Getting Technetical

As the aerospace industry intensifies its focus on decarbonization efforts, the sector faces increasing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint in line with global climate goals. This conversation is particularly relevant as the industry contributes approximately 3.5% of global emissions. To stay competitive and comply with the Paris Agreement targets, aerospace companies are adopting a range of technological solutions to cut emissions by 2030 and 2050.In this episode of Getting Technetical, host Michelle Dawn Mooney speaks with Stéphane Guignard, the Director of Strategy at Technetics, about the industry's decarbonization journey. Key topics include innovations in weight reduction, fuel optimization, and the role of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) in reaching decarbonization targets. Guignard also discusses the challenges of scaling SAF production and the regulatory changes required to support widespread adoption.This episode highlights the importance of collaboration between governments, private companies, and research institutions in accelerating these decarbonization efforts. With a focus on SAF and the potential of hybrid-electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft, the conversation offers insight into the future of sustainable aviation.Article by MarketScale

In this episode of Getting Technetical, Stéphane Guignard, Director of Strategy at Technetics, discusses the aerospace industry's efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The conversation explores advancements since the 2015 Paris Agreement, focusing on sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), electric and hybrid-electric aircraft, and the potential of hydrogen fuel cells. It highlights technological innovations, regulatory impacts, and the importance of collaboration among governments, companies, and research institutions in shaping a greener future for global travel.

In this episode of Getting Technetical, Stéphane Guignard, Director of Strategy at Technetics, discusses the aerospace industry's efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The conversation explores advancements since the 2015 Paris Agreement, focusing on sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), electric and hybrid-electric aircraft, and the potential of hydrogen fuel cells. It highlights technological innovations, regulatory impacts, and the importance of collaboration among governments, companies, and research institutions in shaping a greener future for global travel.

The upcoming Turbo Expo, scheduled to take place in London from June 24 to 28, 2024, is set to be a landmark event for the engineering and energy sectors. One highlight of the event is a paper presented by Elaine Motyka from Technetics Group R&D, focusing on the development of porous transport layers (PTLs) for anion exchange membrane electrolyzers (AEMEL). This innovative research aims to optimize PTLs to enhance performance and cost-effectiveness, making hydrogen a more viable energy source. The integration of hydrogen into turbines will also be discussed, showcasing the industry's commitment to sustainability by incorporating up to 50% hydrogen in some turbines.Presentations from Erin Volpe and Stefan Roeseler add further depth to the expo. Volpe explores innovative solutions for abradable sealing systems in turbines, utilizing felt metal materials to minimize leakage and enhance efficiency. Roeseler's work on C-rings focuses on improving seal integrity under high pressure and temperature conditions, using advanced simulations and real-world testing. These developments could revolutionize turbine repair and performance, making the process more efficient and cost-effective. For those interested in the forefront of engineering and energy, the Turbo Expo 2024 is a must-attend event that promises to showcase groundbreaking advancements shaping the future of the industry.

The upcoming Turbo Expo, scheduled to take place in London from June 24 to 28, 2024, is set to be a landmark event for the engineering and energy sectors. One highlight of the event is a paper presented by Elaine Motyka from Technetics Group R&D, focusing on the development of porous transport layers (PTLs) for anion exchange membrane electrolyzers (AEMEL). This innovative research aims to optimize PTLs to enhance performance and cost-effectiveness, making hydrogen a more viable energy source. The integration of hydrogen into turbines will also be discussed, showcasing the industry's commitment to sustainability by incorporating up to 50% hydrogen in some turbines.Presentations from Erin Volpe and Stefan Roeseler add further depth to the expo. Volpe explores innovative solutions for abradable sealing systems in turbines, utilizing felt metal materials to minimize leakage and enhance efficiency. Roeseler's work on C-rings focuses on improving seal integrity under high pressure and temperature conditions, using advanced simulations and real-world testing. These developments could revolutionize turbine repair and performance, making the process more efficient and cost-effective. For those interested in the forefront of engineering and energy, the Turbo Expo 2024 is a must-attend event that promises to showcase groundbreaking advancements shaping the future of the industry.

As industries strive to meet stringent noise regulations and enhance acoustic performance, acoustic CAD simulation has become an essential tool in aerospace design. The European Environment Agency reports that noise pollution affects the well-being of millions, emphasizing the need for advanced acoustic solutions to mitigate these effects.What cutting-edge strategies and technologies can address the growing challenges of noise pollution in aerospace and beyond? This is the core question explored in the latest episode of Getting Technetical, hosted by Michelle Dawn Mooney and featuring guest expert Raphael Pesseau, the Director of Acoustics Engineering Solutions at Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence.This episode explores the applications of acoustics CAD simulation in aerospace design, discussing its impact on environmental noise control, regulatory compliance, and product innovation.Mooney and Pesseau's conversation includes the following:• The Critical Role of Acoustics in Environmental and Regulatory Compliance: Addressing noise pollution and meeting regulatory benchmarks through advanced simulations• Technological Innovations and Solutions: Exploring Hexagon's role in bridging the real and digital worlds to tackle acoustic challenges• Future Directions and Collaborations: Discussing the integration of Technetics' FELTMETAL™ in acoustic designs and its implications for the industryAs the Director of Acoustics Engineering Solutions for Hexagon, Raphael Pesseau manages a global team specializing in acoustic simulation using the Actran software. With a career focused on simulation technologies and acoustic solutions since 2007, Pesseau significant contribution to the field grew after his firm became part of Hexagon in 2017. Pesseau is based in Toulouse, France.

