OTHER ELECTRONICS & NANOTECHNOLOGY
INDUSTRY UPDATE
February 2014
McIlvaine Company
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Funai Electric Opening Facility in Kentucky
North Carolina State University to Lead Research Consortium on Power Electronics
Kansas State to Build Bulk Solids Innovation Center
UFP Technologies Expands Illinois Plant
University of Southampton opening Center for Photonics, Electronics
Michigan Memorial Phoenix Laboratory, Phase 2
568th Electronics Maintenance Squadron workers get a look at the new F-22 clean room. The new F-22 cleanroom at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia will become fully operational this month, and is a welcome sign for combat-ready avionics parts which support the Air Force's F-22 Raptor. The aircraft's features include not only sensor capability and weapons, but also situational awareness and integrated avionics.
The F-22 footprint will be further extended due to the cleanroom's capabilities, which will provide testing and work on circuit cards used on the aircraft. Those electronic components are critical pieces which allow information to be processed and transmitted on the aircraft.
The cleanroom includes special heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units at its entry to remove contaminants on people prior to their entry.
The Air Force is partnering with Lockheed Martin by including an F-22 depot partnering site at the base. Robins received its first work station in 2009.
"This will give us the ability to work on hybrid electronic components as well as surface mount technology which will allow us to remove and replace standard components on circuit boards," says Mark Davis, Lockheed's F-22 depot site manager.
Some of the work this month includes cleaning and re-installing the circuit boards ball grid array - a type of surface-mount packaging used for integrated circuits.
BGA packages are used to permanently mount devices such as microprocessors.
New expanded capabilities benefit both the depot and the government by offering repairs in-house, says Davis.
A Japanese technology company is opening a facility on the Lexmark campus in Lexington and will employ up to 50 people with an average annual wage of $100,000.
Gov. Steve Beshear's office says Funai Electric Co. Ltd. plans to open Funai Lexington Technology Corp. to support research and development in inkjet and microfluidic technologies. Microfluidics is the use of engineering, science and technology to design systems to handle small volumes of fluids.
The announcement represents a $4.2 million investment. The state has given preliminary approval for as much as $1.2 million in tax incentives.
Funai last year announced the acquisition of Lexmark's inkjet technology assets, more than 1,000 patents and a factory in the Philippines. Beshear's office said Funai has been a design and contract manufacturer for Lexmark International since 1997.
The Obama Administration announced the selection of North Carolina State University to lead a public-private manufacturing innovation institute for next generation power electronics. Called the Next Generation Power Electronics Institute, the new consortium will provide shared facilities, equipment and testing to companies from the power electronics industry, focusing on small and medium-sized companies. The 18 companies already committed to the consortium include: ABB, APEI, Avogy, Cree, Delphi, Delta Products, DfR Solutions, Gridbridge, Hesse Mechantronics, II-VI, IQE, John Deere, Monolith Semiconductor, RF Micro Devices, Toshiba International, Transphorm, USCi and Vacon.
The institute, backed by a $70 million investment from the Department of Energy, will focus on power electronics using wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors, bringing together over 25 companies, universities and state and federal organizations.
“This $140 million manufacturing hub in Raleigh has the potential to fast-forward development of some products by at least a decade,” said Greg Scheu, president and CEO of ABB Inc., a Raleigh-based power electronics manufacturer. “We expect that consumers will start to see some low-voltage products, like residential solar, coming out the quickest and within five years. The high-power products like industrial motors and drives and hog-voltage gear will take a few more years to come to market, mainly due to the rigorous reliability testing requirements of the electric utility industry.”
Power electronics – such as inverters, transformers and transistors – help control and convert electricity and are playing a growing role in electricity generation, distribution and transmission. According to a study by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, approximately 30 percent of all power generation today utilizes power electronics between the point of generation and its end use. By 2030, this is expected to jump to 80 percent of generated electricity – supporting greater renewable energy integration and increased grid reliability. WBG semiconductor-based power electronics will be able to better withstand the power loads and switching frequencies required by next generation utility technologies.
Power electronics that use WBG semiconductors will also be smaller, more efficient and cost less. A WBG semiconductor-based inverter, which switches electricity from direct current to alternating current, could be four times more powerful, half the cost and one-fourth the size and weight of a traditional inverter. At a larger-scale, WBG semiconductors could help reduce the size of an 8,000 lbs. substation to 100 lbs. and the size of a suitcase – ultimately helping to lower the cost of electricity and build a stronger, more reliable grid.
WBG semiconductors such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride can operate at higher temperatures and have greater durability and reliability at higher voltages and frequencies.
