Ceramic Industry June 2011

June 2011 | Volume 161 | Issue Number 6 www.ceramicindustry.com Cold Isostatic Pressing ³ Thermal Analysis Opportunitie...

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June 2011 | Volume 161 | Issue Number 6 www.ceramicindustry.com

Cold Isostatic Pressing ³ Thermal Analysis Opportunities ³ Furnace Repairs & Upgrades

s S E M I C O N D U C TO R s P H O T O V O LTA I C s LED s MEMS

SEMI EXPOSITIONS

s PRINTED/FLEXIBLE ELECTRONICS s EMERGING MARKETS

T H E P R E M I E R I N T E R N AT I O N A L E V E N T S F O R M I C R O – A N D N A N O – S C A L E M A N U F A C T U R I N G

UPCOMING EVENTS SEMICON WEST 2011 JULY 12-14 Moscone Center San Francisco, California www.semiconwest.org

s North America’s largest microelectronics manufacturing event s More than 100 hours of technical conferences, sessions, an presentations covering the microelectronics supply chain from design/EDA to advanced packaging and test s New—TechZONE exhibit pavilions covering high-brightness LEDs, MEMS, printed/flexible electronics, design, manufacturing services, materials, and secondary equipment and services

SEMICON TAIWAN 2011 SEPTEMBER 7-9 Taipei World Trade Center Taipei, Taiwan www.semicontaiwan.org

s 3PECIALPAVILIONS$)#!DVANCED0ACKAGING4ESTING !DVANCED-ATERIALS#OMPOUND3EMICONDUCTOR'REEN -ANAGEMENT,%$-%-3/%-%QUIPMENT0ARTS#ROSS3TRAIT s -ORETHANPROGRAMS INCLUDING&2%%TECHNICALPRESENTATIONS at the Innovation TechnolOGY#ENTERONTHESHOWmOOR s 4HE3%-)#/.4AIWAN'OLF4OURNAMENTATTRACTS PARTICIPANTSFROMTHESEMICONDUCTOR &0$AND06INDUSTRIES

SEMICON EUROPA 2011 OCTOBER 11-13 Messe Dresden Dresden, Germany www.semiconeuropa.org

s 3%-)#/.%UROPAISINTHEHEARTOFTHETHELARGEST semiconductor cluster in Europe s 3EGMENTSIN3EMICONDUCTOR&RONT %ND4EST!DVANCED 0ACKAGING-%-3-344363ECONDARY%QUIPMENT3ERVICES and Technology s )NCONJUNCTIONWITH0%#ONFERENCEAND%XHIBITION where plastic, organic and printed technology meets manufacturing

For the complete schedule of 2011 SEMI Expositions, visit

www.semi.org/events

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Experts

DTA and TGA analysis can help predict drying and firing behavior of raw materials.

Customized Sankey diagrams visually highlight heat inputs and losses in dryers and kilns.

Technical Consulting on process energy conservation and product quality is a growing service at Harrop. Each year, dozens of customers engage us for technical analysis and unbiased advice on kiln energy use and drying and firing problems. Here’s what we offer: • Complete process energy audits to measure thermal efficiency and recommend both operational and capital improvements • Diagnosis and solutions to product quality problems • The largest, most qualified Tech Services staff of any kiln supplier in the U.S. • In-house 10,000 sq. ft. testing lab and pilot plant to characterize raw materials and develop optimized drying and firing cycles. For expert help, look no further than Harrop. Visit www.harropusa.com, or call us at 614-231-3621 to discuss your special requirements.

Fire our imagination www.harropusa.com

³ TABLEOFCONTENTS June 2011 | Volume 161 | Issue Number 6

11

20

25

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

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

³Seeing Below the Surface Engineers have devised a new way to inspect advanced composites used to build airplanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

International Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Ceramics in the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Case Study: Grinding Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Kiln Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Supplier Spotlight: Improving

³Visual Display Revolution Silica is helping a new nanotube technology to provide potential applications in a variety of color displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 ³New Glass Stronger than Steel A new metallic glass has a strength and toughness beyond that of any known material. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Productivity through Automation . . . . . . 33 What’s New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Buyers’ Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Services Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Classified Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Advertiser Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

³Uniform Powder Compaction Cold isostatic pressing provides significant processing benefits for a growing number of new applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 ³A Gateway into Ceramics Combining injection molding technologies can help create a low-cost, painless introduction to the use of ceramic components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 ³Designing Flexible Tools Dry bag isostatic presses are most effective when the proper tooling designs are considered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 ³The Optimum Time to Sell Your Company By the latter part of 2011, middle-market deal pricing is expected to increase to above normal levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

SPECIAL REPORT | THERMAL ANALYSIS ³Reaching New Heights A new conference will spotlight high-temperature thermal analysis and materials characterization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

SPECIAL SECTION | FIRING/DRYING ³CM Furnaces Celebrates 65 Years CM Furnaces has produced over 4500 furnaces during its 65 years in operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Denotes articles with global emphasis

ON THE COVER: Photo courtesy of

³Construction & Repair Concepts Colloidal silica-bonded refractory is often the only option for emergency repairs without shutting down hot equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Avure Technologies, Inc.

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 June 2011

5

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

®

www.ceramicindustry.com 6075 B Glick Road • Powell, OH 43065 614-789-1880 (p)

EDITORIAL / PRODUCTION STAFF

Formative Times My nearly 16-year-old daughter recently started driving. Getting a feel for the brake and managing turns were her first major hurdles, and now the parking process is causing a bit of frustration. She’s doing an amazing job overall, but riding in the car with her at the wheel can still be a nerve-jangling experience. Luckily (for me and my fingernails, at least), driving a car is not a process that typically relies on ultra-precision. As long as my daughter remains alert and within the lines on the road, moving a pinch to the left or right is probably not going to cause catastrophic failure. That’s not always the case in manufacturing, especially in high-tech industries. Suppliers have focused on technology advances that enable tolerances in the forming and finishing processes that are used in ceramic manufacturing to often be tailored to specific requirements. For example, cold isostatic pressing can be used to form uniformly dense, near-netshape zirconia-based dental crowns and bridges. Learn more about “Uniform Powder Compaction” on pp. 16-17. Both low- and high-pressure ceramic injection molding provide many benefits, but challenges often stand in the way of their adoption. A process has been developed to combine these methods in order to capitalize on the benefits and eliminate many of the challenges, thus removing many of the obstacles involved in the use of ceramic materials for some applications. “A Gateway into Ceramics” (pp. 18-19) has the details. We also showcase thermal analysis in this issue with an article detailing the information and opportunities that will be presented at the upcoming HI TEMP Conference (see “Reaching New Heights,” pp. 22-23). In addition, be sure to take a look at the section on firing/drying, which begins on p. 24. The full Table of Contents for this issue can be found on p. 6.

Amy Vallance, Publisher 281-550-5855 (p) • 248-283-6543 (f) • [email protected] 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] Cory Emery, Art Director 248-391-2325 (p) • 248-502-2077 (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; Joe Cattaneo; George Muha, Contributing Editors

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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

ONLINE EXTRA: VISUAL DISPLAY REVOLUTION ONLIN Silica is helping a new nanotube technology to provide potential applications in a variety of color displays. Si B Be sure to take a look at this article online and watch a video of the nanotubes in action.

ONLINE EXTRA: Alfred University Dedicates ONLIN Inamori Kyocera Museum of Fine Ceramics Kazuo Inamori, Ph.D., founder and chairman emeritus of Kyocera Corp., attended the dedication of the museum named in his honor.

INSIDE LOOK Take an Inside Look at upcoming industry events. This month, we feature SEMICON® West.

DIGITAL EDITION CI’s digital editions are easy to read, search and download. Site visitors can also subscribe to receive future digital editions or access the archives to view past issues.

6

June 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.

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³INTERNATIONALCALENDAR JUNE 6-9 ArmorCon ³ Vienna, Va., www.ArmorConExpo.com JUNE 9-10 13th Small Fuel Cells 2011 ³ Boston, Mass., www.knowledgefoundation.com/viewevents.php?event_id=258&act=evt JUNE 22-24 Digital Manufacturing – Opportunities for Manufacturing Rebirth Conference ³ Hollywood (Fort Lauderdale), Fla., www.imiconf.com JUNE 28-July 1 European Fuel Cell Forum ³ Lucerne, Switzerland, www.efcf.com

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SEPT 12-14 GlassBuild America 2011 ³ Atlanta, Ga., www.glassbuildamerica.com SEPT 13-14 Nanopolymers 2011 ³ Dusseldorf, Germany, http://ismithers.net/venue-details/ XNAN11

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SEPT 20-22 Assembly & Automation Technology Expo ³ Rosemont (Chicago), Ill., www.aatexpo.com OCT 11-13 POWTECH 2011 ³ Nuremberg, Germany, www.powtech.de/en * OCT 16-20 Materials Science & Technology 2011 Conference and Exhibition (MS&T ’11), combined with the ACerS 113th Annual Meeting ³ Columbus, Ohio, www.ceramics.org

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.

* OCT 30-11/2 13th Unified International Technical Conference on Refractories (UNITECR) ³ Kyoto, Japan, [email protected] OCT 31-11/4 2011 Fuel Cell Seminar & Exposition ³ Orlando, Fla., www.fuelcellmarkets.com NOV 9-10 The Composites Engineering Show ³ Birmingham, UK, www.compositesexhibition.com * FEB 7-10, 2012 Cevisama 2012 ³ Valencia, Spain, http://cevisama.feriavalencia.com * FEB 21-23 Composites 2012 ³ Las Vegas, Nev., www.acmanet.org * MARCH 11-15 Pittcon ³ Orlando, Fla., www.pittcon.org * MARCH 26-28 St. Louis Section 47th Annual Symposium ³ St. Louis, Mo., www.ceramics.org * Look for Ceramic Industry magazine at these events! For a more detailed listing, visit our website at www.ceramicindustry.com.

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7

³ INTHENEWS PGW Plans New North Carolina Manufacturing Facility Pittsburgh Glass Works LLC (PGW) recently announced it plans to establish a new North American manufacturing facility in Elkin, N.C. This decision is part of PGW’s strategic planning process and the result of continued increased demand for automotive glass products. PGW has initiated the process to complete infrastructure improvements to an existing site that will be converted into a 416,000-sq-ft manufacturing facility located on approximately 58 acres in the community of Elkin, with a planned investment of more than $85 million. The facility is anticipated to initiate the hiring process in 2012 and will employ more than 260 associates when fully operational. “The Elkin facility will be a state-of-the-art operation that enhances our current customer delivery, increases our manufacturing capacity and provides flexibility within our manufacturing operations,” said James D. Wiggins, chairman and CEO. The Elkin facility will produce automotive glass products for OEMs and aftermarket organizations within the automotive industry. For additional details, visit www.pgwglass.com.

Thermal Technology Signs Sales Order with Silian Thermal Technology recently announced it has finalized a model K1 sapphire crystal grower sales agreement with Chongqing Silian Optoelectronics Science & Technology Co., Ltd. (Silian). The newly designed model K1 crystal grower is intended for LED substrate production. According to the company, the unit’s short cycle time makes it the most productive grower commercially available. To satisfy the high demand of the rapidly growing sapphire market, Thermal Technology reports it is shipping systems weekly. Visit www.thermaltechnology.com for more information.

H.C. Starck Signs Tantalum Supply Agreement H.C. Starck has signed an agreement with AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V.’s subsidiary, CIF Mineração S.A., to purchase the majority of tantalum and niobium concentrates from AMG’s Brazilian MIBRA mine. This mine is reportedly one of the largest industrial tantalum mines in the world. “Thanks to this agreement, we have secured a continuous supply of conflict-free tantalum raw materials for our company,” said Andreas Meier, Ph.D., president and CEO of H.C. Starck Group. The mine was audited by H.C. Starck using its Responsible 8

Supply Chain Management System (RSCM) to ensure that the deliveries from the mine meet the company’s standards. For additional details, visit www.hcstarck.com or www.amg-nv.com.

AGC Invests in Sao Paulo Glass Complex Asahi Glass Co. Ltd. (AGC) recently announced plans to invest ¥40 billion (~ $470 million) in an industrial state-ofthe-art glass complex in São Paulo, Brazil. The plant will produce float glass, mirrors, coated glass, and automotive laminated and tempered glass, operating under the name of AGC Vidros do Brasil Ltda. The facility will start up in phases, beginning in 2013. By 2016, the company expects to manufacture and market 220,000 tons of construction glass per year, as well as automotive glass for 500,000 vehicles per year. It will employ about 500 qualified people. For additional details, visit www.agc-group.com/en.

