Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Manufacturing's Game-Changing Innovations

Abstract:
SME Unveils Annual "Innovations That Could Change the Way You Manufacture" List

Manufacturing's Game-Changing Innovations

Dearborn, MI | Posted on March 11th, 2010

According to recent news reports, manufacturing is showing clear signs of rebounding. Manufacturing's other good news: Eight game-changing innovations are about to enhance production on the factory floor.

Outlined in the Society of Manufacturing Engineers annual Innovations That Could Change the Way You Manufacture list, these innovations could help manufacturers save 80 percent of the cost of RFID tags, reduce the costs of producing nano fibers or even change the way electronics are designed.

SME's Innovation Watch Committee compiled the list and its members serve as "innovation researchers" who seek and publish information about technology.

"Our Committee's goal was to scan the vast technology landscape for cutting-edge innovations and to investigate ways they can be utilized," says committee member Christopher Kaye, director of innovative technology, US Endoscopy.

Here are brief outlines of each innovation:

Pay at the Store without Waiting in Line with Printed RFID Tags
Currently RFID tags can average 15 cents each. With printed RFID tags, however, manufacturers have the potential to bring these costs down by 80 percent and track products for about one to three cents a tag.

"These new printable tags are thin and flexible enough to fit on a pack of chewing gum," says committee member Terry Wohlers, president of Wohlers Associates, an independent consulting firm in rapid product development and additive manufacturing.

"This could open the door to greater consumer usage. Mobile phones with built-in RFID scanners, for example, could make it possible to pay for items without waiting in line," he says.

Double the Range of Electric Vehicles with Nanoporous Silicon Electrodes
While the demand for electric cars is growing, current lithium-ion batteries only provide a charge of up to 30 minutes. Nanoporous silicon electrodes, however, may enable these batteries to store ten times more charge.

Testing by companies like LG Chem, 3M and Sanyo is already being done and these electrodes, when matched to the right cathodes with comparable storage capacity, could help a car run for three to four hours.

Nanoporous silicon electrodes also show promise for portable electronics.

Electronics That Can Survive Harsh Environments with Silicon Carbide
With their ability to withstand extreme temperatures, SiC electronics are being used to power such things as hybrid vehicles and wind turbines, which rely on high power performance. While current technology allows for operation in up to 125 degrees Celsius or even lower at 80 degrees, SiCs have the potential to operate at up to 600 degrees Celsius.

According to Wohlers, "This new temperature capability will allow for products and design that weren't possible before."

Recycle Your Copier Paper into Batteries with Nanotube Inks
New nanotube inks can turn plain copier paper into a high-energy electrode, which can be used as economical energy storage devices. These high-energy electrodes are strong, flexible and highly conductive and might be used to power portable electronics.

Nano Fibers May Now Fit Your Budget
Often used to strengthen materials such as bikes, golf clubs, tennis rackets and drug delivery systems, nano fibers were at one time very expensive to make.

"New centrifugal force spinning machines (Forcespinning™) have made mass production possible, and therefore, more cost-effective than current processes," says Wohlers.

Polymers That Heal Their Own Scratches
"Smart materials" made with self-healing agents available for elastomers, thermosets and powder coatings can be used to treat metal structures exposed to harsh environments. For the oil and gas industry, for example, these polymers could reduce costly repairs to oil rigs and pipelines.

No Need to Wait for the Engine to "Warm Up" with Phase Changing Polymers
"Smart materials" also include phase-changing polymers. PCMs are already used by BMW to store excess heat when a motor runs at operating temperature. This heat is then available at the next cold start to heat up the motor quickly and contribute to better gas mileage.

"PCM's are also being used in construction materials to help keep homes in extreme climates more temperate," says Rod Jones, Innovation Watch Committee member and chief learning officer at Mori Seiki Chicago Technical Center.

Mother Nature Inspires Manufacturing with Bio-Based Products & Materials
Mother Nature has inspired manufacturing with bio-based products and materials such as soy-foam seats.

Ford Motor Company first used soy-foam seats in the 2008 Mustang and has since placed these materials in more than 1 million vehicles leading to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of more than 5 million pounds.

"Bio-based products are also being used in adhesives, engine oil and carpet," says Jones.

And of the list overall, Terry Wohlers says, "These technologies are proof-positive that manufacturing is high-tech, not old-hat; not something just happening overseas. Much of manufacturing is innovation."

Innovations That Could Change the Way You Manufacture will be a central focus of the BRIDGING THE GAPS: SME Annual Conference scheduled for June 6-8, 2010 at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville, Tenn. The conference will bring together manufacturing professionals and leaders throughout North America and beyond who are interested in innovations and exchanging ideas in one place.

For the most complete information, visit www.sme.org/innovations or for more information about the SME Annual Conference visit www.sme.org/conference.

SME News Feed:
To receive the latest up-to-the-minute SME news, subscribe to RSS at feeds.feedburner.com/sme.

####

About SME
Founded in 1932, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the premier source for manufacturing knowledge, education and networking.Through its many programs, events and activities, SME connects manufacturing practitioners to each other, to the latest technology and the most up-to-date processes spanning all manufacturing industries and disciplines, plus the key areas of aerospace and defense, medical device, motor vehicles, including motorsports, oil and gas and alternative energy. A 501(c)3 organization, SME has members around the world and is supported by a network of technical communities and chapters worldwide.

