I don’t know about you, but I love talking about advanced ceramics to people who don’t know anything about advanced ceramics. Their disbelief in the beginning of these conversations is comical. Take defense applications, for example. It seems as though many people envision soldiers just shoving dinner plates into their protective vests. They ask, “How is something like that going to stop a bullet?” The short answer, of course, is that something like that is not going to stop a bullet—which is why research and development for advanced ceramics in defense applications is such a vital endeavor.

In this issue, experts from Lucideon highlight recent advances and future opportunities for ceramic composite systems in the defense sector. Learn more about “Advanced Ceramics in the Defense Industry.”

Our coverage of Ceramics Expo 2017 also continues in this issue. Be sure to take a look at event highlights, the conference schedule, a list of exhibitors and the show floor plan. We hope to see you there!

Finally, I’m excited to announce a new quarterly column debuting in this issue! In “The Big Picture,” columnist J. Douglas Jeter will discuss topics ranging from product development and plant safety to employee management and more. Please take a look at this month’s installment on “Sustainable Safety in the Ceramic Industry,” and don’t hesitate to contact me at (248) 786-1704 or suttons@bnpmedia.com to me know what you think!  

Errata

Our March 2017 “Ceramic Decorating” column unfortunately included some incorrect information. While Elliot Kaye did step down as chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in February, his replacement is Commissioner Ann Marie Buerkle. Her term expires in 2018. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.