Solar Atmospheres Inc., Souderton, Pa., has designed and built a lab-size, horizontal, internal quenching furnace that it donated to ASM International for its Teaching Lab. Named “The Mentor,” this $250,000 gift was made by Solar in commemoration of ASM International’s 100th anniversary. The furnace was dedicated in an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at ASM headquarters in Materials Park, Ohio. “The Mentor” has a hot zone that measures 12 in. wide by 12 in. high by 18 in.
A new fiber optic technology has the potential to dramatically boost bandwidth for Internet users and providers. Widely studied in molecular biology, atomic physics, and quantum optics, optical vortices (also known as orbital angular momentum, or OAM, beams) were thought to be unstable in fiber, until Siddharth Ramachandran, an engineering professor at Boston University, recently designed an optical fiber that can propagate them.
Researchers from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, developed a method for creating “nanovolcanoes” by shining various colors of light through a nanoscale “crystal ball” made of a synthetic polymer. These nanovolcanoes can store precise amounts of other materials and hold promise for new drug-delivery technologies. The nanovolcanoes are created by placing spherical, transparent polymer nanoparticles directly onto the flat surface of a thin film.
Innegra Technologies, Greenville, S.C., will launch its new Innegra H product line-a series of hybrid yarns for use in composite applications-at the upcoming JEC Americas Composite Show and Conference Show in Boston.
Metallurgical High Vacuum, Fennville, Mich., displays its Survivor pumps in Booth #1639 at the ASM Heat Treating Expo. They incorporate multiple oil filters that extend the life of the pump by removing particles and acid that are harmful. This design extends pump life and increases the return on investment significantly. They use a proven oil-sealed rotary piston design for excellent reliability even in demanding operating conditions.