Amarillo College Installs Lucifer Furnace Lucifer Furnaces announced that Amarillo College, located in the Texas panhandle, has installed a Lucifer model HS84 dualchamber furnace in its Manufacturing Technologies department. The furnace has two 12 x 12 x 24 in. chambers mounted in a space-saving arrangement. The upper hardening chamber heats to 2450°F, while the lower tempering chamber reaches


1400°F. With a heavy-gauge sheet steel reinforced shell and many safety features, the unit is reportedly well-suited for the needs of an educational facility. Professor Kim Hays, chair of the Manufacturing Technologies department, reportedly chose the furnace as part of the school’s program to teach the principals of the heat treating of metals. He described the furnace as “ideal” for the school’s needs and noted that the unit met his requirements both in terms of space and budget. For additional details, visit www.luciferfurnaces.com.

Krosaki Harima Acquires TATA Refractories Krosaki Harima Corp. announced that its Board of Directors passed a resolution to acquire the majority of the shares of TATA Refractories Ltd. The company will be a subsidiary of Krosaki. TATA Refractories is reportedly India’s largest refractories manufacturer, manufacturing and selling refractories primarily for the domestic steel industry, including its parent company, TATA Steel Ltd. For additional details, visit www.www.krosaki. co.jp or www.tataref.com.

Longhorn Glass Implements $40 Million Upgrade Longhorn Glass of Houston, Texas, has resumed full production after shutting down bottle making to implement a $40 million capital upgrade. The project involves a re-bricking of the plant’s furnace, as well as expanded production capacity with one of the fastest glassforming machines in the world. The plant supplies bottles to Anheuser-Busch’s Houston brewery, including those for Budweiser and Bud Light. “The heart of the glass-making process is the furnace, and we are doing a complete re-bricking and plant overhaul,” said Vince Kozul, plant manager. “In the furnace, our raw materials—sand, soda ash, limestone and recycled glass—are heated to 2800ºF, liquefied, and then formed into beer bottles.” Long horn had been producing approximately 820 million beer bottles a year, Kozul said, and the project includes

a production expansion raising the total capacity by 70 million bottles per year, or about 8.5%. The project represents a $40 million investment by Anheuser-Busch. Kozul said the plant overhaul will enable it to increase production from 600 bottles per minute to 700 bottles per minute on one of the lines. Visit www.anheuser-busch.com for more information.

AMETEK Announces New Service Program AMETEK’s Materials Analysis Division has launched a new service program to reportedly ensure peak performance and extend the life of its more than 30,000 installed base products. AMECare Performance Services™ can deliver high-value added service solutions through its network of over 100 service engineers based in 20 countries around the world. A range of service modules has been developed and offered on an a la carte basis, allowing customers to customize the service scope to meet their specific needs. The service modules are based around three pillars: proactive maintenance programs that maximize equipment reliability and availability; application solutions that meet unique industrial market and research demands; and enhancing user skills through training and access to product and application experts. For additional details, visit www.ametek.com.

Rio Tinto Production Affected by Severe Weather in First Quarter Rio Tinto has reported that its global iron ore production of 42 million tons attributable (53 million tons on a 100% basis) was down 3% on the first quarter of 2010 and down 16% on the 2010 fourth quarter. Operations in the Pilbara were disrupted by three tropical cyclones and widespread flooding. Alumina production was dow n 4% for the quarter, primarily due to heavy rains in Queensland. Bauxite and aluminum production were broadly flat. For additional details, visit www.riotinto.com.

MTC Developing Ceramic Throat Valve Morgan Technical Ceramics (MTC) recently announced it is working with University of Hull spinoff company Avoco Medical Ltd. on a speech-restoration project for patients with throat cancer. The company is developing a new patent-protected speech valve that uses zirconia components that enable valve life to increase, resulting in less frequent valve changes for patients. This improves patients’ quality of life and reduces cost to healthcare providers. Up to 15% of patients diagnosed with throat cancer every year require a laryngectomy (removal of the larynx), which results in speech loss. Some speech and vocal function can be restored through the use of valves that reconnect the trachea (wind pipe) and esophagus (food pipe). Current valve designs consist of a tube (stent) and incorporate a flap that opens as air is forced through. The valve is traditionally made from silicone rubber. However, since the material is exposed to a hostile and non-sterile environment, a biofilm develops on the surface, thus causing the valve’s performance to deteriorate so that it has to be replaced, typically every three months—a distressing and costly procedure. Ceramic is a more attractive material because of its stability, biocompatibility and compliance. It has a hard, impervious surface that makes it more resistant to the hostile environment. Laboratory tests have shown that ceramic valves should last more than two years—at least eight times longer than their silicone counterparts. For additional details, visit www.morgantechnicalceramics.com.

Quantachrome Instruments Wins New Product Award

GE Aviation Breaks Ground on Ohio R&D Center

Quantachrome recently announced that it received a “One of the Best New Instruments of the Year 2010” award for its Autosorb-iQ-C at the Annual Conference of China Scientific Instruments (ACCSI). The event was hosted by the China Instruments Manufacturers Association, the China Instrument Society Analytical Instrument Branch, and www.instrument.com.cn, and was co-organized by the China Association for Instrument Analysis. “Recog nition by ACCSI of the Autosorb-iQ as ‘One of the Best New Products of 2010’ is a strong testimony to the skills of Quantachrome’s engineering and scientific staff and their dedication to producing worldclass gas sorption analyzers that serve the characterization needs of those developing the newest generation of advanced porous materials,” said Scott Lowell, president and CEO. “The entire staff of Quantachrome Instruments is honored to be recognized by one of the leading organizations in the fastest growing analytical market in the world.” For additional details, visit www.quantachrome.com.

GE Aviation recently broke ground on its new Electrical Power Integrated Systems Research and Development Center (EPISCENTER) on the University of Dayton campus. The $51 million center will be built on about eight acres on the University of Dayton’s campus on River Park Drive. “G E’s n e w R & D cen te r w i l l b e the souther n anchor to the Ohio Aerospace Hub of Innovation and Oppor tunit y,” said Lorraine Bolsi n g e r, p re s i d e n t a n d C E O o f G E Aviation Systems. “This location and future facilit y w ill help all stakeholders in attracting hig h-caliber engineering talent. The center will be a catalyst for new contracts and products resulting in job growth at the EPISCENTER and at GE locations such as Vandalia.” The center will be directed at several markets, including end-to-end electrical power starter/generation, conversion, distribution, and load technologies for civil and military aerospace applications. For additional details, visit www.ge.com. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

9

³

Seeing

Below the Surface ➤ Engineers have devised a new way to inspect advanced composites used to build airplanes. by Anne Trafton, MIT News Office, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.

I

n recent years, many airplane manufacturers have started building their planes from advanced composite materials, which consist of high-strength fibers (e.g., carbon or glass) embedded in a plastic or metal matrix. Such materials are stronger and more lightweight than aluminum, but they are also more difficult to inspect for damage because their surfaces do not always reveal underlying problems. “With aluminum, if you hit it, there’s a dent,” says Brian L. Wardle, associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). “With a composite, oftentimes if you hit it, there’s no surface damage—even though there may be internal damage.”

A Potential Solution Wardle and his colleagues have devised a new way to detect that internal damage using a simple handheld device and heat-sensitive camera. Their approach also requires engineering the composite materials to include carbon nanotubes, which generate the heat necessary for the test. As described in the online edition of the journal Nanotechnology, their approach could allow airlines to inspect their planes much more quickly, according to Wardle. This project is part of a multiyear, aerospace industry-funded effort to improve the mechanical proper10

ties of existing advanced aerospace-grade composites. The U.S. Air Force and Navy are also interested in the technology, and Wardle is working with them to develop it for use in their aircraft and vessels.

Uncovering Damage Advanced composite materials are commonly found in cars, bridges and wind turbine blades, as well as aircraft. One method that inspectors now use to reveal damage in advanced composite materials is infrared thermography, which detects infrared radiation emissions when the surface is heated. In an advanced composite material, any cracks or delamination (separation of the layers that form the composite material) will redirect the flow of heat. That abnormal flow pattern can be seen with a heat-sensitive (thermographic) camera. This method is effective but cumbersome because it requires large heaters to be placed next to the surface, Wardle says. With his new approach, carbon nanotubes are incorporated into the composite material. When a small electric current is applied to the surface, the nanotubes heat up; this eliminates the need for any external heat source. The inspector can see the damage with a thermographic camera or goggles. “It’s a very clever way to utilize the properties of carbon nanotubes to deliver that thermal energy from the inside out,” says Douglas Adams, associ-


Infrared themographic image of a nanoengineered composite heated via electrical probes (clips can be seen at bottom of image). The scalebar of colors is degrees Celsius. The MIT logo has been machined into the composite, and the hot and cool spots around the logo are caused by the thermal-electrical interactions of the resistive heating and the logo “damage” to the composite. The enhanced thermographic sensing described in the paper works in the same way. (Credit: Roberto Guzmán de Villoria, MIT & Brian Wardle, associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics. Photo: MIT News Office.)

ate professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University. Adams, who was not involved in the research, notes that two fundamental challenges remain: developing a practical way to manufacture large quantities of the new material, and ensuring that the addition of nanotubes does not detract from the material’s primary function of withstanding heavy loads. So far, the new carbon nanotube hybrid materials that Wardle is developing have shown better mechanical properties, such as strength and toughness, than existing advanced composites. For more information, visit www.mit.edu.

³

Visual Display Revolution ➤ Silica is helping a new nanotube technology to provide potential applications in a variety of color displays.

C

hemists at the University of California, Riverside have developed tiny, nanoscalesized rods of iron oxide particles in the lab that respond to an external magnetic field in a way that could dramatically improve how visual information is displayed in the future. Previously, Yadong Yin’s lab showed that when an external magnetic field is applied to iron oxide particles in solution, the solution changes color in response to the strength and orientation of the magnetic field. Now his lab has succeeded in applying a coating of silica to the iron oxide particles so that when they come together in solution, like linearly connected spheres, they eventually form tiny rods—or “nanorods”—that permanently retain

their peapod-like structure. When an external magnetic field is applied to the solution of nanorods, they align themselves parallel to one another, like a set of tiny flashlights turned in one direction, and display a brilliant color. “We have essentially developed tunable photonic materials whose properties can be manipulated by changing their orientation with external fields,” says Yin, an assistant professor of chemistry and Cottrell Scholar. “These nanorods with configurable internal periodicity represent the smallest possible photonic structures that can effectively diffract visible light. This work paves the way for fabricating magnetically responsive photonic structures with significantly reduced dimensions so that color manipulation with higher resolution can be realized.”

Nanorod Development In the lab, Yin and graduate students Yongxing Hu and Le He initially coated the magnetic iron oxide molecules with a thin layer of silica. Then they applied a magnetic field to assemble the particles into chains. Next, they coated the chains with an additional layer of silica to allow a silica shell to form around and stabilize the chain structure. According to the researchers, the timing of magnetic field exposure is critical to the success of the chain formation because it allows for fine-tuning the interparticle spacing—the distance between any two particles—within photonic chains. They report that the chaining of the magnetic particles needs to be induced by brief exposure to external fields during the silica coating process

Above: Yadong Yin (left), Le He (center) and Yongxing Hu examining a solution of iron oxide particles that changes color when an external magnetic field is applied to it. (Photo credit: Yin lab, UC Riverside.) CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

11

VISUAL DISPLAY REVOLUTION

A simple and convenient way to change the periodicity in the rods is to use iron oxide clusters of different sizes. so that the particles temporarily stay connected, allowing additional silica deposition to then fix the chains into mechanically robust rods or wires. In addition, the researchers say that the interparticle spacing within the chains in a sample can be fine-tuned by adjusting the timing of the magnetic field exposure; the length of the individual chains, which does not affect the color displayed, can be controlled by changing the duration of the magnetic field exposure. “The photonic nanorods that we developed disperse randomly in solution in the absence of a magnetic field, but they align themselves and show diffraction color instantly when an external field is applied,” Yin says. “It is the periodic arrangement of the iron oxide particles that effectively diffracts visible light and displays brilliant colors.” He explained that all of the onedimensional photonic rods within a 12

From left to right: Iron oxide (Fe3O4) particles are coated with silica (SiO2) to form tiny linear chains that grow into robust peapod-like structures with the application of more silica. (Image credit: Yin lab, UC Riverside.)

sample show a single color because the particles arrange themselves with uniform periodicity; that is, the interparticle spacing within all the chains is the same, regardless of the length of the individual chains. In addition, the photonic chains remain separated from each other in magnetic fields due to the magnetic repulsive force that acts perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field. The researchers note that a simple and convenient way to change the periodicity in the rods is to use iron oxide clusters of different sizes. This, they argue, would make it possible to produce photonic rods with diffraction wavelengths across a wide range of spectrum from near ultraviolet to near infrared. “One major advantage of the new technology is that it hardly requires any energy to change the orientation of the nanorods and achieve brightness or a color,” Yin says. “A current drawback, however, is that the interparticle spacing within the chains gets fixed once the silica coating is applied, allowing for no flexibility and only one color to be displayed.”

laptop screen, will be seen more clearly and brightly on devices that utilize the nanorod technology since the rods simply diffract a color from the visible light incident on them.