In the latest episode of "Getting Technetical," the 2024 aerospace outlook is meticulously unpacked. This insightful discussion explores the aerospace industry's vigorous expansion, highlighting both the commercial and military sectors' burgeoning demand. Jason Riggs, Director of Sales for the Americas at Technetics, shares an expert analysis on the projected doubling of the industry's value by 2032, despite facing production and supply chain challenges. With a focus on the past year's hurdles, such as delays and market fluctuations, and a forward-looking perspective on technological innovations, environmental initiatives, and the burgeoning commercial space travel sector, this episode is a must-listen for professionals and enthusiasts eager to understand the aerospace landscape's evolving dynamics.

In this insightful episode of the Technetics podcast, Timothy Douglass sits down with Jonathan Kweder, the Director of R&D for North America at Technetics, to discuss the pioneering strides and challenges the company faces in integrating additive manufacturing (AM) into the production of metal seals. As the aerospace and new space sectors demand faster iteration and customization, Technetics explores the frontiers of 3D printing technology to reduce lead times and enhance product development. Kweder shares his expert perspective on the journey from initial experimentation with desktop machines to the complex realities of producing metal seals with AM, including the technological hurdles, the importance of material selection, and the potential for innovation in design and production.The conversation navigates through the technical and commercial landscape of additive manufacturing, highlighting both its current limitations in precision and material consistency and its promising advantages for rapid prototyping and creative freedom in engineering. Despite the challenges, Kweder's insights reveal a future where AM could revolutionize traditional manufacturing processes, offering improved thermal resistance, design flexibility, and potentially transforming the way metal seals are produced and used in critical applications. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the convergence of traditional industrial practices with cutting-edge manufacturing technologies, shedding light on the ongoing evolution within Technetics and the broader implications for the aerospace industry.

In this insightful episode of the Technetics podcast, Timothy Douglass sits down with Jonathan Kweder, the Director of R&D for North America at Technetics, to discuss the pioneering strides and challenges the company faces in integrating additive manufacturing (AM) into the production of metal seals. As the aerospace and new space sectors demand faster iteration and customization, Technetics explores the frontiers of 3D printing technology to reduce lead times and enhance product development. Kweder shares his expert perspective on the journey from initial experimentation with desktop machines to the complex realities of producing metal seals with AM, including the technological hurdles, the importance of material selection, and the potential for innovation in design and production.The conversation navigates through the technical and commercial landscape of additive manufacturing, highlighting both its current limitations in precision and material consistency and its promising advantages for rapid prototyping and creative freedom in engineering. Despite the challenges, Kweder's insights reveal a future where AM could revolutionize traditional manufacturing processes, offering improved thermal resistance, design flexibility, and potentially transforming the way metal seals are produced and used in critical applications. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the convergence of traditional industrial practices with cutting-edge manufacturing technologies, shedding light on the ongoing evolution within Technetics and the broader implications for the aerospace industry.

This episode of 'Getting Technetical' takes us on an insightful journey through the Hydrogen Technology Exhibition in Bremen. We feature Tom Ludwell, Market Manager for Aerospace, Racing, and Turbo Machinery at Technetics Group, who offers a comprehensive overview of the event and Technetics' pivotal role in the evolving hydrogen technology landscape. Ludwell delves into the intricate challenges and pioneering advancements in hydrogen applications, from sealing technologies in dynamic environments to the potential of hydrogen in energy generation and beyond. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that sheds light on how Technetics is navigating and shaping the future of the hydrogen industry, marking a significant stride towards sustainable technological solutions.About the guest: Tom Ludwell is the Market Manager for Aerospace, Turbomachinery, and Racing at Technetics Group, where he provides innovative sealing solutions to meet the highly challenging requirements of these dynamic sectors.

This episode of 'Getting Technetical' takes us on an insightful journey through the Hydrogen Technology Exhibition in Bremen. We feature Tom Ludwell, Market Manager for Aerospace, Racing, and Turbo Machinery at Technetics Group, who offers a comprehensive overview of the event and Technetics' pivotal role in the evolving hydrogen technology landscape. Ludwell delves into the intricate challenges and pioneering advancements in hydrogen applications, from sealing technologies in dynamic environments to the potential of hydrogen in energy generation and beyond. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that sheds light on how Technetics is navigating and shaping the future of the hydrogen industry, marking a significant stride towards sustainable technological solutions.About the guest: Tom Ludwell is the Market Manager for Aerospace, Turbomachinery, and Racing at Technetics Group, where he provides innovative sealing solutions to meet the highly challenging requirements of these dynamic sectors.

