Ceramic Industry May 2011

May 2011 | Volume 161 | Issue Number 5 www.ceramicindustry.com

Technical

Ceramics

³ Custom Glass Formulations ³ Lapping and Polishing ³ Modular Processing Systems

Special Report | Brick & Clay Record

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

Fire our imagination www.harropusa.com

³ TABLEOFCONTENTS May 2011 | Volume 161 | Issue Number 5

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DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

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

³Improving Aerospace Engines Ceramics and metal alloys are especially beneficial to the aerospace industry due to their superior ability to withstand high temperatures . . . . . . . . 13

Letter to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 International Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Ceramics in the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 People in the News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Glass Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

³PCB Space Improvements Designers can save board space while improving electrical performance and reliability with the use of advanced integrated thick-film passive components. . . . . 16 ³China’s Advanced Ceramics Market The advanced ceramics industry in China will continue to grow, but profits may not increase at the same rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Freight Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 What’s New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Buyers’ Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Services Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Classified Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Advertiser Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

³Success by Design Custom glass formulations can fulfill specific functions in a range of applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 ³Diamond Lapping and Polishing Flat lapping is often the process of choice when finishing a ceramic surface to precise dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 ³Micro-Injection Molding Puts Ceramics in Top Form Ceramic injection molding permits the economical production of ultra-precise small components while affording maximum design freedom. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 ³Graphite Insulation Takes the Heat Carbon and graphite fiber-based materials ensure highquality insulation, equipment integrity, consistent processing parameters, energy savings, and personal safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

SPECIAL REPORT | MATERIALS HANDLING/ POWDER PROCESSING ³Going Modular Pre-engineered, pre-built processing systems can minimize production interruptions while reducing the cost of an upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

 Denotes articles with global emphasis

ON THE COVER: Photo courtesy of

SPECIAL REPORT | BRICK & CLAY RECORD ³Energy-Efficient Housing Concept Wienerberger has partnered with heating technology specialists Viessmann Group to enable optimal coordination of all system components . . . . .33

SPT Roth.

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 May 2011

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

On the Technical Side This issue focuses on technical ceramics and glasses, and I’m really excited about the great opportunities represented in the lineup of topics we have for you. For example, manufacturers in the aerospace sector are increasingly recognizing the benefits that advanced ceramics can offer—from heat and corrosion resistance to electrical and insulation properties. Read “Improving Aerospace Engines” on pp. 13-15 to learn more. Custom glass formulations are providing manufacturers in a range of industries with opportunities for improvement and advancement. Characteristics specific to glass “provide the basis for the development of innovative glass formulations that can result in novel solutions to high-tech challenges,” writes Ian Doggett of The Technical Glass Co. Find out how in “Success by Design” on pp. 18-19. Additional articles in this issue include “Diamond Lapping and Polishing” (pp. 24-26) and “Micro-Injection Molding Puts Ceramics in Top Form” (pp. 27-28). This issue also features a special report on Materials Handling/Powder Processing; see “Going Modular” on pp. 31-32 to discover how pre-engineered, pre-built processing systems could costeffectively improve your operation.

Planning for 2012 It doesn’t seem possible that it’s that time of year already, but we’re beginning to plan for 2012—and we’d love your feedback. What articles were most useful to you over the last year, and what could you have done without? What new topics or technologies would you like us to cover next year? How do you prefer to receive the information we make available (e.g., print, digital, website, e-newsletters, etc.)? We strive to make CI as useful to you and your business as possible, and your input is essential. Please send your comments and suggestions to me at [email protected], or feel free to give me a call at (330) 336-4098. I look forward to hearing from you!

®

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

MARKET FORECASTS Check out the latest market trends and predictions for aerospace and defense, renewable energy, refractories, construction, and more.

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

INSIDE LOOK Take an Inside Look at upcoming industry events. This month, we feature the Green Building Conference.

DAILY UPDATES The latest industry and company news, personnel announcements, new products and more are updated daily to help you stay informed.

DIGITAL EDITION CI’s digital editions are easy to read, search and download. This month’s digital edition is sponsored by O’Keefe Ceramics.

CORPORATE DIRECTORS Timothy A. Fausch • Publishing John R. Schrei • Publishing Rita M. Foumia • Corporate Strategy Ariane Claire • Marketing Vince M. Miconi • Production Emily Patten • Conferences & Events Lisa L. Paulus • Finance Michael T. Powell • Creative Nikki Smith • Directories Beth A. Surowiec • Clear Seas Research Marlene J. Witthoft • Human Resources

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May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

Lower costs and improve

³ LETTERTOTHEEDITOR

your Ceramic Glaze and Body Formulations with

To the Editor: The nuclear industry has taken somewhat of a beating over the past few weeks, due to the recent chain of events at the Fukushima Nuclear Facility in Japan. A lot of questions have been raised, some legitimate, about control under extreme circumstances. Similar questions arose because of the lack of control surrounding the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. How do we control what seems uncontrollable? At some levels, we simply cannot. We could not have controlled, prevented nor adverted the recent natural disasters in Japan. The situation at Fukushima developed due to the unstoppable, the uncontrollable and the unpredictable. Now, we as humanity reflect on the “what ifs” and second guess our decisions in hindsight—a very natural but somewhat ineffective methodology in debating the choices of mankind. So what now? Do we abandon the pursuit of nuclear power in the wake of recent events? Do we accept the consequences of continuing to rely on our carbon-based energy sources? Or maybe, do we collectively revert to accepting minimal consumable energy that results in no air conditioning, lights, refrigeration, heat and other “luxuries”? Maybe health care, the global living standard and the “pursuit of happiness” should be compromised to have greater control. I hope not. As the human race has experienced throughout the annals of time, I hope we continue to learn. We learn how to minimize risks. We understand the weaknesses and flaws exhibited under such adverse conditions. We join together in making ourselves stronger. We move on. Nuclear energy is a viable alternative to meet the growing demand for clean energy. While the nuclear power debate will continue, the recent stumbling block must not be allowed to hinder our continued efforts to learn and advance. Ceradyne Boron Products continues to advance high-purity chemistries in an effort to better address the ramifications of catastrophic events when nuclear power plants are damaged and the requirement for controlling radiation is extreme. The loss of control is not exemplified in setbacks caused by events, but in the inability to learn and improve.

—Dennis Manning, VP and General Manager, Ceradyne Boron Products

s Share Your Viewy! r t s u d n I e h t h t i w Email your letters to Susan Sutton, Editor-in-Chief, Integrated Media, at [email protected].

In Natural and Frit Glaze Suspensions: • Acti-Gel®208 greatly improves adhesive strength by >80% which helps to reduce surface defects and glaze chipping from handling and shipping. • Acti-Gel®208 eliminates other mineral thickeners and reduces cellulose ethers in glaze formulations. • Acti-Gel®208 should be used without Phosphates Dispersants such as SHMP or STPP which chelate excess ions thereby de-activating Acti-Gel®208. • By using Acti-Gel®208 to reduce Cellulose Ethers and eliminate Phosphate Dispersants, the negative effects of Sodium are greatly

reduced, allowing for increased adhesion strengths and reduced surface defects. • Acti-Gel®208 allows the glaze to dry rapidly without cracking. • Acti-Gel®208 is added directly to the mill for ease of dispersion and for ease of glaze removal from ball mill. • Acti-Gel®208 based glazes are highly stable and can sit, without settling or hardpacking, for >30 days. • Acti-Gel®208 works efficiently in Suspensions from 25% to 80% solids. • Acti-Gel®208 contains no sulphates

In Ceramic Body Formulations: • Acti-Gel®208 is an excellent flow aid, binder and reinforcing agent in extrusion and dry press applications.

Acti-Gel®208 features and benefits: • Lowers Formulation Costs! • Increases adhesion strength! • Dewaters Rapidly! • Allows more efficient use and faster batch addition times. • Excellent Anti-Settling and Anti-Sag properties. • Low yield point of gel structures allows for quick, easy flow under shear conditions.

• Ultra fine particle size gives excellent performance in spray and curtain coating applications. • Reduces extrusion pressures and improves forming and green strength. • Very low free crystalline silica (less than 1%), Grit Free. • Low free Moisture: Typical is 5%-8% FM.

For more information and a FREE sample, visit our web site at www.activeminerals.com or call 410-825-2920.

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

May 17 NESHAP Subpart HHHHHH “6H” Training Program ³ Toledo, Ohio, www.owens.edu/workforce_cs/spray2011flier.pdf May 18-20 Spray Finishing Technology Workshop ³ Toledo, Ohio, www.owens.edu/workforce_cs/spray2011brochure.pdf May 18-21 PowderMet 2011 ³ Chicago, Ill., www.mpif.org

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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 JULY 15 COMPOSITES CHINA ³ Shanghai, China, [email protected] AUG 10-12 8th China (Beijing) International Metallurgy Industry Expo 2011 ³ Beijing, China, (86) 10-8168 0380 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 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 * 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 * Look for Ceramic Industry magazine at these events! For a more detailed listing, visit our website at www.ceramicindustry.com.

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May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

³ INTHENEWS BrickStainable Awards Announced The BrickStainable Awards Ceremony took place on March 31 in Washington, D.C. Potomac Valley Brick awarded a $10,000 grand prize in the Integrated Building Design Category to Jamillah Muhammad and her team at Perkowitz & Ruth in Virginia. In addition, a $7500 grand prize in the Technical Design category was given to Kelly Winn and his team at the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE) in New York. “This year’s winners personify the essence of this competition with their creative ideas for increasing building sustainability using brick,” said Alan Richardson, president of Potomac Valley Brick and creator of BrickStainable. For more information, visit www.BrickStainable.com.

Ceradyne Receives $36 Million XSAPI Body Armor Order Ceradyne Inc. has received a delivery order for approximately $36 million for XSAPI (“X” small arms protective insert) ceramic body armor plates. The company will begin shipping this XSAPI production release in the second quarter of this year, with full shipment expected to be completed in the third quarter. “We are extremely pleased to have been awarded this XSAPI contract,” said David P. Reed, president of the company’s North American Operations. “We anticipate meeting the government’s quality and delivery requirements with this delivery order shipped complete in Q3 2011.” For additional details, visit www.ceradyne.com.

Harper Awarded Contract at ORNL Harper International recently announced it has finalized a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for a full pilot-scale carbon fiber process line valued at more than $12 million. The line is a custom-designed conversion process to support ORNL’s low-cost carbon fiber research and technology transfer. Harper was selected for the contract due to its capability to successfully design, manufacture, install, and commission a fully integrated carbon fiber process line. The custom-designed line incorporates Harper’s proprietary multi-flow oxidation oven technology; advanced LT and HT slot furnaces rated for 1000 and 2000°C, respectively; pre- and post-treatment fiber conditioning; gas treatment and handling; and material transport systems. Visit www.harperintl.com for details.

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.

Carlex Acquires Zeledyne Float Glass Plant Carlex Glass America announced it has completed the acquisition from Zeledyne of a float glass manufacturing and automotive windshield fabricating plant in Nashville, Tenn., as well as an automotive replacement glass distribution business in Lebanon, Tenn. The acquired operations join Carlex Glass Co., which produces automotive glass for OEM and replacement applications in Vonore, Tenn., as subsidiaries of Central Glass Co. Ltd., based in Japan. Carlex Glass America and Carlex Glass Co. will be known in the market as Carlex.

