Tag Archives: Xerox

Xerox Research Centre Canada (XRCC) forms a materials alliance with Battelle Memorial Institute

Could this be described as an example of Canadian innovation? Xerox Research Centre Canada (XRCC) has signed a document with Battelle Memorial institute according to a May 8, 2014 news item on Nanowerk,

The Xerox Research Centre Canada (XRCC) and Battelle Memorial Institute have signed a strategic alliance to co-market and collaborate on materials science research services.

The alliance will allow clients of XRCC and Battelle to access the deep capabilities of the two renowned research organizations – including the use of XRCC`s pilot plant and manufacturing scale-up facility – to augment their own resources in developing and bringing new products to market. [emphasis mine]

Does anyone know if the XRCC pilot plant and/or the manufacturing scale-up facility received any Canadian government funding or tax credits? If so, it would appear that Canadian taxpayers have paid for a facility that will be used to develop materials for sale by a US-based organization. It is entirely possible that those materials could be sold back to Canadian institutions at a hefty profit for Battelle.

A May 8, 2014 Xerox news release (available on the Xerox.com site but not the XRCC.ca site), which originated the news item, provides more details (Note: Links have been removed),

Both XRCC and Battelle also expect the alliance will attract new innovation services customers. “Tapping into the strong capabilities of Xerox and Battelle is an agile and cost-effective way for businesses and government to add value, improve performance, gain competitive edge…or create something entirely new,” said Martin Toomajian, Battelle president of energy, health and environment.

Scientists at XRCC specialize in the design and development of electronic materials PDF file and specialty components; environmentally responsible processes PDF file; coatings, applied nanotechnology PDF file; polymer science PDF file, engineering and pilot plant scale-up PDF file. XRCC is part of the global Xerox Innovation Group, comprised of five research centers around the globe that each leverage XRCC’s unique, integrated, global materials research and development mandate.

Battelle manages the world’s leading national laboratories and maintains a contract research portfolio spanning consumer and industrial, energy and environment, health and pharmaceutical and national security. From large government agencies and multi-national corporations to small start-ups and incubator projects, Battelle provides the resources, brainpower and flexibility to fulfill client needs.

Battelle and Xerox share a unique historical connection. One of Battelle’s early clients was Chester Carlson whose invention of xerography launched Xerox Corporation. Seventy years ago, the two signed an agreement that provided Carlson with access to the Battelle labs in the interest of collaborative research, development and engineering work. Today’s announcement marks the beginning of the next generation of collaboration between two of the world’s most renowned innovation organizations.

Intriguingly, the ‘About’ section of the news release does not include XRCC (Note: Links have been removed),

About Xerox
Since the invention of Xerography more than 75 years ago, the people of Xerox (NYSE: XRX) have helped businesses simplify the way work gets done. Today, we are the global leader in business process and document management, helping organizations of any size be more efficient so they can focus on their real business. Headquartered in Norwalk, Conn., we have more than 140,000 Xerox employees and do business in more than 180 countries, providing business services, printing equipment and software for commercial and government organizations. Learn more at www.xerox.com.

About Battelle
Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org.

Earlier this year in an April 4, 2014 posting, I featured another XRCC deal where I questioned its relationship to Canadian innovation,

An April 1, 2014 news item on labcanada.com describes a recently signed deal which may turn up the competition in Canada’s currency authentication business sector,

The Xerox Research Centre Canada [XRCC] says it has signed a multi-year materials research services agreement with Dallas-based Authentix, a provider of anti-counterfeiting, brand protection and program integrity solutions for the oil and gas industry; currency, branded products and tax stamp markets.

“Working with companies like Authentix adds to the value our scientists bring to the research world,” said Paul Smith, vice president and director of the Xerox Research Centre Canada. “Not only do we continue to strengthen our scientific role in Canadian innovation, we are now bringing valuable research capabilities to other companies globally.” [emphasis mine]

Given that Xerox is a US company with a Canadian branch, I’m not sure how signing a deal with another US company aids Canadian innovation. On the plus side, it does give some Canadian scientists a job.

