment/ Consignment

Transportation and Warehousing Services

Spray Drying Services

Repair

Installation

Processing Services

Refractory Services

Milling/Blending/Mixing

Powder Processing

Testing Services

Sizing

Processing Services

Maintenance Services

Other

Materials Testing

Elemental Analysis

Analytical/Chemical Services

2011-2012 SERVICES DIRECTORY

Refractory Services



 

 



 

 

 



















CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

43



Ipsen Inc.

Thermal Analysis

Laboratory and Testing Services

Independent Agents

Glass Services

Laboratory and

Design/Engineering

Repair

Installation

Firing and Drying Services

Finishing and Machining Services

Firing and Drying Services Contract Manufacturing Services

Company

Consulting and Engineering Services

SERVICES DIRECTORY

Batching and Forming Services

2011-2012

 

JTF Microscopy Services LLC Machined Ceramics Inc.





Microlap Technologies Inc.



 

Micron Inc. Mohr Corporation



NETZSCH Instruments NA LLC



NETZSCH Premier Technologies LLC

 

NSL Analytical Services O'Keefe Ceramics



Plinth Gallery (Jonathan Kaplan Ceramics)











Powder Processing and Technology LLC





Powder Technology Inc.



Prairie Ceramics Corporation



PremaTech Advanced Ceramics



Quantachrome





Richard E. Mistler Inc.





Ruark Engineering Inc.





SBL Kiln Services Inc.





Ragan Technologies Inc.



 



 

Sem-Com Co. Inc.



Semler Materials Services



Setaram Inc. SMAHT Ceramics Inc.







 

Sonic-Mill

 

Specialty Glass Inc.



Superior Technical Ceramics Corp. Tape Casting Warehouse





 

Taylor, Tunnicliff Ltd. TevTech LLC

44





Union Process Inc.



West Penn Testing Group/ Spectrochemical Laboratories



December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM/SERVICESDIRECTORY

Contact information for each of these companies is listed in the Address Index (pp. 40-41).





 



















 



Contact information for each of these companies is listed in the Address Index (pp. 40-41).





  

   

   

 



Used Parts and Equipment

Metal Reclamation/Recycling

Auctions/Used Equipment/ Consignment

Transportation and Warehousing Services

Spray Drying Services

Repair

Installation

Processing Services

Refractory Services

Milling/Blending/Mixing

Powder Processing

Testing Services

Sizing

Processing Services

Maintenance Services

Other

Materials Testing

Elemental Analysis

Analytical/Chemical Services

2011-2012 SERVICES DIRECTORY

Refractory Services



  

 

















CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ December 2011

45

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Ceradyne Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 www.ceradyne.com

I Squared R Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 www.isquaredrelement.com

Ceramic Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 www.ceramicindustry.com

Mohr Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 www.mohrcorp.com

Ceramitec 2012- SGCDpro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 www.ceramitec.de/en/home

Netzsch Instruments NA LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 www.netzsch-thermal-analysis.com

Cevisama 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 http://cevisama.feriavalencia.com/

Sunrock Ceramics Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 www.sunrockceramics.com

Clear Seas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 www.clearseas.com

Tokuyama America Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 [email protected]

Deco 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 www.sgcd.org/

Tri-Mer Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 www.tri-mer.com

Filtros Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 www.filtrosltd.com

UK Abrasives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 www.ukabrasives.com

FLSmidth Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 www.flsmidth.com

Wesbond Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 www.wesbond.com

Harrop Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 [email protected]

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December 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

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