Future Plans These study results appeared online in Angewandte Chemie. Yin’s lab is now working on achieving bistability for the nanorods. If the lab is successful, the nanorods would be capable of diffracting two colors, one at a time. “This would allow the same device or pixel to display one color for a while and a different color later,” says Yin. A grant to Yin from the National Science Foundation supported the study. The UCR Office of Technolog y Commercialization has filed numerous patent applications covering various aspects of Yin’ technology, and is currently in negotiations to finalize a commercial license with a California corporation that will develop the technology for market. For additional information, visit www.ucr.edu.

Viable Applications Applications of the technology include high-definition pattern formation, posters, pictures, energy-efficient color displays, and devices like traffic signals that routinely use a set of colors. Other applications are in bio- and chemical sensing, as well as biomedical labeling and imaging. Color displays that currently cannot be seen easily in sunlight, like a


To watch a video of these nanorods in action, view this article online at www.ceramicindustry.com.

³

STEEL New Glass Stronger than

➤ A new metallic glass has a strength and toughness beyond that of any known material.

A

new type of damage-tolerant metallic glass that demonstrates a strength and toughness beyond that of any known material has been developed and tested by a collaboration of researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the California Institute of Technology. What’s more, even better versions of this new glass may be on the way. “These results mark the first use of a new strategy for metallic glass fabrication, and we believe we can use it to make glass that will be even stronger and tougher,” says Robert Ritchie, the materials scientist who led the Berkeley contribution to the research.

Background Glassy materials have a non-crystalline, amorphous structure that makes them inherently strong but invariably brittle. Unlike the crystalline structure of metals, which can provide microstructural obstacles (e.g., inclusions, grain boundaries, etc.) that inhibit cracks from propagating, there’s nothing in the amorphous structure of a glass to stop crack propagation. The problem is especially acute in metallic glasses, where single shear bands can form and extend throughout the material, leading to catastrophic failures at vanishingly small strains. The new metallic glass is a microalloy featuring palladium, a metal with a high “bulk-to-shear” stiffness ratio that counteracts the intrinsic brittleness of glassy materials. “Because of the high bulk-to-shear modulus ratio of palladium-containing material, the energy needed to form shear bands is much lower than the energy required to turn these shear bands into cracks,” Ritchie says. “The result is that glass undergoes extensive plasticity in response to stress, allowing it to bend rather than crack.” Ritchie, who holds joint appointments with Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division and the University of California

Micrograph of deformed notch in palladium-based metallic glass shows extensive plastic shielding of an initially sharp crack. Inset is a magnified view of a shear offset (arrow) developed during plastic sliding before the crack opened. (Image courtesy of Ritchie and Demetriou.)

(UC) Berkeley’s Materials Science and Engineering Department, is one of the co-authors of “A Damage-Tolerant Glass,” a paper describing this research published in the journal Nature Materials. Co-authoring the paper were Marios Demetriou (who actually made the new glass), Maximilien Launey, Glenn Garrett, Joseph Schramm, Douglas Hofmann and William Johnson.

The Fabrication Process In earlier work, the Berkeley-Caltech collaboration fabricated a metallic glass dubbed DH3, in which the propagation of cracks was blocked by the introduction of a second, crystalline phase of the metal. This crystalline phase, which took the form of dendritic patterns permeating the amorphous structure of the glass, erected microstructural barriCERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

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STRONGER THAN STEEL

ers to prevent an opened crack from spreading. In this new work, the collaboration has produced a pure glass m a te r i a l w h o s e u n i q u e ch e m i c a l composition acts to promote extensive plasticity through the formation of multiple shear bands before the bands turn into cracks. “Our game now is to try and extend this approach of inducing extensive plasticity prior to fracture to other metallic glasses through changes in composition,” Ritchie says. “The addition of the palladium provides our amorphous material with an unusual capacity for extensive plastic shielding ahead of an opening crack. This promotes a fracture toughness comparable to those of the toughest materials known. The rare combination of toughness and strength, or damage tolerance, extends beyond the benchmark ranges

established by the toughest and strongest materials known.”

Adding silver to the mix enabled the researchers to expand the thickness of the glass rods to 6 mm. The initial samples of the new metallic glass were microalloys of palladium with phosphorous, silicon and germanium that yielded glass rods approximately 1 mm in diameter. Adding silver to the mix enabled the Caltech researchers to expand the thickness of the glass rods to 6 mm. The size of the metallic

glass is limited by the need to rapidly cool or “quench” the liquid metals for the final amorphous structure. “The rule of thumb is that to make a metallic glass, we need to have at least five elements so that when we quench the material, it doesn’t know what crystal structure to form and defaults to amorphous,” Ritchie says. The new metallic glass was fabricated by Demetriou at Caltech in Johnson’s laboratory. Characterization and testing was done at Berkeley Lab by Ritchie’s group. “Traditionally, strength and toughness have been mutually exclusive properties in materials, which makes these new metallic glasses so intellectually exciting,” Ritchie says. “We’re bucking the trend here and pushing the envelope of the damage tolerance that’s accessible to a structural metal.” Visit www.lbl.gov for more information.

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³ CASESTUDY Grinding Ahead California ceramic company selects C&B Machinery’s double disc grinder.

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s part of an ongoing effort to diversify its market base, C&B Machinery, Livonia, Mich., has developed and shipped a model CBV2-16-R/B doubledisc grinding system equipped with diamond-impregnated grinding wheels arranged for grinding the faces of various ceramic discs used in the telecommunications and permanent magnet industries. The C&B machine, a re-engineered system developed from a used machine, was purchased by Island Ceramic Grinding in Gilroy, Calif. The machine is designed to increase product quality and output, thereby reducing cost per piece. During runoff, the grinder achieved production rates of 300 parts per hour, effectively doubling output over previous grinding methods.

The Process Double-disc grinding is the removal of material from a part with parallel surfaces. The stock removal takes place on both faces of the component simultaneously, with the grinding occurring on the faces of the grinding wheels. Disc wheels are attached to diametrically opposed spindles, each contained in a heavyduty precision grinding head assembly. For this particular process, the spindles are vertically opposed and the parts are introduced to the grinding wheels via a rotary carrier system. The challenge was to provide a solution that fit within the customer’s budget. “A typical re-engineered grinding system means starting from a blank sheet of paper and completely stripping the machine of all commercial and most OEM components,” said Chris Cox,

vice president of Sales for C&B Machinery. “New state-of-the-art feed systems and CNC controls are adapted to the machine, along with newly designed tooling.” The result is basically a new turnkey system at 20-30% lower cost than a comparable “new” machine.

Work zone of the C&B CBV2-16-R/B double-disc grinder.

Project Specifics In this case, the machine updates were scaled back in order to meet the customer’s budget. A simple PLC control replaced old relay logic, and the mechanical wheel feed systems were remanufactured and re-utilized. Careful attention was paid to balancing the spindles, which is essential to grinding with superabrasives. The grinding wheel spindles were outfitted with variable-frequency drives that allow the grinding wheel surface speed to be programmable. Changing the speed of the wheels, in essence, changes the “hardness” and cutting characteristics. This is a useful tool in adapting for changes in the material being ground and stock removal variation. “Considering the expense of diamond grinding wheels, the ability to program the speed of the wheels allows easier and more cost-effective optimization of the grinding process,” Cox said. “It limits the necessity to experiment with and stock multiple grades of grinding wheels.” The machine is also outfitted with new digital readout displays for the grinding axes. This allows the operator to make very small adjustments (0.000050-in. increments) for precise size control. In addition, precise alignment of the wheelheads and tooling provide for extremely flat and parallel parts when compared to more conventional surface grinding methods.

Ceramic discs manufactured by Island Ceramic Grinding in Gilroy, Calif.

“ The tr ick to g r inding ceramic components on a double disc is not to be in a hurry,” Cox said. “In other words, the stock removed from the part is ver y small, as compared to metal components. This is in order to keep the parts from chipping or even disintegrating when they enter the grinding wheels. Depending on the parent stock, multiple grinding passes may be required. Even still, this is a much faster method of producing higher quality parts than conventional surface grinding. “It doesn’t hurt to have hundreds of years of grinding experience either,” he said. For more information, call (734) 4620600, email [email protected] or visit www.cbmachinery.com. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

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➤ Cold isostatic pressing provides significant processing benefits for a growing number of new applications. by Glenn Hewson, Vice President of Global Marketing, Avure Technologies, Inc., Columbus, Ohio

Uniform Powder

Compaction M

illions of strong, durable products and components start out as powder, including advanced ceramics, metal alloys, cemented carbides, refractory materials, graphite, composites, and polymer compounds. Powders are typically mechanically compressed into green bodies, sintered and machined to final form. Mechanical pressing is relatively fast and inexpensive, but it has some disadvantages. Often, only one compact can be processed per cycle. Tooling, especially for complex shapes in lower volumes, can be costly. In addition, friction from the forming die can cause uneven density, especially if the diameter-to-length ratio is greater than 1:2. This will result in distorted part dimensions after sintering. 16

The Isostatic Difference Unlike mechanical force, which compresses a work piece from one or two sides, isostatic pressure is applied uniformly on all sides of an object. Pressures of up to 60,000 psi result in high, uniform density, particularly at the core of the object, which results in more predictable shrinkage during the subsequent sintering operation. Cold isostatic pressing (CIP) consolidates powders in elastomer molds that are pressurized in a chamber through a liquid medium. The process typically compresses the loose powder from about 30-65% tap density to 60-80% green density. Depending on the size of the chamber and the molded item, dozens or even hundreds of parts can be compacted in a single 5-45 minute cycle.


CIP has the unique ability to form near-net shape objects with higher green strengths and useful isotropic properties (i.e., equal values can be measured along any axis). This saves time and cost in machining and other after-treatments while significantly reducing material loss. CIP can also produce large, complex geometries with aspect ratios greater than 2:1—all with extremely uniform density.

Emerging Applications CIP has been used for decades in the production of ceramic and powder metal products, but a number of innovative new applications are now—or soon will be— on the scene. In the field of cosmetic dentistry, zirconia powders are being isostatically pressed into blocks and discs from which substructures are fabricated to give

Giant “giga-CIPs” are engineered for volume production of large parts and/or large batches. Their capacity per cycle is measured in tons rather than pounds.

crowns and bridges a whiter, more translucent quality. CIPped zirconia has proven to be up to five times stronger than allporcelain restorations. Added strength can also be given to gypsum dental plasters. Tests have shown that the compressive strength of CIP-processed gypsum is more than triple that of conventionally processed materials. Zirconia and certain other ceramics are 100% biocompatible, which means that they can be used in medical implants. CIP transforms the powders into uniformly dense structures with controlled porosity that can be fabricated into artificial joints and a variety of other prosthetic devices. Another novel technique that is now under experimentation is a process that seeds shaped living bone composed of patient stem cells into porous bioceramic nanocrystals. The use of CIP to consolidate this compound will produce bodies with larger, more biologically active surfaces and will permit the loading of bone-promoting chemicals and drugs onto the nanocrystals during preparation. CIP is also increasingly used to form the green bodies of a broad range of electronic components. In photonics, CIPped semiconductor nanoparticles add reliability to solar cells. For lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thick film, a piezoelectric ceramic used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), CIP is employed to reduce porosity and thus improve the film’s bending and forming capabilities. CIP has long been a standard operation in the production of thousands of fine-grain, high-purity graphite products. Recently, extremely large presses have been designed with work zones exceeding 90 in. (2.3 m) in diameter and 15 ft. (4.5 m) in height. This giant capacity permits the cost-efficient production of large rolls, bars and blocks that serve as economical raw material for graphite product manufacturers.

