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  4. Winter 2005, Vol. 2, Issue 4

Winter 2005, Vol. 2, Issue 4

MS Technology makes microwave marvel

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Y‑12 mentor‑protégé MS Technology Inc. of Oak Ridge, Tenn. is quietly helping Y‑12 revolutionize microwave energy research. One recent coup, however, is not a scientific breakthrough but an instrumental achievement. MSTI brought together area businesses to create a first‑class microwave furnace that, compared with its predecessor, is 125% more powerful, has more than 75% more volume, can melt between 1 and 1,000 pounds and has a state‑of‑the‑art control system.

Y‑12 contracted with MSTI to develop the new unit to obtain more extensive process optimization data on microwaving metal, said Ken Givens, MSTI's chief operating officer. In turn, MSTI contracted with Manufacturing Sciences Corporation, which specializes in metal manufacturing, particularly depleted uranium commercial work, and makes shipping and spent‑fuel storage containers. The team expanded to include Microwave Materials Technologies Inc., which helped design and build the unit following MSTI specifications. Millennium Materials designed insulation and crucible materials, and ZYP Coatings contributed high‑temperature coatings for the crucibles and molds. The small businesses' combined expertise built a running unit in 3 months.

MSTI's staff and a handful of engineering co‑op students routinely assist Y‑12's efforts to propel microwave processing technology with the goal of making it standard practice in materials manufacturing. Metal microwaving techniques are perfected; microwave sintering methods for creating lightweight and super‑strong ceramics are tested. MSTI's progress has not gone unnoticed. In 2005, the company received awards for NNSA Small Business of the Year, DOE Mentor‑Protégé Team of the Year and Tennessee 8(a) Small Business of the Year.

MSTI is also helping to catapult Y‑12's unique microwaving technologies into the international business arena, establishing a microwave prototype center at the Technical University of Munich.

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