In this comprehensive episode of Getting Technetical, hydrogen expert Professor Bruno Pollet explores the role of hydrogen as a renewable energy source. First, Professor Pollet provides an introduction to hydrogen's potential applications and benefits, such as its high energy content and use in fuel cells, which emit only water as a byproduct. Second, Professor Pollet delves into the challenges and intricacies of hydrogen production, discussing both low-carbon and renewable methods. Professor Pollet emphasizes the urgent need for innovation to minimize CO2 emissions in hydrogen production, aiming for a more sustainable future. From the basics of hydrogen as an energy source to the cutting-edge research in its production methods, this episode offers a thorough look into the potential and challenges of hydrogen in the quest for decarbonization. Whether you're new to the subject or a seasoned professional, you'll find valuable insights into the rapidly evolving world of hydrogen energy.

In this comprehensive episode of Getting Technetical, hydrogen expert Professor Bruno Pollet explores the role of hydrogen as a renewable energy source. First, Professor Pollet provides an introduction to hydrogen's potential applications and benefits, such as its high energy content and use in fuel cells, which emit only water as a byproduct. Second, Professor Pollet delves into the challenges and intricacies of hydrogen production, discussing both low-carbon and renewable methods. Professor Pollet emphasizes the urgent need for innovation to minimize CO2 emissions in hydrogen production, aiming for a more sustainable future. From the basics of hydrogen as an energy source to the cutting-edge research in its production methods, this episode offers a thorough look into the potential and challenges of hydrogen in the quest for decarbonization. Whether you're new to the subject or a seasoned professional, you'll find valuable insights into the rapidly evolving world of hydrogen energy.

What trends can innovators look to for fueling clean energy transformation? This year's Turbo Expo 2023 offered plenty of possibilities. Rising global temperatures and environmental challenges are not just headlines but catalysts for change. The race to pioneer a sustainable future is on, and hydrogen energy emerges as a potential frontrunner. With recent studies spotlighting hydrogen's pivotal role in the clean energy matrix, the question arises: Is hydrogen the revolution the world has been waiting for?Which innovations are truly propelling the clean energy transformation, and how poised is the world to welcome this change?In this episode of Getting Technetical, host Bobby Brill examines the clean energy transformation and how Technetics' is fueling hydrogen innovation. Brill's guests, Tyler Noyes, Shivani Rudradat, and Elaine Motyka from the Technetics Group, provide critical takeaways from Turbo Expo 2023 and the technological advancements making a clean energy transformation possible.Discussion Highlights:• The groundbreaking revelations from the ASME Turbo Expo• The potential of hydrogen as a transformative clean energy source, especially its implications for the aviation sector• Technetics' pioneering approach to clean energy, with a focus on their innovative “acoustic felt metal.”About the Guests:Elaine Motyka, boasting over twenty-five years in the industry, is the Principal Materials Engineer at Technetics Group. Her unwavering commitment to innovation has solidified her position at Technetics for the past fourteen years. Shivani Rudradat, the dynamic Product Manager for seals and materials in North America, has been with Technetics for a decade. Her role involves envisioning the future trajectory of the company's innovations. Tyler Noyes, stationed in Columbia, South Carolina, functions as the R&D Test Engineer while pursuing his PhD at the University of South Carolina. His expertise ranges from hands-on customer testing to cutting-edge research endeavors.

There is at least one market growing despite fears of a global recession and it's not on everyone's radar: the aerospace industry. The industry, which has seen steady growth with the continuous development of innovative technologies, posted a robust Q2 and Q3 in the market. But what is indicating this and what might affect its' futures?On this episode of Getting Technetical, host Tyler Kern chats with Technetics' Director of Strategy for North America, Jason Riggs, about the Q2 and Q3 outlook for the aerospace industry. Kern and Riggs discuss… 1) Which factors to consider when looking at market futures 2) What specific companies, like Airbus and Embraer, are doing to continue their growth 3) What the year-on-year growth outlook was and the overall trends in the marketplace“So, if your business is connected to Airbus, narrow-bodied jets, you're in great shape. If your business is connected to the F-35 joint strike fighter, you're in great shape. These are kind of some of the areas within commercial and defense that just continue to really dominate, frankly,” explained Riggs.As the Director of Strategy, Riggs is responsible for the development and deployment of multiple North American sites. He has been with Technetics for just under a decade. Riggs earned his BS from Arizona State University in Mechanical Engineering and his MBA from the University of Phoenix.

