RadTech Advances UV+EB with NIST MEP
By Doreen Monteleone, Ph.D., director of sustainability & EHS initiatives
RadTech International North America
RadTech is working to foster relationships on both the national and state level with the National Institute of Science & Technology (NIST), Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), to spread the word about the benefits and advancements of UV and EB technology. MEP provides an information bridge between partners, such as RadTech, and the manufacturing community. MEP centers have helped thousands of manufacturers reinvent themselves, increase profits, create or maintain jobs, and establish a foundation for long-term business growth and productivity. RadTech plans to offer information in a variety of formats and work with the MEPs to provide them the knowledge they need to help manufacturers understand the potential of using UV and EB technology.
The MEP is built on a nationwide system of centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. With more than 440 service locations, the MEP network has more than 1,200 field staff serving as trusted business advisors and technical experts. To best serve their customers, these experts need to know the latest advancements in manufacturing such as UV and EB technology. On a national level, Dr. Mike J. Idacavage, vice president business development, Colorado Photopolymer Solutions and president of the RadTech Foundation, will be presenting a webinar, Introduction to UV/EB Curing in Manufacturing in mid-January, which will be made available to the MEP network throughout the country.
In addition, RadTech has been working with Empire State Developments Division of Science Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) to develop tools to provide information to the 10 MEPs within New York State. After an initial meeting with NYSTAR, it was decided that a fact sheet would be developed about UV and EB and posted to NYSTARs blog on FuzeHub. It was also made available to the national office for more widespread distribution.
By partnering with MEP centers, RadTech hopes to reach new audiences of manufacturers to provide information about the technology through learning opportunities such as RadTech events, and the online courses offered by the Radiation Curing Program at SUNY-ESF (www.radcuring.com).
For more information and feedback on this initiative, contact Doreen M. Monteleone at Doreen@RadTech.org.
