Memorandum

To:	Department	of	Commerce,	National	Institute	of	Standards	and	Technology (Diane	Henderson)

Subject:	Response	to	Request	for	Information,	“Manufacturing	Technology	Acceleration	Centers”

Re:	Federal	Register	Announcement,	June 23,	2013

Date:	August	5,	2013

Introduction		

On	June 23,	2013,	A	Request	for	Information	(RFI)	was	published	in	The	Federal	Register1,	to	

solicit	ideas	relative	to	the	formation	of	the	proposed	new	program,	named	the	Manufacturing	

Technology	Acceleration	Center.	Our	group,	based	in	Rochester,	NY,	and	guided	by	our	local	MEP	

representatives,	has	met	frequently	and	considered	actions	necessary	to	establish	a	center	for	

Accelerating	Manufacturing	Technology.	We	have	adopted	an	identification	as	a	group,	focused	on	

Flexible Film	and	Coating	Technology.	Our	first	action	is	to	submit	our	comments	on	the	

aforementioned	RFI.	This	document	contains	our	group	answers	to	the	questions	posed	in	the	RFI,	in	

addition	to	a	suggestion	that	NIST	MEP	considers	adaptation	of	Flexible	Film	and	Coating	Technology	as	

a	candidate	for	an	Institute.	We	attach	a	“White	Paper”	on	Flexible,	Thin	Films,	and	draw	attention	to	

the	many	industries	that	this	robust	technology	serves.

Disclaimer

This	is	strictly	to	be	regarded	as	response	to	the	RFI.	It	is	NOT	a	proposal	to	become	a	Center.	We	

understand	that	NIST	MEP	will	issue	a	request	for	proposal	for	the	technologies	they	adopt,	and	will	

respond	at	that	time	if	a	technology	is	requested	that	is	within	our	expertise.
NIST	Questions:

1. What	are	the	specific	types	of	technology	transition	and	commercialization	tools	and	services	

that	should	be	provided	by	M-TACs?	Emphasis	is	on	the	alignment	of	these	tools	and	services	

with	the	most	pressing	needs	of	small	and	mid-sized	U.S.	manufacturers.

M-TACs	should	focus	on	making	America’s	unique	research,	innovation,	and	skilled	workforce	

capabilities	more	broadly	available	and	to	create	an	environment	for	manufacturing	innovation	

that	will	ensure	the	next	generation	of	processes	and	products	invented	in	the	U.S.	will	be	

scaled	up	and	manufactured	in	the	U.S.	as	well.	In	order	to	compete	globally,	the	U.S.	must	

nourish	its	intellectual	property	beyond	the	lab	through	prototyping	and	proof	of	concept	;	with	

robust	pilot	and	scale-up,	to	ultimately	achieve	 commercialization.	The	philosophy	of	products	

that	are	invented	and	built	in	America	is	critical	to	the	United	States’	economic future	and	is	

especially	important	to	a	majority	of	new	economy	opportunities,	(e.g.	energy,	clean-tech,	

consumer	electronics	&	computing,	functional	printing	and	bio-tech	and	optics,	photonics	and	

imaging)	in	which	the	U.S.	potentially	has	the	first	mover	advantage.		In	order	for		our		country	

to	have	a	strong	manufacturing	sector,	we	need	to	understand	that	scale-up	is	NOT	a	university	

led	function,	but	rather	is	associated	with	manufacturing.		It	is	important	that	we	innovate	these	

scale-up	tools	and	processes	at	the	same	pace	that	we	create	inventions,	otherwise	we	cannot	

be	efficient,	low	cost	producers.		To	achieve	this,	we	suggest	these key	focal	points:	

 Development	tools	and	business	processes	to	bridge	proof	of	concept	to	

commercialization.

 Technology	clusters	applicable	to	large	international	markets,	which	include	a	full	suite	

of	state-of-the-art	development	tools.	These	can	be	made	readily	available	via	

underutilized	assets	and	talents	now	“open	to	the	public”	at	heritage	manufacturing	

sites	across	the	country	such	as	Eastman	Business	Park.	(View	at	this	link:	Eastman	

Business	Park )

 A rich,	integrated	network	of	small	and	mid-sized	manufacturers that	have	access	to	

these	tools.

 World	class research	institutions	and	community	colleges.

 Share-able	experience	with	Technical	Readiness	Nomenclature.

 Practical	Experience	with	usage	in	a	manufacturing	environment.

 Technology	roadmap	– help	SME’s	map	their	course	through	TRL.

a. How	would	M-TAC	services	complement	the	services	currently	offered	by	MEP	Centers?

