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Time to resharpen that saw? Knowing what you don’t know
David E. Patnaude Facilities & GroundsWhat are the three toughest words for professionals to utter? It's probably not what you're thinking. It's simply, "I don't know." The economics team of Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt, authors of "Freakonomics," have studied this idea of how not being able to utter these three simple words actually costs U.S. industry and business millions of dollars annually from people committing big mistakes.
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Bioplastics trends and drivers for greener plastics
Don Rosato EngineeringBy way of an introduction definition, the term bioplastics is not limited to biodegradable or compostable plastics made from natural materials such as corn or starch. Bioplastics is also applied to petroleum-based plastics that are degradable; natural-based plastics that are not necessarily biodegradable; and plastics that contain both petroleum-based and plant-based materials that may biodegrade or not. Bioplastics are distinguished as bio-based and/or biodegradable.
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A tale of 2 continents: US leading the way in cooling regulations
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingThose of us in the European cooling sector have been looking somewhat jealously at the way U.S. authorities wield the big stick when someone transgresses on cooling matters — particularly regarding the recent settlement between the EPA and Costco.
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Bioengineering creates new coatings for stainless steel
Alan Kelsky EngineeringWhen we see the gleam of stainless steel, most of us don't suspect that it is a material on which bacteria thrive. Despite this fact, hospitals, restaurants and other places that prize cleanliness choose it, as it's easy to clean — but a lapse in environmental hygiene can spell disaster.
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3-D printing and the future of additive manufacturing
Alan Kelsky ManufacturingIn the United States, 3-D printing is ranked sixth among the top 10 fastest-growing industries in the United States. In fact, Goldman Sachs names 3-D technology as "disruptive" in its 2013 annual report on technology. The term "disruptive" is used in a benign manner to describe the technology as growing at a rate of 20 percent per year.
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Innovations in corrosion prevention presented at EuroCorr 2014
Stephanie McKenzie EngineeringThe European Federation of Corrosion just wrapped up its annual conference, EuroCorr 2014, held from Sept. 8-12 in Pisa, Italy. Some important new innovations in corrosion prevention were presented that will have implications for corrosion engineers all over the world.
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Ford rolling the dice with massive changes to its iconic F-150
Ross Lancaster Transportation Technology & AutomotiveIn the annals of American automobiles, few, if any, vehicles are more iconic or ubiquitous than Ford's F-Series pickup trucks. In 2013, it continued its amazing run of 32 consecutive years as America's top-selling vehicle.
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Bright future for plastics in electronic devices
Don Rosato EngineeringThe road ahead for plastics has the potential to significantly impact future electronic device applications. In commercial applications, polymer development is pushing plastic properties in response to ongoing demand for smaller electronic devices that call for smaller, thinner electrical components in hotter environments at higher electrical frequencies.
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The death of the iPod: A glimpse into the history of electronics
Christina Nava Science & TechnologySince the days of the cassette player and landline phone, it's safe to say that technology has come a long way in a short time. This was illustrated Sept. 9 when Apple decided to introduce the Apple Watch and remove the iPod Classic from the list of products on its website.
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Researchers: Graphene dramatically affects corrosion resistance
Alan Kelsky EngineeringA likely revolution in a corrosion protection is almost ready to launch, according to researchers of graphene at the University of Manchester. Their latest research shows that this thin coating protects substances coated with it from corrosion.
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