Atomization Technology Innovation Consortium (ATIC)

Goal: Create a consortium that will advance atomization technology and manufacturing in the United States through industry-led road mapping of better cross-sector engagement and improved coordination of research and development (R&D) goals and activities.

Lead: ASM International
9639 Kinsman Road
Materials Park (Novelty), OH 44073-0002

Award Number: 70NANB15H062

Federal Funding: $485,000

Project Duration: 24 months

ASM International, in collaboration with the Thermal Spray Society, America Makes, the AMES Laboratory, the Institute for Liquid Atomization and Spray Systems, the University of California-Irvine Combustion Laboratory, and the Metal Powder Industries Federation will form the Atomization Technology Innovation Consortium (ATIC) to lead and coordinate development of an advanced technology roadmap for the atomization industry. Already, 16 organizations from research institutions to manufacturers to end users, have committed to ATIC. These partners are medium- or large-sized enterprises that play a critical role in the U.S. atomization industry. Industry partners have already planned two collaborative technology road mapping events.

Other objectives of the new consortium are to:

• Increase cross-sector engagement across the atomization technology value chain.
• Bring coherence to the R&D agenda for atomization technology and to enable accelerated technology transfer and application across a broad range of industries.
• Better connect the R&D activities that occur in academia and federal laboratories and activities across the industrial value chain that will the more accelerated deployment of innovations in U.S. industry.

Atomization, or the controlled fragmentation of a liquid stream into particles, is a technology widely used in a range of cross-industry applications. Approximately 19,500 U.S. companies, 94 percent of which are small and medium enterprises, manufacture or use atomized products resulting in $1.46 trillion in goods and the employment of more than 2.2 million people. Atomization is a key technology employed in fuel injection for motorized vehicles, 3-D printing, electric power generation, and thermal spray technologies.

The potential business benefits of meeting these challenges are compelling; however, meeting them requires technical and financial resources beyond the reach of individual companies. Formation of an industry-driven ATIC will accelerate innovation of atomization technologies.

For project information: Stanley C. Theobald, (440) 338-5410, stan.theobald [at] asminternational.org (stan[dot]theobald[at]asminternational[dot]org)

Funded Participants:

• Nexight Group LLC

AMTech Project Manager: Jean-Louis Staudenmann, (301) 975-4866, jean-louis.staudenmann [at] nist.gov (jean-louis[dot]staudenmann[at]nist[dot]gov)