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

Email: [email protected] www.isquaredrelement.com

CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

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IN THE NEWS

With the acquisition, Carlex becomes the sole U.S. distributor of Carlite® brand automotive replacement glass. For additional details, visit www.cgc-jp.com or www.carlex.com.

Sacmi Supplies New Brick Plant in Trinidad and Tobago Sacmi recently announced that Ansa Mcal Enterprises Ltd., an industrial group operating in several sectors within Central America, has ordered a complete wall brick production plant from the Sacmi Heavy Clay division. This project, the biggest single investment the group has made, is intended to meet the country’s entire demand for construction brick. Key features of the plant include a high output rate (approximately 744 tons per day of fired product covering a range that includes breezeblocks, hollow bricks, heat insulating blocks and floor brick) and low energy consumption. For more information, visit www.sacmi.com.

Carbolite Oven Ensures Ultra-Clean Glassware for Lab Equipment Supplier By purifying glassware in a high-temperature Carbolite oven, ELGA LabWater has been able to stop using chromic acid for the preparation of samples in the research and development laboratory where new high-purity water systems are designed. In order to keep water samples from being contaminated by organic compounds on the glassware, ELGA used to soak it in chromic acid, which is both toxic and corrosive. Now, following the recommendations in Preparation and Testing of Reagent Water in the Clinical Laboratory (CLSI 4th edition, 2006), sample bottles are rinsed in ultra-pure water, then heated to 450°C for two hours in the high-temperature oven. Tests have shown that any organic contamination present after this procedure is not detectable, according to Paul Whitehead, Ph.D., R&D laboratory manager. Visit www.carbolite.com for additional details.

Schenck Process Acquires Clyde Process Solutions Schenck Process has announced share-

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Owens Corning Expands in Mexico and China Owens Corning recently announced that it is investing in the construction of a new furnace to expand production capacity at its Tlaxcala, Mexico, glass reinforcements facility. The expansion, which supports increasing global demand for glass reinforcements, is the fourth production capacity increase announced by the reinforcements division of the company in recent months. Scheduled to begin construction in March, the new furnace is expected to be operational in early 2012, at which time it will more than double production capacity at the Tlaxcala facility. The expansion will support increased production of the company’s corrosion-resistant Advantex® glass and will produce assembled roving and dry-use chopped strands. Owens Corning also announced the opening of its new production facility in the Yuhang Economic and Development Zone, Hangzhou, China. The plant significantly expands the company’s capacity in China and represents a major milestone in the company’s 73-year history. Capacity from the new Yuhang plant, currently in its first phase of operation, will augment output from an existing nearby facility, and will supply rovings to the Asia Pacific market (which are currently being imported from Europe and the Americas). The new facility employs approximately 280 people and brings the number of composite production sites in Asia to eight. The new plant is designed for world-class energy efficiency, combining the company’s patented Advantex glass formulation together with its advanced glass melting technology. Additional details are available at www.owenscorning.com.

holder approval of its acquisition of Clyde Process Solutions, a leading supplier of air filtration, pneumatic conveying and injection technologies. “We are delighted to have received such overwhelming support from Clyde’s shareholders and look forward to warmly welcoming the company to the Schenck Process Group,” said Jochen Weyrauch, Ph.D., president and CEO of Schenck Process. “With more than 500 new employees at locations in the U.S., Brazil, South Africa, the UK and China, Schenck Process now employs more than 2600 people around the world. This transaction represents an important milestone in our development, and we believe its merits are compelling for both Clyde and the Schenck Process Group.” For additional information, visit www.schenckprocess.com/en or www. ClydeProcessSolutions.com.

NSG Group Announces Automotive Glazing Expansion in Poland The NSG Group recently announced plans to expand and upgrade its Pilkington Automotive operations in Poland. The investment involves the construction of a new

May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

automotive glazing plant at Chmielow, located in a Special Economic Zone 30 km south of the group’s existing facilities at Sandomierz. The new plant will be dedicated to the production of windshields, sidelight, and backlights for cars and trucks. The first phase of the investment will increase the group’s automotive windshield capacity in Poland by 1.7 million pieces per year, along with expansion for delivering additional value-added products. The second phase addition of a toughening line will add further capacity for the manufacture of 4-5 million back and side lights annually. The group will invest approximately ¥10 billion (~ $126 million), which is to be supported by Polish government and European Union funding. Around 400 new jobs, in addition to those in outsourced services, will have been created by the time all operations begin production. The new tertiary operation lines are due to come on stream in mid-2011, with the secondary operation lines being commissioned from mid-2012 through to the end of calendar year 2013. For additional details, visit www.nsggroup.com. 

³ PEOPLEINTHENEWS Sir Rod Eddington and Yves Fortier, non-executive directors of Rio Tinto, have announced they will retire from the boards at the end of the 2011 annual general meetings on May 5. Andrew Gould, senior independent director, will serve for one more year before retiring at the conclusion of the 2012 meetings, at which time he will have served on the boards for more than nine years. Corning Inc. recently announced that Jeffrey Evenson, Ph.D., is expected to be elected senior vice president and a member of the company’s management committee. Evenson will focus on a number of strategic programs, growth initiatives and special projects on behalf of the senior leadership team. Murata Electronics North America recently announced the appointment of David M. Kirk as president, CEO and a director.

Kirk has more than 27 years of engineering, marketing and management experience in the electronics industry. Before joining the company, he was president, CEO and a director of RF Monolithics Inc. Prior to that, he spent 14 years with Murata Electronics North America, where he held positions ranging from product management of various product lines to director of Marketing for North America. Asahi Glass Co. Ltd. (AGC) has announced two executive personnel changes. Yuji Nishimi has been appointed senior executive vice president and deputy general manager of the Group Strategy Office. He previously served as senior executive vice president and president of the Electronics company. Yoshiaki Tamura has been named senior executive officer, president of the Electronics company and general manager of Display General Div. within the Electronics company. He previously held the position of senior executive

officer and deputy president of the Electronics company, and was general manager of the Display General Division within the Electronics company. NETZSCH Premier Technologies LLC has promoted Randall Smith to president and Stephen Miranda to Sales director, Grinding and Dispersing for North America. The company has also promoted John Sneeringer to applications and process advisor. Ly n n B r a g g h a s b e e n named president of the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI). She assumed the position of president following the retirement of Joseph Cattaneo. Bragg has extensive government and association experience. In recent years, she served as CEO of Worldwide ERC and as president of the Chocolate Manufacturers Association. 

CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

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³ GLASSWORKS by Lynn Bragg | President, Glass Packaging Institute

Stepping Up “Green” Credentials

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ccording to a recent report entitled Green Packaging from The Freedonia Group Inc., U.S. demand for recycled content, reusable and biodegradable packaging is projected to exceed $42 billion by 2014. The report also asserts that demand for glass recycled-content packaging will outpace the green packaging average as a result of rising recycling rates for glass containers and concerted efforts by glass packagers to increase collection and incorporate higher levels of recycled content in glass containers.

Broadcasting the Glass Recycling Message Glass manufacturers are focusing their efforts on increasing glass recycling and incorporating more recycled glass, or cullet, in the glass containers they produce—and they’re starting to see a little payoff. Glass recycling stood at 28% in 2008. Data released in early 2011 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) now show that all glass container recycling jumped to 31.1% in 2009. New data also show that 39% of glass beer and soft drink bottles were recycled, 18.1% of wine and liquor bottles, and nearly 18% of other glass bottles and jars. In further support of pushing out the environmental message about glass recycling to consumers, the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) this year partnered as a sponsor with Earth911, the country’s leading clearinghouse for recycling information. Consumers across the U.S. turn to www.earth911.com for information about where to recycle locally, guidance on how to recycle and the latest on recycling issues. The partnership allows the GPI to provide custom content on the “Glass Section” landing page (www. earth911.org/recycling/glass), as well as regular communications with Earth911 readers through timely stories and news.

O-I Focuses on High-Quality Glass Recycling in its Own Backyard Glass manufacturers are creating their own partnerships to boost glass recycling so they can use more high-quality recycled glass in new container production. In late 2010, glass manufacturer Owens-Illinois, Inc. (O-I), headquartered in Perrysburg, Ohio, partnered with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Rumpke Recycling to build enhanced technology to process recycled glass.

Rumpke Recycling is investing $2.5 million in new machinery at its Dayton, Ohio, materials recovery facility to more effectively and economically process glass collected through its residential and commercial recycling programs. The new system will create more and higher quality product suitable for the manufacture of new glass bottles.

Verallia Boosts Recycled Content in Wine Bottles In south Seattle, Wash., a joint initiative between Verallia, the nation’s largest manufacturer of wine bottles, and eCullet, a developer of stateof-the-art camera sorting technology for processing recycled glass, is helping to produce new glass containers made with almost triple the amount of recycled glass—increasing the recycled content from 17% to nearly 50%—with the potential to increase more in the future. In 2010, eCullet produced more than 65,000 tons of furnace-ready cullet for Verallia to make new glass bottles using over 80,000 tons of recycled glass. The recovered glass is sourced through single-stream curbside collection programs in Seattle and from material coming out of the bottle deposit program in Vancouver, British Columbia. An independent facility, eCullet is located on space leased from Verallia near its manufacturing plant. As a result, the time between when the cullet is produced and when it can be introduced into the batch is 3-5 min, which makes for an exceptional carbon footprint. Verallia’s plant is also seeing substantial reductions in energy and energy costs. For every 10% of cullet used, the company is able to reduce energy costs by 4%. In addition, using 10% more recycled glass has led to decreases in nitrogen oxide, a greenhouse gas, and reductions in raw materials.

Green Pastures Ahead Initiatives such as these are just the start of what the GPI and its member companies are working on to bring an even greener glass package to consumers—and to make manufacturing processes more energy efficient. We hope that consumers will join us and choose to recycle their glass bottles and jars. As Earth911 President Corey Lambrecht says, “Recycling is one of the most accessible, sustainable actions that the everyday person can take.” The goal is to make taking that action just a little easier and ensure that when a consumer recycles their glass bottle, it is going right back into a new glass bottle. 

Lynn Bragg is president of the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI). Founded in 1919, the Washington, D.C., area-based GPI represents the North American glass container manufacturing industry. To find out more about the strong environmental position of glass containers, visit www.gpi.org and sign up to receive the institute’s monthly e-newsletter. 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.

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May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

Improving

Aerospace Engines for the casting process, and the core material must be able to withstand the extremely high temperatures that are necessary to pour these alloys. Since less cooling air means more air is available for propulsion, gas turbine engine efficiency is largely determined by turbine temperature. Increasing the temperature capability of the turbine is therefore instrumental to the improvement of overall engine performance. Because engines run hotter as the processing temperature is increased, more is demanded of the materials chosen to put the engines together. Seeking ways to lower costs and emissions while increasing fuel economy and performance, engine designers have been turning to advanced ceramics and high-temperature metal materials.