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Lori Ann Dick, APR
Senior PR Representative

Tel 313.425.3187

Copyright © SME

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

INRS and ELI deepen strategic partnership to train the next generation in laser science:PhD students will benefit from international mobility and privileged access to cutting-edge infrastructure June 6th, 2025

Electrifying results shed light on graphene foam as a potential material for lab grown cartilage June 6th, 2025

Quantum computers simulate fundamental physics: shedding light on the building blocks of nature June 6th, 2025

A 1960s idea inspires NBI researchers to study hitherto inaccessible quantum states June 6th, 2025

Possible Futures

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev researchers several steps closer to harnessing patient's own T-cells to fight off cancer June 6th, 2025

Researchers unveil a groundbreaking clay-based solution to capture carbon dioxide and combat climate change June 6th, 2025

Cambridge chemists discover simple way to build bigger molecules – one carbon at a time June 6th, 2025

A 1960s idea inspires NBI researchers to study hitherto inaccessible quantum states June 6th, 2025

Chip Technology

A 1960s idea inspires NBI researchers to study hitherto inaccessible quantum states June 6th, 2025

Programmable electron-induced color router array May 14th, 2025

Enhancing power factor of p- and n-type single-walled carbon nanotubes April 25th, 2025

Ultrafast plasmon-enhanced magnetic bit switching at the nanoscale April 25th, 2025

Nanotubes/Buckyballs/Fullerenes/Nanorods/Nanostrings

Enhancing power factor of p- and n-type single-walled carbon nanotubes April 25th, 2025

Chainmail-like material could be the future of armor: First 2D mechanically interlocked polymer exhibits exceptional flexibility and strength January 17th, 2025

Innovative biomimetic superhydrophobic coating combines repair and buffering properties for superior anti-erosion December 13th, 2024

Catalytic combo converts CO2 to solid carbon nanofibers: Tandem electrocatalytic-thermocatalytic conversion could help offset emissions of potent greenhouse gas by locking carbon away in a useful material January 12th, 2024

Nanoelectronics

Interdisciplinary: Rice team tackles the future of semiconductors Multiferroics could be the key to ultralow-energy computing October 6th, 2023

Key element for a scalable quantum computer: Physicists from Forschungszentrum Jülich and RWTH Aachen University demonstrate electron transport on a quantum chip September 23rd, 2022

Reduced power consumption in semiconductor devices September 23rd, 2022

Atomic level deposition to extend Moore’s law and beyond July 15th, 2022

Announcements

INRS and ELI deepen strategic partnership to train the next generation in laser science:PhD students will benefit from international mobility and privileged access to cutting-edge infrastructure June 6th, 2025

Electrifying results shed light on graphene foam as a potential material for lab grown cartilage June 6th, 2025

Quantum computers simulate fundamental physics: shedding light on the building blocks of nature June 6th, 2025

A 1960s idea inspires NBI researchers to study hitherto inaccessible quantum states June 6th, 2025

Appointments/Promotions/New hires/Resignations/Deaths

The National Space Society Mourns the Passing of Robert Krone, Founder of the Kepler Space Institute: Krone's Visionary and Humanistic Approach to the Study of Space Communities and Settlement Was Unique September 22nd, 2021

Leibniz Prize winner Professor Dr. Oliver G. Schmidt moves to Chemnitz University of Technology: President Professor Dr. Gerd Strohmeier refers to an 'absolute top transfer' September 10th, 2021

JEOL USA Welcomes New Managing Director, Hidetaka Sawada April 19th, 2021

The National Space Society Remembers Ben Bova : NSS Mourns the Loss of a Visionary NSS Leader December 2nd, 2020

Environment

Researchers unveil a groundbreaking clay-based solution to capture carbon dioxide and combat climate change June 6th, 2025

New gel could boost coral reef restoration: The substance, applied to surfaces as a coating, improved coral larvae settlement by up to 20 times in experiments compared to untreated surfaces May 16th, 2025

Onion-like nanoparticles found in aircraft exhaust May 14th, 2025

SMART researchers pioneer first-of-its-kind nanosensor for real-time iron detection in plants February 28th, 2025

Battery Technology/Capacitors/Generators/Piezoelectrics/Thermoelectrics/Energy storage

Enhancing power factor of p- and n-type single-walled carbon nanotubes April 25th, 2025

Leading the charge to better batteries February 28th, 2025

Researchers are cracking the code on solid-state batteries: Using a combination of advanced imagery and ultra-thin coatings, University of Missouri researchers are working to revolutionize solid-state battery performance February 28th, 2025

Enhancing transverse thermoelectric conversion performance in magnetic materials with tilted structural design: A new approach to developing practical thermoelectric technologies December 13th, 2024

Events/Classes

Institute for Nanoscience hosts annual proposal planning meeting May 16th, 2025

A New Blue: Mysterious origin of the ribbontail ray’s electric blue spots revealed July 5th, 2024

Researchers demonstrate co-propagation of quantum and classical signals: Study shows that quantum encryption can be implemented in existing fiber networks January 20th, 2023

CEA & Partners Present ‘Powerful Step Towards Industrialization’ Of Linear Si Quantum Dot Arrays Using FDSOI Material at VLSI Symposium: Invited paper reports 3-step characterization chain and resulting methodologies and metrics that accelerate learning, provide data on device pe June 17th, 2022

RFID

Nanowire 'inks' enable paper-based printable electronics: Highly conductive films make functional circuits without adding high heat January 4th, 2017

Conformal transfer of graphene for reproducible device fabrication August 11th, 2015

GLOBALFOUNDRIES Launches Industry’s First 22nm FD-SOI Technology Platform: 22FDX offers the best combination of performance, power consumption and cost for IoT, mainstream mobile, RF connectivity, and networking July 13th, 2015

New micro-supercapacitor structure inspired by the intricate design of leaves: A team of scientists in Korea has devised a new method for making a graphene film for supercapacitors July 2nd, 2015

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project