There has been advancement in the use of clean energy sources. There are variations in these renewable sources on a daily and seasonal basis. Therefore, there is a need for energy conservation when wind or sun is not adequate. Hydrogen has been identified as a potential green energy source. On this special episode of Getting Technetical powered by Technetics, host Tyler Kern chats with Dr. William Mustain, Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina, to help shed more light on developments in green hydrogen research. The two discuss:The various applications of hydrogen, including fuel cells and fuel infrastructureHow industry-university partnerships help advance researchHow advancements in electrolysis research help uncover faster and more cost-effective methods of producing green hydrogen“The most rewarding aspect of the journey is watching things designed in the laboratory become incorporated into solving real-life problems,” said Dr. Mustain.Dr. William Mustain is a Professor and researcher in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina. He is the Chair of the Electrochemical Society Energy Technology Division and earned his PhD from Illinois Institute of Technology.

The CHIPS and Science ACT, signed into law on August 9th, is a bipartisan effort to provide federal funding to encourage the construction of U.S. microprocessor manufacturing facilities. Steven Hill, President of Technetics Semi, spoke with Global Semiconductor Alliance's CEO, Jodi Shelton, on how this law will impact semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. and globally.Before the CHIPS and Science ACT, the U.S. lagged behind other major players in the semiconductor industry, countries such as China and Taiwan, something Shelton and Hill hoped would change now that the act is the law. The law provides $39 billion to help fund semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. “The CHIPS Act is not specific to U.S. companies,” Hill said. “It's for the key players in the industry. Companies like TSMC and Samsung are included, not only Intel, global foundries, Micron, Wolfspeed will benefit.”The semiconductor ecosystem is a complex web of innovation and technology that plays a significant role in the world economy, and it's an exciting time for the U.S. to up its game. “It's amazing the amount of applications that semiconductor devices go in today,” Hill said. “When you think about EVs and autonomous driving, and you talk about the cloud, the cloud's enabled by semiconductor devices. So, high-performance computing, data centers, there are so many applications for semiconductor devices.”Because of all the applications requiring state-of-the-art semiconductors, a more developed workforce is needed to grow this business, predicted to grow to more than a trillion dollars over the next several years. “We have to attract talent to this industry,” Shelton said. “We have to take advantage of being in the spotlight and get those kids in universities focused on an engineering degree, and it's hard to do that, but we must encourage them. At the end of the day, this is an amazing industry to be part of.”

There has been advancement in the use of clean energy sources. There are variations in these renewable sources on a daily and seasonal basis. Therefore, there is a need for energy conservation when wind or sun is not adequate. Hydrogen has been identified as a potential green energy source. On this special episode of Getting Technetical powered by Technetics, host Tyler Kern chats with Dr. William Mustain, Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina, to help shed more light on developments in green hydrogen research. The two discuss:The various applications of hydrogen, including fuel cells and fuel infrastructureHow industry-university partnerships help advance researchHow advancements in electrolysis research help uncover faster and more cost-effective methods of producing green hydrogen“The most rewarding aspect of the journey is watching things designed in the laboratory become incorporated into solving real-life problems,” said Dr. Mustain.Dr. William Mustain is a Professor and researcher in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina. He is the Chair of the Electrochemical Society Energy Technology Division and earned his PhD from Illinois Institute of Technology.

There has been advancement in the use of clean energy sources. There are variations in these renewable sources on a daily and seasonal basis. Therefore, there is a need for energy conservation when wind or sun is not adequate. Hydrogen has been identified as a potential green energy source. On this special episode of Getting Technetical powered by Technetics, host Tyler Kern chats with Dr. William Mustain, Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina, to help shed more light on developments in green hydrogen research. The two discuss:The various applications of hydrogen, including fuel cells and fuel infrastructureHow industry-university partnerships help advance researchHow advancements in electrolysis research help uncover faster and more cost-effective methods of producing green hydrogen“The most rewarding aspect of the journey is watching things designed in the laboratory become incorporated into solving real-life problems,” said Dr. Mustain.Dr. William Mustain is a Professor and researcher in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina. He is the Chair of the Electrochemical Society Energy Technology Division and earned his PhD from Illinois Institute of Technology.

The CHIPS and Science ACT, signed into law on August 9th, is a bipartisan effort to provide federal funding to encourage the construction of U.S. microprocessor manufacturing facilities. Steven Hill, President of Technetics Semi, spoke with Global Semiconductor Alliance's CEO, Jodi Shelton, on how this law will impact semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. and globally.Before the CHIPS and Science ACT, the U.S. lagged behind other major players in the semiconductor industry, countries such as China and Taiwan, something Shelton and Hill hoped would change now that the act is the law. The law provides $39 billion to help fund semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. “The CHIPS Act is not specific to U.S. companies,” Hill said. “It's for the key players in the industry. Companies like TSMC and Samsung are included, not only Intel, global foundries, Micron, Wolfspeed will benefit.”The semiconductor ecosystem is a complex web of innovation and technology that plays a significant role in the world economy, and it's an exciting time for the U.S. to up its game. “It's amazing the amount of applications that semiconductor devices go in today,” Hill said. “When you think about EVs and autonomous driving, and you talk about the cloud, the cloud's enabled by semiconductor devices. So, high-performance computing, data centers, there are so many applications for semiconductor devices.”Because of all the applications requiring state-of-the-art semiconductors, a more developed workforce is needed to grow this business, predicted to grow to more than a trillion dollars over the next several years. “We have to attract talent to this industry,” Shelton said. “We have to take advantage of being in the spotlight and get those kids in universities focused on an engineering degree, and it's hard to do that, but we must encourage them. At the end of the day, this is an amazing industry to be part of.”