The	commercialization	process	for	any	manufacture-able	good	is	a	compendium,	from	basic	

technology	research	all	the	way	to	system	testing	and	full	launch/operations.		We	think	M-TACs	

have	the	opportunity	to	focus	on	the	‘missing	middle’	or	the	current	gap	that	exists	between	

innovation/invention	in	the	lab	and	full	scale	product	commercialization.	How?	By	leveraging	

existing	workforce/intellectual	capital; and	partnering	with	companies	who	have	development	

assets	thereby	preserving	capital, reducing	risk	and	improving	predictability.		By	doing	those	

things,	a	successful	MTAC	model	can	help	our	nation’s	best	and	brightest	tech	start-ups more	

quickly become	profitable,	self-sustaining,	job-creating	enterprises.
Specific	to	this	region,	we	have	some	extraordinary	physical	tools	for	the	development	and	

manufacture	of	flexible,	including	functional	films	– within	its	numerous	application	areas in	

today’s	economy.		We	also	have	exceptional	business	processes	originating	with	area	

manufacturers	such	as	Kodak	– processes	focused	on	taking	inventions	from	the	Research	Labs	

and	commercializing	them.	 Kodak’s	product	portfolio	has	been	enabled	for	more	than	a	century	

by	manufacturing	innovation,	which	is	why	Eastman	Business	Park	still	has	state-of-the-art		tools	

at	its	disposal	today	like	the	Digital	Pilot	Coater,	which	has	the	capacity	to	take	materials	from	

the	lab	bench	to	early	commercial	production		 using	this roll-to-roll industrial	coating	facility	at	

whatever	scale	needed	to	create	products	and	evaluate	how	they	will	perform	in	field:

• Extrusion	coating	- create	thermoplastic	resins	with	various	properties	and	cast	as	

sheets	or	extrusion	coat	as	layers	onto	paper	or	plastic	webs

• Aqueous	coating	- put	material	into	aqueous	solutions	and	coat	as	thin	films	onto	paper	

or	plastic	webs	using	roll	to	roll	process

• Solvent	coating	- put	materials	into	solvent	solutions	and	coat	as	thin	films	onto	paper	

or	plastic	webs

• Gravure	printing	&	coating	- roll	to	roll	manufacturing	process	for	printing	vast	

numbers	of	solvent	systems	onto	variety	of	substrates	with	the	ability	to	print	up	to	8	

distinct	functional	layers	in	a	single	pass

Formal	business	process	such	as	the	Manufacturing	Assurance	Process, the Kodak	Material	

Commercialization	Process,	and	the	Kodak	Equipment	Commercialization	Process	will	also	be	

key	elements	to	advancing	companies	coming	through	the M-TAC.	 These	processes	include	

documented	steps,	along	with	well-defined	phases	and	gates,	to	ensure	all	aspects	of	

technology	readiness,	development,	pilot	and	scale-up	have	been	addressed	and	answered.

They	also	link	very	well	to	TRL	levels	4-7,	where	there	appears	to	be	an	opportunity	from	a	

federal	standpoint.	 Following	this	rigorous	process	will	reduce	time,	and	improve	success	of	the	

commercialization	phase.

These	services	augment	the	MEP	services	available	not	only	in	Rochester (at	High	Tech	

Rochester),	but	all	over	NYS	with	the	10	Regional	Technology	Development	Centers(RTDC’s),	as	
well	as	MEP	centers	in	every	state.	Arguably,	these	M-TAC	specific	services	tend	to	address	TRL	

levels	4-7	as	expressed above.	MEP	offerings	include:

 Innovation	Engineering,	pervasive	at	all	readiness	levels,	

 Tech	Scouting	and	Technology	driven	market	intelligence	(TDMI)	aimed	at	pulling	from	

1,2	through	4-7

 NYS	(tCAR)	projects	in	active	tech	matching	through	solutions	fairs,	as	pulling	from	1,2

 Lean	Product	Development,	aimed	at	4-7	levels

 Virtual	design	and	Prototype,	another	tCAR	project,	supporting	commercialization	

through	prototype and	pilot.

 Lean,	Supplier	Scouting,	Exportech,	all	aimed	at	7	and	higher	levels	of	readiness.

2. What	role	should	future	M-TACs	play	with	respect	to	supply	chain	needs?	How	should	OEMs	

participate?	How	can	industry	associations,	professional	societies,	and	other	appropriate	

national	organizations	participate?

