Surmet Announces the Expansion of its Aluminum Nitride (AlN) Manufacturing Operations

High Brightness LED outdoor lighting products require efficient heat removal to assure peak performance and long life. While alumina is sufficient for low power levels, higher power levels will necessitate the use of AlN because of its unusual and desirable combination of high dielectric strength and high thermal conductivity.

AlN is 8 to 10 times more thermally conductive than alumina, and its conductivity will not deteriorate with rising temperatures. With a relatively low thermal expansion coefficient, AlN structures meet thermo-mechanical requirements for many electronic and device components.

With over 75,000 square feet of manufacturing and R&D space, Surmet’s Buffalo facility has been a leading supplier of high purity Aluminum Nitride to international customers for over 20 years. Surmet is now one of only a handful of companies worldwide that has the capacity to synthesize high quality AlN powder in tonnage quantities. Furthermore, Surmet is the only supplier in the US with the ability to synthesize, process and treat the AlN powder to the required surface area and particle size characteristics. Multiple grades of surface modified powders, suitable for use as fillers in adhesives are also available.

Copper metalized Aluminum Nitride tapes, net-shaped complex 3-D device structures and composites are being developed by Surmet, to meet the growing demand for thermal management. Advanced products such as AlN micro-channel reactors and AlN substrates with novel embedded metallic structures are also under development at Surmet.

In addition to thermal management applications, Aluminum Nitride is the material of choice worldwide, for a variety of high performance Green Tech applications. AlN is being used in Traction, Power Generation and also in Hybrid Electric vehicles where power is generated by conventional motors, and power lost during braking is partially recovered.

Founded in 1982, Surmet Corporation is a specialty manufacturing company. Best known for its lightweight ALON, the leading light weight Transparent Armor candidate, Surmet is vertically integrated from powder synthesis through fabrication of the final precision components. In addition to ALON and Aluminum Nitride, Surmet also specializes in the manufacture of Magnesia Spinel and Titanium Diboride based products. Surmet is head quartered in Burlington, MA, and has facilities in Buffalo, NY and Murrieta, CA.

Surmet’s talented, responsive and innovative technical and customer relations staff are ready to work with you to meet the exacting needs and specifications for your next generation advanced product designs.

Lorenzo Lamas Cycles Rumble for the Heartland

Who’d have thought that a friendship started on the set of a reality TV show would lead to the formation of a brand which celebrates the artistry of custom motorcycles, promotes the motorcycle lifestyle and gives back to our country by conducting charitable events for the Armed Services? When producer/director Chad Greulach and actor Lorenzo Lamas met on the set of Gone Country while filming in Nashville back in 2007, the duo hit it off so well they ended up going into business together to form Lorenzo Cycles, a distributor of custom motorcycles, parts, and apparel.

I know what many are thinking. What the hell do two Hollywood types know about motorcycles? Lamas, like many of us, began riding dirt bikes as a kid, then graduated to the street with the purchase of his first motorcycle, a 1975 Honda 500T. In 1979, he would build his first chopper. Since then, he’s served as an ambassador to Oliver Shokouh’s Love Ride since the mid-80’s and is a staple of the Sturgis scene. He also played a bike-riding bounty hunter in a little show called Renegade, which at one time was broadcast in almost 100 markets throughout the world.

Greulach on the other hand started riding a little later in life. That doesn’t mean he didn’t embrace it with gusto. Anybody who buys a Kawasaki ZX-10 as one of their first bikes means they’re not afraid of diving in headfirst. Greulach’s career choice meant he had to put his passion for motorcycles on hiatus for a few years. During that time, though, he was the producer that helped cast and launch a little show called American Chopper, helping the Teutul gang from Orange County Choppers become a household name, so he wasn’t out of the scene altogether.

We met up with Lamas and Greulach recently at Sturgis during the fourth annual Legends Ride where they were not only supporting the causes of the benefit ride, but were doing double duty promoting their own fundraiser called Rumble for the Heartland.

A couple of days later, the duo would lead a pack of riders from Devils Tower to the Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground where participants were treated to a BBQ dinner and a private concert by Nashville Duo, Moccasin Creek. After that, riders were privy to a concert by Toby Keith and Poison who were performing on the Buffalo Chip’s main stage. The event was two-fold as funds raised went directly to Operation Homefront and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. It also got more exposure for the bike they are raffling off for Operation Homefront, a motorcycle called The Patriot, a rippin’ FXR-inspired hot rod with a 124 cubic-inch S&S Twin Cam engine built by custom builder Ralph Randolph.

