Thinking big, but looking small

YOUNGSTOWN — Alan Koch came to Youngstown looking for something really small that would help his company in a big way.

The senior development engineer at Ajax Tocco Magnethermic in Warren is looking to create materials that insulate well but conduct heat equally as well.

It’s hard to develop a material that does both, so he came to the Nano Manufacturers Forum today at the DeYor Performing Arts Center. After listening to the early presentations in the program, he was hopeful that he could gain some insights on how nanotechnology would help his research.

Ajax Tocco Magnethermic, which employs 350 in Warren and 1,000 overall, provides power supply systems and heating equipment to industry.

Nanotechnology is the manipulation of matter on a microscopic level. The forum was designed to help manufacturers use nanotechnology to produce better products.

About 70 people from throughout northeast Ohio attended the event, which was organized by Nano-Network of Cleveland and the Mahoning & Shenango Valley Advanced Manufacturing Initiative.

For more on this story, see Saturday’s Vindicator or www.vindy.com.