Mid-range CIPs are designed for pilot plants and production operations requiring automated cycle control.

Press Selection Virtually all cold isostatic presses are available with working pressures from 5000-60,000 psi. Most manufacturers can customdesign a CIP to meet specific customer requirements, even up to ultra-high pressures of around 100,000 psi. Press sizes are generally based on pressure vessel volume and fall into three basic categories: laboratory/research scale, mid-sized production and high-volume production. Laboratory and research scale CIPs are compact, self-contained, manually operated units designed for testing, feasibility studies and prototyping, as well as small batch production. Vessel diameters generally range from 2-6 in., with heights up to about 2 ft. Mid-sized production CIPs offer more automated operation for pilot plant and higher volume production applications. The entire cycle, from vessel closing to depressurization, can be electronically controlled. Maximum work zone sizes are in the area of 16 in. diameter and 3 ft in height. High-volume production CIPs are specifically designed for continuous operation and maximum cycle life. Most production CIPs are custom-engineered for the application with sophisticated digital process control and monitoring systems. Highcapacity designs can feature vessel diameters of more than 100 in. and heights exceeding 18 ft. For additional information, contact Avure Technologies Inc. at 3721 Corporate Dr., Columbus, OH 43231; call (614) 891-2732; fax (614) 891-4568; or visit www.avure.com. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

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A Gateway into

CERAMICS ➤ Combining injection molding technologies can help create a low-cost, painless introduction to the use of ceramic components. by Thomas Henriksen, President, Ceramco, Inc., Center Conway, N.H.; and Richard Cass, Managing Member, Bud Cass Consulting, Ringoes, N.J.

T

echnical ceramics are undeniably valuable for their cost-toservice life ratios, but they have not found the broad usage one might expect because other engineering materials still dominate the market. Ceramics often have a bad reputation outside our industry because people erroneously assume that the materials have poor impact toughness, are too expensive, or are not possible to manufacture due to process limitations. Few designers actually understand the material, so engineers often design around ceramics as much as possible. But with the plastics boom and the fantastic progress of powder metallurgy (PM), forming technologies have been the driving force for getting materials to market. Ceramic, polymer or PM components can all be easily shaped by cost-effective processing techniques such as injection molding.

Process Basics Ceramic injection molding generally falls into two types: low-pressure injection molding (LPIM) and high-pressure injection molding (HPIM). LPIM is much less expensive in terms of tooling but is inher18

ently less precise and more labor intensive. LPIM generally consists of mixing melted paraffin wax and ceramic powders under 150°C. These materials are then pumped under low pressure into a chilled mold, often by placing the tools on a block of ice prior to molding, where the wax/ceramic mix freezes in the cavity of the mold. The molds are assembled by hand, and the molding is generally done at 100 psi die clamping and injection pressure or less. After allowing the part to freeze (usually 5-60 seconds), the molds are pried open and the parts are removed by hand and placed on a tray, where they may undergo a solvent debinding process followed by a thermal debind. At some point in the process, the flash is removed (via fettling), and the parts are prepared for final sintering. The basic technology was developed in Russia in the 1950s and is widely used today, particularly in China. The process is not material specific and can be used for almost any ceramic material, making it very versatile. The nature of the process is somewhat slow and imprecise, but the cost of the tooling is comparatively low, as is the capital cost of the molding equip-


ment. Many parts that do not require tight tolerances or thick walls are made this way; ceramic thread guides, old-style oxygen sensors and insulators are typical examples. If tight tolerances are needed, post-sintered parts can be diamond machined as long as the component’s shape lends itself to machining. The HPIM of ceramic components is an adaptation of plastic and powdered metal injection molding that was originated in the 1940s in the U.S. and Europe. The process uses conventional plastic injection molding presses with hardened or lined injection barrels and screws or plungers. The presses range from 5 tons die clamping and injection pressure for small parts to up to 250 tons for highvolume, multi-cavity parts. The process produces accurate net-shape parts with little or no need for fettling of the pressed parts. However, the tools are hardened steel and/or tungsten carbide and are very expensive to produce. In addition, the tools need to be placed in a mold base that can vary in cost from $2500 to $10,000 or more, depending on the cooling system, part complexity and size. Newer mold base designs like the

master unit die (MUD) are less expensive, but they are not as accurate, are not automatable and do not generally contain internal cooling systems to freeze the parts. Because most conventional HPIM mold bases are internally cooled, these presses can produce up to 20 shots per minute of ceramic components (depending on size and ejection complexity). By necessity, the tools are very accurate because any misalignment at these pressures can crush the tooling. The mix varies depending on the manufacturer’s preference and proprietary process, but generally consists of a plastic source (e.g., polyethylene, bakelite, etc.), a wax (often paraffin), a mold release, surfactant and the desired ceramic powder. These materials are mixed at the melting temperature of the organics and are deaired to eliminate bubbles. Creating a homogenized mix is complicated and involves several mixing, pulverizing and remixing steps until a creamy, uniform mix is attained. One new mixing technique involves vacuum, highshear mixing in a one-step process. The materials are pelletized and molded using plastic molding techniques. The resulting parts are hard when they are ejected and can be part of a molding tree of several parts that can then be snapped off. Next, binder is removed through chemical or thermal processes, or a combination of the two. After these steps, the parts are still quite robust and can be handled if any additional steps need to be performed. The ceramic molded parts are then sintered using conventional ceramic techniques. HPIM is a high-precision process. However, in many medium- to highvolume applications, the need for hardened or carbide tooling (to prevent tool wear) multiplies the tooling cost, which limits the use of HPIM in applications where the ceramic manufacturer may not be absolutely sure of their final design or volume.

Combined Technique The ability of ceramic injection molded parts to follow complex design param*Developed by Ceramco Inc.

LPIM “as-molded” 96% alumina.

LPIM ceramic nuts and bolts.

Coffee grinder rotor.

Fish spine beads with 0.010 in. walls.

eters is possible and proven every day. The drawbacks to broader acceptance in all industries are generally focused on the cost and time it takes to create evaluation prototypes. New methods like

free-form fabrication have been tried, but the samples are generally not representative of what a production ceramic component will be. Samples of generally round cross-section can be diamondmachined, but this is slow, expensive and not readily scalable. Instead, a method has been developed to make complex ceramic shapes using an innovative combination of LPIM and HPIM.* The combination of the two processes allows prototype development that can progress at a reasonable tooling cost, especially if design changes are needed along the way that require rapid turnaround for preproduction samples and the first lowvolume requirements. High-volume, high-precision production becomes practical when HPIM is vertically integrated into this production process, because all of the uncertainties of design and performance will have been eliminated using the low-cost LPIM. The unique method fills the gap between what is needed and what is economically feasible. LPIM can be used to relatively inexpensively produce very complex shapes, up to about 20,000 pieces. The aluminum tooling, which can maintain tolerances of ± 1%, can wear out after making 10,000 parts. HPIM does not have these limitations; tolerances can be held at ± 0.001 in./in. on as-molded parts with walls as thick as 0.600 in. or as thin as 0.010 in., but the tooling starts at a few thousand dollars and varies depending on the complexity and number of cavities in a tool. To s o lve t h e s e c h a l l e n g e s , t h e design usually goes through several rev isions using LPIM and is then scaled to hig h-volume, net-shape production using HPIM. HPIM tools can often produce over 250,000 ceramic parts before any major overhaul is required. For more information, contact Ceramco Inc. at 1467 E. Main St., Center Conway, NH 03813; call (603) 447-2090; or visit the website at www.ceramcoceramics.com. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

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➤ Dry bag isostatic presses are most effective when the proper tooling designs are considered. by D.A. Hewett, Technical Sales Manager, SIMAC Ltd. UK, a Division of Gasbarre Products Inc.

Designing

Flexible Tools

D

ry bag isostatic pressing techniques are being applied to a wider range of powders and components due to their ability to produce parts with consistent pressed density and reasonably tight tolerances. This can result in fewer sintering defects, which reduces costly machining in the sintered state and eliminates total scrap. Many types of equipment are available, all of which require their own tooling design considerations. Outlined here is one procedure for designing molding bags to press high L-to-D ratio components in presses working on the top fillbottom eject principle. The molding bag simply transmits the fluid pressure to the powder, with little or no loss, while also imparting the required shape to the final pressed part. When the pressure is applied to the powder charge, the powder is compacted to some higher value of density. This density is termed the “pressed density,” and its value depends on the powder characteristics and the level of applied pressure. 20

Dry bag isostatic press.

If we expand this over a range of applied pressures, we can develop a characteristic curve such as the one shown in Figure 1.

Powder Densities We will consider two values of powder density. The first is the bulk density (Db), or free-pour density, which is measured by allowing powder to pour freely into a container of known volume and then weighing the powder. The goal is to find the lowest density of free powder, so care must be taken to prevent excessive “packing” into the container. The second density is known as the tap density (Dt), which is obtained in the same way as bulk density except that the powder is vibrated or tamped i n to t h e con t a i n e r. T h i s m e t h o d enables more powder to be packed into the container, thus producing a higher density value. The relationship is between the two is represented as: Bulk Density (Db) < Tap Density (Dt)


Molding bags.

VCR vs. Applied Pressure Curves Isostatic pressing compacts powders to a higher density state. For a fixed mass, the density varies in proportion to the volume. The ratio of fill volume to pressed volume is called the volumetric compaction ratio (VCR). This ratio is far more useful than the often-used linear compaction ratio, which relates linear dimensions and is thus restricted to individual configurations of parts. A VCR figure can be applied to any configuration of compact, and the necessary fill dimensions can be calculated. If we consider a new powder for which no practical pressing data is available, an estimate of the VCR will have to be made. Thus, it would be convenient if

Figure 1. Pressed density depends on the powder characteristics and the level of applied pressure.

Figure 2. Volumetric compaction ratio (VCR) vs. pressing pressure.

characteristic curves could be produced that would assist in this estimate. For a fixed mass, the ratio of fill volume to pressed volume can also be expressed as the ratio of pressed density to fill density. The fill density can be either the bulk density or the tap density, or anywhere in between. Knowing that pressed density varies with pressing pressure, we can similarly produce characteristic curves of VCR vs. pressing pressure (see Figure 2).

After the necessary allowances have been added, we reach the as-pressed section sizes. It is to these that the VCR will be applied.

Control of Powder Properties So far we have seen how parameters such as powder densities and fill density affect the VCR and this, in turn, affects the design of the molding bag dimensions. It is necessary to control these powder parameters if accurate control of pressed dimensions is required. The technology of powder preparation is outside the scope of this work, but the control of pressed dimensions from batch to batch can be improved by controlling properties such as particle distribution, bulk density and moisture levels.

Part Particulars Before the VCR can be used, we must establish the section dimensions of the part to be pressed. Depending on the finished part tolerances, required various allowances must be added to the finished sintered section to establish the required as-pressed condition. These include: • Sintered machining allowance (allows for machining in the sintered state, which may be required if final tolerances are very tight) • Sintered shrinkage allowance (expected shrinkage associated with sintering of the part) • As-pressed machining allowance (an allowance for machining before the part is sintered). It can often make sintered machining unnecessary, but this depends on the consistency of the sintering process.

Designing the Molding Bag Variations in component design features are potentially endless, and the consideration of each of these variations cannot be given in the length of this article. When considering molding bag design features, however, we must consider the change of volume that is taking place when pressure is applied. Additional factors that need to be considered include: • Changes in pressed part section • Powder entry • Part extraction • Molding bag manufacturing technique The most common technique used for manufacturing molding bags is generally gravity casting, typically using polyurethane materials. The manufacturing technique for molding bags should always be kept in mind during their design to ensure that the final quality of the molding bag is up to the required standard. It is often worthwhile to refer to the manufacturer for advice on best practices.

Press Capabilities In dry bag isostatic pressing, the molding bag is isolated from the hydraulic iso-fluid, which helps enable desirable productivity rates. All press equipment has capability limitations that affect the range of parts that can be processed through any given press model. Early consultation with the chosen press supplier is recommended to ensure that a suitable press model is readily available. For more information, contact Mark Thomason at Simac Ltd., a Gasbarre Products, Inc. company, 590 Division St., DuBois, PA 15801; email [email protected]. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

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Reaching

New Heights T

he inaugural HI TEMP Conference will be held September 20-22 at the Millennium Hotel in Boston, Mass. Hosted by NETZSCH Instruments North America LLC, the event will feature oral presentations and posters from leading experts in the field of thermal analysis, as well as multiple opportunities for discussion and networking. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Gilles Widawski, president of NETZSCH Instruments North America, regarding the conference and the state of the art in hightemperature thermal analysis.

