March 2017 Issue | Ceramic Industry

Tapping Into Industry Expertise at Ceramics Expo 2017

The two-track, free-to-attend Conference @ Ceramics Expo runs for the duration of the event.

March 1, 2017

Wouldn’t it be great if you could go somewhere and network with dozens of industry experts, all in one place and at the same time? What if you could listen to these experts share their expertise, and then ask focused questions in order to get specific information that would help you and your business?

Ceramics Expo 2017: Focal Point for Future Development

Industry participants from around the world are set to head to Cleveland, Ohio, from April 25-27.

March 1, 2017

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The ceramic industry continues to evolve, and ceramics are now the material of choice in many of today’s processes, industries, and developmental projects. In addition to offering a unique blend of material, mechanical, and chemical properties, the more ceramics are studied and experimented with, the more adaptable they seem to become.

Adventures in Fast Firing

While fast firing can offer multiple benefits, several key factors need to be taken into consideration to help ensure success.

Larry Camm

March 1, 2017

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For the purposes of this discussion, a “fast firing” is defined as a firing duration from ambient to ambient within 180 min or less. The primary benefits of implementing a fast-firing protocol include: significantly reducing energy consumption per payload, reduced scrap and re-fire, lowered labor costs, shorter production lead times, and more reliable product consistency.

Glass Fibers and Nanoparticles Reinforce Automotive Applications

Nano-scale additives offer a path to improve the thermal performance of polyamide glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites.

Jacob P. Anderson, Ph.D. Ryan P. Emerson, Ph.D.

March 1, 2017

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For several decades, the use of glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic (GFRT) composites by the automotive industry has been steadily increasing for standard performance applications.¹ The values that GFRTs bring include intrinsically high specific stiffness, low cost, and the ability to produce parts quickly with minimal manufacturing complexity.

Product Profile

Tunnel Kiln Q&A;

J.J. Stevenson shares insights regarding Deltech, Inc.'s new small-scale electric tunnel kilns.

March 1, 2017

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Many, if not most, of our new products over the years have come about after we’ve been approached by a current or potential customer with an application requirement that required some R&D on our part. In this case, an existing customer needed to scale up, but in a way that ensured reproducibility of the outcomes they were getting from their Deltech benchtop furnaces. A small-scale tunnel kiln seemed to offer a good solution.

$Refractory$

Market Trends

Growth in the Refractories Industry

Multiple factors are expected to boost demand in the refractories market.

March 1, 2017

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The total global production of refractories is expected to cross 55 million tons by 2020. The growth of end-user industries and increasing demand for high-performance furnaces have been driving the global market. Key end-user industries for refractories include iron and steel, non-ferrous metals, non-metallic minerals, and non-metallic materials such as glass. However, due to increasing equipment efficiencies, overall consumption of refractories has been declining.

Inside CI

Talking It Up in the Ceramic Industry

Information sharing is a vital aspect of any business-to-business relationship.

Susan Sutton

March 1, 2017

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It’s amazing how much you can learn from someone through one simple conversation. Some people are more reticent than others, but if you ask a few questions and then really listen, you can learn the basics fairly quickly: what they like, what matters to them, and what they hope to achieve.

Ceramic Decorating

CPSC Coalition Activities

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) plans to address several items in 2017.

Sandra Spence

March 1, 2017

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SGCDpro Washington Liaison Walt Sanders attended a December 2016 meeting of the National Association of Manufacturers’ Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Coalition. He assembled the following notes on the meeting.

Glass Works

Glass Recycling Coalition Strengthens Community Resources

The GRC brings together a diverse membership of more than 35 companies and organizations across the supply chain.

Lynn Bragg

March 1, 2017

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In celebration of America Recycles Day 2016, the Glass Recycling Coalition (GRC) launched its website, www.glassrecycles.org. The GRC also kicked off the first in a series of webinars targeting a variety of topics—adding another resource to support making glass recycling work.