Bayonne Medical Center first in N.J. to sign on to EPA's Green Team program

Bayonne Medical Center on Friday became the first hospital in New Jersey to sign onto the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Team program aimed at curbing energy consumption, slashing carbon emissions and cutting waste.

Daniel A. Kane, CEO and president of the Bayonne Medical Center, and EPA Regional Deputy Administrator George Pavlou signed the agreement at a ceremony in front of the hospital on Avenue E.

Under the agreement, the BMC will take part in the EPA’s Energy Star program by slashing energy consumption by 10 percent. “We are an environmentally conscious hospital and committed to our green programs and initiatives,” Kane said. “This commitment reinforces our commitment to improve the lives of our patients by providing high quality cost effective health care in response to the needs of residents of Bayonne and Hudson County.”

New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez said that installing solar panels on the parking garage roof will produce 255,000 kilowatt hours of energy annually the equivalent of reducing carbon emissions by 176 tons a year, officials said.

“There is no questions that the Bayonne Medical Center will become one of the greenest medical centers in America, ” Menendez said.

BMC will also join EPA’s WasterWise program, which aims to boost solid industrial waste recycling, including medical equipment, lamps, fluorescent bulbs, batteries and lamps.

BMC has agreed to compost food waste, install energy efficient HVAC systems, and conserve water by collecting storm water for irrigation.

PRESS DIGEST-Australian Business News - Sept 19

Airlines including Virgin Australia and Qantas Airways are using aircraft interiors and ergonomics as they seek to differentiate themselves from rivals and each other. Virgin and Qantas have both started introducing Boeing aircraft featuring the manufacturer's Sky Interior, which includes Bicycle light that can create a range of colours, while Qantas says new in-flight entertainment systems will mark a "significant differential for Qantas."

Research by investment bank Nomura has found that international assets previously acquired by Australian banks have underperformed by 6 percent or more for total shareholder returns. Nomura analyst Victor German said local institutions, which are looking to diversify away from Australia's low-growth market through acquisitions in Asia, risk paying too much, with cheap acquisitions increasingly rare in Asia's competitive banking sector.

Malaysia's AmBank Group has said it plans to use its link to part-owner Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) to position itself as "Malaysia's preferred banking group with international connectivity." ANZ acquired a 15 percent stake in the bank in 2007 and has since increased its holding to 23.8 percent. AmBank has recorded profit growth of 25 percent annually for the past four years, growing from Malaysia's ninth to fifth largest bank.

Department store Myer's chief executive, Bernie Brookes, yesterday said the retailer's online division was growing strongly, saying, "we're tripling the sales just about every week." Mr Brookes said Myer was investing in making its website more attractive and improving its ability to compete online. However, Mr Brookes said the overall retail market remained difficult, with consumers "quite frugal in what they're spending."

A survey by investment bank UBS of sentiment in the Australian banking sector has found that many managers are expecting a return to strong credit growth within the next 12 months. Some senior officials said the current sluggish rate of 2.7 percent growth could double if the Reserve Bank of Australia cuts official interest rates. However, UBS noted that chief financial and chief risk officers have overestimated credit growth forecasts since December 2009.

Perth-based iiNet will today release its retail pricing package for internet access through the national broadband network (NBN). The third-largest service provider in the country has vowed to offer better prices than industry giant Telstra , which will be comparable to current plans but at higher speeds. "The NBN allows us to deliver what we have always stood for: faster, more reliable broadband for less," iiNet chief executive Michael Malone said.

Suez Environment-owned Degremont is understood to have expressed in interest in the New South Wales government's A$1.8 billion sale and lease back of the Kurnell water desalination plant in Sydney. The French firm's chief executive, Roch Cheroux, indicated that he saw the potential for "significant efficiency improvement" at the facility, adding that it would "consider participating in a consortium to own and operate the plant."

RAIDMAX VIPER Tower Case Debuts

The amazing new VIPER case from a leading PC chassis maker, RAIDMAX, combines ease-of-use and technical excellence with stunning good looks. The VIPER offers PC builders easy access and tool-free installation, advanced cable management, and a unique design with a choice of three colors. Incorporating the latest technologies such as USB 3.0 ports but yet offering at this affordable price level, RAIDMAX once again proves itself an excellent price-performance PC chassis professional.

VIPER's stylish design exudes cool power and makes building or modifying your own PC a breeze. There's nothing else on the market quite like the new VIPER.

