Tag Archives: Energy

DOE Launches Competition To Spur Domestic Energy Technology Manufacturing

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is hosting an American Inventions Made Onshore (AIM Onshore) competition with the hope of encouraging more domestic manufacturing of energy technologies.

Business incubators, accelerators and universities selected to participate in the competition will partake in the Build4Scale manufacturing training program to educate energy technology entrepreneurs about manufacturing practices and to connect them to U.S.-based manufacturers. 

Four organizations will be chosen to lead the training and will be awarded $150,000 each. After a year of training, the DOE will evaluate the organizations’ performance based on the revenue they generated from investors and the number of partnerships they established between energy technology developers and American manufacturers. The number one group will win an additional $250,000, and the second place group will win $100,000.

To find manufacturing training resources or to enter the AIM Onshore competition, visit Build4Scale.org.

 

Advanced Laser Applications & Sources – A National Focus

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By Geoff Giordano

With photonics-driven manufacturing innovation becoming a hot topic in the nation’s capital, advanced laser applications — particularly in aerospace, automobiles, agriculture and energy production — are getting a bigger share of the spotlight.

From gas and steam turbines to pipelines and passenger jets, even underwater welding in nuclear reactors (see LAM 2013 wrap up story), current and next-generation lasers will bear more of the brunt of manufacturing, protecting and repairing vital components of all types and functions. Continue reading →

U.S. Strong for Industrial Laser Processing

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David A. Belforte

The recovery from the 2008/2009 global recession was, according to experts, going to take at least three years to reach pre-recession levels. In the United States, manufacturing companies, reacting to orders from pent-up demand and delayed 2009 buying plans, found their production taxed to meet a rapidly growing order book in 2010 followed by a banner year in 2011 and likely through 2012.

Riding on the coat-tails of a more rapid U.S. recovery (see Figure 1) were the suppliers of industrial lasers used to power systems that were being heavily utilized by six key manufacturing industries: transportation, energy, medical devices, agricultural equipment, aerospace and communications. Another sector, fabricated metal products, while slower to recover, is a market sector of importance because of the high value laser products required to cut sheet metal. Continue reading →