The Art of Brazing

➤ Ceramics and metal alloys are especially beneficial to the aerospace industry due to their superior ability to withstand high temperatures.

A

dvanced ceramics and high-performance superalloys are currently playing an important role in improving aerospace engines. They provide a good solution for aerospace engine manufacturers who continually seek materials to increase performance, improve fuel efficiency and satisfy safety standards while lowering costs. Brazing and investment casting, two ancient arts that have been adapted for use in repairing and manufacturing aerospace engines, make use of advanced ceramics’ extreme heat and corrosion resistance, unique wear, light weight, and electrical and heat insulation. New high-performance metal brazing alloys are now used for high-temperature repairs, as well as for sealing ceramicto-metal pressure sensor and temperature sensor components.

Hot and Hotter To achieve greater engine fuel efficiencies, engines are running at increasingly higher temperatures and must be cooled with more intricate cooling schemes that require the casting of complex cooling passages. Increasingly stronger metal alloys are needed

Brazing alloys are used for metal-to-metal bonding in engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO); the assembly of aerospace components; and the repair of micro-cracks. They are also used for ceramicto-metal assemblies that require joining by metalizing a ceramic surface and the brazing of components (e.g., pressure and temperature sensors, thermocouple housings, and fire detection feed-thrus). Brazing is a term used for high-temperature joining at or above 600°C, and it has a long and storied history. This ancient art was used more than 5000 years ago to make jewelry and statuary. Before 1000 B.C., iron was forge-welded for tools, weapons and armor; however, the high temperatures required for modern welding processes became possible only with the development of electric power in the 19th century.1 In a general sense, brazing is a joining process that relies on the wetting flow and solidification of a brazing filler material to form a metallurgical bond or a strong structural bond (or both) between materials. The process is unique in that the metallurgical bond is formed by melting the brazing filler only; the components being joined do not melt.2 The development of advanced brazing materials for aerospace engine component repair has given rise to both precious and non-precious alloys. Precious alloys like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium are used mainly in original equipment manufacturers’ assemblies for vanes, fuel and exhaust nozzles, sensors, and igniters. Non-precious alloys are used in MRO and are constantly evolving as better and more heat-efficient alloys are developed. As shown in Table 1 (p. 14), a number of new brazing alloys are available for use in aerospace engine repair and reassembly. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

13

IMPROVING AEROSPACE ENGINES

Table 1. Brazing alloys. Alloy 59.8 Ni-40.2 Cu (nickel copper)

Engine Part titanium (Ti) brazing exhaust first few stages of compressor new braze new engine crack repair compressor auxiliary power unit (API) fuel systems/compressor Inconel (600 or 625) high compressor and low turbine fuel systems Inconel (600 or 625) MRO engine repair hot section/ high-pressure turbine low-pressure compressor/Ti brazing

Alloy-30 Au-6 (gold) Icronibsi-13 NiBSi-4 Nioro (gold 82/nickel 18 alloy) Palnicro-36-M Palniro-7 Presintered perform, paste, paint (PSP) TiCuNi

Pre-sintered preforms (PSPs) are another example of the superalloys available for high-temperature braze repair applications. PSPs, which are a customized blend of the superalloy base and a lowmelting braze alloy powder, can be made in a variety of compositions and shapes (primarily preformed shapes). Other com-

PSP plate forms and shapes.

mon compositions include pastes, paints, plate forms or other specific shapes (e.g., curved, tapered or cylindrical). They are used extensively for reconditioning, crack repair and dimensional restoration of aerospace engine components such as turbine blades and vanes. Thin areas and crack healing is performed with paste and paints, while plate preforms work well for dimensional restoration. 14

With the presence of hot corrosive gases and turbine temperatures reaching up to 1300°C (2350°F), aerospace engine components experience considerable erosion and wear. PSPs can be customized to fit the shape of the component and then tack-welded into place and brazed. Because PSPs save time and money and extend the life of engine components by up to 300%, they are a more reliable and cost-effective method than traditional welding, which requires post-braze machining or grinding. Brazing is a high-quality repair process because it allows whole components to be heated in a vacuum furnace, thereby reducing distortions and increasing consistency. Due to advanced ceramics’ ability to withstand the high temperatures, vibration and mechanical shock typically found in aircraft engines, they are ideally suited for aerospace applications that provide a physical interface between different components. Typical applications include engine pressure and temperature monitoring sensors, thermocoupling housings, and fire detection feed-thrus constructed from a variety of metal components and high-purity alumina ceramic. Ceramicto-metal components are sealed to metals by the high-performance brazing alloys, providing an extremely reliable seal.

Investment Casting Investment casting is a key process used in the production of aerospace engine blades. High-quality ceramic cores have emerged

May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

Component/Base Material Ti Hastelloy™, Inconel™ Hastelloy, Inconel Hastelloy, Inconel, Waspalloy™ Hastelloy, Inconel, Waspalloy stainless steel (304 or 304 ss) or Hastelloy, Inconel stainless steel (304 or 304 ss) or superalloys Ti-6-4 and Ti alloys

as the material of choice for the investment casting process. Investment casting of new super engine alloy materials enables the development of more intricate designs that perform better in engines. Because operating temperatures have increased from about 400 to 1100°C, an evolution has occurred in the materials that must survive the demand for higher temperatures. Investment casting, also known as lost wax (or cire-perdue) casting, is another age-old process that can be reliably traced back to at least 4000 B.C. Its earliest use was for idols, ornaments and jewelry. Natural beeswax and clay were used for the patterns and molds, and the furnaces were stoked by manually operated bellows.3 Originally, investment casting meant casting metal into a mold produced by surrounding (or “investing”) an expendable pattern with a refractory slurry coating. The coating would then set at room temperature, after which the wax or plastic pattern would be removed through the use of heat prior to filling the mold with liquid metal.4 A significant modern makeover for this ancient process began during World War II, when investment casting was seriously adopted for engineering aircraft components. Modern investment casting techniques stem from the development of a shell process (known as the investment X process) that uses wax patterns. This method envelops a completed and dried shell in a vapor degreaser. The vapor then permeates the shell to dissolve and melt the wax. This

Aerospace engine feed-thrus.

process has evolved over the years into the current process of melting out the virgin wax in an autoclave or furnace.5 Fused silica ceramic cores are used in the investment airfoil casting of blades and vanes for rotating and static parts of aerospace engines. The process is used primarily with chrome-bearing steel alloys. Advanced ceramics with controlled material properties allow component designers to make special cooling channels to keep engines from overheating. Ceramic cores are capable of producing thin cross-sections and holding tight tolerances, which help to create accurate internal passageways. In addition, the ceramic cores are strong enough to withstand the wax injection step in the investment casting process. While the casting is poured, the ceramic core remains stable, yet it is readily leached using standard foundry practices after the casting has cooled. For example, Morgan Technical Ceramics Certech (MTC-Certech) has developed a ceramic core with its proprietary P52 material, which exhibits greater dimensional accuracy while maintaining tight tolerances without distortion. The cores remain stable at high temperatures

Ceramic cores used in investment casting.

and do not prematurely deform, which is crucial in the extremely high temperatures required for engine component production. The cores can be chemically dissolved after the casting has cooled, leaving the clean air passage replica that is necessary in today’s efficient turbine engines. MTC-Certech also developed a proprietary injection molding process to create the ceramic cores faster, thereby allowing high volumes to be manufactured in less time. The lifespan of the cores are increased due to the fact that the cores are less abrasive on the injection molds used. Manufacturers can reduce or eliminate the use of costly platinum pins—generally needed to hold the ceramic in place and support the core during the casting process—resulting in additional cost savings. While dimensionally strong, the P52 core material also exhibits improved crushability during solidification. This means that it remains rigid and stable through the casting process but is crushable when it needs to be during the metal solidification process. This is particularly useful for alloys that are prone to hot-tearing (those that exhibit lower core temperature in equiax castings) and/or recrystallization (castings

that are involved in directionally solidified or single crystal castings).

A Bright Future Driven by the aerospace industry’s demand for higher performance and lower costs, materials scientists and ceramic component manufacturers will continue to develop new materials and processes that take advantage of advanced ceramic materials’ properties, particularly those that enable engines to run hotter and more efficiently.  Visit www.morgantechnicalceramics.com for additional information.

References 1. “Welding, Brazing, and Soldering,” Britannica Student Encyclopedia, http://student.britannica.com/comptons/article-210127/weldingbrazing-and-soldering. 2. Brazing Handbook, Fifth Edition, American Welding Society C3 Committee on Brazing and Soldering, Miami, Fla, 2007. 3. “Investment Casting,” http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Investment_casting. 4. “Investment Casting,” http://metals.about. com/library/bldef-Investment-Casting.htm. 5. “Investment Casting,” http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Investment_casting. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

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Space Improvements ➤ Designers can save board space while improving electrical performance and reliability with the use of advanced integrated thick-film passive components.

by Ron Demcko, Application Engineering Manager, AVX Corp.

E

Reducing Capacitor Inductance

lectronic designers continuously battle printed circuit board ( P C B ) s p a ce re s t r i c t i o n s as a result of advanced system requirements to feature increased computing power, speed and functionality. After all, new products are not expected to get larger and heavier than their introductory sizes. Designers can save board space while improving electrical performance and reliability with the use of advanced integrated thick-film passive components, including decoupling capacitors, capacitor arrays, integrated LC T filter arrays, and low-inductance capacitor arrays. All of these components have been developed because of advancements in manufacturing processes that enable passive component manufacturers to accurately control electrode dimensions and effectively terminate those electrodes in a cost-effective way.

(LICAs); and, most recently, bottomterminated land-grid arrays (LGAs). This evolution has been driven by the enduser requirements of lower inductance power delivery systems to keep pace with switching speeds and transistor density in silicon processors. Electrically, these capacitors help reduce noise to such an extent that a lesser number of capacitors needs to be used. PCB space is freed up, and the reduction in the number of capacitors needed for decoupling thereby saves board space and weight while the reduced components and solder connections improve system reliability. Since the number of components is reduced, fewer solder joints can potentially go bad and fewer individual components need to be factored into system failure predictions

Capacitor inductance is a result of the interaction of magnetic flux fields created by the electric current flow in and out of the device on a circuit board. The current path or “loop” includes not only the multilayer capacitor’s internal electrodes and external termination, but also the power planes, vias, mounting pads, and solder fillets of the substrate/package (see Figure 2). In a simple analysis, two basic strategies can be used to reduce the equivalent series inductance (ESL) of a capacitor: • Make the area of the current loop formed by the mounted device as small as possible • Employ multiple, parallel loops to reduce the net inductance These strategies are somewhat related, as current can flow through an idealized

Technology Innovations One of the best methods of illustrating the termination progress of ceramic and thin-film components is to look at the evolution of decoupling capacitors (see Figure 1). Decoupling capacitors have evolved from multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) to reverse geometry, low-inductance chip capacitors (LICCs); multi-terminal inter-digital capacitors (IDCs); low-inductance capacitor arrays 16

Figure 1. The evolution of low-inductance decoupling capacitors.

May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

Figure 2. ESL in a mounted MLCC directly relates to the area of an idealized current loop (LH x LW) formed in the board and capacitor.