Simple click-lock technology makes installation of disk drives incredibly easy: no tools required. Drives just slide smoothly into the bay and lock into place. There's no hassle finding the right sized screws or fiddling with dropped screws.

The RAIDMAX VIPER provides reliable air flow to prolong the life of your valuable PC components. There are three 120mm fans for maximum thermal efficiency. The optional side window mounted 120mm blue led fan not only keeps your system cool but also looks awesome. The VIPER's advanced cable management and protection features improve airflow and keep your cables clear of fans. Mesh expansion slots provide enhanced cooling for your expensive graphics card and other components.

The PC's power supply fits at the bottom of the case to provide rock solid stability and enhanced cooling. A special full-sized PSU fan filter keeps harmful dust out of your system. The filter can be taken out in seconds for cleaning - without opening the case.

Front panel audio and USB ports provide easy access for your peripherals and media devices, but can be hidden when not in use.

RAIDMAX's VIPER future proofs your PC investment with almost limitless expandability and an upgrade path for any scenario. There are 9 drive bays, including 5 external, and space for 7 expansion cards. VIPER's tower format can house full-sized industry standard ATX or Micro ATX motherboards up to 10" x 12". There are even three back panel tube outlets to make advanced water cooling installation easy.

This GPS Navigation Device For Cyclists Will Murder You Dead

The sad thing is that there's an alleged safety component to the headphones. The idea is that by shifting the audio and letting your ears guide you, you can then keep your eyes on the road. It's a really fantastic idea, that will kill you dead!

See here's the thing about riding a bike in the streets: you share the street with cars, pedestrians and other cyclists. All of them are dangerous to you. When you see something dangerous, it's avoidable. Or at least: potentially avoidable, assuming you have time to react. The problem comes in when you don't see something. That's when you need your earholes.

Cycling in the city streets demands that you be able to hear. You need to hear the bells rung by other riders, the sound of engines, the voices of pedestrians. You need to be able to hear car horns, busses passing, sirens, brakes, and all sorts of other audible cues that say "you are in danger, look over here!"

Which means wearing headphones is a really, really bad idea. Wearing headphones that you think are making you safer is an even worse idea. An illusion of safety is far worse than the recognition of danger.

Of course, the idea of a navigation device for bikes that lets you keep your eyes on the road is solid! You certainly don't want to be looking down while you are cycling or driving. And while in a car you can hear turn-by-turn directions, that's not always true on a bike. There is a great idea buried in this bad one.

I'd love to see something like, for example, a series of bright LED lights along the handlebar attached to a GPS-equipped phone that indicated where you need to go. That way as you approached a turn, the lights would progressively move towards the right or left edge of a handlebar until they were at the very end. (At which point you turn!) That way you could see when to turn without having to take your eyes off the road ahead. Not only could it help give you directions, and indicate distance to turns, it would make your bike more visible to other people sharing the roadway.

Comm Ave Road Rage Imperils Biker

A fit of road rage at the start of last night’s rush hour left windows in two SUVs smashed, one bicycle pinned under a car, and one cyclist lucky to have escaped uninjured.

A witness identifying himself only as Jerry, saying he feared for his life, says the driver of a sport utility vehicle jumped from his car and smashed the windows of the SUV directly in front him while both vehicles were stopped for a light at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Essex Street. He says the driver of the first vehicle at the light panicked, hit the gas, and ran over a bicycle in front of him as the cyclist managed to leap to safety.

The cyclist, Stephen Lee, says he feels lucky to be alive. He was so frightened, he says, that he doesn’t remember jumping from his bike.

Casey Graves says the driver of the first SUV at the intersection honked repeatedly at a bicyclist, apparently hoping he would make room for an escape from the irate driver of the other vehicle. Graves says the two drivers smashed each other’s windows and threatened each other, one wielding a baseball bat and one an iron bar, until Boston Police arrived on the scene to end the altercation.

Sarah McDonald was waiting to cross the street at 4:30 p.m., she says, when she heard horns honking. “There was an SUV in the bike lane trying to go across the intersection,” she says. “I heard crunching and realized the SUV went over the bicycle. At first I was sure the bicyclist was pinned under the car, and I was terrified. I called the police. The bicycle got crushed by the cars, but luckily the guy wasn’t on his bike by that time. I later asked him if he was OK.”

Police from Boston, Brookline, and the BU Police Department responded to the incident. Boston Police media spokesperson David Estrada says no arrests have been reported.