➤ A new conference will spotlight high-temperature thermal analysis and materials characterization. by Susan Sutton, Editor-in-Chief, Integrated Media

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How can thermal analysis benefit manufacturers in the ceramic, glass and related industries? Understanding material properties is something that is very important—in some cases, critical—for product development, quality assurance and process optimization. This is true for many different materials, including ceramics, glass, and building materials, as well as different industrial fields like the nuclear industry, aerospace, and many others. Thermal analysis is a technique that provides very valuable insights into the behavior of these materials, especially at high temperatures where these materials are processed or used. The different techniques we include in the thermal analysis field are differential scanning calorimetry (DSC or DTA) for the analysis of phase changes and specific heat. There is also thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to characterize mass changes such as the burnout of ceramic binders at high temperature. We can also perform simultaneous thermal analysis, which is a combination of DSC and TGA on one sample, to get a direct correlation of the two techniques. Another technique is dilatometry, which characterizes thermal expansion and gives insight on sintering rates and densification, for example. The technique to analyze the thermal diffusivity or calculate the thermal conductivity in order to understand heat transfer through a material is a technique called laser flash. There is also a trend to couple technologies, such as thermal analysis with infrared, mass spectroscopy or gas chromatography. You get more out of your experiment when you combine different techniques. You basically investigate the gas evolved from the thermal analysis equipment to another device, and it gives the scientist a better understanding of the material. All of these techniques are used to give some insight about the behavior of these materials and also for scientists to build a model

special report | thermal analysis

The STA 449 F1 Jupiter® features simultaneous installation of two different furnaces for improved sample throughput or low- and high-temperature tests on the same instrument.

or simulation that can be used to investigate the material’s long-term behavior, for example. It’s a key characterization technique if you want to develop a material that will be in an environment that can have either a high temperature or a big variation of temperature. Think about the shuttle going into space. This shuttle will have to go from very, very high temperatures to very, very low temperatures. It’s a big drop of temperature, and the construction of the materials (the ceramic tiles as an example) and their selection need to be carefully handled by the designer. From the material point of view, scientists are developing new materials that could be exposed to more and more challenging environments. How did the idea for the HI TEMP Conference come about? We have observed over the past 20 years that there is a growth of the use of this equipment in the high-temperature thermal analysis effort. We see a bright future for these characterization techniques going at higher and higher temperatures. This is really driven by the development of advanced materials and new processes, and also the need to have better control, reduce manufacturing costs, and manufacture in the safest environment for these materials. The idea of HI TEMP was born as a means of providing a nexus for interested people to come together and share ideas. What can attendees expect to see at the conference? HI TEMP will include presentations of cutting-edge results on materials such as thermoelectric materials, thermal barriers, piezoelectric ceramics, nuclear reactor materials and radioactive waste, as well as construction materials—all presented with a focus on the method of characterization. We’re going to provide a strong basis for discussion with key speakers that have been invited from important labs, including Harvard, Clemson, LANL, NALCO, NASA and others, to cover different fields such as materials for

The LFA 457 MicroFlash® allows measurements from -125 to 1100°C.

energy applications, aerospace applications, thermoelectric materials, and ultra-high-temperature materials. We have also decided to include a special session. On March 11, the largest earthquake/tsunami recorded in Japan badly impacted the nuclear power plant in Fukushima. This series of events led to very significant damage to the reactors and brings to light a field that is not new, called LOCA (loss of coolant accident). Thermal analysis plays a key role in this field, and we will have experts from different nuclear research institutes from France, the U.S., and hopefully Japan, who will give an overview of research in this field. What attendees can expect is to have a great opportunity to exchange ideas and engage in discussion with experts in the field of high-temperature material characterization. We plan to have about 30 lecturers and posters, as well as instrument displays and laboratory tours. In addition, we have also organized nice events like a conference dinner, a tour of the MIT museum, and a tour of Boston, which is a nice area in this season. What does the future hold for high-temperature thermal analysis? We see continued growth as scientists try to push the limits of materials and more effectively characterize their behaviors at higher temperatures over bigger temperature variations. This means new instrument technology is needed, with higher detection limits, higher sensitivities and more resistant environments. For additional information, contact NETZSCH Instruments North America LLC at (781) 272-5353, fax (781) 272-5225 or visit www. netzsch-thermal-analysis.com. Additional details regarding the HI TEMP 2011 Conference are available at www.hitemp2011.com. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

23

special section | firing/drying

65

CM Furnaces Celebrates ➤ CM Furnaces has produced over 4500 furnaces during its 65 years in operation.

Years

b Teresa by T McPherson, M Ph Managing Editor

F

ounded in 1946 by Seth Combs and James Murphy, CM Furnaces primary provides high-temperature electric furnaces in atmospheres of air, hydrogen, and inert gases. In addition to ceramics, the company’s furnaces can be used for powder metallurgy, metal injection molding, refractory metals, lighting, nuclear fuel, wire, fiber optics, universities, and research and development. To date, the company has produced over 4500 furnaces. I recently spoke with CM Furnaces Vice President Jim Neill, who discussed the company’s past and his vision for the future.

How will the 65th be celebrated? CM is celebrating its 65th year with a stronger business climate and a healthy backlog. After coming out of the recession, the current business climate is a welcomed change. CM has operated in a dozen industries over the years. Most of these industries have now returned to health. We are not doing anything special for our 65th year. Our main focus is on our current business and incoming orders. 24

How has the business changed over time? Over the past years, there has been a shift in customer expectations and data. The current furnaces have far greater data acquisition capabilities with more sophisticated control schemes. Production furnaces are now equipped with advanced automation for higher throughput and reliability. We continue to be involved in most of the same industries as when the company started. The applications and uses within those industries continue to expand. In addition, the customer base is shifting. As more manufacturing is being developed outside of the U.S., our export sales and service has increased to meet this demand. There are still significant opportunities here, but the international component is growing.

Jim Neill

What’s the company’s business philosophy?

Can you share a secret to success?

The furnace mix constantly flows between standard and custom furnaces, as well as laboratory and production units. We embrace all of them equally, which has been a huge benefit to CM. Going forward, we will continue this philosophy, work hard on the new applications that our customer base challenges us with and continue to expand our technology. After 65 years, we are still very much looking forward to the future.

Our success is due to a very strong technical background and work ethic. CM is known for both standard and custom applications.

For additional information, call (973) 338-6500 or (888) 338-7622, or visit www.cmfurnaces.com.


special section | firing/drying

&

CONSTRUCTION Repair Concepts

I

➤ Colloidal silica-bonded refractory is often the only option for emergency repairs without shutting down hot equipment. by Charles W. Connors, Jr., President and Chief Operating Officer, Magneco/Metrel Inc., Addison, Ill.

ndustrial furnaces are necessary to perform the processes of sintering, transforming or melting the materials they are designed to produce. Many different types of industrial heat containment reactors exist, but, in general, most operate at temperatures as low as 500°F (260°C) and as high as 3200°F (1760°C). Modern furnaces are designed to be more energy efficient than their predecessors. Though not every industrial plant has the latest and greatest furnace, every manufacturer wants to save energy. In today’s competitive industrial world, optimizing the use of a fur-

nace’s capacity and energy is more crucial than ever before. The goal should be for the furnace to perform its task of producing a quality product with the least amount of energy and downtime. Old furnace construction concepts and refractory materials entail pitfalls that can be avoided through newer, proven ways of saving time and energy with colloidal-bonded refractories. Furnace roofs and walls experience degradation over time due to the corrosive and erosive effects of the environment they are exposed to, as well as creep and thermal shock/thermal cycling damage. Furnaces that are constructed out of brick, blocks, and shapes suffer from built-in failure mechanisms and energy inefficiencies.

Brick Joint Failure

Figure 1. Separation gaps between brick joints allow gas flow and severe heat loss.

Separation gaps between brick joints occur and allow gas flow and severe heat loss (see Figure 1). The brick joint is the first path for chemical attack. Industrial furnaces produce byproducts (or slags) and emit chemical gases that attack the joints of brick-lined furnaces. Severe damage can occur when a typical hot face brick lining’s joints open up and expose the lower temperature-rated insulating brick or ceramic fiber-based lining to heat and corrosive gas. Heat and heat-laden corrosive gases can even reach the steel shell of the furnace, causing warping and structural damage that will spread and cause more damage back toward the hot face brick. Once the damage starts, it is hard to keep it from spreading without shutting down the furnace. The wasted BTUs are bad enough, but with no way to repair without shutting down, the effect of heat loss in a section of a furnace can affect the quality of the final product. In order to repair or replace with brick, the operator is forced to shut down or take the furnace out of operation while tear-out and the subsequent repair or rebuild starts and ends days—or even weeks—later.

Repair Options Gaps in brick joints, as well as corrosion and erosion.

Refractory monolithics provide the opportunity for fewer joints and have been used to repair brick linings for many years. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

25

CONSTRUCTION & REPAIR

Repairing a deteriorated brick wall (left) with a new 70% Al2O3 colloidal silica-bonded hot face lining (right) eliminates joints.

Low-cement castables and phosphate-bonded, high-alumina rams, as well as sodium silicate-bonded mortars, can be used to patch joints or holes where brick have fallen out of a wall or roof. The problem with most of these products is that they all contain large amounts of low-melting-phase elements that lower hot strength. Low-cement castables also take many hours to dry. Colloidal silica-bonded pumpables and shotcretes, on the other hand, can be used as a hot patch or over the coating material in an emergency repair where traditional monolithics are not feasible. Colloidal silica-bonded refractories often provide the best option for hot face linings because of their outstanding hot strength, creep and thermal shock resistance, as well as their resistance to chemical attack. Colloidal silica-bonded refractories contain no cement, phos-acid or clay, and must use pure aggregate and fines in their matrix. In addition, colloidal silica-bonded pumpables and shotcretes feature outstanding installation characteristics that yield substantial savings in downtime for construction, reprofiles or repairs. Their installation rates are the highest in the industry, while their rebound rates for shotcretables are the lowest. The majority (99%) of the moisture in a colloidal silicabonded refractory is removed at 212°F (100°C), allowing the furnace to be up and running quickly. The fact that there is no chemically bonded water in the colloidal silica-bonded refractory allows it to be dried out quickly without steam spalling. Colloidal silica-bonded refractory can be pumped, shotcreted or grouted on, in or around a live furnace at very high temperatures (see Figure 2). The ability of the nanometer-sized particles to penetrate the existing refractory substrate makes colloidal silica bonded-refractory ideal for patching and reprofiling furnace linings. The material can be continually reprofiled over itself for years.

An Effective Solution The degradation of structures built using various designs with different material types and forming methods has been studied since the pyramids were built, and furnaces aren’t immune to degradation over time. Furnace degradation rears its head in many forms: erosion, corrosion, cracks due 26


Figure 2. The emergency over-coating repair of a glass furnace crown where brick has fallen keeps the furnace in operation and provides immediate energy savings.

The image on the left shows brick joints that have opened up, along with phosphate-bonded trowelable refractory peeling and spalling off. The image on the right shows a tunnel kiln’s roof hot face brick failure, with opened gaps in the insulation brick layer. The bottom of this image shows the colloidal silica-bonded repair of the hot face roof.

to creep and stress fracture properties, thermal shock, and non-optimal design. Monolithic colloidal silica-bonded refractory linings— combined with the proper anchoring and insulation—are a cost-effective way of saving time and energy. Colloidal silica-bonded refractory is often the only option for emergency repairs without shutting down hot heat containment equipment. Bricks and shapes are energy- and capital-intensive to produce, and they require long lead times. Special shapes and specially formulated bricks are in stock in industrial user’s warehouses everywhere, wasting capital. Alternatively, specially formulated colloidal silica-bonded refractories have short lead times and the same formulation can be used throughout a company’s industrial furnace fleet, saving time and money. Colloidal silica-bonded refractories can be installed faster than brick and offer multiple repair and reprofiling opportunities that save time and energy. For additional information, contact Magneco/Metrel Inc. at 223 Interstate Rd., Addison, IL 60101; call (630) 543-6660; fax (630) 543-1479; or visit www.magneco-metrel.com.