Figure 4. Internal electrode schematics show how IDC terminals are segmented in alternating polarity to achieve small parallel current loops and thus lower ESL than LICCs.

Figure 3. Reverse-geometry LICCs have lower ESL than MLCCs because of a smaller current loop area and greater span length.

Figure 5. LGA capacitors have patterned vertical electrodes coupled with precision termination to form very small current loops and very low ESL.

conductor loop with a given height and width that defines the loop area; in the third dimension, this loop has a given span that is perpendicular to the direction of current flow. To minimize ESL, loop area is minimized and loop span is maximized. This is the strategy that led to the development of the reverse-geometry LICC, which, when compared to an equal case size MLCC, has an effective current loop with smaller “area” and greater span to give the LICC an inductance reduction of approximately three to four times (see Figure 3). The second strateg y to reduce decoupling capacitor inductance is shown by comparing the reverse geometry LICC with the IDC. As illustrated in Figure 4, the long-side terminations of LICCs can be segmented with terminals of alternating polarity, forming several parallel, small-area current loops in the IDC device. The lumped inductance of an eight-terminal IDC is approximately three times lower than a LICC of equal case size. In IDCs, inductance can be further reduced by increasing the number of parallel terminal contacts on any of the four sides of the device, preferably with decreased pitch. This is an extension of

the strategy of more parallel loops with smaller current loop area. Finally, for a given style of capacitor with a set number of terminals—whether MLCC, LICC or IDC—the inductance can be reduced by choosing a smaller case size part; in other words, the case size is directly related to the current loop area. Therefore, the consequences of the evolution of low-inductance decoupling capacitors from MLCC to IDC, with smaller case sizes, include an increase of the complexity of the terminal configur ation and a re lated (but unwanted) generalized reduction of the maximum available capacitance per device. The challenges in both capacitor fabrication processes and board assembly operations that are brought on by this evolution provide an opportunity for improvement.

Land-Grid Array Capacitor All of the capacitors discussed previously share some common features: • The internal electrodes are oriented horizontally (i.e., parallel to the substrate after mounting) • The electrical signals enter/exit the

device through terminals located on the side of the capacitor A new capacitor design changes the configuration of the internal electrodes to feature vertical orientation and permits the I/O terminals to be located on the bottom of the capacitor, so signals feed directly into the circuit board (see Figure 5). To emphasize the bottom (rather than side) connectivity, this style of device is called a land-grid array capacitor. The LGA capacitor uses the same strategies listed previously for obtaining low inductance, but the internal electrode configuration allows loop areas to be significantly reduced relative to the other designs. Because of the efficiency of the current cancellation within the capacitor that is achieved by the new electrode/ terminal structure, a relatively simple two-terminal LGA can have equivalent inductance to a multi-terminal IDC (see Figure 6, p. 18). Low-inductance LGA capacitors provide simple PCB layout and implementation while offering optimized low-inductance performance.

Low-Inductance Capacitor Array The low-inductance capacitor array remains the leading choice in decoupling highperformance semiconductor packages. LICAs use a C4 solder ball termination, with either Sn/Pb or Pb-free solder balls. Vertical electrodes, as well as a minimized board loop area, ensure LICA performance in virtually all decoupling applications.

Complex Electrode Design Termination evolution has also allowed component manufacturers to integrate complex structures into miniature packages. For instance, low-inductance IDC capacitors can potentially have terminations on all sides of the package. That termination capability allows four LC T configured filters to be packaged into a single ceramic body (see Figure 7, p. 18).

Feed-Thru Array A feed-thru array can potentially replace eight ferrite beads and four capacitors with a single device. In addition to improved reliability, board savings of CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

17

PCB SPACE IMPROVEMENTS

development of advanced decoupling capacitors. A common frequency response for the most common LC T filter arrays is shown in Figure 8.

Material Advances

Figure 6. 1 μF 0306 2T-LGAs feature simplified LICC-like terminals.

up to 80% can be realized. Feed-thru arrays are essentially a low Q, broadband EMI filter. It is common to have a 30 dB attenuation across a 300 mhz RF spectrum. The RF spectrum can be chosen anywhere between 75-1500 mhz. A feed-thru array could not exist without the advanced termination metallization control gained through the

Traditional configuration capacitor arrays have benefited from material advances as well. Capacitor arrays Figure 7. Low-inductance IDC capacitors now have an optional can potentially have terminations on all termination that uses a sides of the package. sub-layer of conductive epoxy, which is then finished with traditional metals. This termination greatly enhances the components’ ability to withstand board flexure and temperature cycling. The most common use for FLEXITERM™ capacitor arrays is to ensure that the MLCCs used on the signal and Vcc/Vbat input of automotive and avionic modules will not crack during process,

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Capacitor Evolution

Figure 8. Frequency response for common LC T filter arrays.

connector assembly or severe exposure to use environments. Design concerns about performance are paramount, as a failed or cracked MLCC could potentially lead to the catastrophic failure of the module, system, and/or use platform. The impact of the conductive polymer sub-layer termination materials on MLCC performance in high flexure and temperature cycle environments cannot be stressed enough. The industry standard for flexure is a minimum of 2 mm. Using FLEXITERM, manufacturers can provide up to 5 mm of flexure without internal cracks. FLEXITERM also provides increased temperature cycling performance (3000 cycles and beyond).

Low-inductance capacitors have evolved primarily due to new termination processes recently implemented in capacitor manufacturing. These new processes allow the capacitor terminals to be focused on current cancellation loop areas and spans in the decoupling capacitor. Board layout must be optimized (lowinductance layout rules) to allow for the low-inductance capacitor properties to remain after board attachment. Low-inductance capacitors are used in an ever-expanding number of high-speed applications. Their ability to lower ground plane impedance has the potential to reduce radiated emissions. In addition, low-inductance capacitors can help reduce component count, system weight and layout complexity while improving system reliability.  For more information, contact AVX Corp. at One AVX Blvd., Fountain Inn, SC 29644; call (864) 967-9343; or visit www.avx.com.

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CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

19

by Edward Barlow, Senior Analyst, GCiS China Strategic Research

China’s Advanced Ceramics Market ➤ The advanced ceramics industry in China will continue to grow, but profits may not increase at the same rate.

L

ike many of its engineered materials markets, China’s advanced ceramics industry has been growing exponentially. Geologically, the country has abundant quantities of the necessary minerals, including the rare earths used in cutting-edge applications. In economic terms, huge investments in the nation’s power distribution, chemicals, and metallurgy base have created widespread demand for high performance and versatile materials. Politically, the Chinese government backs (and fronts) high-tech, home-grown industries with export potential. But this is a fragmented market, contested by hundreds of companies ranging from those located around the historical centers of kaolin production in central China to the high-tech processing zones of Guangdong and Shanghai. Suppliers considerably outnumber customers, particularly in the case of heavy industries such as petrochemicals and electricity distribution where quasi-monopsonies exist.

Products Like the rest of the world, advanced ceramics in China is defined as engineered compounds of inorganic crystalline materials, the properties of which include abrasion resistance, heat resistivity and chemical inertness. Oxide ceramics accounted for around 95% of the total domestic market size of approximately 2 million tons in 2010; silicon carbides were around 4% and other types (e.g., nitrides and borides) comprised the remainder. 20

The majority of oxide ceramics are aluminum based, with zirconium comprising around 5% and magnesium, 3%. Others include beryllium, calcium, zinc and titanium, as well as trace levels of yttrium, thorium, and uranium. The typical product is an aluminum oxide-based ceramic used as an insulator in power transmission and distribution.

Market Structure Around 500 companies are registered as advanced ceramics suppliers across China. The majority of them are small, oneproduct specialists that are tied to a large customer. An example of a small supplier might be one that focuses on ignition electrodes for a provincial gas boiler manufacturer and earns around $1 million per year. Medium-sized companies number around 100 and earn approximately $10 million in sales revenues per year, with a larger production scale and export market than their smaller counterparts. Such a company could include a refractory products manufacturer for a large power company. Large advanced ceramics suppliers are earning over $40 million in sales per year. These companies offer multiple product lines and have branched into multiple types of aluminum and carbide ceramics. Many of these companies benefit from some form of foreign investment or association. For example, Huaxin ElectroTechnology, a producer of hollow bushings for power lines, supplies ABB and Siemens. Another, Yixin Ceramics, reportedly produces proppants for Haliburton.

May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

Applications As shown in Figure 1, China’s booming power industry is driving the bulk of market demand and will be the source of an estimated $1 billion in advanced ceramic supplier revenues in the domestic market. This segment of the market is crowded at the supply end; an estimated 200 suppliers vie for the business of a few key companies like the State Grid or one of the Big Five power plant holding companies. The chemicals and petrochemicals market was the source of around $500 million in supplier revenues in 2010. Like the power industry, it is expected to grow substantially in 2011, expanding the market by as much as $100 million this year. Unlike the power industry, this segment has a large number of customers and more diversity in the application of advanced ceramics. For example, advanced ceramics are

Figure 1. China’s advanced ceramics end-user opportunity matrix. The bubbles represent spending, while positioning is decided by a combination of near-term opportunities in the market and end users’ demand for quality.

used in corrosion control, packaging or catalysis support. In addition to aluminum oxide, commonly procured types of ceramics in this segment include magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide and silicon carbide. The metallurgy sector is also a large end-user market. Metallurgy, which was worth around $450 million to suppliers in 2010, consists of the processing of China’s ferrous, base and precious metals. This is a high-growth market for advanced ceramics because of the increasing efficiencies that industry regulators are trying to push through. These are borne out in the need for longer lifespans of its capital goods. Products mainly include high-refractory ceramics for crucibles and heat treatment facilities. Customers include Shougang, Baosteel and Masteel.

Trends and Opportunities The industry will continue to grow, but profits may not grow at the same rate, especially for suppliers of the more common types of ceramics. Capacity building has been rife in the industry and looks set to continue. As a result of this and the increasing number of market entrants, pressure on downstream pricing is likely. At the same time, raw materials prices are expected to rise, eroding profitability. Because it is now easier to produce advanced ceramics on a large scale, the industry is able to meet the needs of multiple end user applications, creating new markets for advanced ceramics. The Chinese government is broadly supportive of advances in the country’s technological production capabilities. The National Development and Reform Commission is in the process of overseeing a multi-trillion-dollar nationwide project to industrialize the underdeveloped western provinces of the country. Over the near-term future, this project will buttress the continuation of high growth rates in the market. In addition, the National People’s Cong ress has announced the details of China’s 12th Five Year Plan. Two features stand out as major benefactors of the advanced ceramics industry: investment in infrastructure and industrial capacity will continue on an expansion of the nation’s monetar y base, and significant levels of funding for advanced materials R&D are going to be made available. Over the course of the Five Year Plan, which ends in 2015, growth rates in excess of 15% per year can be expected for the advanced ceramics market. This will attract more suppliers and distributors while creating new products and markets. Innovators, traditionally originating from abroad, will find the market increasingly localized as China-specific solutions are sought and compensated to a higher degree and the buying power of local customers dwarfs that of others. Moving onshore and into the domestic supply chain may make strategic sense now that this modern variant of China’s eponymous material has come of age.  For additional information, contact the author at ebarlow@gcis. com.cn or visit www.gcis.com.cn.