There	are	approximately	1,300	small	and	medium	sized	manufacturers	(SME)	employers	in	the	

Finger	Lakes’	nine-county	region	(with	5-500	employees).	Over	the past	century	many	of	these	

SME’s	served as	the	supply	chain	for	Kodak,	Xerox,	Bausch	and	Lomb,	and	General	Motors	

manufacturing	operations.	A	number of	these	companies	were	either	suppliers	to	these	large	

manufacturing	companies	or	spin-offs	from	them,	and	still	form	a	critical	part	of	the	region’s	

manufacturing	economy.	These SMEs	have	generally	maintained	or	grown	their	workforce,	and	

they	also	form	the	critical backbone	of	the	region’s	manufacturing	ecosystem,	which	will	enable	

further	growth of	the	manufacturing	sector	in	the	Region.	This	speaks	of	our	regional	

experience.		An	M-TAC	would	work	with	its	partner	organizations	to	develop	targeted	lists	of	

manufacturing	companies	who	in	turn	supply	to	the	targeted	technology,	and	maintain	it	as	a	

database	to	support	M-TAC	benefactors	with	supply	chain	elements.	This	is	yet	another	area	of	

collaboration	between	M-TAC	and	MEP.	MEP	Supplier	Scouting	Service,	for	example	would	be	

augmented	by	the	M-TAC	for	the	targeted	technology’s	supplier	needs.

3. Is	there	a	particular	long-term	scalable	and	financially	sustainable	business	model	that	should	

be	implemented	by	future	M-TACs	that	will	enable	small	and	mid-sized	U.S.	manufacturers	to	

effectively	access	and	benefit	from	the	technology	transition	and	commercialization	

assistance	and	other	resources	they	need?

The	country’s	economic	future	must	be	centered	on	efforts	to	directly	leverage	research	and	

product	development	to	create	manufacturing	jobs.		Innovation,	which	was	once	the	focal	point	

of	America’s	booming	manufacturing	economy,	can	be	again.		However,	manufacturing,	R&D,	

and	innovation	must	go	hand-in-hand.	No	country,	including	the	United	States,	can	outsource	

manufacturing	while	keeping	the	higher-value-added	service	activities	domestically.		And	while	

the	very	nature	of	technology	development	requires	co-location	of	all	these	activities –

oftentimes	start-up	technology	companies	cannot	afford to	progress	from	prototype	to	the	next	

step	on	the	path	to	market due	to	high	capital	costs.		
As	such,	by focusing	a	future	M-TAC	at	a	place	like	Eastman	Business	Park	(EBP)	– Eastman	

Kodak	Company’s	primary	film	manufacturing	hub	for	over	a	century – the	M-TAC program	has	

the	opportunity	to	provide	a	robust	infrastructure	to	support	the	next	generation	of	innovators,	

entrepreneurs	and	employers.			This	type	of	model	can	help	accelerate	these	middle-stage	

technology	companies,	and	allow	them	to	develop	their	businesses	from	the	lab-scale	prototype	

stages	of	innovation	to	the	later	stages	of	production	and	commercialization.		

EBP	has	developed	into	what	is	today	one	of	the	largest,	most	diverse	industrial	and	technology	

parks	in	the	United	States.		And,	it	is	the	only	US	industrial	park	of	its	size	that	was	built	in	a	

vertically	integrated	fashion	to	support	the	R&D	and	commercialization	components	of	a	single	

industry	sector,	with	the	products	manufactured	on-site	driving	a	broad	range	of	technological	

advancements	over	the	last	100	years,	spanning:	photography;	motion	picture;	health	care;	

printing;	national	defense	and	document	imaging.		These	assets	are	now	available	to	drive	many

‘new	economy’ opportunities	needing	materials	science,	chemistry,	pilot	testing,	and	

infrastructure	support:

– Energy

– Clean	tech

– Consumer	electronics/computing

– Functional	printing

– Bio	tech	

Of	course, having	these	assets	alone	is	not	enough	to	achieve	the	desire	result	of	growing	our	

manufacturing.		The	other	element	is	to	ensure	that	there	is	an	adequate	supply	of	technical	

resources	to	support	an	emerging	manufacturing	eco-system.		This	combination	of	tools	and	

capability	will	drive	an	“industrial	commons”	that	will	again	rival	those	that	existed	in	this	

country	many	decades	ago.

We	believe	that	an	appropriate	set	of	development	tools,	along	with	proper	technical	and	

operational	staff,	can	be	a	profitable,	standalone	,	self	sustaining	business.		With	support	by	

member	companies,	along	with	modest	state	and/or	federal	funding	to	maintain	state-of-theart	capability,	these	businesses	should	be	able	to	thrive.

The	business	model	that	could	be	employed	to	complement	the	business	park	model	could	

consist	of	the	formation	of	a	Not-For-Profit	corporation,	which	would	undertake	the	leadership	

of	the	M-TAC.	Fees	for	services	rendered,	such	as	training,	pilot	development,	process	

development,	and	supply	chain	development,	could	offer	the	sustainability	desired.	

