Materials

Coatings, colorants and finishes

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Green Design & Manufacturing

Towards Sustainable Recycling of Epoxy-Based Polymers: Approaches and Challenges of Epoxy Biodegradation

Epoxy polymers are widely used in various industries. However, the disposal of epoxy polymers and composites thereof has become a significant concern due to their recalcitrant nature and the adverse environmental effects caused by traditional recycling methods.

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News
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Cummins Spools up New Turbo Tech

Cummins Inc. and Holset Turbocharger announced several technical revisions to their Series 850 turbocharger. The Series 850 turbo is intended for customers with high-horsepower engines ranging from 15-L to...

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Briefs
Aerospace

Determining Optical Material Parameters With Motion in Structured Illumination

Ellipsometry measures the amplitude ratio and the phase difference between polarized light reflected from the surface of a film and determines the refractive index or thickness by fitting the experimental data to an optical model that represents an approximated sample structure.

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Briefs
Materials

New Polymer Coating Could Boost EV Batteries

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a conductive polymer coating – called HOS-PFM – that could enable longer lasting, more powerful lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

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Briefs
Imaging

Automated Atmospheric Correction of Nanosatellites Using Coincident Ocean Color Radiometer Data

Researchers present a machine-learning-based method for utilizing traditional ocean-viewing satellites to perform automated atmospheric correction of nanosatellite data.

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Articles
Design

The Olfactory Factor in AV Interiors

Whether they’re riding in an autonomous shuttle, a transit bus, a train or a rental car, passengers often face cabin air full of “mal odors” — bad smells — including cigarette and vape smoke,...

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Articles
Robotics, Automation & Control

Removing Aircraft Paint Using Laser-Equipped Robots

Hexavalent chromium is not a term frequently associated with engineers. Residents of Hinkley, California, however, know all about it. So do workers tasked with the labor-intensive process...

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News
Imaging

3DEO Launches New Metal 3D-Printing Platform

California-based 3DEO unveiled in February its new metal 3D printing platform and patented technology, Saffron. The proprietary platform has been in development for the past five years. “Until...

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Briefs
Materials

Fatigue Behavior of an Advanced Melt-Infiltrated SIC/SIC Composite with Environmental Barrier Coating at 1200°C in Air and in Steam

SiC fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composites are being evaluated for aircraft engine hot-section components.

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Briefs
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Novel Whisker Mitigating Composite Conformal Coat Assessment

DoD electronics have an increased failure risk due to tin whisker short circuits, unless properly mitigated by design.

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Briefs
Materials

Cold Sprayed Coatings with Dual Nanoparticle Reinforcements for Wear and Corrosion Protection

The use of cold spray has made significant strides since different-sized particles were explored in the process.

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Briefs
Aerospace

Bio-Based Polyurethane Containing Isosorbide for Use in Composites and Coatings

Polyurethane can be easily molded or cast into a film at ambient conditions.

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News
Propulsion

Model-Based Analysis of E-Motor Designs

In the auto industry’s shift toward electric vehicles (EV), permanent magnet motors (PMMs) are increasingly serving a variety of roles, including the vehicle’s traction motor and various...

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Articles
Test & Measurement

Metamaterials R&D Targets NVH Abatement

Acoustics engineers have a broad variety of materials from which to choose for reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) in vehicles. But their selection often comes with a measurable downside:...

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Technology Report
Software

Inkjet Innovation for the Automotive Paint Shop

Robotics specialist ABB has developed painting robots that use an inkjet-type printer head with over 1,000 individually controllable nozzles, enabling higher accuracy and transfer efficiency...

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Articles
Sensors/Data Acquisition

New Diamond Super-Material Enhances Aircraft Survivability

A diamond composite is the ultimate optics and semiconducting super-material.

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Articles
Materials

Carbon Fiber Research Eyes Roof Frames, Doors

It’s not just for exotic “supercars” and motorcycles anymore. The performance-enhancing attributes of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics continue to be explored by global automakers as they seek...

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Articles
Materials

Does Your Coating Thickness Meet Spec?

Coatings play a critical role in preventing the corrosion or wear of metal substrates. Make sure they meet specifications.

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Articles
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Digital Twins: How The Digital Replica Concept Is Used By Robotic Systems

Learn how digital twins improve the use and performance of robotic systems.

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News
Design

Tata Steel Europe Innovates to Retain the Automotive Materials Lead

In the constantly evolving world of automaking, Dr. Karl Haider, Chief Commercial Officer of Tata Steel Europe (TSE) is certain of one thing: that steel will continue to...

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Articles
Materials

Moving Metal AM Forward

The global 3D-printing metals market was estimated to be US $774 million in 2019, according to a recent research report by MarketsandMarkets. The research company projects the market to reach more than US $3.1...

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Articles
Materials

2019’s Best Automotive Plastics Innovations

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) annual Automotive Innovation Awards Competition, now in its 49th year, is considered the “Oscars” for those developing polymer and...

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Articles
Aerospace

Outsourcing Plasma Treatments for Surface Modification

For many manufacturers, plasma-applied coatings and surface treatments can play a significant role in new product development.

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Articles
Test & Measurement

ZwickRoell Rallies for EV Battery Testing

A lightweight, higher-capacity lithium-ion or Li-blended battery could fast-track the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) by increasing the driving range, but progress could be easily sidetracked...

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News
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Getting a Grip on EV Fasteners

It may not get much R&D fanfare, but fastenings and their coatings will play an essential engineering role in electrified vehicles (EVs). There is an increasing demand from the auto industry for...

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Articles
Test & Measurement

Streamlining Post-Processing in Additive Manufacturing

By focusing just on the AM build process, a fundamental part of the production process chain is often overlooked: post-processing.

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Briefs
Materials

Hybrid Ultra-Low VOC and Non-HAP Rain Erosion Coatings

Numerous military aircraft and shipboard surfaces, such as radomes, antennas, gun shields, wing leading edges, and helicopter blade leading edges, are coated with a specialized...

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News
Unmanned Systems

The Sensitive Side of Autonomous Vehicles

The sensing technologies needed for automated-driving vehicles are evolving as the industry moves toward a high-level (SAE Level 4-5) self-driving vehicle. Sensing technologies already assist with...

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Articles
Defense

Coating Technology Enables Effective Missile Countermeasures

Heat-seeking missiles have been in use against both rotorcraft and fixed wing aircraft since the mid-1950s, and countermeasures to deceive their guidance systems have been employed...

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