Vista Engineering’s Raymond Thompson Presents Recent Diamond Developments at NDNC2009 Conference
Dr. Raymond Thompson presented Vista Engineering’s recent developments in Nano-Structured Diamond Coatings for Tooling Applications at the NDNC2009 conference in Traverse City, Michigan. The developments by Vista Engineering have shown evidence of increased tool life in high-silicon cast aluminum machining applications for both drilling and turning operations. The presentation also included information regarding the commercialization of this type product in the automotive manufacturing industry.
Vista Engineering Brings One of the Most Versatile Scanning Electron Microscopes to Birmingham
Birmingham, AL – 2005 brought advancements to Vista Engineering testing capabilities. Vista Engineering, an incubated company at OADI, UAB’s life sciences and info technologies incubator has enhanced its testing capabilities by acquiring a new scanning electron microscope which is the most versatile commercial microscope in the state of Alabama .
The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) is one of the most versatile and widely used tools of modern science as it allows the study of both morphology and composition of biological and physical materials.
The cornerstone of Vista’s new testing facilities is a Hitachi 2460 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The Hitachi SEM can examine biological samples and polymers without altering the sample by cleaning or coating. This is possible through its unique design that allows the microscope to operate at room pressure as well as at high vacuums. Another benefit of Vista ’s SEM is the larger sample chamber that is able to accommodate samples as large as 5.5 inches in diameter.
The SEM can also analyze the chemistry of the sample as well as the chemistry of extremely small particles in the sample using advanced x-ray techniques. The high vacuum mode offers 4 nm sample resolution and both backscattered and secondary detection capabilities.
Vista Engineering’s Raymond Thompson Elected Fellow of ASM International
Dr. Raymond Thompson, President of Vista Engineering, has been elected a Fellow of the American Society of Metals International. The award recognizes Dr. Thompson’s work in material science and engineering, and was conferred at the ASM Awards Dinner on October 19, 2004 in Columbus, OH .
Dr. Thompson is president of Vista Engineering, a resident company at OADI Technology Center . Vista Engineering is a materials research, development and consulting firm dedicated to the creation of innovative, cost-effective solutions for materials design and application problems. Vista ’s mission is to help its clients be successful by providing research-based, practical solutions for their materials needs and problems. The company’s areas of expertise include: materials research and application development in diamond coatings; materials processing technologies including welding, casting, forging and machining; and solutions-focused, situation-specific computer modeling of materials and their processing and application.
About ASM. ASM International is the society for materials engineers and scientists, a worldwide network dedicated to advancing industry, technology, and applications of metals and materials. In 1969, ASM established the honor of Fellow of the Society to provide recognition of members for distinguished contributions in the field of materials science and engineering and to develop a forum for technical and professional leaders to serve as advisors to the Society. The Fellows provide guidance to the Board of Trustees to enhance the capability of ASM as a technical and professional society to serve the technical community in the field of materials science and engineering in the years ahead.