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21

➤ Custom glass formulations can fulfill specific functions in a range of applications.

Mirrors on the Hubble Space Telescope are made of ultra-low-expansion glass. (Image credit: NASA, 2009.)

Success by Design by Ian Doggett, General Manager, The Technical Glass Co. (one of the Goodfellow Group of Companies), Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, UK

G

lass has two main defining characteristics: it is an amorphous (non-crystalline) solid—meaning that there is no long-range order of the positioning of its molecules—and it exhibits a reversible transition from a hard, brittle state to a molten state when heated, without a pronounced change in material structure. These two characteristics provide the basis for the development of innovative glass formulations that can result in novel solutions to high-tech challenges. Successful glass formulation requires a thorough knowledge of the raw materials to be used, an understanding of the dynamic interaction of these raw materials, and a great deal of experience with the formulation process itself. Complementing those skills is another critical element of glass formulation: a mindset that embraces the prospect of creating something new and unique that functions like no other material. 22

Meeting the Application Challenge The decision by a researcher or manufacturer to investigate the feasibility of a custom glass formulation for a technical application usually follows a thorough review of the scientific literature and an in-house evaluation of existing materials. Given the desired characteristics and performance, is there a familiar or readily obtainable material that will do the job? Only after all contenders are eliminated will a custom glass formulation be considered.

Today, specially formulated technical glass is found in a growing list of scientific fields (see sidebar). More important than the particular field, however, is the performance that can be crafted into or onto the glass. A specific formulation can potentially find application in any number of fields. The following represent just a few examples of how formulation can influence function. Tailoring Thermal Properties With careful selection of the type and pro-

Technical Glass Applications Aerospace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . instrumentation, radiation-shielding devices, connectors Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . light controls, sensors, air bag detonation systems Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sensors, capacitors, thermostats, component coatings Telecommunications . . . . . . . . . . fiber optic apparatus Optics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . specialty lenses, mirrors, infrared and UV filters Fuel cells and microwaves . . . . . hermetic connectors, sealing components Medical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . bio-active coatings for orthopedic implants

May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

Alterable Properties

Matching the thermal expansion coefficient of glass to metal in these hermetic seals is critical to successful performance.

Thermal properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . melt temperature, stability, expansion for compatibility with other components Physical durability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . extreme hardness, abrasion resistance for wear-resistant coatings and components Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . aesthetic and functional Chemical durability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . resistance to acids and bases Refractive index matching and dispersion. . . . . . . . optical and fiber optic applications

mulation is found in the mirrors of the Hubble Space Telescope, which are made of ultra-low-expansion glass and kept at a nearly constant room temperature (21°C) to prevent warping.

Specially formulated glass is fundamental to the fiber optic industry.

Several different glass compositions are often produced and subsequently machined before an ideal formulation is achieved.

portions of raw material and diligent adjustments to the formulation process itself, it is possible to achieve the specific melt temperature required for a particular application. For example, durable glass has been made to melt at 400°C while other glass has been produced with a transition temperature below 150°C. Even existing non-custom glass can be altered to melt at 100°C lower than conventional container glasses. Other thermal properties can be modified in the technical glass development process. This is important because matching the thermal stability and/or thermal expansion of the glass to other materials in a component or to the operational requirements of the application is critical to structural integrity and performance. A practical, high-tech example of the control of thermal properties during for-

Blocking or Channeling Electromagnetic Energy As a coating or as a component, glass can be formulated to block or channel certain wavelengths of light (e.g., ultraviolet and infrared). Glass can also be formulated to block radiation. Although glass coatings to block ultraviolet (UV) rays have long been available, glass is now being formulated with UV protection built right into the glass. A particularly sophisticated glass-based band pass filter has also been developed for tight infrared transmission. A less complex (but perhaps more widely appreciated) application of specially formulated glass is seen in the production of tinted beer bottles, which are created to protect their contents from flavor-killing “light strike.” Lead glass, though not as widely available as in years past, is still the most effective way to shield aerospace electronics from radiation during use. As for radiation detection, the addition of specific oxide dopants during glass formulation has resulted in specialized glass that is used in setting up and calibrating standard sets for X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. Maximizing the Power of Light and Color For the exacting field of fiber optic communication, glass has been formulated to make dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) substrates, which are used for increased functional capacity of fiber optic strands. Specialists in technical glass formulation have also developed an innovative dichroic (Greek for “two col-

ors”) glass that shifts from red to green, depending on lighting and the environment. This is accomplished through inglass oxide additions rather than the more typical (but less reliable) multi-layer coatings. And for many applications, both aesthetic and functional, selective rare earth doping of glass formulations can yield tight control of the desired final color.

Balanced Properties Virtually every technical glass application requires a balance of properties that meet specific performance objectives. This balance is far more delicate than that which is found in most commercially available types of glass. For example, the custom yellow glass shown on this page needed to have specific properties for its use in a new product, and it had to be easily machinable so that it could be manufactured in commercial quantities. Several different glass compositions were produced and subsequently machined before the ideal formulation was achieved. This highly refined process of trial and error is typical of custom glass development; it is not until the science of formulation meets the real world of application testing that the winning combination emerges. The development of any new material or component in a commercial setting is highly confidential. However, the process of development through partnerships with outside experts is by nature intensely collaborative. Mutual trust and respect, energized by the thrill of developing something new that uniquely meets a need, can make the process a shared voyage of discovery that pays big dividends in performance and commercial success.  For more information, email the author at [email protected]. CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

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Diamond Lapping and Polishing

➤ Flat lapping is often the process of choice when finishing a ceramic surface to precise dimensions. by Mark Irvin, Hyprez® Product Manager, Engis Corp.

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s advanced ceramics evolve and ever harder and more stable materials are introduced into the market, the challenge to finish parts to precise dimensions grows. Flat lapping is often the process of choice when it is necessary to achieve dimensional flatness and finish requirements. Unless the proper tools are applied, however, flat lapping can be a time-consuming process. Lapping with diamond can pay off in lower cycle times and lower slurry consumption. Lapping with diamond also results in lower slurry cost per hour, lower sludge generation, lower reject rates and fewer process steps.

What is Lapping? Free abrasive lapping is a four-body process that involves an abrasive, a carrier (paste or liquid) to be applied between the workpiece surface, and a lapping plate. While some of the diamond particles in the carrier can become embedded in the lapping plate to perform a fine grinding action, abrasive particles in lapping may also be continuously loose and rolling (see Figure 1). The lapping process, which is well-suited to brittle materials like hard ceramics, works by pushing the points of the diamond grains into the work surface to abrade microchips of workpiece material. As a result, lapped surfaces do not have directional marks. This kneading or abrading action on the work surface is repeated millions of times in order to effectively remove material while simultaneously providing a polishing action (especially when using very fine micron and sub-micron sized abrasive particles).

• • • •

Greater planar, spherical or conical surface requirements Improved sealing Improved cosmetic surfaces Planarizing joined dissimilar materials (e.g., laminates, composites) • Surface deburring, removal of “gummy” materials • Thinning/finishing parts with poor aspect ratios Common applications for the flat lapping of precision ceramics include mechanical seals, seal rings, pump parts, vacuum chucks, fixture components, wafers for microelectromechanical devices (MEMs), and flat glass or mirror substrates. Almost any application of engineered ceramics with high flatness and/or surface finish requirements may benefit from the diamond lapping process. Compared to lapping with conventional abrasives (e.g., silicon carbide), diamond lapping offers the following benefits:

Applications and Advantages Diamond lapping is most appropriate for ceramic machining or finishing projects that require any of the following: • Working with non-oxide advanced ceramics or dense, highpurity oxide ceramics; these materials are “super-hard,” but they are not harder than diamond, which can offer more economical processing. 24

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Figure 1. Lapping uses a combination of embedded and free diamond abrasive particles.

Table 1. Diamond lapping vs. conventional silicon carbide for an alumina wafer. Silicon Carbide Diamond Number of process steps 2 1 Removal rate/cycle time .0013 in./hr, 45 min cycle .004 in./hr, 15 min cycle Slurry consumption .5 gal/hr 1 pint/8 hr Sludge generation 4 gal/8 hr .125 gal/8 hr Part finish Matte finish Reflective Part cleanliness Dark, dirty; Relatively clean; two cleaning steps one-step light cleaning Slurry cost/8-hr shift $166 $47 Table 2. Diamond lapping examples. Seal Ring Ceramic material 99.7% alumina Surface area 49 in2 Removal rate .0018 in./hr Diamond size 6 micron Slurry type Water-based Plate type HY iron composite Surface finish 5.7 μin

Pump Slider Hot Water Seal Alumina Alumina 0.35 in2 1.5 in2 .0024 in./hr .0038 in./min 3 micron 15 micron Water-based Water-based HY copper HY copper 1.7 μin 6.5 μin

• Aggressive material removal for equal or better productivity • Uniform edge-to-edge flatness; sublight band (11 millionths of an inch) results are routine, and up to 1/20 wavelength is achievable under specific conditions • Better than sub-micron surface finish (< 0.5 Ra) is routine; sub-nanometer surface finishes are achievable • High potential to develop a one-step lapping and polishing solution for reduced cycle times • Reduced waste supports green initiatives

A Case Study As shown in Table 1, diamond provided a more effective lapping solution than conventional abrasives for an alumina wafer. In this instance, diamond eliminated the hand-polishing step, reduced the cycle time by 30 min, saved $14.87 per hour in slurry costs, reduced waste and associated disposal costs, and reduced cleaning time and the use of cleaning solutions. In addition, diamond minimized the messy appearance that is often associated with conventional abrasive lapping. Diamond’s lower slurry volume requirements also reduced shipping and inventory costs. The removal rates and slurry consumption in this study are fairly typical

Chuck Alumina nitride 104 in2 .0005 in./hr 3 micron Water-based HY ceramic 6 μin

for lapping alumina. However, every case is a bit different since removal rate is a function of pressure, speed, and a lapping constant that accounts for material and abrasive efficiency (as explained by Preston’s Equation*). In some cases, part geometry or equipment constraints limit the pressure that can be applied, so removal rates vary accordingly. Table 2 shows the results achieved with diamond in four different ceramic lapping applications. In applications where surface finish requirements are particularly demanding, parts typically undergo a polishing step after lapping. For example, with the alumina nitride chuck, the part was brought to a 6 μin2 reflective finish using 1 micron diamond slurry on a fine-nap pad.

A “Systems Approach” When it comes to the fine grinding and lapping of ceramics, the best results occur through a “systems approach” that examines abrasive powders, slurries, plates/pads, machine tools and accessory options, and matches them against specifications for consistent part quality, processing time, environmental requirements and overall costs. Following are guidelines for each of these system components:

*R=KPv, where R is removal rate, K is Preston’s Coefficient (process dependent), P is pressure (load/area) and v is relative lapping velocity.