It's true that there's a small number of women in the semiconductor industry, but one woman has pledged to work towards changing this fact. Host Tyler Kern chatted with Jodi Shelton, the CEO of the Dallas-based, Global Semiconductor Alliance (GSA), on an episode of “Getting Technetical.“ The two got down to the nitty-gritty of the semiconductor industry, and Shelton's plans for changing the future landscape of the field. Shelton co-founded GSA close to three decades ago, and her company's mission has heavily focused on bringing together the best and brightest in the industry. But the lack of women has shed light on an area that desperately needs improvement. As one of the few women faces in the semiconductor field, Shelton discussed a new program that GSA launched called the Women's Leadership Initiative, which is aimed at attracting more women to the industry while empowering them to take on leadership roles are primary goals of the initiative.She talked about her own experience in the field and why this initiative is of particular significance to her. “This industry is very male-dominated and there were many times – 90 percent of the time – that I was the only woman in the room. So, working on this Women's Leadership Initiative has certainly been one of the most rewarding things that I've done in my career,” said Shelton.Currently, Shelton said that women make up approximately 10 percent of the semiconductor industry. This gender disparity speaks to the need to promote career opportunities within this sector to young women. Shelton noted that she believes women are either being ignored, or not enough is being done to recruit them. The goal now is to seek out women pursuing STEM degrees at colleges around the country, and just by Shelton's own presence, be an example that women can indeed have a career in this field. She highlighted increased revenue, company growth in the midst of shortages, and how even with supply chain concerns, the semiconductor industry continues to grow and it's an opportune time to find success in it.“There really has never been a better time to be in the semiconductor industry,” said Shelton. She added that “growth is robust and sustainable, and the pace of innovation is accelerating rapidly.”

Aviation contributes 2% of all CO2 emissions, which is something the industry wants to change. Jason Riggs, director of strategy at Technetics, spoke with Tyler Kern about some of the aviation industry's plans to reach zero emissions by 2050 through sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), hydrogen, and pure battery-electric aircraft. Hydrogen as a fuel source gets talked about a lot; however, until recently, it has been mostly all talk. “There are a couple of different ways you can use hydrogen to power an aircraft,” Riggs said. “One would be to burn hydrogen in the turbo engine. The second way would be to use hydrogen in a fuel cell. The fuel cell creates electricity, and the electricity then powers electric motors. And lastly, hydrogen can also be used to manufacture sustainable aviation fuels.” This all sounds great, but what's the hang-up? “The challenge is when you start adding in weight of the storage tanks, and all the weight required to hold that hydrogen, that energy density drops by roughly a third to two-thirds,” Riggs said. “It's not a perfect solution even though hydrogen in and of itself has a higher energy density than some of these competing technologies.” The technology exists to make hydrogen-fueled aircrafts a reality, but its drawbacks prevent it from being a scalable solution at present. Overall, however, it's one that holds promise for the future.Getting to zero emissions is more than just the emissions coming out of the jet; the production of green fuels counts too, and the industry is looking at ways to balance out both ends. Producing hydrogen fuels today is more expensive than producing traditional kerosene jet fuels. Bringing costs down will be another factor in moving the industry forward in its path toward green, and government incentives could help move the needle. However, without such intervention, green-fuel initiatives may not stand a fighting chance.

Technology advances continue to snowball, it doesn't appear progress will slow anytime soon. Angus McFadden, Semiconductor Technology Manager at Technetics, joined Host Tyler Kern explain how semiconductor manufacturing is evolving. McFadden heads discovery for emerging and new technologies at Technetics, working with other companies under a semiconductor initiative. McFadden has seen shrinking line width and wafer stacking in semiconductor nodes. Technetics is working on three nanometer widths with some customers, but eventually they will reach a physical limit around two nanometers. Packaging, where wafers are stacked to improve unit area functionality, is another way shrinking is occurring. With these advances, the gaming industry is placing more emphasis on semiconductor importance with more use of AR and VR. “That demands a lot of computing power, a lot of bandwidth, a lot of memory,” stated McFadden. Because cell phones are the portal to world, these customers are also demanding improved semiconductor manufacturing. People want to see high resolution screens and refresh rates with a longer battery life, which is another reason for smaller semiconductors.The size reduction means materials and contamination sensitivity are changing, which ties into cleaning. Smaller particles at the atomic level are now considered contaminants, and manufacturing companies are now turning to service from larger companies that specialize in cleaning. “A lot of people use us, and they feel comfortable with that because were insular from the rest of the world and they don't do it in house anymore on a large scale because they just can't afford it, it doesn't make sense, and getting the talent is difficult,” McFadden explained. McFadden believes the market will remain strong for the foreseeable future and grow for the next seven to ten years. For more updates on the semiconductor industry, subscribe or visit technetics.com.

