All Manufacturing Articles
  • Is solar energy viable for manufacturing plants?

    Alan Kelsky Manufacturing

    Less than 1 percent of energy used in the United States comes from solar power, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. On a commercial level, there are a number of businesses, including manufacturers, who are using solar power as part of their operations, including Wal-Mart, Costco, Apple and Ikea.

  • Solar energy market-ready materials and processing

    Don Rosato Engineering

    For polymer-based organic photovoltaic (PV) cells, scientists have long believed the key to high efficiencies rested in the purity of the cell's two domains, namely acceptor and donor. To improve cell efficiency, many researchers have focused on tweaking the backbones of existing donor and acceptor materials or on designing new ones.

  • Arkansas shows how regulations can stymie manufacturing growth

    Alan Kelsky Manufacturing

    ​In 2004, Arkansas' manufacturing industry was ranked 34th in the United States. A decade later, it was still stuck at 34th. As the state's Economic Development Commission tries to woo new business to Arkansas with promises of a skilled workforce and business-friendly environment, folks who have studied manufacturing in Arkansas disagree.

  • Working together on a license to chill

    Andrew Gaved Manufacturing

    The announcement last month that AHRI and the United Nations Environment Program had agreed on co-operative development of the so-called "refrigerant driving license" (RDL) has been greeted favorably in Europe.

  • Solar energy trends pushing renewable energy forward

    Don Rosato Engineering

    Most people no longer ask whether solar energy/photovoltaics (PV) will be a success, the question is now rather which forms of PV will be successful. PV will become cost competitive with a significant portion of new total electricity generation worldwide by 2020. The total global installed PV capacity is fast approaching 100 gigawatts (GW) — up from 1.5 GW in 2000 to 92 GW at mid-year 2015.

  • K-12 science instruction gets a digital boost

    Bambi Majumdar Education

    ​​Data released last year by the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) showed 44 percent of U.S. high school graduates are ready for college-level math, while 36 percent have shown proper readiness for college-level science. A dismal report by all accounts.

  • UK heat pump industry warns ‘technology may die’

    Andrew Gaved Manufacturing

    ​You may recall I wrote previously about the alarmed reaction of the U.K. HVAC industry to the new government's systematic "ungreening" of its flagship green-building policies. I described how the new Conservative administration had halted funding of the Green Deal program of energy efficiency measures and rowed back from its zero-carbon building targets on the grounds of "saving taxpayers money."

  • The ever-expanding road ahead in wind energy applications

    Don Rosato Engineering

    Wind energy provides significant growth opportunities for composite plastic materials. The global market for composite materials in wind turbine production is projected to reach $4.7 billion by the end of 2015. Carbon fiber and other advanced composites are expected to play an increasing role in wind blade production, owing to the expansion of offshore installations and the adoption of larger-scale turbines that call for stiffer and lighter materials.

  • Wearable technology’s impact on the manufacturing industry

    Alan Kelsky Science & Technology

    If you think wearable technology like Google Glass or the Apple Watch are just part of a fad, think again. According to a study released by Juniper Research, titled "Smart Wearable Devices: Fitness, Healthcare, Entertainment & Enterprise: 2013-2018," many people are already thinking of the ways to use wearable technology for manufacturing.

  • What manufacturers, developers should consider when investing in 3-D printing

    Mark Eaton Manufacturing

    Investing in 3-D printing technology can provide significant business advantages. Product development, customer value, manufacturing costs and product life cycle management can all be positively impacted by this technology. Determining where to make the investment requires careful consideration of the expected outcomes and thorough analysis of the business, processes or products that will be impacted by the investment.