The state of North Carolina is expected to contribute at least $10 million to the new consortium, which is expected to help bolster employment in North Carolina, as well as to help focus on manufacturing as a potential source of economic growth.
According to the official statement from the Obama administration, The Next Generation Power Electronics Institute supports President Obama’s vision for a full national network of up to 45 manufacturing innovation institutes that help make America a magnet for jobs and manufacturing and ensure that U.S. workers have the training they need to lead in the global economy.
“I see it this way,” said Mr. Scheu, “the president asked the industry to work together and see where we can replace silicon with other semiconductor materials to reduce energy loss — meaning huge energy efficiency — for equipment that can handle higher voltages, higher temperatures and higher frequencies. To me, this is the goal. And this is where the imagination takes off.”
Kansas State University is planning a new facility in Salina, Kan., that will benefit companies that design and utilize systems for bulk solids. Examples of bulk solids are loose, dry commodities or such ingredients as sugar, starch, minerals, chemicals, pigments, fillers, plastic resin and recycled plastics.
The center will be used to study and increase the understanding of bulk solids materials handling, in turn enhancing the competitiveness of those businesses that use bulk solid materials or manufacture the systems that convey, store and dispense them. Unlike liquids and gases, the science of dry bulk solids is not thoroughly understood.
Primary partners in the projected $3.5 million, 13,000-square-foot facility are Kansas State University, the Salina Chamber of Commerce, Salina Economic Development Corporation and several private companies. The facility will be called the Kansas State University Bulk Solids Innovation Center.
The university will be the key tenant in the center, with various offices and research suites for permanent and visiting researchers, companies and other users. Two local companies, K-Tron and Vortex Valves, will be initial anchor tenants, conducting both their own research as well as collaborative research with the university.
The building will include open and enclosed lab areas to allow for collaborative and proprietary research projects by the building's tenants. The open area will also allow for the more exploratory/open access research conducted by university investigators and students. It is envisioned that this area will also act as an open innovation center where the university and industry can work together on projects.
The center will incorporate Kansas State University faculty expertise from technology, engineering and agriculture programs. It will focus on the process industries of plastics, foods and chemicals and will complement the College of Agriculture's Bulk Solids and Particle Technology Lab and program housed on the university's Manhattan campus.
The project will use both public and private sector resources, including a $1 million-plus grant through the Economic Development Assistance Programs of the U.S Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration. Such grants are designed to leverage existing regional assets to support the implementation of economic development strategies that advance new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities.
Support is forthcoming from the Kansas Department of Commerce, the Salina Economic Development Incentive Council, Kansas State University and the private sector facility users. Support includes funds for construction, land, donated fixed equipment and operating expenses.
"The center is another vehicle for Kansas State University to engage with industry by doing what it does best, and that's offering solutions and answers based on the best research," said Richard Potter, director of corporate engagement for the university.
"The construction of this facility will allow the Kansas State University Salina campus to take a major step forward and contribute to K-State 2025 by connecting industry with education," said Verna Fitzsimmons, CEO and dean of K-State Salina.
Kirk Schulz, Kansas State University president, said that part of meeting the university's goal to become a Top 50 public research university by 2025 will be nurturing and broadening the university's relationships with industries.
"What is so exciting about the Kansas State University Bulk Solids Innovation Center is how it will enhance our Salina campus's access to applied research for industry," he said.
A facility and programs for bulk solids research are greatly needed, said Todd Smith, general manager of K-Tron Salina and vice president of K-Tron Global Systems. Very few bulk solid research centers exist in the world and this would be the only university-level research center for bulk solids in the United States.
"Industry leaders all over the country recognize that formal education and research in this area are lacking, and they need the improvements that this center can bring," Smith said. "A number of them already have research projects in mind, and they like the idea of having an independent center where they can send their materials for analysis and recommendations. Having Kansas State University lead the center is a great way to get the results we need."
UFP Technologies spent $550,000 adding a cleanroom with three new pieces of equipment to its manufacturing plant in Glendale Heights, IL. The contract manufacturer bought a new high-speed die cutter, radio frequency welding equipment, and a heat sealer “to run product in a clean environment,” says Michael Zumpano, general manager of the Illinois plant. The gear and cleanroom setup mean UFP can increase output at the facility by more than 1 million parts per week, he says.
UFP specializes in custom-engineered components and packaging using foams, plastics, composites, and natural fibers.
Measuring 2000 sq ft, the new Class 100,000 cleanroom has received ISO 13485:2003 certification for production of Class III medical devices, Zumpano says. Device market segments that will benefit include medical contract packaging, medical component manufacturing, “and possible device applications,” he says. UFP’s domestic and foreign customers manufacture medical implants, prosthetics, devices, and components, he says.
