Materials
Coatings, colorants and finishes

Latest Stories

Articles
Materials

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...

Feature Image

Articles
Imaging

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...

Feature Image

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....

Feature Image

Briefs
Aerospace

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.

Feature Image

Briefs
Electronics & Computers

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.

Feature Image

Briefs
Nanotechnology

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.

Feature Image

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.

Feature Image

News
Aerospace

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...

Feature Image

Articles
Nanotechnology

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...

Feature Image

Technology Report
Materials

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...

Feature Image

Articles
Materials

New Diamond Super-Material Enhances Aircraft Survivability

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

Feature Image

Articles
Test & Measurement

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.

Feature Image

Articles
Software

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

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

Feature Image

News
Connectivity

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...

Feature Image

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...

Feature Image

News
Manufacturing & Prototyping

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...

Feature Image

Articles
Defense

Outsourcing Plasma Treatments for Surface Modification

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

Feature Image

News
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...

Feature Image

News
Defense

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...

Feature Image

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.

Feature Image

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...

Feature Image

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...

Feature Image

Articles
Aerospace

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...

Feature Image

News
Materials

EMBATT Technology Could Double the Driving Range of EVs

An in-development chassis-integrated sandwich structure of solid electrolytes is projected to deliver all-electric driving ranges that far out-distance today’s typical 200-mile...

Feature Image

News
Automotive

Aerospace Manufacturers Turn to Non-Hazardous PVD Coatings as Regulations Tighten on Toxic Hard Chrome Plating

The search for a suitable replacement to hard chrome plating on aerospace components has been a key supply chain priority for...

Feature Image

News
Materials

Dürr Builds Advanced Paint Shop for EV Startup Byton

China-based automotive startup Byton, fresh from beguiling attendees of the recent Los Angeles auto show and the subsequent CES at the start of 2019, confirmed it intends to begin...

Feature Image

Articles
Materials

Does Your Coating System Require Climate Control? What to Look For and What to Expect

There is one aspect of the paint and coatings finishing business virtually guaranteed to give the budget director heart failure: climate control. There's...

Feature Image

News
Materials

Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Seek Simplified, Portable, Fast Aviation Eddy Current Testing

In aircraft maintenance and repair, eddy current devices have long been used to nondestructively test (NDT) wheels, struts, propellers,...

Feature Image

Articles
Materials

Combating Infrared Threats on the Battlefield

There have been several news headlines lately about offenders pointing commercial lasers at helicopters or police personnel, temporarily blinding and distracting them. An increasing number of...

Feature Image