The pandemic may have halted many industries from growing, but that is not the case for the commercial space market. Jason Riggs, Director of Strategy at Technetics, discussed the market's future for 2022 with Host Tyler Kern.Recently, propulsion and launch vehicles have made an entrance into the market, and private funding and public funding are both fueling investments. 3D printing and design stability have helped create cost efficiency and standard designs, which are essential for ensuring continuity of supply. There is also need for nations to lift national security payloads like communication satellites as the hunger for data and connectivity become more important. Large constellations will fuel connectivity by providing internet to the 50% of the world that lacks connection. The cost and size of communication satellites has been drastically reduced, allowing more to be in orbit. Companies such as AST space mobile, Astranis, Amazon project Kuiper and SpaceX are taking part in the rush to launch more satellites. “That space launch service market is expected to grow at around a 13 to 14% CAGR, putting the market size at over 26 billion by the year 2027,” said Riggs.In terms of future innovations, aviation fuels, hybrid electric aircraft, hydrogen aircraft, sustainable supersonic aircraft and all-electric aircraft makers are on the rise. The industry is starting to see use of hypersonic missiles that travel at five times the speed of sound and deliver conventional and nuclear payloads anywhere in the world in minutes. Riggs explained the role of Technetics: “Our goal is really to develop and acquire technologies that will allow us to help drive these markets forward, not just chase them.”For more information on this topic, subscribe to the podcast on Apple iTunes or Spotify and visit the Technetics website.

Because of the pandemic, the commercial aero market was profoundly impacted by the sudden disruptions in travel. Jason Riggs, Director of Strategy at Technetics Group, discussed this phenomenon and how the market has rebounded with Host Tyler Kern. Globally, air traffic is down by 30% from pre-pandemic levels, and airframers are making calls to increase production rates to 75 per month, which is double what it is today. What does this mean for the supply base? This will create more strain, especially in the skilled labor workforce. Skilled laborers faced layoffs in 2020, and now the workforce is 10-20% smaller than it should be. Like many other industries, businesses are having difficulty recruiting employees back, and Riggs said a hypothesis for the cause is that the younger generation is switching industries. An additional source of pressure in the industry is the semiconductor and chip shortages. The shortages have caused more customer interest in dual sourcing to mitigate supply concerns and drive down costs. Because of stressors like these, 2021 has seen a lot of defense-related merger and acquisition transactions. “Defense-related content typically stays strong during downturns, and that certainly was the case during the pandemic,” Riggs explained. Businesses are trading multiples significantly higher than a few years ago, and commercial deal flows are predicted to continue increasing next year as businesses improve. Despite these challenges in 2021, the fundamentals for aerospace and defense remain strong. Riggs knows the market will make a full recovery, hopefully by 2023 or 2024. “It's just a question of how and when, but we feel really good about the market; we are excited about where things are going,” he stated.Subscribe to the podcast on Apple iTunes or Spotify and visit the Technetics website for more information on this topic.

Because of the pandemic, the commercial aero market was profoundly impacted by the sudden disruptions in travel. Jason Riggs, Director of Strategy at Technetics Group, discussed this phenomenon and how the market has rebounded with Host Tyler Kern. Globally, air traffic is down by 30% from pre-pandemic levels, and airframers are making calls to increase production rates to 75 per month, which is double what it is today. What does this mean for the supply base? This will create more strain, especially in the skilled labor workforce. Skilled laborers faced layoffs in 2020, and now the workforce is 10-20% smaller than it should be. Like many other industries, businesses are having difficulty recruiting employees back, and Riggs said a hypothesis for the cause is that the younger generation is switching industries. An additional source of pressure in the industry is the semiconductor and chip shortages. The shortages have caused more customer interest in dual sourcing to mitigate supply concerns and drive down costs. Because of stressors like these, 2021 has seen a lot of defense-related merger and acquisition transactions. “Defense-related content typically stays strong during downturns, and that certainly was the case during the pandemic,” Riggs explained. Businesses are trading multiples significantly higher than a few years ago, and commercial deal flows are predicted to continue increasing next year as businesses improve. Despite these challenges in 2021, the fundamentals for aerospace and defense remain strong. Riggs knows the market will make a full recovery, hopefully by 2023 or 2024. “It's just a question of how and when, but we feel really good about the market; we are excited about where things are going,” he stated.Subscribe to the podcast on Apple iTunes or Spotify and visit the Technetics website for more information on this topic.