Zumpano claims the ISO mark has helped UFP gain business from competitors that aren’t certified. Medical device OEMs increasingly demand that component manufacturers have ISO 13485:2003 certification because the standard is compatible with many FDA regulations, according to Zumpano. “They are looking for somebody who can support their documentation, the certification that goes along with those shipments, and the traceability of materials,” he says, adding that the process of receiving the ISO certification takes approximately “six to nine months of work.”
Seven of UFP’s 11 plants have ISO 13485:2003 certification. The Illinois facility received the certification in 2011. UFP “chose very quickly” to apply for ISO 9000 and 9001 certification before moving to the 2003 designation because of the standard’s requirements regarding factors such as traceability and the retention of information for the lifetime of a device or component, Zumpano says.
Calling the expansion “a solid investment,” Zumpano says the Illinois plant has 53 employees working in three shifts. The staff includes design manufacturing engineers, quality continuous-improvement engineers, CAD technicians, general machine operators, and a plant inspector.
The market for products made from medical-grade foams and related materials are “very competitive,” Zumpano says, and suppliers must offer their customers “something that is truly unique or beneficial.” Speedy design execution is a must, he notes, adding that same-day parts delivery is an additional capability that attracts medical OEM customers. “They’re looking for vendor-managed inventory, where we ship to a local warehouse and bill only when the product is pulled from that warehouse,” Zumpano says.
UFP “absolutely” has felt the impact of the fluctuating cost of oil on materials prices, Zumpano says. Most of the foam material used by the company is petroleum-based, and the recent rise in the price of oil has led to increases in UFP’s chemical costs. “We’ve done a great job internally to absorb some of these costs and use lean manufacturing to maintain our margins and profitability,” Zumpano says. “We’re not passing the increases to our customers.”
The largest photonics and electronics institute in the UK was officially opened at the University of Southampton in September. The Zepler Institute, a multidisciplinary center, will allow more than 300 researchers in photonics, advanced materials and quantum technologies to build on the university’s discoveries in photonics and electronics for communications. The institute was named for professor Eric Ernest Zepler, a radio receiver development pioneer who founded the Department of Electronics and Computer Science at University College Southampton (now the University of Southampton) in 1947. The institute’s director is professor Sir David Payne, Optoelectronics Research Centre director and fiber optics pioneer.
Phase 2 of the renovation of the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Laboratory (MMPL)—originally built in 1955 as a living memorial to honor the men and women of the Univ. of Michigan community who lost their lives in World War II service—included a renovation of the existing building’s second level as research labs and the design and construction of an addition that houses the Univ. of Michigan Energy Institute (UMEI).
To renovate MMPL, which is on a sloping site with the first level below grade on the west side fronting the drive and above grade on the east side, the entire existing 9,900-sf second level was gutted, and the existing entry at the south was eliminated. The lobby features a sundial that tells the solar time of day in Ann Arbor.
The new program includes office space and two large chemistry labs with a total of 14 fume hoods. Both labs are equipped with overhead service carriers and mobile benches. About 80% of the cabinetry and work surfaces also are mobile.
Because MMPL’s exterior is almost 100% glazed, the labs are infused with an abundance of natural light. In addition to the labs, the second level renovation also includes offices for principal research investigators and postdoctoral research scholars. An east-west corridor at the south end of the second level joins it to the ground level of the new addition, which at that connecting point includes the new main entryway, a monumental stair and offices.
The 10,161-sf UMEI is rounded in front and faces the street. It is a two-story exposed steel structure clad with matching red brick and glass on the ground floor and a glass curtain wall wrapped around the upper floor’s east, south and west façades. The ground floor is shaded by the overhang of the upper floor where the upper floor is shaded by a horizontal fritted glass sunscreen.
The addition’s ground level comprises three conference rooms, support spaces and a collaborative gathering space used by the university’s College of Engineering.
Underneath the addition’s ground floor level is an accessible level that houses the chilled beam mechanical system as well as the electrical, data and plumbing systems. The addition’s second level joins with the original building’s third level. Its program includes 14 offices for principal investigators of the UMEI, an executive conference room and a smaller meeting space.
The addition has been LEED gold certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Project team:
Lord Aeck Sargent, Ann Arbor, MI (architect);
Robert Darvas Associates, Ann Arbor, MI (structural engineer);
Peter Basso Associates, Ann Arbor, MI (MEP/FP engineers);
Midwestern Consulting, Ann Arbor, MI (civil engineer);
Van Sickle & Rolleri, Medford, NJ (exhibit consultant);
De Maria Building Co., Novi, MI (general contractor).
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