Abrasive Powder and Slurry Achieving super-fine finishes requires rigid control over diamond particle size. For this reason, high-quality slurry always has at its core a carefully graded abrasive with a consistent, predictable mean particle size and tight standard deviation. High-quality slurry is also free of oversize particles at the high end of the distribution. Diamond can be paired with a specially engineered slurry vehicle that promotes diamond dispersion, wets the plate, keeps debris formation to a minimum and lubricates to enhance the cutting action. “Ceramics are typically processed with water-based slurries containing monocrystalline diamond for greatest economy,” says Rich Pacyna, manager of Engis’ Process Development Lab. “These are easy to use and clean up well. A diamond size should be selected based on the target finish and material removal rate. If everything else is equal, denser ceramics will yield smoother finishes.” Machines To gain the full benefit of the inherent strength of diamond on ceramic, the ideal lapping machine design features high down-pressure/down-force (5 psi and up), a robust drive system to tolerate the high down-pressure, and a variable speed drive with high top-end RPM capability. Plates and Accessories Proper plate selection is vital. The plate must be of optimal hardness and malleability to maintain flatness, accept a diamond charge, and accelerate the rolling abrasive action. Lapping ceramics with diamond typically requires a lapping plate made from composite metal iron (X-08) or cast iron for roughing operations; composite metal copper (HY Cu) is needed for general purpose and finishing operations. The use of a composite ceramic plate (HY Ce) can eliminate concerns regarding potential metal contamination, when needed. After a certain period of use, the lapping plate will become worn and require reconditioning to re-establish plate flatness CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

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DIAMOND LAPPING AND POLISHING

and meet end-part flatness tolerance and surface finish requirements. When plates become “glazed,” they no longer remove material at a consistent rate, which, in turn, introduces undesired production variables. Reconditioning a diamond lapping plate requires cutting away the top surface to restore flatness (facing) and retexturing the plate so that it can be “charged.” Charging is the process of embedding the diamond abrasive into the plate. A facing device can be considered as an alternative to traditional conditioning rings. Facing devices provide superior control over the groove pattern (macro texture) and land shape (micro texture) of the plate surface, which allows for greater consistency in removal rates and surface finishes. The lapping force applied is actually load per unit contact area, so

controlling the contact area (or bearing ratio) is vital to consistent performance. A consistent bearing ratio results in repeatable removal rates and excellent batch-to-batch consistency. As a corollary, the reduced contact area provided by a grooved plate increases the load per unit area, therefore increasing removal rates. An added benefit is that the groove also aids in clearing away swarf. Note that the development of facing devices was driven by the need to increase first-pass quality and reduce scrap costs. If a manufacturer determines that diamond would add benefit to its operations, a facing device eliminates concerns about finding an operator with the skills to maintain a plate using traditional ring-conditioning techniques, thus simplifying the integration of a diamond lapping system.

Consistency is Key The advanced ceramics industry is facing an ever-increasing demand to process harder and more stable materials. It is important to remember that consistency is key, and successful manufacturers make every effort to implement a “systems approach” that controls the bearing area, pressure, plate speed, charging process, slurry dispensing and—most importantly—the quality of the diamond slurry. Controlling equipment, consumables, and process variables ensures that the desired stock removal, flatness, and surface finish tolerances are achieved while the amount of waste and rejected parts is reduced.  For more information, contact Engis Corp. at 105 W. Hintz Rd., Wheeling, IL 60090; call (847) 808-9400; fax (847) 808-9430; email [email protected]; or visit www.engis.com.

With a MobileTag go from Print to Web

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Micro-Injection Molding Puts Ceramics in Top Form by Martin Sutter, Product and Sales Manager, Fine Ceramics, SPT Roth, Lyss, Switzerland

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n recent years, fine industrial ceramics have been established as a forward-looking material in almost every industry. Ceramic injection molding (CIM) offers an outstanding opportunity to make the optimum use of the advantages provided by these materials. In order to fully exploit the potential offered by this modern ceramic forming process, however, comprehensive knowhow is needed throughout the entire processing sequence. It is essential to understand the production of the raw material, the design and manufacture of the molding dies, the CIM process itself, and the finishing of the component and its quality control.

Applications In general, CIM provides a distinctly economical and reliable production technique, particularly for medium-sized unit quantities (and larger) that involve complex shapes, stringent tolerance standards, thin walls and tiny holes (see Figure 1). The use of ceramics in existing or new products can be recommended to meet the following requirements: • Bio-compatibility • Corrosion resistance • Electrical insulation • Wear resistance • Quality of finish (e.g., polished, net shape) • Thermal stability • High modulus of elasticity with low weight. In the medical and dental industries, particular value is placed on bio-compatibility, transparency, coloration, quality of finish, and consistency. These applications place exacting demands on the

➤ Ceramic injection molding permits the economical production of ultra-precise small components while affording maximum design freedom. purity of the materials, process reliability and quality assurance. There is no shortage of applications for ceramics in these fields, due to the widespread need for such implementations as dental tooth implants, abutments, orthodontic brackets, medical endoscopic devices and nozzles for analytical requirements. In the field of machine manufacture, characteristics such as extreme hardness and resistance to wear, corrosion and chemicals—together with exceptional strength and low weight relative to volume—count for a great deal. Examples in this category include nozzles, guides, gearwheels and parts with screw threads. The electronics sector calls for effective electrical and thermal insulation, electrostatic discharge properties, and geometri-

cally precise dimensions for particularly small components. Applications can be found in bonding capillaries, receptacle guides and grippers, among others.

Material Characteristics Apart from a variety of specific, application-related mixtures, two basic materials in particular have become established in the field of oxide ceramics. Aluminum oxide (Al2O3) is currently the most important oxide ceramic material. It stands out by virtue of its high strength and hardness, high wear resistance, corrosion resistance, high thermal conductivity, high temperature resistance, and outstanding electrical insulation properties. Similarly, zirconium oxide (ZrO 2) is principally selected due to its exceptional bending CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

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MICRO-INJECTION MOLDING

Figure 1. Complex, as-sintered orifice geometries are possible.

strength, high modulus of elasticity (comparable with steel), low thermal conductivity, high temperature resistance, and good tribological characteristics. Both of these materials provide the possibility of individually adapting and producing feedstocks for the injection process and adapting them to the mixture ratio, grain size and binding agent. This flexibility enables manufacturers to optimally match the properties of the material to the requirements of the finished part.

The CIM Process The ceramic injection molding process offers a great deal of design freedom. With this process, arbitrary shapes such as internal and external threads, undercuts, inclined drill-holes and freely formed faces can be directly produced without incurring any reworking costs. The oxide powder or powders are mixed in varying proportions with a binding agent. The resulting feedstock must be suitable for injection molding at a high green density, and the binding agent must be able to be removed before the sintering process takes place. CIM is similar to plastic injection molding and is carried out on optimized microinjection molding machines. Achieving the optimum green density is essential. Usually, the binding agent content is carefully removed from the molded blank in accordance with a thermal/time curve. In this process, the binding agents are driven off through thermal decomposition or by means of a combination of extraction and pyrolysis. When freed of these agents, however, the component 28

Figure 2. Molded alumina insulators for surgical plasma ablation devices.

Figure 3. Nozzles for micro-dispensing incorporate complex features that were determined early in the design stage.

must retain precisely the shape it acquired in the injection molding process. With the sintering process, compaction (without pressure) assumes almost the same theoretical density values as the pure material itself. At the same time, provision must be made for a linear contraction of 20-30%. The sintering of oxide ceramics is carried out in air or a vacuum; in this case, sintering contraction is dependent on the material and the green density achieved for the injection molding process.

CIM technology, the following points should be observed at the design stage for the component part: • Unnecessary and pronounced variations in wall thicknesses and abrupt changes of cross-sections should be avoided. • Accumulations of material should be circumvented (incorporate recesses). • Sharp edges should be rounded off wherever possible. • Lengthy, freestanding cores should be made as symmetrical as possible. Figure 2 depicts alumina insulators for surgical devices that have retained their shape in the injection molding process without any additional finishing work. Figure 3 illustrates a component that has been designed for CIM in conjunction with the customer from an early stage.

Fine ceramics open up entirely new possibilities. With the aid of hot isostatic presses (HIPs), the microstructure can be retrospectively compacted again under heat and pressure (the last 0.5%) for special applications. After they have undergone thermal treatment, the component parts possess the properties of the pure material itself (e.g., hardness, density, compression resistance, solidity, resistance to chemicals, freedom from distortion, and thermal and electrical properties). After the sintering process, CIM blanks essentially correspond to the finished part. If necessary, additional work may be carried out to remove any sprue or to produce a special product feature. All of the common processing methods can be used for finishing operations, such as grinding, lapping, honing and polishing.

Designing for CIM In order to make the optimum use of

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Expanded Possibilities The shaping possibilities offered by the CIM process are comparable with those of plastic or metal micro-injection molding. Because of their special properties, however, fine ceramics open up entirely new possibilities. Developments in recent years indicate that increasing numbers of users from the most wide-ranging industries are making use of these possibilities for their products and are substituting fine ceramics for conventional materials. In doing so, manufacturers are pursuing the objective of endowing their products with better usage characteristics and, in turn, reinforcing their competitiveness.  For more information in the U.S., email [email protected]; in Europe, email [email protected]. Additional details are also available at www.spt.net/cim.

by Jerry Weinstein, Ph.D., President, Ceramaterials, Port Jervis, N.Y.

Graphite Insulation Takes the

➤ Carbon and graphite fiber-based materials ensure high-quality insulation, equipment integrity, consistent processing parameters, energy savings, and personal safety.

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arbon-based insulation provides superior thermal protection at extremely high temperatures in neutral (non-oxidizing) or vacuum atmospheres. In furnaces that often exceed 1200°C (2192°F), carbon fiber-based materials ensure high-quality insulation, equipment integrity, consistent processing parameters, energy savings and personal safety. An error in insulation material selection can lead to failure in one or all of these critical areas.

The Basics Insulation materials based on carbonized and graphitized carbon fiber are most often formed from rayon, petroleum-based pitch or polyacrylonitrile (PAN) raw material sources. Rayon is the more expensive fiber, while PAN is a lower cost alternative. Starting with raw fibers, the material is processed through controlled oxidation and carbonization processes; it is eventually graphitized at up to 2000°C (3630°F). These high-carbon-content fibers can be turned into flexible soft-felt insulations or rigidized insulation structures, which can then be used to protect high-temperature environments and specialized equipment. The progression from amorphous carbon to graphite is a two-step process that

includes both chemical and physical shifts. At temperatures below approximately 1500°C (2730°F), non-carbon volatiles are chemically volatilized in a process generally known as pyrolysis. Because volatiles are evolved during this stage, a significant loss of the material occurs. Above 1500°C, the carbon atoms become more mobile and begin to arrange themselves into the layered hexagonal structure—graphite. In general terms, the higher the process temperature, the more graphitic the carbon becomes and the more expensive the resulting product. The final graphitization step results in a very clean material with high carbon content. Additional thermal processing or halogen gas purification can be done to reduce the total ash content to less than 5 ppm.

Soft Carbon-Based Insulation Flexible soft felt is supplied in either a carbonized or graphitized form, depending on whether it was heat treated at a temperature higher or lower than 1500°C. The felt-needled blanket is woven from raw material fibers and heat treated as a formed cloth. Certain end use furnaces and processes, such has the heat treating of metals, do not require the graphitized soft felt and can use the more economi-

Soft graphite felt insulation.