DRUPA and 3-D printing

The world’s biggest trade fair for the printing industry, DRUPA; International Trade Fair for prepress, premedia, printing, book binding, print finishing and paper converting,  is being held May 3 – 16th, 2012 in Düsseldorf, Germany. This year’s presentations include one about paper loudspeakers (from the May 2, 2012 news item on Nanowerk),

At drupa print media fair, … , the Institute for Print and Media Technology of Chemnitz University of Technology (pmTUC) presents new research results, which truly make you prick up your ears: Loudspeakers that have been printed with flexography on standard paper. The R&D group of Prof. Dr. Arved Hübler, head of pmTUC, is co-exhibitor of press manufacturer Windmöller & Hölscher KG (Lengerich) …

I’m always curious as to just how practical these things might be and, oddly, they don’t offer an audio file or video file demonstrating the loudspeaker’s effectiveness although there is this video about pmTUC’s participation in DRUPA 2012,

Here’s what they have to say about the paper loudspeakers (from the news item),

The printed paper loudspeaker is connected to an audio amplifier like a conventional loudspeaker. “Frequency response and hence sound quality are very good and the paper is surprisingly loud. Just the bass of the paper-based loudspeaker is a bit weak”, explains Dr. Georg Schmidt, senior researcher at pmTUC. The thin loudspeakers, which are printed in the laboratories of pmTUC, contain several layers of a conductive organic polymer and a piezoactive layer. According to project assistant Maxi Bellmann the loudspeakers are astonishingly robust and can be produced in a very cheap way as mass printing methods are used. The bottom side of the paper loudspeaker provides unused space on which coloured messages can be printed.

Prof. Hübler expects a broad range of new applications: The paper loudspeakers could, for instance, be integrated into common print products. As such, they offer an enormous potential for the advertising segment. “In addition, sound wallpapers and purely technical applications, e.g., distance sensors, are possible, because the papers are also active in the ultrasound range”, says Hübler and adds: “As printing allows for different formats and forms, there is the possibility to influence the generated sound waves.”

As I understand it, Hübler is predicting that the graphic arts/printing industry is going to change from adding ink to paper to something entirely different, printed electronics. There’s more about that in the May 2, 2012 news item.

This reminded me that in 2008, Xerox announced a major investment in Canada’s National Institute of Nanotechnology (NINT). Details were pretty fuzzy (from the Xerox June [?] 2008  press release),

In Canada’s first major public-private nanotechnology research partnership, the Xerox Research Centre of Canada (XRCC), NRC National Institute for Nanotechnology (NINT) and Government of Alberta will provide approximately $4.5 million for research and development of materials-based nanotechnology over the next three years.

The three partners will invest funds, human resources, and available infrastructures to create a research program and teams focused on developing commercially successful nanotechnology-based discoveries. Personnel from NINT and XRCC will collaborate on research projects at NINT in Edmonton, Alberta, and at XRCC in Mississauga, Ontario.

The funds will contribute to the hiring of eight to 10 scientists who will investigate materials-based nanotechnologies, including document- and display-related technologies. The research program, co-managed by XRCC and NINT, will allow access to Xerox’s experience in successfully commercializing technology to facilitate the market application of resulting inventions.

“This level of public and private sector partnership helps fuel the type of innovation that will keep Alberta, and Canada as a whole, strong and competitive in an increasingly global, knowledge-based economy,” said Doug Horner, minister for Advanced Education and Technology, Government of Alberta. “The investments from the Government of Alberta, Xerox and NINT will build a world-class nanotechnology research program that embraces the spirit of innovation, but also that of commercialization.”

XRCC was established in 1974 to develop the materials used by Xerox Corp. globally, and began nanotechnology-enabled research efforts several years ago. It has already developed successfully commercial materials, including ‘EA Toner’, a unique technology for making more cost-effective and environmentally efficient toner for printers. XRCC will now be able to expand its nanotechnology efforts.

While  a toner is mentioned, it’s not clear what inventions and materials they are trying to create either in the Xerox press release or Canada’s National Research Council (NINT is an NRC institute) June 8, 2018 news release. In any event, I cannot find any other announcements about this Xexox/NINT research project, which has now ended.