T. Marechaux, National Materials Advisory Board, Washington, DC
A number of national and international trends are affecting the research, development, and production of materials. Although financial drivers (the costs of energy and labor, for example) are most often cited, some higher-level trends may ultimately be more important. Some of the drivers for this trend include new information technology, which allows more timely and complete communication of not only business information, but also of real-time technical data among designers, developers, and producers. Another critical factor is the cost of compliance with regulations and policies which have been found to have both intended and unintended consequences in their implementation. An additional driver, which may turn out to be the most important, is the levelling of education, training, knowledge, and skills around the world. This presentation will outline the progress of these and other trends as applied to the materials industry.
Summary: A number of national and international trends are affecting the research, development, and production of materials. Although financial drivers (the costs of energy and labor, for example) are most often cited, some higher-level trends may ultimately be more important. Some of the drivers for this trend include new information technology, which allows more timely and complete communication of not only business information, but also of real-time technical data among designers, developers, and producers. Another critical factor is the cost of compliance with regulations and policies which have been found to have both intended and unintended consequences in their implementation. An additional driver, which may turn out to be the most important, is the levelling of education, training, knowledge, and skills around the world. This presentation will outline the progress of these and other trends as applied to the materials industry.
