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Fine Powder Processing Conference brings leading researchers to Penn State By Cheryl L. Knobloch
Isao Sato (center), president and chief executive officer of Hosokawa Micron International Inc., gave the keynote address on “Advanced Particle Technology in the Engineering of Fine Functional Composites: Where It’s Leading Us in the Future” during the Fine Powder Processing ’99 conference. Sato is with conference co-chairs Dr. Virendra M. Puri (left), professor of agricultural engineering at Penn State, and Dr. C.C. Huang (right), director of research and development for Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems. Dr. Virendra M. Puri, professor of agricultural engineering and acting director of the Particulate Materials Center at Penn State, co-chaired the international Fine Powder Processing ’99 conference held at Penn State. Dr. James H. Adair, associate professor of materials science and engineering at Penn State, also co-chaired the international Fine Powder Processing ’99 conference. Dr. Yanmin Wang of Lulea University of Technology in Sweden presents his team’s research on the “Effects of G-Force and Disc Geometry on Wet Centrifugal Classification of Micron-sized Particles” during the Fine Powder Processing ’99 conference at Penn State. Dr. K.S. Venkataraman of Alcoa Technical Center discusses the results of his team’s research on “Process Engineering in Technical Ceramics Manufacture for Offsetting Lot-to-Lot Variations in Raw Materials” during the Fine Powder Processing ’99 conference at Penn State.	Today, new particulate products, powder characterization methods and engineering advances are being developed at a frantic pace in companies of all sizes throughout the world. Powders and particulate materials are used in ceramics and electronics technologies and in the chemical and food industries. These industries must remain actively engaged in technology development and improvement to maintain a competitive edge, to develop new products, to enhance manufacturing efficiencies, to maximize product quality, to reduce process costs and time and to minimize pollution during manufacture. Powder formation, particle dispersion, powder handling, fabrication and sintering of shaped products are focal points of interest. Fine Powder Processing ’99: An International Conference on Fine Grinding, Classification and Agglomeration Science and Technology, held at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel in September 1999, provided world researchers throughout industry and academia the opportunity to share and to explore novel technology advancements across industry and interdisciplinary boundaries. New developments and processing applications in the processing of micron and submicron powders were highlighted during the conference. The event was organized by the Particulate Materials Center at Penn State (please see the box below for information about the center) in collaboration with Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems. The biennial forum drew more than 200 researchers, practitioners, educators, manufacturers, students and others involved in the science, technology and applications of fine powder processing from throughout the world. Chairpersons for the event were Dr. Virendra M. Puri, professor of agricultural engineering at Penn State and acting director of the Particulate Materials Center; Dr. James H. Adair, associate professor of materials science and engineering at Penn State; and Dr. C.C. Huang, director of research and development for Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems. Isao Sato, president and chief executive officer of Hosokawa Micron International Inc., set the tone as distinguished keynote speaker for the international event heralding “Advanced Particle Technology in the Engineering of Fine Functional Composites: Where It’s Leading Us in the Future. ” The diverse conference program featured four plenary speakers from industry, academia and government, including Dr. George E. Klinzing, vice provost for research, University of Pittsburgh; Bernard North, director of materials and process development, Kennametal Inc.; Dr. Kevin G. Ewsuk, principal member of the technical staff, Sandia National Laboratory; and Dr. Norman Chigier, William Brown Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University. The three-day conference included 77 invited lectures and contributed papers exploring technologies on fine grinding, classification and agglomeration and emphasizing industrial perspectives from around the world. Presentations were organized into 14 technical sessions highlighting nanopowder synthesis technology, new characterization techniques for property enhancement, characterization of fine powders and surfaces, chemical-mechanical polishing, powder flow, synthesis of powders, grinding and particle classification, powder handling mixing and deposition, powder compaction and modeling, particle formation and modification. A tabletop exhibition, held on the second day, showcased fine powder processing and analytical equipment from 23 companies. The event culminated in two half-day technical workshops. Fifteen professionals comprised the Fine Powder Processing ’99 international organizing committee, working tirelessly throughout a two-year period to develop, identify and select the topics and papers presented during the conference. Countries throughout the world, including Australia, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Sweden, Netherlands and the United States, were represented through technical presentations. The first Fine Powder International Conference was held at Penn State in September 1997 and boasted an attendance of more than 150 people. The 1999 conference surpassed the attendance for the first event by more than 33 percent. Planning is under way for the 2001 Fine Powder Processing International Conference to be held Oct. 1–3 at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. Conference proceedings for Fine Powder Processing ’99 include more than 50 peer-reviewed papers and will be published in 2000. An outreach program of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Penn State Particulate Materials Center The Particulate Materials Center (PMC), a National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center, is a focal point for the interdisciplinary research, education and technology transfer of particulate materials processing. PMC research and education programs seek to enhance particulate manufacture process efficiency, consistency and reliability by developing new techniques for characterizing particle behavior for manufacture, developing computational tools for efficient process simulation and implementing these methods to attain advanced process understanding and improved product manufacture. Seven major thrusts are emphasized in member-driven research: colloidal and interfacial properties, electrophoretic deposition, nanoparticles, powder mechanics, sinter systems, solution synthesis, and spray formation. Abrasives, advanced ceramics, carbide cutting tools, chemical, cosmetics, electronics, image processing, mineral processing and pharmaceuticals are some of the industries that manufacture products from particulates or powders. Common to these industries is the reliance on particle technologies such as powder formation and processing, powder consolidation and transport, powder dispersion in liquids, powder characterization and the manufacture of finished products from powders.