On this episode, Dr. Susan MacKay joins me to discuss her work at the UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center. Her responsibilities include managing operations and R&D programs with a particular focus on Additive Manufacturing programs. 

She has 25 years of experience in materials chemistry, product development, and manufacturing at both large corporations and early-stage companies. 

Prior to joining UMaine, she was the founder and CEO of Cerahelix, Inc. where she led the commercialization of their ceramic nanofiltration technology based on a patented DNA ceramic nanotechnology coating.

We'll be discussing some of the ongoing research around bio-based materials in additive manufacturing as well as ASCC's BioHome3D - the first 3D-printed house made entirely with bio-based materials. 

The BioHome3D was developed with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hub and Spoke program between the UMaine and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The 600-square-foot prototype featured 3D-printed floors, walls, and roof made of wood fibers and bio-resins. This house is fully recyclable and highly insulated with 100% wood insulation and customizable R-values.

Construction waste was nearly eliminated due to the precision of the printing process.

UMaine is a world leader in forest-derived cellulose nanofiber (CNF) technology, including nano- and micro-cellulose reinforced thermoplastic composites through its Advanced Structures and Composites Center.

You can learn more about the work by visiting https://umaine.edu/biomaterials. 

On this episode, Dan Neumann joins me to discuss the ACMA’s Infrastructure & Sustainability Fly-In that's taking place in Washington DC this week(Feb 15-16). Dan is the Vice President of Government Relations with The ACMA, and he'll be filling us in on some of the activities and meetings from day one.

This week, I welcome Mike Graham on the show. Mike is the founder and president of Real Carbon, a composite engineering company with a long history of high-quality work. 

Through 35 years of industry experience, they've helped their clients design custom carbon fiber products for all types of applications. These include the consumer, industrial, marine, medical, military, musical, recreational, and UAV industries.

Mike Graham is a chemist with a passion for all things composites related. He is originally from St. Andrews in Scotland and moved to the US in 1987. 

You can learn more about their company by visiting https://realcarbon.com. 

This week Jeff Bassler, founder of Prodigm joins me on the podcast. Prodigm is a premier maker of production-focused filament winding controls and software solutions. 

On this episode, Jeff will share some background of their company and a recent case study of helping Duoline Technologies improve their process. Duoline produces RICEWRAP®, a protective wrap of fiberglass epoxy externally applied and bonded to steel pipe for external corrosion protection on downhole tubing.

The team at Duoline had challenges with the current filament winding equipment used to produce this product line. Using Prodigm's open platform CNC controls and software installed on their filament winding fiberglass tubular product line Improved the quality of their parts. 

Jeff started Prodigm back in 2008. Having over 13 years of experience in controls and software engineering already, Jeff was completely intrigued by the possibilities offered by filament winding different laminate structures and started developing the first algorithms.

Now, 13 years later, having customers across the continental US, Prodigm's primary focus has not changed. Getting a machine running is one thing; tailoring it to run for their customer's specific wants is the most rewarding part. 

They've contributed to the manufacture of light poles, composite rifle barrels, ductwork, rocket fuselages, rocket fuel tanks, oil well-lining systems, and lightweight robotic arms—to name a few! You can learn more about their company by visiting www.prodigm.net. 

This week Andrew Pokelwaldt joins me on the show as we discuss some of the expanded applications for ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). CMCs are widely used in the aerospace and energy sectors but their ability to be used in extreme conditions (high heat) makes them attractive for other industries as well. 

This week Andrew Pokelwaldt joins me for the final podcast episode of 2022. We'll be discussing some of the Best Innovations in Composites for 2022. In our discussion we'll reference some of the 2022 JEC Composites Innovations Awards finalists. 

This week I welcome Douglas Gardner on the show. He's the professor and program leader of sustainable materials technology in the School of Forest Resources at the University of Maine. He's also a member of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center and Forest Bioproducts Research Institute.  

His research, teaching, and service activities focus on polymer and interfacial science aspects of wood-polymer composite materials. 

He is also involved in research in the areas of adhesion and surface science, cellulose nanocomposites and extruded wood plastic composites, and additive manufacturing.  

This week I welcome Nick Santhanam to the show. Nick is the CEO of  Fernweh Group, and the co-author of a brand new book The Titanium Economy coming out October 25th in book stores and available for pre-order on Amazon. 

While Silicon Valley titans dominate the headlines nowadays, many of the fastest-growing, most profitable companies in the US are firms you’ve likely never heard of, such as HEICO, Trex, and Casella. These booming companies belong to a burgeoning sector—industrial tech—that offers surprising hope to workers, consumers, and investors alike. 

Nick and I will be discussing some incredible companies in his book - companies such as Trex, a company that manufactures high-performance composite decking using plastic waste. 

In an age of instability, industrial tech is a cornerstone of our economic future, and Nick and his co-authors dispel the myth that the best of American manufacturing is behind us and illuminate an opportunity for a brighter future—if we can seize it.

You can pre-order their upcoming book on Amazon here. 

This week I'm joined by Dr. Habib Dagher of the Advanced Structures and Composites Center at the Univ. of Maine and Tim Kenerson of AIT Bridges to discuss The GBeam Composite Bridge System -  a long-life solution to traditional steel and concrete medium-span deck bridges at a low cost.

This week we interview Chris Briggs, founder and CEO of TouchPoint Games, a customer engagement service that helps companies build stronger relationships with customers through branded online sports contests. Chris will be discussing how manufacturers can utilize this service to grow their sales either directly or through distributors.

You can find episodes like this and more by visiting www.compositesweekly.com.