ALFRED, NY—Alfred University and its Center for Advanced Ceramic Technology (CACT) announce the receipt of a donation of equipment from Eaton Corporation, which will be used to develop new ceramic materials and manufacturing processes.
The donated equipment, from Eaton Corporation’s Power Systems Division Materials Development Laboratory, located at the Thomas A. Edison Technical Center in Franksville, WI, includes pilot-scale spray drying, attrition and vibratory milling, high-temperature processing, and control systems. It will be located at the IncubatorWorks facility in Alfred, which host’s Alfred University’s Center for Prototype Manufacturing, a pilot production facility focused on the development of multi-layer ceramic products and process development.
IncubatorWorks, the only business incubator in the country dedicated to encouraging the growth of ceramics and glass start-up companies, supports New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s high-tech vision for making New York State a leader in the development of advanced materials and manufacturing processes.
“This donation further expands the range of in-house capabilities Alfred can offer to its industrial partners in assisting them to develop new ceramic materials and manufacturing processes,” stated CACT Executive Director John Simmins. “We have already identified a number of projects with ceramics companies in New York State that will immediately benefit from this equipment as they work to bring new technologies into the marketplace.”
Eaton’s Thomas A. Edison Technical Center is a materials development, high power and voltage testing facility where Eaton engineers and scientists test and develop the products and technology to transform and regulate power delivery in medium voltage power distribution systems. Work at the Thomas A. Edison Technical Center focuses on high-voltage and high-power testing, materials development, and new product development for medium-voltage electrical distribution products.
Eaton’s Materials Development Laboratory worked with the CACT to coordinate the equipment donation. Chao Li, manager, Materials Development Laboratory, stated, “We are extremely happy that this equipment will be put to good use at Alfred University in the development of new ceramic materials. Eaton has a strong history of supporting academic institutions around the world, so this donation aligns well with that history.”
Added Li, “Ceramics play an important role in technologies that enable grid integration of renewables and for more efficient power management systems. Alfred’s focus in both areas, through its College of Ceramics and its Renewable Energy Engineering department were a great match for this equipment.”
