Articles By Brian Reuter

There is currently very little potential for advanced-composite technology in high-volume automotive applications. In the United States and Europe, the barrier to acceptance of advanced composites in the automotive industry is price vs. performance.

Bulk metallic glass, a.k.a. amorphous metal, appears to have a very bright future. Being twice as strong as titanium, tougher and more elastic than ceramics, and having excellent wear and corrosion resistance makes them attractive for a variety of applications. It can even be cast in a mold to near net shapes.

The fiber optic specialist is a dying breed, as growing distributors and installation companies discover the benefits of crossing over into a wide variety of communications media.

Given the continued expansion of the influence of electronics in our lives there is little reason to believe that the demand for machine vision in the production of electronic and semiconductor products will not increase.

The facilities maintenance sector can be considered as the products, services and software needed to maintain and operate buildings. It is an enormous industry approximately $250 billion in size.

A new technology has been rolling onto the scene that can be used to replace or enhance the bar code, that of radio frequency identification (RFID).

RF welding is a basic technology, and the basic devices necessary to affect such a weld have not changed since the inception of the process. The area where most of the technological changes have taken place is in the components from which the individual devices are constructed.

Polypropylene has a low surface energy and weak boundary layer making it difficult for inks and coatings to adhere to it. Therefore the surface must be properly treated before trying to print, metallize, or laminate to polyproylene.

The assembly business will be revolutionized as ultrasonic control technology starts to displace the torque control methods in major automotive companies around the world. This will change the competitive focus of the tool companies, just as the electric driven tools have changed the business over previous years.

The rapid growth of battery systems for portable power of computers, communications devices, tools and entertainment devices has created a need for better batteries and better electronics for charging these batteries.

Multiplexing of electrical signals in automobiles is beginning to be used as vehicles are continually being designed with more electronics and options. Coming hand-in-hand with multiplexing is the use of flex circuits and flat flexible cable (FFC) to replace wiring harnesses.

The strongest growth category for anodized aluminum appears to be that of transportation. An expected increase in the production of new aircraft to replace aging fleets and the auto industry's trend of increasing the use of aluminum for vehicle frames and bodies are expected to be the primary drivers of this growth.

Dual packages can deliver low-cost products while preserving the activity and effectiveness of the individual components. New products with roots in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, and personal care areas will adapt dual packaging.

Research shows that it takes nearly 300 ideas to achieve a single successful product. The challenge to innovate is great, yet most companies struggle through a disjointed process, often stuck in their traditional way of looking at their business.

Now a day, it seems the first source to pop into everybody's head for finding qualified suppliers is the Internet. It's a great source, no doubt, but sometimes it is difficult to navigate if you don't know where to start. And what happens if that approach doesn't pay off? There are many sources available to track down the right suppliers and some are Internet based, but many aren't.