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Sustainable food packaging for 2014 and beyond
Bambi Majumdar ManufacturingAccording to a new report by Visiongain, the global food packaging industry will reach close to $258 billion this year. With more and more focus given to sustainable food packing, the industry is definitely poised for major change.
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Proven corrosion control technologies enhanced by new research
Denise Gabbard Construction & Building MaterialsThree technologies used to control corrosion — hot-dip galvanizing, anodic protection and nanotechnology — are successfully combating harsh environmental conditions and leading to longer usable service lives and increased safety.
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Automotive lightweighting — Flash-forward material highlights
Don Rosato ManufacturingAutomotive lightweighting with alternative plastic materials will remain an important technology trend into the foreseeable 2020-2025 time period. The lightweighting potential of every vehicle component is under investigation, and advanced plastics and plastic composites offer significant lightweighting potential.
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Are electric cars an efficient renewable energy policy?
Stefanie Heerwig Natural ResourcesIn his 2011 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama set an ambitious goal — for the United States to become the first country in the world with 1 million electric cars on its roads by 2015. In fact, the U.S. currently has the largest electric car fleet in the world.
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The View from Europe: End of the road?
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingIs it the end of the road for the automotive refrigerant rebels? Well, after the better part of 18 months of claim and counter-claim between those who believe the HFO refrigerant R1234yf is inherently unsafe and those who don't, we have as close to a definitive decision on the subject as we are probably going to get.
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Automotive plastics lightweighting and environmental trend drivers
Don Rosato EngineeringAuto-makers choose plastic parts for a multiplicity of performance features. Important characteristics include durability, chemical resistance, mechanical toughness, coloring and finishing ease, elasticity and light weight. Plastics have appreciably reduced the weight of the average passenger car, saving millions of gallons of gas yearly.
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Understanding new regulations for energy‑efficient buildings
Bambi Majumdar Facilities & GroundsEnergy efficiency is a journey, and we cannot take our foot off the gas pedal, lest we drive into major power wastage. The latest energy efficiency legislation — The Energy Efficiency Improvement Act, H.R. 2126 — that has just been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives is a significant step forward.
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Bioprinting of body parts inching closer to reality
Donna Balancia Medical & Allied HealthcareNew 3-D printing technology is giving hope to medical patients who need to replace and repair body parts and organs. Creating organs through the use of a patient's own cells in many cases, this 3-D printing technology — known as "bioprinting" — is a promising new industry in the scientific community.
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The challenging market environment for drug companies
Mike Wokasch PharmaceuticalThe traditional pharmaceutical industry is going through perhaps its biggest transformation since The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. Unfortunately, the entrenched "we have always done it this way" leadership mentality has been slow to react to the magnitude of changes taking place over the past two decades.
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Innovations in improving indoor air quality
Michael J. Berens ManufacturingEfforts to improve indoor air quality have encountered some limitations as builders and engineers have had to balance them with other demands, such as improving building performance and reducing energy consumption. A number of industry organizations, research institutions and universities throughout the world are engaged in finding solutions that will satisfy both IAQ and energy requirements. Some recent developments show promise of helping to breaking the gridlock.
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