Machined tongue and groove in a large cylinder made of rigid insulation.

cal carbonized felt. Since different manufacturers process the materials to different end carbonization and graphitization temperatures, it is a good idea to review the application and end use with the material manufacturer or supplier. Flexible soft felt insulation is typically available in four thicknesses: ੢, ¼, ½ and 1 in. The felt is supplied in rolls in widths of 40 to 48 in., is easy to handle and can be cut with common scissors or a knife.

Above: Soft-felt insulations or rigidized insulation structures can be used to protect high-temperature environments and specialized equipment, such as this graphite-lined vacuum furnace (Centorr Industries). CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

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GRAPHITE INSULATION

The soft, flexible felt is also versatile and allows easy bending around corners or a radius. Soft felt insulation can fill in voids or other spaces and be layered to a desired thickness. In addition, it is easily sewn using carbon yarn, graphite tow or even moly wire if extra reinforcement is needed. Sewing can be incorporated if a metal or carbon composite structure is used to provide the rigid shape of the insulation package. Soft insulation is available as a flock or wool.

Rigid Carbon-Based Insulation Rigidized insulation is often made from resin-impregnated carbon felt layers or chopped carbon fibers held together in a resin matrix. This material is manufactured in board form or as customized shapes, such as cylinders, that allow for maximum use of the furnace space. Rigid insulation can also be formed and machined into complex shapes to incorporate specific features, such as lap joints or barrel stave cuts. Rigidized felt is formed to shape and size using layers of resin-impregnated soft felt, which provides additional resistance to fracture. Carbon fiber in resin is also shaped into large rigid blocks. Boards are formed by slicing the carbon fiber resin blocks on large band saws. Covering the boards with graphite foil seals the surface for lower gas permeability and provides some durabil-

Close-up of one section of the large cylinder.

ity against abrasion. In addition, layers of carbon fiber cloth and graphite foil sheets provide structural support, surface protection and heat reflection.

Applications Typical applications for these materials are resistance- or induction-heated vacuum furnaces and inert gas furnaces. Because carbon-based insulations feature low thermal conductivity, they are cleaner than loose-particle filling (like carbon black) and superior to metal radiation shields. A low specific heat permits rapid furnace cycling, resulting in the ability to gain efficiencies in volume production runs. Their high surface area makes these materials excellent oxygen “getters” in vacuum and inert atmospheres. The carbon-based materials are very stable in oxidizing temperatures up to 300°C and protective atmospheres (vacuum or inert) up to 3000°C. Due to the high surface area of the fibers, carbon and graphite insulation will start to oxidize as low as 200°C, so care must be taken to allow the furnaces to cool sufficiently before opening to air. Quenching in nitrogen gas is often used to assist cooling, especially when heat treating metals.

Benefits Carbon-based insulation materials are easy to work with, inert and safe to handle. They are lightweight, easy to cut by hand, and can be machined into intricate shapes. Because this type of insulation is carbon based, it is not wet by most molten metals, and with its high specific surface, it offers high adsorption capacity. Carbon and graphite insulation offer durable cost performance for high-temperature processing in oxygen-free and vacuum environments.  For more information, contact Ceramaterials, 226 Route 209, Port Jervis, NY 12771; call (518) 701-6722; fax (718) 569-6475; email [email protected]; or visit www.ceramaterials.com. 30

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special report | materials handling/powder processing by Greg Reed, Principal Designer, Applicon Co. Inc., Indianapolis, Ind.

pre-built processing systems can minimize the interruption of production while reducing the total cost of an upgrade. Skid-mounted wet systems are common in chemical processing because pumps and valves for liquids are usually relatively small. Pre-built systems are much less common in industries where dry materials are processed, in part because the associated equipment tends to be physically larger. Yet for many plants, the modular design of dry processes is the path to success for a process upgrade or even new process installations.

Headroom

Figure 1. The anchor module for a compact system design.

Going Modular ➤ Pre-engineered, pre-built processing systems can minimize production interruptions while reducing the cost of an upgrade.

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ompetition is fierce, profits are tight, and floor space and time are scarce. Producing more product at a better quality and lower cost is the imperative of our time. Few plants, especially older ones, have unused space where a new process system can be installed while the old one is still running. Existing facilities are often “trapped” by the way their plant matured from mostly manual handling and processing to partial automation. Equipment layout tends to spread out over time, simply because existing equipment is in place and rearranging it can be expensive and disruptive. Thus, there is design pressure to locate new equipment remotely in order not to disrupt existing production while a process is upgraded. As the plant layout evolves, delivering or conveying materials becomes more com-

plex. Longer runs, torturous paths and tight spaces all constrain the selection of materials handling, which expands the project cost and complexity by requiring materials to be moved a longer distance. This push on scope and cost is often a compounded cost. For example, an existing plant has process Step A, Step B and Step C located in reasonably close proximity. Moving Step B away requires conveyance from A to B, and from B back to C—conveyance, times two. For most production plants, serious process improvement means a planned outage of sufficient duration to allow for on-site dismantling, the installation of new equipment, power and control wiring, testing, and troubleshooting. However, many small- and medium-sized plants or processes may have an alternative to site-built systems. Pre-engineered,

Vertical space is often not well used in older plants where manual labor was the norm, with good reason. The operator is safest and most productive on the floor, and raw materials mostly come to the process at floor level. In addition, maintenance at floor level is easier and requires no expenditure on access equipment. That underused headroom might be put to effective and efficient use, however, even in a plant with only 10 or 12 ft of height available. With careful planning, vertical space can be used to reduce the process footprint and still provide functional access for inspection and service. A vertical design that takes advantage of gravity flow reduces or eliminates the need for conveyors.

Footprint Combining available headroom with a small footprint yields several process advantages for dry product processing. Shorter chutes can be steeper for dependable gravity flow. Shorter conveyors require a bit less power and—more importantly—perform better. A short screw conveyor needs no hanger bearing, and a short vacuum conveyor can operate at high vacuum and low velocity. Few dry processing systems will fit on a single skid, but a skidded module can serve as the anchor for a compact system. Figure 1 shows the anchor module for a compact system design. This skid contains the major process equipment, including CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

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GOING MODULAR

feeders, crushers, screeners, pulverizer, packaging and the process control panel. This fully automatic system can replace decades-old equipment, where cumbersome portable conveyors were tried in an attempt to relieve the operators from feeding the process equipment via scoop and bucket. Careful design of the new system allows the anchor skid to enter the existing process room without modifying the 8-fthigh door, yet service access is maintained to all components.

Figure 2. An installed modular system. The several items located off the skid need only to be reconnected to the conduit in place on the skid.

Figure 3. A powder production system that was erected adjacent to an existing calciner, in the space previously used to store barrels of powder waiting to be calcined.

Figure 2 shows the same system fully installed. The several items located off the skid need only to be reconnected to the conduit in place on the skid. After a quick check of the direction of rotation, the system is ready to process, having already been fully tested at the factory. The same discipline can be used for larger systems. Modular process towers with modular decks and a handrail can speed installation. If the site allows passage of large assemblies, smaller towers may even be delivered with some of the process equipment already in place on the deck modules. 32

Figure 3 shows a powder production system that was erected adjacent to an existing calciner, in the space previously used to store barrels of powder waiting to be calcined. This compact design actually increased the availability of floor space by eliminating four batch ball mills and the space for in-process drums. Mechanical installation was accomplished in a few days, with wiring/piping taking a few days more. Operators no longer handle the coarse material directly; material is now dumped and fed automatically. Coarse crushing, tertiary crushing, screening, pulverizing, air classification, and conveyance to the calciner are all done automatically and continuously. The operators are relieved from crude manual labor, the plant is cleaner, the finished product is more uniform, and throughput is higher.

Pros and Cons Modular design has some perceived disadvantages. Because many of the field functions are moved to the fabrication shop, the equipment cost seems higher; however, installation costs are almost always much lower. The modular approach can also be limited by process size and site constraints. Fully pre-built systems are limited in throughput, but modular systems are valid for all but very large process requirements.

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If the only access to the location for the new equipment is through a very narrow path or by elevator, pre-building may not be cost effective. In addition, modular design can result in reduced access for inspection and maintenance. However, careful design can accommodate the inevitable need to inspect, service or remove equipment. Advantages of modular design and construction include: • Minimized length and size of conveyors, floor space, and headroom • Reduced length of dust collection branches • Offsite primary testing of the process and controls • Lower onsite installation costs • Shorter installation and system startup time The compact, modular approach can be applied to many functions in a dry processing operation, including powder production, batching and blending, particle size control and surface treatment, and packaging.  For more information, contact Applicon Co. Inc. at 450 N. Somerset Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46222; call (317) 635-7843; fax (317) 6357853; email [email protected]; or visit www.appliconco.com.

special report | brick & clay record

Energy-Efficient Housing Concept ➤ Wienerberger has partnered with heating technology specialists Viessmann Group to enable optimal coordination of all system components.

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limate change, limited resources and rising energy prices are among the greatest challenges of this century. Modern residential construction can play an important role in tackling these challenges. Wienerberger AG has addressed the issue of energyefficient construction and sustainability for many years. In addition to research and development to optimize existing products and the innovation of new-generation, high-thermal-insulating blocks and efficient construction systems, the group also focuses on developing more energy-efficient and cost-competitive housing concepts. To that end, Wienerberger has developed the e4-concept for energy-efficient buildings. The concept is based on four key factors. • A high-thermal-insulating, solid exterior envelope, built from optimized clay blocks. • The use of natural building materials to create a healthy internal climate and high comfort of living.

• Efficient, climate-friendly and comfortable heating technology for all energy sources from partner companies. • Affordable construction cost with minimal maintenance and operating expenses. In order to accommodate the various construction methods and climatic conditions throughout Europe, and to meet the continent’s diverse requirements and standards, the e4-concept will be marketed for a specific national market (e.g., the “Wienerberger Tonhaus” in Germany). These concepts offer developers, builders, architects, and planners complete, uncomplicated, easy-to-use, and individually adaptable solutions that are well thought out— from the planning phase to implementation and operation.

A Solid Foundation The foundation is always a solid exterior envelope made of innovative highthermal-insulating Wienerberger blocks, which provide optimal thermal insulation, CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

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ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOUSING

heat capacity and heat bridge-free details while also creating a natural, healthy room climate. The basic brick structure is combined with efficient and climate-friendly heating equipment made by the Viessmann Group, Allendorf (Eder), Germany, a partner in the e4-housing concept. “Our vision includes healthy, energy-efficient and sustainable buildings that are both attractive and affordable,” said Heimo Scheuch, CEO of Wienerberger AG. “Together with partners, we offer our customers building concepts from a single source that ensure perfect interaction between the high-thermal-insulating clay block structure and dynamic, innovative heating systems. We supply easy-to-use, flexible solutions and design studies, together with suitable product recommendations. The buildings are constructed by experts, developers, architects and planners, with Wienerberger serving as an important reference point as they navigate the maze of different requirements and regulations. “The next phase of this approach has seen us team up with experts from research institutions and related industries. I am particularly pleased to have found an enthusiastic partner in the Viessmann Group, with which we have already started successful projects in several countries, including Poland, Austria, Germany and Croatia. Together, we have the chance

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May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

to develop the future direction of construction innovation.” Stefan Heer, CSO and member of the administrative board of Viessmann Werke GmbH & Co. KG, said, “Buildings must meet high standards for energy efficiency and CO2 emissions. This is not only in the interest of economical operations, but also represents a legal requirement. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) defines strict standards at the European level, which are currently being implemented in the national law of the member states and will require mandatory compliance in just a few years. “The consequence is that every new house must be viewed and planned holistically from the very beginning as an integrated system consisting of a building structure and envelope, as well as the necessary technology. Only then can the relevant legal requirements be met without immense costs for operation and maintenance after completion.”

