October 25, 2007

Project helps companies reap big benefits from tiny technology

A one-year skill development pilot project to introduce nanostructured tool coating technology to industrial firms within the 14-county Indiana WIRED region began this month, said Christy Bozic, Indiana WIRED's manager of business innovation. Companies with workers who perform machining operations are invited to apply for the program.

"A significant part of WIRED is involved in innovation," Bozic said. "We're trying to help workers develop new skills and manufacturers adopt innovative industrial processes so that they can stay in north-central Indiana, retain jobs and be more competitive."

Indiana WIRED, an economic and work force development initiative administered by Purdue University, comprises Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Fulton, Howard, Miami, Montgomery, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Wabash, Warren and White counties.

Nanotech tool coating is more common in Europe than the United States, but the technology is making inroads among American manufacturers, said Mark Jackson, a Purdue professor and pilot project coordinator who holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering.

"These coatings, which are commercially available, can eliminate the use of cutting fluid in machining operations, while extending tool life by as much as 300 percent and significantly reducing tooling costs," Jackson said. "This technology also contributes to clean, green manufacturing."

A nano-coating is made up of thousands of layers of such elements as titanium, nitrogen, aluminum, chromium, tungsten and carbon. A typical coating measures 5 microns thick - 65 microns thinner than a human hair.

By extending tool life, manufacturers can save 30 percent or more on tooling costs for their machining operations, said Grant Robinson, the nanostructured coatings specialist for the Indiana WIRED coatings team who holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering.

Companies can apply for the pilot project by contacting Bozic at (765) 491-2200, cbozic@purdue.edu; Jackson at (765) 494-0365, jacksomj@purdue.edu; or Robinson at (765) 413-8364, grantmrob@purdue.edu. At least one company from each of the 14 Indiana WIRED counties will be selected for the program, which includes employee training and machining tests using nano-coated cutting tools.

There is no charge for training or on-site testing.

"We will provide training for 10-20 people per company," Bozic said. "The training will answer such questions as 'What is nanotechnology?' 'What are nano-coatings?' and 'What are the benefits of nano-coatings for cutting tools?' One result of the training will be 140-280 manufacturing workers with a new set of cutting-edge skills."

The project team and WIRED manufacturing partners will conduct the company tests to determine which coatings yield the greatest cost savings.

"We will measure machining costs before and after to predict what a company's future tooling costs will be, both with and without nano-coatings," Bozic said. "Our hope is that once the pilot project is over these companies will continue to use the tool coatings."

WIRED, which stands for Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development, is a federal initiative designed to energize the nation's economy through regional economic development partnerships and work force education and training. In 2006 the U.S. Department of Labor awarded $15 million each to 13 regions in the United States, including a grant to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. The grant covers the 14-county Indiana WIRED region.

Additional information about Indiana WIRED is available at the project Web site at https://www.indiana-wired.net.

Writer: Steve Leer, (765) 494-8415, sleer@purdue.edu

Sources: Christy Bozic, (765) 491-2200, cbozic@purdue.edu

Mark Jackson, (765) 494-0365, jacksomj@purdue.edu

Grant Robinson, (765) 413-8364, grantmrob@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page

To the News Service home page