³ KILNCONNECTION by Ralph Ruark | Senior Technical Editor

Tunnel Kiln Killing You?

K

ilns should be the foundation of the ceramic factory, producing consistent results, creating zero defects and performing efficiently. Reasonable-sized facilities usually have the bulk of firing capacity invested in tunnel kilns, so I will address this class of kiln in this article. Under certain conditions, you can improve the performance of your older tunnel kiln through well-engineered and executed modifications. What it takes is careful analysis of the causes of poor performance, thorough engineering analysis of the design improvements that are needed, and professional execution of the necessary changes.

Investigate the Problems One of the great advantages to modifying an older kiln is that it is a known quantity, even if it is a poor performer. Kiln designers don’t try to do a poor job, but building to the lowest possible cost can often result in bad performance. If you can define why the kiln is not working properly, however, you need only to correct those known flaws to make a significant improvement in performance. If the kiln does a good job in certain areas, you can retain those elements of design and the related good performance in those areas. In other words, you needn’t reinvent the entire kiln—you just have to identify areas needing modification and evaluate how to make them better. The starting point for this effort is to evaluate the kiln structure. Clearly, you must have a sound kiln structure that will serve as a long-term asset. It doesn’t make sense to invest in a kiln that is structurally flawed. Next, define your performance

Figure 1. Kiln temperature data at various locations in the kiln setting.

improvement objectives. For example, list firing defects that you commonly attribute to the kiln system and do your best to isolate them to specific firing curve characteristics. Buy a temperature logger so you can see the curve flaws and address them.

Case in Point Let’s start with a terrible kiln—one of the worst that I have ever worked on—and evaluate what to do with it. It is a structurally sound kiln that produced ware with multiple defects. Figure 1 shows the kiln temperature data at various locations in the kiln setting. This kiln has poor temperature uniformity and undesirable heating or cooling rates through every section. As a result of poor design and performance, ware fired in this kiln suffers from the following defects: • Early preheat cracks due to the fast rate of temperature rise at the top of the load at entry • Later preheat cracks due to temperature non-uniformity from the top (level 1) to the bottom (level 6) • Oxidation problems at the lower levels due to the fact that the lower levels of setting are heated so slowly at the beginning of the kiln that they have limited

time between the oxidation temperatures of 1200-1600ºF • Variations in ware strength and absorption properties due to non-uniformity of temperature at soak • Fine cooling cracks on the lower levels due to extremely rapid cooling through the ` quartz inversion when cooling through the temperature range from 1200-900ºF All kilns—whether they operate properly or not—do so for a reason. Improvements can be made by analyzing why the temperature uniformity is poor, etc., and making the proper corrections. When a kiln has performance as poor as this one, it is sometimes daunting to know just where to start. But like all projects, if you break the kiln into individual sections and consider what improvements to make, it becomes relatively easy. So, let’s start at the beginning. Early Preheat Defects associated with the early preheat of the kiln consist mainly of ware cracking in the upper levels. Clearly, the kiln heats the ware very quickly (red and green curve) upon its entrance to the kiln. Sometimes this is because there are too many BTUs coming from the hot zone into the preheat

Ralph Ruark is a registered professional engineer with degrees in ceramic engineering and business, and 37 years of experience in the ceramic industry. He formed Ruark Engineering Inc. several years ago and serves as a technical consultant to a number of ceramic manufacturers and kiln companies. He is dedicated to assisting ceramic companies with a variety of kiln and firing needs, leading kiln analysis efforts, providing training expertise, and improving operations. Ruark can be reached at (941) 730-2253, fax (888) 370-2546, email [email protected] or online at www.ruarkengineering.com. Any views or opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not represent those of Ceramic Industry, its staff, Editorial Advisory Board or BNP Media.


27

KILN CONNECTION

6T of 350ºF. Such a large deviation can create warpage, late cracking and oxidation problems. As noted in Figure 3, burners were located in this section of the kiln, but they were low-velocity units incapable of generating enough velocity to flow under the load to heat the bottom of the setting. At the same time, the car-to-car kiln seals had deteriorated to such an extent that cold air was leaking between the kiln cars and cooling the bottom of the load. Accordingly, the solutions were obvious: repair the car seals to eliminate cold air infiltration and properly install high-velocity burners to create circulation. This solution can reduce the 6T from 350ºF to less than 50ºF. As a result, all cracking of ware is eliminated and oxidation issues at the bottom of the load disappear. Figure 2. The goal is to bring the top and bottom curves closer together so that they are similar to the curve in the middle of the kiln car.

Hot Zone Temperature Uniformity When firing traditional ceramics, the key properties of strength, size, absorption and porosity are developed during vitrification in the hottest zones of the kiln. To achieve consistency, the hot zone temperatures should always be as uniform as possible. Obviously, this kiln cannot produce accurate properties. Individual burner gases are impinging on the ware in the bottom levels of the kiln, causing a temperature spread of over 100 ºF as the ware passes each lower burner.

All of the air entrainment is lost when firing through narrow ports. Figure 3. Low-velocity burners were incapable of generating enough velocity to flow under the load to heat the bottom of the setting.

of the kiln, but, in this case, it is clear that the hot gases traveling down the crown of the kiln are not being circulated and therefore do not heat the bottom of the load. It is also clear is that the bottom of the load is hardly being heated by the exhaust gases at all, and all of the energy in the exhaust gases is being applied to the upper part of the setting. The solution is simple: add air jets to create circulation. These jets can be either cross- or counter-flow jets, depending on the geometry of the kiln and the space above the load. The end result is to bring the top and bottom curves closer together so that they are similar to the curve in the middle of the kiln car, as shown in Figure 2. When designed properly, air jets can be very effective; it is possible to reduce the 6T from more than 500ºF down to less than 100ºF. At the same time, the kiln’s efficiency is improved because more of the load is preheated with the exhaust gases. Late Preheat/Oxidation As the ware advances through the kiln, it is clear that the bottom of the load remains much colder than the top of the load, with a 28


In the case of this kiln, the hot zone walls were 30 in. thick, and, consequently, the high-velocity burners used were set back in the wall roughly 20 in. from the hot face of the kiln lining. This burner installation is typical of many early retrofits of high-velocity burners into older kiln with thick walls. Placing a high-velocity burner far away from the hot face negates the use of the high-velocity burner in two ways. First, the hot gas jet is narrowest at the point of discharge from the burner. The further away from the burner, the wider the effective hot gas envelope. The result is that hot gases impinge on the load. At the same time, much of the burner velocity and all of the air entrainment is lost when firing through narrow ports, resulting in very hot gas streams (see Figure 4). The solution is simple: purchase longer high-velocity burners that are made for thick-walled kilns. In this case, air circulation is greatly enhanced, the burner gas temperature is reduced significantly due to entrainment, and the hot gases are directed entirely beneath the load and do not impinge on the product. Achievement of a hot zone temperature uniformity within a 6T of 15ºF is usually easily achieved when the correct burners are installed properly. The difficulty with this solution is usually cost related; the longer versions of high-velocity burners usually cost at least twice

as much as the normal models. Another approach to burner replacement is being evaluated and could solve the cost and performance issues in this area. Cooling The cooling curve shown in Figure 5 is f lawed from start to finish, including very poor temperature uniformity from top (hot) to bottom (cold). In traditional ceramics, proper cooling provides for very rapid cooling from soak temperature to 1200 ºF, and then slow cooling from 1200ºF to 900ºF through the quartz inversion phase. After 900ºF, cooling can proceed at a moderate, linear rate to the exit of the kiln. It is also important to achieve good temperature uniformity through the inversion, in particular, to minimize fine cooling cracks and highly stressed ware. A reasonable approach to the curve in Figure 5 is shown in red, which depicts faster rapid cooling and a slow rate through the inversion. The selection of jet location and capacity are dictated by the thermal requirements of cooling. Normally, the rapid cooling section is automatically controlled, or even broken into two or more separate zones to ensure that fast cooling stops at around 1200ºF to allow for a safe and smooth transition to the slow cool/ inversion segment of the kiln.

Figure 4. Placing a high-velocity burner far away from the hot face causes much of the burner velocity and all of the air entrainment to be lost when firing through narrow ports, resulting in very hot gas streams.

Figure 5. The cooling curve shows multiple flaws.

Multiple Rewards At first glance, fixing the performance of your old tunnel kiln might be something you don’t want to tackle. Every kiln seems to have idiosyncrasies that make you wish you were a bulldozer operator rather than a kiln specialist. However, analyzing the performance deficiencies and applying the proper engineering solutions can resolve age-old issues that may be hurting your product quality and yield. Examining every part of the kiln curve and applying the proper tools for correcting each problem can often pay back the cost of investment very rapidly. At the same time, it can be extremely satisfying to turn a temperamental liability into a precise asset. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

29

The

Optimum Time to Sell Your Company ➤ By the latter part of 2011, middle-market deal pricing is expected to increase to above normal levels. by George Spilka, President, George Spilka and Associates, Allison Park, Pa.

D

uring 2006 and the first half of 2007, the greatest market bubble in middle-market deal pricing in 50 years occurred; those pricing levels will probably not be seen again in our lifetime. During the second half of 2007 and the first half of 2008, deal pricing reverted to normal levels. However, as the business downturn started in the third quarter of 2008 and led to the Great Recession (my terminology for the period from the fourth quarter of 2008 to the start of the third quarter of 2009), deal pricing collapsed. In fact, 2009 was the first year the world economy contracted since the 1930s. While economic and market conditions were awful, they fortunately never deteriorated to the levels realized during the Great Depression. However, middle-market deals (transactions with values between $5 million and $250 million) were few; those 30

deals that were completed were usually at deeply discounted prices. This pricing level continued until the start of the third quarter of 2010. At that time, deal activity and pricing started to improve.

Current Deal Pricing In early 2011, deal pricing began making strides to return to normal levels, and middle-market deal activity has greatly improved. However, many acquirers still believe they can “steal” companies, primarily due to the depressed earnings most companies realized during the Great Recession. Many sellers are susceptible to accepting these discount prices, since the scars created by the Great Recession make them concerned they won’t be able to sell their companies. However, by the latter part of 2011, middle-market deal pricing is expected to increase to above normal levels.


During 2011, as many acquirers use the depressed earnings realized by sellers during the two-year period ending June 30, 2010, as justification for a substandard offer, it is imperative for middle-market executives to understand that their company is a long-term asset whose sale price should not be impacted by short-term transient considerations. Furthermore, any serious acquirer does not anticipate earnings returning to 2009 and 2010 levels in the foreseeable future, or they would not be currently interested in buying companies. Middle-market executives must remember that the true and most significant determinant of a transaction price is a company’s expected future EBITDA/earnings (EBITDA) and the risk in achieving that EBITDA from the business foundation given an acquirer. This is an acquirer’s major consideration

in determining a seller’s value. Any other factors they cite are merely used for negotiating leverage to justify an unwarranted discount price. Consequently, you should not entertain any discussions regarding your company’s earnings during the two-year period ended June 30, 2010, as a factor in establishing a transaction price. They simply are not a consideration, and you should demand that they be treated accordingly.

Short-Term Deal Pricing Due to a number of factors, the optimum time to sell a company should be the latter part of 2011 or 2012. Most companies’ earnings began to show some strength during the second half of 2010. Earnings should continue to grow in 2011 and increase at an even higher rate during 2012. In addition, 2013 should be a very good earnings year, supported by a healthy economy. These earnings levels make it possible to realize a premium price.

The condition of the credit markets, especially in Europe, could be an intermediate to long-term financial problem.

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During 2011 and 2012, the capital gains tax will remain at a reduced level of 15%, compared to the prior rate of 20%. It is unlikely that the 15% rate will be extended beyond 2012. This 5% tax savings on the realized gain is a significant consideration when determining the timing of a sale. If the recovery shows any sign of reversing course, I expect the Federal Reserve to make cheap money readily available to prop up the economy. This should ensure strong acquisition prices during this period. As 2011 began, the majority of banks were loosening the credit spigots. By the second half of the year, I anticipate that credit will be readily available. In addition, acquirers began to aggressively pursue deals around the end of 2010. These factors mandate that an owner interested in selling his company within the next seven years should seriously consider selling it during the latter part of 2011 or 2012.