A Logical Partnership For Wienerberger and Viessmann, it was an obvious step to combine the strength of both companies. “We have developed a simple building system that can illustrate the complete range of feasible technical options with a limited number of preconfigured modules,” Heer said. “The specific equipment is not important—it could include a condensing boiler, biomass boiler or heat pump. Naturally, the concept also covers equipment such as solar plants or ventilation systems that are now the standard in many energyefficient houses.” Wienerberger says it intends to use the e4-concept to increase awareness of how investors and designers can make a demonstrable contribution to sustainable development through the design, construction, and operation of a building that is both energy efficient and economically viable. Wienerberger’s e4-concept provides recommendations for everything from the energy source to construction methods and primary energy consumption, along with an analysis of the relevant costs.

With its comprehensive approach, the e4-concept meets the goals of the energ y performance of buildings directive (including Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and Council dated May 19, 2010, on the energy performance of buildings), which requires a “nearly zero-

energy” standard for future buildings, defines total primar y energ y consumption as a key indicator for analysis, and mandates a “cost-optimal energy efficiency level.”  For additional details, visit www.wienerberger.com or www.viessmann.com.

Hi-Vac Proud ®

Thhere’s There’s ’ a feeling feeling you get when whh n you ou be it’s own any Hi-Vac product. Maybe wing the confidence you gain knowing that your Hi-Vac product will ssly perform efficiently and flawlessly de every day. Maybe it’s your pride in knowing that your decision to buy Hi-Vac helps create a cleaner, safer, healthier, more ou productive environment. All you know is that when it comes to the highest quality, most respected industrial vacuum systems on the market, you are 100% Hi-Vac Proud. ®

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[email protected] CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

35

³ FREIGHTFOCUS by George Muha

Customer Collaboration

O

ne of the building blocks that will move a company toward a well-oiled supply chain is collaboration with its customers. This crucial step pays a valuable dividend: loyal customers with bigger profit margins. I witnessed a great example of this last week when I visited GMB North America, a New Jersey-based company that provides replacement parts for the auto industry. During my visit, I met with senior warehouse manager Stella Kaplansky. This year, Kaplansky is making it her business to visit with the managers in the receiving departments of her company’s biggest customers. Her goal: to bring value, improve customer relations and increase profit margin at these accounts by offering solutions to make her customers’ lives easier.

A Simple Strategy Kaplansky gave me an example of the true effectiveness of this simple strategy. She described a recent visit to one of her customers, during which she wanted to understand exactly what the company was doing with GMB’s product. She explained that once she comprehends this aspect of a scenario, she is sometimes able to offer a better way for customers to order the items they need and capitalize on efficiencies and savings. In this case, the customer told Kaplansky that they use the product in a kit that they resell. She asked them to specifically demonstrate what is done with GMB’s product when it is received. In short, the customer explained that when they unload the product, they unpack it, recycle the corrugated material, place the product into their kits and then repackage the product with their own box. After that, their product is ready to be sold. Right away, Kaplansky saw the redundancy and was able to talk through a much more efficient process. Since she runs her own warehouse and knows exactly what she is capable of doing, Kaplansky was able to develop an action plan that basically consisted of shipping unpacked product in a dedicated weekly truck (in bulk). Her ability to adapt her operation to her customers’ needs provided huge benefits for GMB’s customer and GMB itself. “Both companies are now saving on packing time, as well as the cost of boxes, pallets, shrink wrapping, palletizing and trans-

portation,” Kaplansky explains. “There are now fewer pallets, a decreased cost of labor to unpack the items, and lower recycling costs and energy bills.” The new strategy also improved lead times by 48 hours; the company now has the ability to ship the same day or next day. “I offered them solutions for improvements and a chance to increase profit,” she says.

Companies that embrace the idea of collaboration are well on their way to out-performing their competition. Kaplansky knows that collaborating with customers is vital to the profitability of her company. She also realizes that collaboration is a key to making her more of a strategic partner to her customers, rather than just another supplier. In this example, with one short face-to-face meeting, Kaplansky was able to deepen her relationship with her customer and cut costs on both sides.

Potential Benefits Companies that embrace the idea of collaboration are well on their way to out-performing their competition. Suppliers whose supply chains intertwine with their customers’ operations bring so much value that the price of the product becomes a smaller priority. These customers are usually ones who won’t wince when it is rate increase time. Often, when an efficiency is created for one customer, the same process can be valuable to others. It is usually easy to duplicate, so it makes sense to include it as part of the sales pitch. In addition, larger, more powerful, and lower-priced suppliers are sometimes too slow-moving to adapt to customers’ needs. Collaboration provides a great opportunity for smaller, more agile companies to gain market share, even if they are a higher cost option for the customer. 

George Muha is regional director for Transportation Insight, LLC. He also hosts a blog at www.freightsavingstips.com and can be reached via email at [email protected]. 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.

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May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

³ WHAT’SNEW

³ BUYERS’

CONNECTION 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-CONDUX Compact Laboratory Plant This company has developed a lab compact plant for ultra-fine grinding and classification of products of any hardness. It is designed for concept tests, as well as batches of up to 5 liters in one run. Parts in contact with the product and the base frame of the compact plant are stainless steel; alternately, the unit can be wear protected with urethane or ceramic for metal-contamination-free processing. Visit www.netzsch-grinding.com.

Netzsch Instruments Burlington, MA 01803 Ph: 781-272-5353 • Fax: 781-272-5225 E-mail: [email protected]

UNION PROCESS Cryogenic Grinding System

FURNACES AND KILNS

A system has been developed for controlling the flow of liquid nitrogen into the grinding chamber for customers performing cryogenic grinding. The engineered system includes a probe inside the grinding chamber that monitors the temperature while simultaneously regulating the flow of liquid nitrogen into the mill to maintain the desired temperature. Call (330) 929-3333 or visit www.unionprocess.com.

• High Temp Furnaces for ceramic firing • Compact design, rapid heat • Uniform temperature and precision control • Front and bottom load models to 1700º

(800) 378-0095 www.luciferfurnaces.com

ALFA AESAR Chemical Production and Service Capabilities This company, a Johnson Matthey company, has published a new brochure that explores its chemical production and service capabilities. The eight-page brochure outlines the company’s key capabilities, including global manufacturing, inventory and sourcing. In addition, product offerings are examined, which encompass organic intermediates and reagents; precious metal compounds and catalysts, including fuel cell products; and high-purity inorganics, including Puratronic® highpurity inorganics and REacton® rare earth products. Call (800) 343-0660 or visit www.alfa.com. 

Make the Commerce Connection! CI BUYERS’ CONNECTION Reinforce your sales message and showcase your • Literature • Home page • Product sheets • New products • Specialty products and accessories Economical, 1/9 page color mini-ad. Space still available in June, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec

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]

Contact Ginny Reisinger 614-760-4220 • [email protected]

CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

37

³ SERVICESMARKETPLACE ³CONSULTING & ENGINEERING SERVICES Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

³MAINTENANCE/SERVICES

Ceralink, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Ceramics Maintenance Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Ceramics Consulting Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Jonathan Kaplan Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

³PROCESSING SERVICES

Ragan Technologies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

AVEKA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Richard E. Mistler, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Powder Processing and Technology, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Ruark Engineering, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Powder Technology, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Semler Materials Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Union Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

³CONTRACT MANUFACTURING SERVICES

³RECYCLING SERVICES

Coalition Technology Co., Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

A-Ten-C, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

CoorsTek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Stratamet Advanced Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

³REFRACTORY SERVICES

Superior Technical Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Fuse Tech/Hot Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

³FINISHING & MACHINING SERVICES

³SPRAY DRYING

Advanced Ceramic Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

General Spray Drying Service, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Bullen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 EBL Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Ferro-Ceramic Grinding, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

³CONSULTING & ENGINEERING SERVICES

Machined Ceramics, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 O’Keefe Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 PremaTech Advanced Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Sonic-Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

³FIRING & DRYING SERVICES

Experts in Ceramic Engineering & Materials Science

Allied Kiln Service Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

• Microwave & RF Process Development • Scale-up • Equipment Design

American Isostatic Presses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Centorr/Vacuum Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

• Materials Engineering Ceramics, Glass, Composites

• Research and Innovation • Prototyping

Harrop Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Ipsen Ceramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

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

I Squared R Element Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Prairie Ceramics Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 SBL Kiln Services, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 TevTech, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

³GLASS SERVICES Fuse Tech/Hot Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Glass Inc. International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 SEM-COM Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Specialty Glass, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Viox Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

³INDEPENDENT AGENTS Tape Casting Warehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Taylor Tunnicliff Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

³LABORATORY & TESTING SERVICES Activation Laboratories Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Geller Microanalytical Laboratory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Harrop Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 JTF Microscopy Services, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Micron Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Netzsch Instruments NA LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 NSL Analytical Services Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Quantachrome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 West Penn, Spectrochemical Labs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

38

May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

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

Dr. Charles E. Semler 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

CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

39

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:

• • • •

40

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]

May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

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]

CERAMIC INDUSTRY ³ May 2011

41

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

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May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

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May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

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PAGE NO.

* Active Minerals International, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.activeminerals.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Engis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.engis.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Evans Analytical Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.eaglabs.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 * Harrop Industries, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 * Hi-Vac Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.hi-vac.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 * I Squared R Element Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.isquaredrelement.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

USA Tel: 631-234-0500 • Fax: 631-234-0691 www.dispersers.com

ITT Acoustic Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .http://accousticsystems.itt.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC * Lancaster Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.lancasterprd.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 * LignoTech USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.lignotech.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 * Mohr Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.mohrcorp.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Quality & Service First BUY & SELL MACHINERY 586-790-1717 • [email protected] WWW.AADVANCEDMACH.COM

46

Netzsch Premier Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.netzsch-grinding.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 * Prince Minerals, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.princeminerals.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 SACMI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.sacmi.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 SEMI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.semi.org/events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC

BUY & SELL MACHINERY

* Sunrock Ceramics Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .www.sunrockceramics.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Detroit Process Machinery TOM SUHY: 586-469-0323 www.detroitprocessmachinery.com

* Unimin Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC

* Tokuyama America Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

* 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.

May 2011 ³ WWW.CERAMICINDUSTRY.COM

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

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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%XHIBITIONˆ where plastic, organic and printed technology meets manufacturing

For the complete schedule of 2011 SEMI Expositions, visit

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