A research team at Stanford University has found a cool use for coatings. They used specific functional groups on a silicon surface to sort nanotubes based on their chirality, or the arrangement of their carbon atoms. The sorting process separates the metallic nanotubes from the semiconducting ones, making it easier and more cost effective to build transistors.

Protective coatings for equipment and dedicated spaces are a must in manufacturing, but how do you make sure that you are using the best industrial coating for the job? Learn the steps to get the work done, from analyzing the manufacturer's data sheets on the coating product to properly preparing surfaces to hiring additional help, such as an inspector.

Stamping and cutting metal products requires oil, but that oil often finds its way from the cleaning baths into the other processes, presenting a real problem for plating. Read a case study about how one company used a demulsifying agent to clean oil from their chloride zinc plating operation. Also, learn to recognize specific processes that will indicate a need for a demulsifying agent.

A high-performance engine needs to be a clean engine. Honda Racing implemented a new cleaning system to ensure that its precision components are squeaky clean. The new co-solvent cleaning system uses four stages including two ultrasonic tanks with continuous filtration, vapor rinsing, and freeboard drying.

Manufacturers of mechanical components used in linear motion applications have a new coating option available to them: black chrome plating. Black chrome plating is applied using a low temperature process to create an anti-corrosion coating on the metal component. The coating is also suitable for use in optical applications, since the black matte surface reflects minimal light.

Your energy-efficient, airtight office building has a problem: lack of open air ventilation means that certain bacteria, algae, and fungi have pristine conditions in which to propagate. To combat the bugs that can grow on surfaces, one company has developed antibacterial and fungicidal dry films. The films use well-known antibacterial agents that are modified into a slow-release form, making them suitable for integration with interior coatings and paints.

It's every mechanical engineer's dream: frictionless components that never corrode or waste energy through heat. While we're not quite there, some new mechanical carbon machine parts show great promise. Two types of mechanical carbon, carbon-graphite and electrographite, have self-lubricating properties. Treating the materials with thermal-setting resins, metals, or inorganic salts also boosts their mechanical properties, such as thermal and electrical conductivity.

More than one-third of all bearing failures are due to lubrication problems, either undergreasing or overgreasing. One solution is analogous to the drip irrigation systems adopted by agriculture — bring the lubrication to the exact point where it is needed. Lubricant dispensing technologies coupled with software systems can bring the right amount of lubricant to the right place at the right time. Options include single or multiple point systems, oil levelers, and metering devices.

The International Surface Finishing Academy (ISFA) is inviting surface finishing professionals, students, and educators to join. The ISFA offers course material and instruction for new students as well as seasoned professionals looking to enhance their current knowledge. The ISFA site provides links to workshops and promotes industry conferences, along with a network of resources to explore.

A Whole New Genre?

Now, if I had a chance to learn thermodynamics by picking up a novel, I might have received a better grade! The Society for Mechanical Engineers has published a science fiction book, LEAN 9001: Battle for the Arctic Rose, in an attempt to teach principles of lean manufacturing and the standards of ISO 9001. People are already talking about creating a comic book or graphic novel to cover other subjects. What process or procedure would you fictionalize?

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Keeping Carbon Out of It

In an effort to limit the amount of carbon dioxide that they contribute to the atmosphere, some manufacturers and industrial processors are looking to carbon capture and storage methods. But how does it work? Where are the best places on earth to store CO₂? Can all industries afford to do it?