2014 and Beyond Beginning in 2014, the intermediate and long-term economic outlook gets pretty murky. It is not inconceivable that the economy could stay strong during 2014 and 2015. However, a number of factors provide warning signals that trouble could be on the horizon that might potentially affect these and/or possibly later years. These factors could negatively impact middle-market deal pricing and activity, possibly significantly. For example, the condition of the credit markets, especially in Europe, could be an intermediate to long-term financial problem. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

31

SELLING YOUR COMPANY

In addition, major issues are impacting the Chinese economy and banking system, including the Chinese Central Bank increasing the “benchmark” lending rate and the reserve requirements on numerous occasions for commercial banks in an attempt to reduce an increasing inflation rate. These issues could have a negative impact on the Chinese economy, which would likely have global consequences. The political and economic instability in the world at this time could provide the basis to produce an event that would have wide-ranging repercussions. The impact of any of these events could produce fear and instability in the financial markets. I am not saying that intermediate and long-term economic and market conditions will definitely be bad. However, I am advising clients that I strongly prefer to consummate the sale of their company in the latter half of 2011 or 2012 due to the substantial risks facing the economy and acquisition market in 2014 and subsequent years. The risk factor is too great to delay a sale until 2014 in light of all the positive reasons why a sale should take place before the end of 2012.

Obtaining a Premium Price If a middle-market seller is to obtain a premium-priced deal with terms that fully insulate them from post-closing liability, they need an investment banker/acquisition consultant (IB) that has certain capabilities and characteristics. The IB should realize—and actually relish—the fact that a sale is not a win-win situation. In reality, it is actually much closer to a win-lose situation. This type of IB recognizes that negotiations are a psychological war between diametrically opposite interests. The seller wants the maximum attainable premium price, while the much larger, sophisticated acquirer expects a discounted price, which they often get in middle-market acquisitions. The better prepared, more determined party will prevail. The IB should realize that most acquirers will try to steal a seller’s company. The right IB will remain steadfast and resolute, concerned only with protecting and maximizing the seller’s interests. In addition, IBs should have the aggressiveness and toughness, combined with the market and financial knowledge, to force their will on large corporate acquirers or sophisticated private equity firms. If those traits are not present in the investment banker, you can be assured that a premium price will not be yours. Beyond just financial skills, the IB should have the executive and business skills to fully understand your company, its strengths, market niche and potential. They also must have the ability to present and articulate these facts clearly and persuasively to an acquirer. If they are to prevail, the investment banker has to understand your company better than the acquirer. This knowledge base will help intimidate an acquirer and convince them that they must buy your company at a realistic premium price. 32


Potential Opportunities The 18-month period ending June 30, 2007, was the most lucrative time to sell a middle-market company in the past 50 years. However, due to a number of economic, tax, financial and market reasons, the latter part of 2011 and 2012 should present a great opportunity to sell a middle-market company at a premium price. If you are to realize the premium price you deserve, your IB must have the commitment to protect and maximize your interests, as well as the determination, toughness, and strength of will to force an acquirer to price your company on its expected future EBITDA and the quality of its business foundation. For more information, contact George Spilka and Associates at 4284 Route 8, Suite 301, Allison Park, PA 15101; call (412) 4868189; fax (412) 486-3697; email [email protected]; or visit www.georgespilka.com.

³SUPPLIERSPOTLIGHT

Improving Productivity through Automation Grinding operations can yield accurate sizes and surfaces that make the use of ceramic materials preferable to other materials that cannot hold such fine tolerances.

W

hen a ceramic part is required in an application, it’s sometimes necessary to perform grinding operations on a fully fired ceramic, as opposed to machining in the “green” state, which usually doesn’t allow for high accuracy form or fit. Not only are these grinding operations necessary to enable the ceramic part to be used in its intended application, but they can yield accurate sizes and surfaces that make the use of ceramic preferable to other materials that cannot hold such fine tolerances. However, ceramic grinding requires the use of machine tools that employ diamond wheels. The diamond wheels and the machine tools that use them are costly to buy and operate. Grinding fully fired ceramics is therefore usually a costly endeavor that is only pursued if it makes economic sense based on an improved value over a part made from an alternate material, or if is needed to ensure the application’s success. Insaco’s ability to perform centerless grinding on rods 24 hours a day without an operator present is an example of the application of automation to the grinding process and how it can improve productivity.

Historical Perspective Since 1947, Insaco Inc. has been exclusively machining and polishing ceramic, sapphire, and glass. This specialized marketplace requires significant capital investment, and Insaco has a devoted group of

70 employees performing grinding and polishing operations using machine tools adapted specifically for the processing of these materials. The mater ials most commonly machined and polished are amorphous, crystalline or a combination of both. They include a variety of glass and hard carbides, nitrides, and oxides. Some of these materials include: • Fused silica or quartz • Macor® and Zerodur® • High-alumina ceramic • Zirconia • Silicon carbide and boron carbide • Sapphire (single-crystal alumina) Insaco’s expertise originated with the business of making sapphire phonograph needles for 78-rpm records in the late 1940s, but this business quickly evolved toward diamond stylus tips. In order to survive, Insaco needed to transform into a job shop and adjust to markets as they evolved. The company adapted to the requirements of various applications and the continuous development of ceramic materials. This business evolution started with the company moving from phonograph needles to sapphire yarn guides in the 1950s, and continued on to ceramic parts for electron tube manufacturing on the 1960s. In the 1970s, Insaco was given an opportunity to work in the medical field fabricating a custom part for the CAT scanner. This part allowed for a significant growth in CNC machining, reflecting Insaco’s business philosophy of reinvestment in new equipment and technology.

Also in the 1970s, sapphire was becoming better understood and accepted as the “alumina you can see through.” Sapphire was commonly used as watch crystal faces, and the process of polishing flat surfaces was generally known. However, crystal growth technologies were advancing and larger sapphire pieces were becoming available, allowing customers to create unusual designs that were previously thought impractical or impossible. This led to the development of sapphire used in the electro-optics industry. Due to customer inquiries in these new designs, Insaco worked to develop the capability to machine and polish cylindrical and spherical surfaces to an optical quality. The 1990s brought Insaco into the business of processing large glass plates for the life sciences industry. This capacity was initially developed to help a customer accommodate its needs for polished glass plates for DNA sequencing. However, the quantity demands quickly required an increase in throughput. An investment in vertical machining centers allowed for large volumes to be processed CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ June 2011

33

³ WHAT’SNEW CERIC

efficiently. These capital investments led to the embrace of automation to further decrease costs and increase production.

Centerless Grinding Centerless grinding is an operation where an unmounted circular rod is ground between a diamond wheel and a rubberized wheel. The rubberized wheel forces the part against the diamond wheel, and the grinding action reduces the diameter of the rod by up to .003 in. per pass. This very time-consuming operation traditionally required extensive “touch” time by the operator running the machine.

Centerless grinding is an operation where an unmounted circular rod is ground between a diamond wheel and a rubberized wheel.

Insaco has applied automation in order to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of centerless grinding. The centerless grinder is set up in a closed-loop conveying system, with the parts measured automatically. The machine then adjusts as necessary to take cylindrical parts to final size. The idea for automated centerless grinding originated internally and Insaco’s engineering team spent significant effort making it a reality. The development, testing and implementation has now allowed for this manufacturing operation to be completely automated, resulting in increased throughput and reduced labor costs. For additional information, contact Insaco at P.O. Box 9006, Quakertown, PA 18951; call (215) 536-3500; fax (215) 536-7750; email [email protected]; or visit www.insaco.com. 34

CHARLES ROSS & SON CO. Mixer The new VersaMix Multi-Shaft Mixer has reportedly been proven for the processing of pastes, slurries and other viscous formulations in the ceramic industry. The mixer design comprises three independently driven agitators working in tandem. The high-speed disperser quickly draws powders into the liquid batch through a powerful vortex. The rotor/stator carries out a number of tasks depending on the product being mixed; it can break down agglomerates, accelerate homogenization, or prepare fine droplets in an emulsion. The low-speed anchor promotes bulk flow and uniform batch temperature while scraping the vessel sidewalls and bottom. Optional features include vacuum capability, clean-in-place spray nozzles, temperature probes, interchangeable jacketed mix vessels, powder induction capability (available on special design rotor/ stators), sight/charge ports, control panels and PLC systems. Call (800) 243-ROSS.

HARPER INTERNATIONAL Redesigned Website This company has revealed a new brand, including a remodeled logo and redesigned corporate website. According to the company, this evolution reflects its position as a world-leading provider of innovative thermal processing technology and sets a firm, confident foundation for the future. The new website design offers a comprehensive review of the company’s technology portfolio, capabilities and markets served. The website is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Korean and three other languages. Visit www.harperintl.com.


Extruder The PELERIN® extruder type 750 RR is equipped with a cylindrical outlet auger (like the auger located in the tank bottom), with a 730-mm diameter. The mixer, which (when added to the extruder) constitutes the extrusion set, has also been re-examined: the diameter of its outlet auger has been brought up to 550 mm to ensure clay feeding flow matching the extruder’s capacity (100 t/h maximum flow rate). The unit is equipped with a vacuum chamber that is larger that of the former model, type 650 ER. This enables a 37% increase of the attendance time within the vacuum chamber to ensure more efficient de-airing of the clay body, which is a key stage during clay preparation because it ensures the final quality of the product. Visit www.ceric.com.

SCHENCK ACCURATE Preventative Maintenance Program This company now offers a preventative maintenance program that can ensure longer product life, as well as optimized costs and efficiencies for customers. The purchase includes a one-year service contract guaranteeing that a specially trained technician will visit the plant to evaluate the functionality and operations of the machines. In addition, a customerspecific maintenance plan for recommendations on spare parts and other wear items is included. Call (800) 558-0184 or visit www.accuratefeeders.com.

PARAGON INDUSTRIES Colored Kilns This company now offers some of its smaller kilns in turquoise or hot pink high-temperature paint (the standard color is blue) for an additional charge. For a number of years, Paragon’s standard kiln color was gray. A distributor suggested changing to a brighter color; in 2000, Paragon switched to blue. Call (800) 876-4328 or visit www.paragonweb.com.

³ BUYERS’

CONNECTION

UNION PROCESS

FREEMAN TECHNOLOGY

Attritor

Rheometer Software A new version of software for this company’s universal powder tester, the FT4 powder rheometer, is now available. The new software introduces a redesigned graphical user interface, which reportedly provides a clearer look and improves the display of real-time test information. It offers the flexibility to deliver systematic guidance to new users while giving experienced operators the ability to develop and run bespoke methodologies. Available on all new instruments, the software will be offered as a free upgrade to existing FT4 users. The FT4 powder rheometer is a universal powder tester that uses patented dynamic methodology, fully automated shear cells and several bulk property tests, including density, compressibility, and permeability, to quantify powder properties in terms of flow and processability. Visit www.freemantech.co.uk.

This company has built a specially designed att r itor for a European customer that manufactures raw materials for the ceramic industry. The 250SD dry grinding attritor features CE certification and is powered by a specially engineered 150-HP motor, which provides 425% starting torque. The mill was designed specifically for metal-free g r inding. The grinding tank is lined with ceramic tiles and the agitator arms are sleeved with tungsten carbide. The 250SD attritor is designed to operate in continuous mode, which allows for high product throughput. Material is fed into the attritor at the top, and is reduced in size as it passes through the agitated media bed. The finished ground product is discharged through multiple specially designed dry grind meter valves positioned at the bottom of the tank. Visit www.unionprocess.com.

OWENS CORNING Glass Fiber for Composites HydroStrand™ is a chopped strand glass fiber for high-performance polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) composites. The glass fiber is available globally and is designed for use in automotive and industrial applications that come in direct contact with high-temperature fluids. HydroStrand reinforcements reportedly provide a new level of mechanical strength and hydrolysis resistance in PPS composites. They are designed for use in applications that are exposed to aggressive high-temperature fluids such as cooling modules, thermostat covers, impellers and pumps. Visit www.owenscorning.com.

SCHOTT Flexible Beam Shaper This company has developed a solution for forming “square” laser diode light into a homogeneous beam of light of any desired shape. The beam shaper is made of flexible glass fibers and can be coupled directly with the laser diodes. Collimation lenses are no longer necessary. The beam shaper consists of multicomponent glass fibers that have been fused into a rectangular input profile. Sizes of up to 15.0 x 1.0 mm are available. Coupling the laser diodes without fast axis collimation (FAC) lenses reportedly improves the overall performance and flexibility of these devices. The light emitted by the laser diodes can be converted into various shapes and exhibit high laser beam quality. The existing fibers cover a numerical aperture range from 0.4 to 0.8. In addition, transmission of 80% is possible for common light guide lengths of up to 2000 mm. Visit www.us.schott.com/lig htingimaging.

