Latest News & Analysis
HEADLINES ARCHIVE
Energy Department Offers $125mn for Disruptive Technologies
The Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) is issuing its third open funding opportunity announcement, OPEN 2015, for up to $125 million.
IHS Automotive Honors Automotive Loyalty Award Winners
Thirty-three winners were honored for automotive loyalty and conquest efforts during the IHS Automotive Loyalty Awards in Detroit. The awards were presented during the Automotive News World Congress held in conjunction with the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).
Laser-induced Graphene Shows Promise for Electronics
Rice University scientists in Houston say they have advanced their recent development of laser-induced graphene (LIG) by producing and testing stacked, 3D supercapacitors, energy-storage devices that are important for portable, flexible electronics.
NEMA Publishes Standard for Harmonic Emissions Limits
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association has published ANSI C82.77-10-2014 American National Standard for Lighting Equipment—Harmonic Emission Limits—Related Power Quality Requirements.
2015 Chemicals Outlook: Can Demand Shrug Off Crude Price Shock?
While sharp declines in crude oil prices cloud the forecast for pricing and margins, demand for chemicals should grow solidly in 2015. That’s the assessment of IHS Chemical Week, which published its annual market outlook in a cover story on January 12.
Can a Rating System Ensure Infrastructure Sustainability?
In the last decade, major events such as the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis, Minn., and hurricanes Katrina and Sandy have highlighted significant problems in the United States’ aging infrastructure.
Ford, DowAksa Speed Up Automotive Carbon Fiber Research
Ford Motor Co. and DowAksa say that they are accelerating joint research to develop high-volume manufacturing techniques for automotive-grade carbon fiber. The goal is to make vehicles lighter for greater fuel efficiency, performance and capability.
Hydrofracturing Without the Hydro
Hydrofracturing needs water – lots of water. The typical North Dakota well requires 3–5 million gallons of water, and it must be reasonably clean. Recycling fracturing fluids is big business, but ridding water of dissolved solids is expensive and generates a waste stream of its own.
IEEE Introduces Uniform Test Plan for Power Grid Synchrophasors
IEEE announces the global availability of a uniform test plan for evaluating the conformance of synchrophasors to IEEE C37.118.1 , IEEE Standard for Synchrophasor Measurements for Power Systems.
Johnson Controls Unveils Start-stop Automotive Battery System
A start-stop system using two different battery chemistries is now in the prototype phase, Johnson Controls officials said at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Plastics Trade Group Launches Safety Program
The Plastics Industry Trade Association (SPI) launched its 2014 Safety Statistics and Awards program, inviting industry stakeholders to contribute their information to help SPI better understand the state of safety in the plastics industry.
57 Firms Join Advanced Composites Initiative
The White House says that 57 companies are participating in the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), a public-private partnership aimed at creating jobs and boosting manufacturing within the automotive, wind turbine and compressed gas storage industries.
IHS Identifies Technologies to Transform the World Over Next 5 Years
The Internet of Everything, cloud computing/big data and 3D printing are the three technologies most likely to transform the world during the next five years, according to IHS Technology.
PPG Highlights Corrosion-resistant Coatings at Detroit Auto Show
PPG Industries’ industrial coatings business will highlight new products at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The products are designed to help global automakers fight metal corrosion and meet increasingly stringent environmental standards.
Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation Site Is Chosen
The White House says the University of Tennessee will lead the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, or IACMI, a $259 million public-private partnership.
ASTM Names New Directors
Standards organization ASTM has named new directors who will serve on the organization’s board of directors. The new directors are Christina Lomasney, Brent Stucker, James Simnick and Jun Sasaki.
ASTM Standard for Precast Concrete Segmental Box Culverts
Precast reinforced concrete box sections are proving to be a versatile means for the development of infrastructure.
Bay Bridge Leaks Despite Caulking
Leaks have been detected on the rebuilt eastern section of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in California, despite the use of caulking in an effort to solve the problem. News service Sourcable reports that the internal leaks caused by bolt holes for guard rails were first detected last winter.
“Pop-up” Fabrication Technique a Challenge to 3D Printing?
Researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign say they have developed a fabrication technique to create 3D micro- and nanostructures. The researchers claim the process offers advantages over 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing.
Argonne Partners with Industry on Nuclear Reactor Work
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory will work with three leading nuclear products and services companies on projects that could unlock the potential of advanced nuclear reactor designs.