A safe and efficient supply chain is a must for life science companies, specifically in pharmaceutical applications. Proper sealing is essential to providing safety and efficiency, explained Technetics Group France's Bruno Rouchouze, Senior Product Manager, and Michel Berger, Principal Manager.

Often, in manufacturing, being almost to standard would be a disaster. Products must be built just right, with the consequences of falling short sometimes the difference between the success or failure of a product. Andrew Bastion, Technetics Group’s Director of Product Management and Strategy, and his team know things must be done almost perfectly. Luckily, they are able to use on-site clean rooms to make sure contaminates aren’t introduced in the process. Having a trio of clean rooms, two rated Class 8 and one Class 5, on-site means that, unlike many of its competitors, Technetics doesn’t have to ship products off to a facility elsewhere. Many other companies are moving products long ways to places like Florida or California. “I don’t know of any that have an on-site Class 5 clean room,” Bastian said. “I believe that we’re the only one, and that’s the reason that we’ve done very well in this. If you need a product that is clean and need it fast, we have to be one of the best options, because everyone else is shipping them back and forth across the country.” The process saves a minimum of three days but often saves even more time if normal shipping is used rather than overnight. Technetics’ advantage in the area is clear. That’s great news for a number of companies in industries, but particularly in the semiconductor and medical device industries, which need mission-critical PTFE that stands up to the rigors of their applications. “The two major industries where we’re seeing this used are semiconductor and medical device. Semiconductor is definitely the largest by volume. They used PTFE in their wet chemical processes and any debris or FOD, foreign-object debris, in the process is a potential contaminate on a wafer,” Bastion said.

ITER means "the way" in Latin, but 35 countries around the globe know ITER as one of the most ambitious energy projects in the world. Robert Pearce, Section Leader, Vacuum Delivery & Installation Section for the ITER Organization, spoke about the drive to create net energy from a fusion device. “Initially, ITER got started from a discussion between Presidents Reagan and Gorbachev at the end of the Cold War,” Pearce said. “Their vision was to start an international project that would produce fusion energy.” Seven international partners from 35 countries and several more associated countries form ITER. Throughout all these nations, more than 1,000 companies participate in creating ITER’s fusion machine, Tokamak. Through hard work, scientific know-how and tremendous collaboration, ITER hopes to harness the same energy that powers the universe. Fusion energy is a sustainable fuel with the potential of changing the game for humanity. “It’s an admirable goal to have clean, sustainable energy, but it’s not that easy,” Pearce said. “If it were easy, it would have already been done.” ITER’s mission is to figure out the challenges that come with harnessing the sun's power without the size and scale in which the sun burns energy and the gravitational forces that go along with it.

On May 30th, the next chapter of U.S. space exploration began with the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch to the International Space Station. Jason Riggs, Director, Aerospace Business Unit for The Technetics Group, spoke with host Tyler Kern about this momentous event. “This is definitely a new chapter in human space flight,” Biggs said. “Since the shuttle program ended in 2011, we’ve relied on Russia to get our astronauts up to space. With this successful mission, I believe this puts NASA and the U.S. back in the driver’s seat of our own space program.” The Commercial Crew program will likely be a significant part of the equation for the future of U.S. space flight. “With this public/private partnership, they were able to demonstrate they can deliver the capability, which we saw with the launch a couple of weeks ago, and deliver massive cost savings and a reduction in time to execute,” Biggs said. And this type of partnership provides much need capabilities within the industrial base. For Technetics’ part, Biggs said they’ve been lending their support, knowledge, and technical capabilities to all partners in this joint Commercial Crew venture to ensure the programs are as good as can be. As for SpaceX, did the successful launch on May 30th change the opinion that they can realize the dream of commercial space flights? “They’ve demonstrated their reuse capabilities many times over and demonstrated similar capabilities with the Falcon 9 in a manned space flight environment. So, I think the questions around, can they do this? Can they do this efficiently? Can they do this quickly? Cost-effectively? I think they've put a lot of those questions to rest,” Biggs said.

People may be most familiar with PTFE tape under its sometimes-moniker, plumber’s tape. But, as Technetics’ product manager Rodrigo Costa explained, there are many different uses and applications for PTFE tapes and films. “PTFE tapes are interesting because of its chemical inertness, so it is resistant to any solvent,” Costa said. “it’s nontoxic, and it has a broad temperature range, workable with temperatures up to 160 degrees Celsius.” Unsintered tapes can be used as a wiring cable insulator to prevent breakdowns and sparks. Technetics can customize and color the tapes to meet a customer’s specifications. Engineered PTFE tapes use special additives to enhance specific properties. Costa said Technetics often changes the properties of these tapes and films to meet a customer’s need for better wear resistance or thermo-conductivity. “The main application for our PTFE tapes is wire and cable,” Costa said. “Other interesting applications are bearings or bushings. The films are applied to metal substrates and formed into bushings.” Some compression packing applications use a PTFE film turned into yarn. It’s the high temperature of operation that makes PTFE so desirable for wiring and sealing applications.