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]

CI’s July 2011 DATA BOOK & BUYERS’ GUIDE Position your company for success and put the power of Ceramic Industry to work for you!

Closing: May 31, 2011

Call TODAY! Ginny: 614-760-4220 [email protected]


35

³ SERVICESMARKETPLACE ³CONSULTING & ENGINEERING SERVICES

³MAINTENANCE/SERVICES

Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Ceramics Maintenance Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Ceralink, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Ceramics Consulting Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

³PROCESSING SERVICES

Jonathan Kaplan Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

AVEKA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Ragan Technologies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

CCE Technologies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Richard E. Mistler, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Powder Processing and Technology, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Ruark Engineering, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Powder Technology, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Semler Materials Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Union Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

³CONTRACT MANUFACTURING SERVICES

³RECYCLING SERVICES

Coalition Technology Co., Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

A-Ten-C, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

CoorsTek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Stratamet Advanced Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

³REFRACTORY SERVICES

Superior Technical Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Fuse Tech/Hot Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

³FINISHING & MACHINING SERVICES

³SPRAY DRYING

Advanced Ceramic Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

General Spray Drying Service, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Bullen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 EBL Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

³CONSULTING & ENGINEERING SERVICES

Ferro-Ceramic Grinding, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Machined Ceramics, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 O’Keefe Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 PremaTech Advanced Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Sonic-Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

³FIRING & DRYING SERVICES Allied Kiln Service Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 American Isostatic Presses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Centorr/Vacuum Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Harrop Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Experts in Ceramic Engineering & Materials Science • Microwave & RF Process Development • Scale-up • Equipment Design

• Materials Engineering Ceramics, Glass, Composites

• Research and Innovation • Prototyping

518-283-7733 * Fax: 518-283-9134 * [email protected] * www.ceralink.com

Ipsen Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 I Squared R Element Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Prairie Ceramics Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 SBL Kiln Services, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 TevTech, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

³GLASS SERVICES

Phone: 480-895-9830 FAX: 480-895-9831 e-Mail: [email protected]

Fuse Tech/Hot Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Glass Inc. International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Dr. Charles E. Semler

SEM-COM Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Specialty Glass, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Viox Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

³INDEPENDENT AGENTS Tape Casting Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Taylor Tunnicliff Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

³LABORATORY & TESTING SERVICES Activation Laboratories Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Geller Microanalytical Laboratory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Harrop Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 JTF Microscopy Services, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Micron Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Netzsch Instruments NA LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 NSL Analytical Services Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Quantachrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 West Penn, Spectrochemical Labs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

36


President/Consultant SEMLER MATERIALS SERVICES 10153 E. Elmwood Dr. Chandler, AZ 85248

SERVICESMARKETPLACE

³CONSULTING & ENGINEERING SERVICES / CONTRACT MANUFACTURING SERVICES ³CONTRACT MANUFACTURING SERVICES

High Shear Compaction— Superior Tape Forming Process • Full thickness single layer tapes: • HSC efficient high-volume 0.1 mm to greater than 13 mm process compatible with any powder: ceramic, glass, metal • Aqueous binder systems— extreme thickness control or plastic Ragan Technologies Inc. • Tape Development > Toll • Improvement over roll compac978-297-9805 Manufacturing > Turnkey tion —Isotropic tapes are [email protected] Installations never brittle & fire flat www.ragantech.com

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FROM CONCEPT TO PRODUCTION • • • •

Delivering solutions for diverse applications & industries Extrude, dry press, iso press, precision machine AS9100 & ISO9001:2008 Certified Plantwide Customer-Focused Culture

802-527-7726 • [email protected] • www.ceramics.net

Alumina • Zirconia • ZTA • Steatite • Cordierite • BN • Macor

Jeff Zamek Ceramics Consulting Services

6 Glendale Woods Drive Southampton, MA 01073

Telephone 413 527 7337 Fax 413 529 2674 [email protected] www.fixpots.com

Ceramic Product Design and Development Whitewares and Tabletop Custom Molds and Models 3520 Brighton Blvd., Denver CO 80216 (303) 909-5488 www.plinthgallery.com [email protected]

Michael S. Gzybowski Intellectual Property Attorney 734.302.6046 [email protected]

Precision Ceramic Components fj^X`"ijgc egdidine^c\

Suite 200 | 524 South Main Street | Ann Arbor, MI 48104 usebrinks.com

]^\]"kdajbZ bVcj[VXijgZg

Ruark Engineering, Inc. Customer Oriented Expert Kiln Assistance • • • •

Veea^XVi^dc Zc\^cZZg^c\

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF KILN OPERATIONS KILN UPGRADE AND MODIFICATIONS NEW KILN PROCUREMENT SPECIALIZED TRAINING ON SITE

Ralph Ruark, PE 10506 Cypress Point Drive Bradenton, FL 34202

P: 941-730-2253 F: 941-360-3211 [email protected] http://www.ruarkengineering.com

CoorsTek is the largest US-owned technical ceramics manufacturer in the world. Call 303-271-7006 or email [email protected] for expert assistance on your next project. Visit us on the web www.coorstek.com


37

³CONTRACT MANUFACTURING SERVICES / FINISHING & MACHINING SERVICES

WORLD LEADER IN PRECISION CERAMICS

Over a Quarter Century of Precision Ceramic Machining Process Development, has resulted in hundreds of satisfied customers. Put our experience and knowledge to work for you and become one of our satisfied customers.

719-687-0888 • [email protected] • www.okeefeceramics.com

³FINISHING & MACHINING SERVICES

YOUR OU U ULTRASOURCE SOU C FOR MACHINING HARD & BRITTLE MATERIALS

www.bullentech.com 1301 Miller Williams Rd. Eaton, Ohio 54320 USA Phone: (937) 456-7133 • Fax: (937) 456-2779 Email: [email protected]

EBL PRODUCTS, INC.

28 Years of Precision Ceramic Grinding

PIEZOCERAMICS

• Custom forming of technical ceramics * Built to customer print * • Prototype, short run and high volume production quantities • Multiple C.N.C. Capabilities

Serving our customers for over 50 years PRECISION CUSTOM DESIGN for:

• • • •

38

piezoceramic tubes piezo composites lead zirconate titanates matching layers & wearplates

EBL Products, Inc. 22 Prestige Park Circle, E Hartford CT 06108 Phone: 860-291-2537 • Fax: 860-291-2533 www.eblproducts.com [email protected]


Phone: 714-538-2524 Fax: 714-538-2589 Email: [email protected] Website: www.advancedceramictech.com

³FIRING & DRYING SERVICES

ISOSTATIC PRESSING

Contract Machining Company and Ceramic Component Supplier

Specializing in

• ISO 9001:2000 & AS9100B • CAD/CAM CNC Machining • Extensive Material Inventory • Material/Technical Support • Over 40 Years of Service

HIP, CIP, Service and Equipment Visit us on the Web: www.aiphip.com Call toll free: 800-375-7108

Specializing in BN, SiC, Macor, Si N , Al O , ZrO , Quartz, Ferrites and other related materials 3

4

2

3

2

American Isostatic Presses 1205 S. Columbus Airport Rd. Columbus, Ohio 43207 Phone (614) 497-3148 Fax (614) 497-3407

TEVTECH, LLC MATERIALS PROCESSING SOLUTIONS

di n i Gr & i o n Machining fC era ls m eria

ng

Pre o cis

t ics & Advanced Ma

PremaTech Advanced Ceramics is a highly respected, world leader in advanced custom machining and grinding for the Semiconductor, Aerospace & Defense, Research, Life Sciences and Commercial industries. For all your ceramic needs, please call 508.791.9549

Advanced Ceramic Machining & Components

Grinding of Hard and Ultrahard Materials: Alumina, Boron Nitride, Ferrite, Quartz, Silicon Carbide, Silicon Nitrides and Zirconia

100 Billerica Ave., N. Billerica MA 01862 Tel. (978) 667-4557 • Fax. (978) 667-4554 www.tevtechllc.com

TOLL FIRING SERVICES

NEW Lapping & Polishing Capabilities

Engineering and Design Support

Custom Vacuum Furnaces & Hot Zone Refurbishment for Sintering • CVD • Purification • Brazing

ISO 9001-2008 Certified ITAR & CCR Registered WBENC Certified

www.prematechac.com

• Sintering, calcining, heat treating to 1700°C • Bulk materials and shapes • R&D, pilot production • One-time or ongoing EQUIPMENT

• Atmosphere electric batch kilns to 27 cu. ft. • Gas batch kilns to Columbus, Ohio • 614-231-3621 57 cu. ft. www.harropusa.com e-mail: [email protected]


39

SERVICESMARKETPLACE

³FINISHING & MACHINING SERVICES / FIRING & DRYING SERVICES

³FIRING & DRYING SERVICES / GLASS SERVICES BUS.: (608) 783-4455 ALLIED FAX: (608) 783-4420 KILN EMAIL: [email protected] SERVICE INC. TIMOTHY J. TOBIN

New Kiln Design and Manufacturing Roller Hearth - Shuttle - Car Bottom - Tunnel • Installations • Combustion

• Refractory/Fiber • Electrical

• Instrumentation • Profile/Balancing

www.alliedkilnservice.com 1349 Moorings Dr. • La Crosse, WI 54603

³GLASS SERVICES

ALBERT LEWIS PRESIDENT

GLASS

INCORPORATED INTERNATIONAL 14055 LAURELWOOD PL • CHINO, CA 91710 email: [email protected] website: www.glassint.com Phone 909-628-4212 TOLL FIRING and CERAMIC REFRACTORIES

• Multiple kilns and furnaces for optimal firing options • Screening, surface area, and bulk density testing available • Custom and standard ceramic refractories • Alumina and Fused Silica formulas • Shapes include saggers, tiles, crucibles, kiln furniture [email protected] • (815)239-2385 ext. 105 www.ipsenceramics.com

Fax 909-628-2771

SEM•COM

COMPANY, INC.

SPECIALTY & ELECTRONIC GLASS MANUFACTURING We provide the following services:

Q GLASS MELTING Q GLASS FABRICATION Q COMPOSITION DEVELOPMENT Q CONSULTING Contact us for further information:

Ph: 419-537-8813 Fax: 419-537-7054 E-mail: [email protected] www.sem-com.com

I SQUARED R ELEMENT CO., INC. AKRON, NY USA

• Custom Designed Silicon Carbide & Molybdenum Disilicide Heating Elements for Your Application • Engineering Assistance & Trouble Shooting • Customized Accessories

Visit our Web Site: www.isquaredrelement.com Phone: (716) 542-5511 • Fax: (716) 542-2100

Refractory Repair Specialists • Ceramic Welding & Periscope Surveys • Port & Checker Cleaning • Hot Refractory Sawing & Drilling • Furnace Overcoating • Hot & Cold Refractory Repair

• Standard, Custom, Proprietary Glass and Glass-Ceramic compositions • Available in frit, powder (wet/dry milling), rod, or will develop a process to custom form • Fused Silica crucibles and Refractory lined tanks • Electric & Gas melting up to 1650°C • Research & Development • Pounds to Tons Phone (813) 855-5779 • Fax (813) 855-1584 Website: www.sgiglass.com • E-mail: [email protected]

40


SERVICESMARKETPLACE

³GLASS SERVICES / INDEPENDENT AGENTS / LABORATORY & TESTING SERVICES ³LABORATORY & TESTING SERVICES

Electronic and Specialty Glass Frits & Powders • • • • • • • • • •

Standard compositions Custom melt capacity Glass development Calcinations Toll processing Test sample availability Production volumes Tailored particle sizes Press-ready granulation ISO 9001:2008 registered

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* Harrop Industries, Inc. [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . .4 * I Squared R Element Co., Inc. www.isquaredrelement.com . . . . . .7 KCC Central Research Institute [email protected] . . . . . . . . 45 Lucifer Furnaces, Inc. www.luciferfurnaces.com . . . . . . . 31 SEMI www.semi.org/events. . . . . . . . . . . .2 * Tokuyama America, Inc. www.tokuyama-a.com . . . . . . . . . 14 * UK Abrasives, Inc. www.ukabrasives.com . . . . . . . . . 31 * See our ad in the 2010-2011 Ceramic Industry Data Book & Buyers’ Guide. This index is a feature maintained for the convenience of the advertiser. It is not part of the advertiser’s contract, and Ceramic Industry assumes no responsibility for its accuracy.

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