Ceramic Measures: News of the Ceramic Processing Characterization Consortium, October 1999

Published

October 1, 1999

Author(s)

S Jahanmir

Abstract

The Ceramic Processing Characterization Consortium (CPCC) held its semi annual meeting in Indianapolis on April 25, 1999. The meeting was attended by over 60 members of the consortium. The meeting was opened by Steve Freiman, who introduced Said Jahnmir as the new CPCC chair. Steve Freiman posed several questions including the role and value of the consortium to the CPCc members. These questions were essential as they would help define the activities and focus of the consortium. The issues raised by Steve Freiman touched upon whether the CPCC should act as an advisory body or whether it should be involved in basic research including development of measurement protocols, techniques, etc.Said Jahanmir brings to the CPCC considerable experience including successful administration and management of a multi-agency consortium. He has headed the Ceramics Machining Consortium (description in Ceramic Measures Vol. 3 Issue 1), a NIST administered consortium, since its inception in 1992. Said Jahanmir described briefly the Ceramic Machining Consortium, high-lighting the differences between that and the CPCC. The machining consortium is a CRADA based consortium, and has thus, focussed on conducting research, while the CPCC is a MoU based and hence set up for an advisory role.Members of the consortium presented information on innovations and new techniques developed within their organizations. These included techniques for determination of surface density and composition using reflectance techniques, modelling methods for assessment of microstructural characteristics, characterization of fine ceramic powders and cylinders using elliptically polarized light and the use of mercury porosimetry for determination of porosity and density characterization. A presentation included an introduction to an instrument using electrical imepdence for measurement of the density of road pavement. The members were queried if there was adequate interest to attempt to adapt and re-engineer such probes and technology for determining the bulk density of green and fired ceramics.Bread-out group discussions were conducted in the afternoon and work plans were established for the individual groups. From the discussions and presentations conducted throughout the day, it was summarized that the successful continuation of the consortium would require adequate member contributions from all participants. Some activities of interest would require CRADA's and could not be covered under the MoU based system in place now. Furthermore, the MoU might need to be revised and updated to give members definite advantages for participating in the consortium activities. Some suggestions included exploring changes in the format of the meetings. Primary amongst this was the idea of having a two day meeting at NIST in fall and a half day in conjunction with the American Ceramic Society's annual meeting. Members felt that this would allow more time and opportunity to meet amongst themselves. Such a move would also permit staggering the break-out discussions allowing members to attend more than one break-out group. Other thoughts included polling consortiuum members regularly to perceive the members' level of satisfaction.

Citation

Ceramic Measures: News of the Ceramic Processing Characterization Consortium

Volume

3

Issue

No. 2

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

ceramic processing characterization, ceramics

Citation

Jahanmir, S. (1999), Ceramic Measures: News of the Ceramic Processing Characterization Consortium, October 1999, Ceramic Measures: News of the Ceramic Processing Characterization Consortium (Accessed May 2, 2024)