Talk about small but mighty. A 1/8 metal seal on a valve can be the difference between success and critical failure. On this episode of Getting Technetical by Technetics, host Shelby Skrhak sat down with Cindy Krishna and Bruno Quilling to discuss the variable viability of metal seals that help solve tough sealing problems. "Valves are continuously moving, so there's a real hard demand on them," Krishna said. Multi-purpose solutions — ones that work for most industries — can struggle to meet extreme demands within specific valve uses, Quilling explained. "More commonly used sealing materials like elastomer or graphite can become deformed and lose tightness," Quilling said. But advances in metallic sciences have helped to bring in more durable sealing solutions to market. "We've seen the evolution of metal seals over time with increasing demands from the environment," Krishna said. "It's the change in extremes of what we're asking valves and pumps to do these days that are really driving that significant change." The extremes are quite significant. Seals must withstand temperatures as low as –423°F and as high as 1450°F, survive corrosive or radioactive environments, and perform over the long-term without excessive material degradation. Quilling says metal seals serve critical applications in the nuclear, oil and gas, and semiconductor industries. "These are industries where failure is not an option due to cost," he said.

Andrew Bastian, Director of Product Management and Strategy, Technetics stopped by Getting Technetical to talk about Technetics’ PTFE product assortment and their capabilities. While Technetics offers a wide range of stock shapes of PTFE sheets, rods and tubes, they also customize these products to exact forms and thicknesses to meet customer specifications. “In some cases, we can create shapes that no one else can,” Bastian said. “We can make a cylinder longer than anyone I know of.” High quality is the premier consideration for Technetics in creating these PTFE products. “We work with all the major resin producers,” Bastian said. “And our working environment is controlled and clean.” Stocked with state-of-the-art automated equipment and manufactured utilizing a well-experienced staff, Technetics stands behind all of the products it produces. When it comes to etching sheets, Bastian said the key is to ensure the produced sheet is flat. A well-produced flat sheet will reduce the need for re-etching. Another element to a well-produced sheet is a low amount of color variation after etching. And, if assistance with picking the right PTFE product is needed, Bastian mentioned Technetics’ customer service team with their average 20-year industry experience. “They know the industry, and they know how to help you get you what you want, even if you don’t know what you want, yourself,” Bastian said.

The first space race may already be run, but now is a time of great innovation and growth in the final frontier. Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are pushing the boundaries further and further, with simply landing on the moon not good enough. They’re looking at taking cargo to space, getting tourists out of this world and even, in the case of SpaceX, wondering if it’s possible to colonize Mars. Jason Riggs, the director of the Aerospace Business Unit for Technetics Group, is used to hearing big ideas from customers and figuring out how they can help make those things happen. “We have always been a very customer-centric organization, so we work really hard to be sitting alongside our customers so, as they are growing and evolving, we have the opportunity to do so alongside them,” Riggs said. “It’s not always easy. Change is hard. But when you’re focused on being there for your customer and see them moving down a path that’s new, different and maybe a little uncomfortable, you have the opportunity to decide, yes, we’re going to take our business down that same path, or we’re not.” Technetics finds itself saying yes a lot more than no these days, expanding its offerings beyond what long-time clients have come to expect from the group. “For a lot of folks that have known Technetics Group or even some of the brands and names we operated under prior to the evolution of Technetics, a lot of people have known us for static metal sealings,” Riggs said. “Those products are used all over both the launch vehicle itself and propulsion systems - anytime you have an assembly of some sort.” The group also does larger machine metal seals, K-Port seals and a variety of other sealing and fluid conveyance solutions. Clearly, it’s adapting with the times and offering solutions fit for this new chapter in space history.

The aerospace industry is growing. Airbus announced that, in the next 20 years, 39,000 aircraft will need to be manufactured, and 550,000 new pilots will need to be hired to meet traffic growth. The team at Technetics said that capacity is the biggest challenge in the marketplace at the moment, but they have the experience and specialty to ride this new growth. Darren Conway, Rob Paton, and Tom Ludwell from Technetics join host Daniel Litwin on Getting Technetical to have a discussion on how the company maintains business relationships. Around seven years ago, the aerospace industry saw a race to the bottom in costs. Currently, the team at Technetics said that trend is reversing, and customers are looking for a quality product that is delivered on time. Daniel Conway said that Technetics strives for “stability, control and structure.” Technetics has latched onto its niche, meaning it can deliver a quality product to the market faster than others. Technetics also has the added benefit of many years of experience. Paton said they are “lucky enough to have an experience with a multitude of elastomers," as well. On the topic of maintaining business relationships, Ludwell had an excellent takeaway. “As long as you pick your battles, you service the hell out of the customer, and you deliver what they need at the right quality and the right time scale, then you will always grow your business,” he said. Technetics is full of experts in creating products and creating a relationship with their business partners. The conversation about maintaining relationships became one about honesty. Ludwell said that “doing the right thing with the right partners becomes the most important thing to growing your business.”