Alternatively,	a	MEP	center	could	undertake	the	leadership	of	the	business	park	model,	relative	

to	the	M-TAC,	charging	the	same	fees,	and	continuing	to	operate	under	the	MEP	model.	This	

sustainable	model could	be	the	ideal arrangement,	to	accomplish	the	desired	interaction	

between	MEP	and	M-TAC.

One	needs	to	be	mindful	of	IP	issues,	and	IP	expertise	will	become	critical	to	the	success	of	the	

M-TAC.	Distinction	between	pre-competitive	IP	and	commercialization	will	be	a	key	to	success	

here.	Promoting	the	proper	IP	chain,	giving	rights	to	the	inventor	as	due,	but	securing	rights	for	

commercialization	in	a	cooperative	manner	would	be	paramount.	This	service	could	represent	

yet	another	sustainable	fee-producing feature	of	the	M-TAC.

a. Because	of	the	programmatic	connection	to	the	NIST	MEP	Program,	M-TACs	may	require	cost	

share.	Are	there	cost	share	models	for	future	M-TACs	that	promote	scale	up	to	reach	
nationally	dispersed	clusters	of	small	and	mid-sized	manufacturers?	If	so,	what	are	those	

models,	and	why	might	they	be	successful?

Utilizing	a	model	that	focuses	on	repurposing	America’s	heritage	infrastructure,	also	allows	for	

turn-key	cost	share	in	the	form	of	donated	assets	and	facilities,	such	as	existing	buildings,	

office/lab	space,	systems	and	machines,	etc.	Additionally, M-TACs	will	receive	a	substantial	

share	of	their	operating	cost	share	from	small,	but	numerous	fee-based	service	charges	for	

accessing	the	tools.		These	charges	will	be	modest	for	the small	and	mid-sized	manufactures,	but	

a	fraction	of	the	cost	of	building	out	this	equipment	and	developing	their	own	tool	set.

b.	 The	generation	of	intellectual	property	is	possible,	and	even	likely	as	a	result	of	M-TAC	

operations.	What	types	of	intellectual	property	arrangements	and	management	constructs	

would	promote	active	engagement	of	industry	in	these	pilots,	especially	among	small	and	

mid-sized	U.S.	manufacturers	that	would	be	supportive	of	the	business	model?	As	

appropriate,	please	include a	set	of	potential	options,	and	please	explain	your	responses.

Intellectual	property	is	somewhat	likely	to	be	generated,	although	with	a	focus	on	

manufacturing,	IP	issues	are	 less	likely	to	occur	than	with	work	done	within	universities	to	

create	proof-of-concept	units.		However,	the	creation	of	custom	development	tools	may	have	

proprietary	components,	as	such,	that	IP	should	only	be	available	to	those	willing	to	enter	into	

an	IP	agreement.		We	propose	to	use	our	standard	IP	rights	documents	for	licensing and	royalty	

payments,	as	the	standard	mechanism	for	IP	arrangements.

It	is	anticipated	that	our	M-TAC	will	be	generally	IP	friendly,	as	the	goal	is	to	help	companies	

successfully	navigate	the	commercial	valley	of	death,	and	not	to	extract	licensing	or	royalty	fees.	

We	expect	to	offer	technical	support	as	part	of	our	fee	based	charge,	which	will	cover	general	

know-how	on	the	tools	which	is	being	used.		If	a	technical	problem	is	encountered	during	one	of	

the	experiments,	and	a	solution	is	available	that	requires	protected	IP,	then	a	discussion	about	

licensing	would	be	conducted	at	that	point	in	time.

For	M-TACs	to	be	successful,	they	must	have	be	an	IP	friendly	facility,	which	is	necessary	to	

attract	customers	and	generate	revenue	to	cover	operating	expenses

4. How	should	an	M-TAC's	performance	and	impact	be	evaluated?	What	are	appropriate	

measures	of	success	for	future	M-TACs?	Please	explain	your	response	including	the	value	of	

the	performance	measure	to	business	growth.

 Established	bridge	between	applied	research	and	production	scale	development,	redeploying	

the	Region’s	underutilized	infrastructure	that	was	developed	over	decades	of	high	volume	

manufacturing	activity	and	remains	largely	intact	today

 Technology	and	execution	risk	dramatically	reduced	for	SBIR	companies	coming	through	

pipeline.	Measure:	percent	of	SBIR	companies	making	it	to	revenue	bearing,	i.e.,	successful	

commercial	scale

 Collaborative	model,	connecting	area’s	rich	network	of	institutions	of	higher	education,	supply	

chain	manufacturers,	and	human	capital	that	remain	in	the	Finger	Lakes	Region	

 Tactical,	implementation-ready	elements	to	grow	the	Region’s	employment	in	the	short	term	

and	sustain	that	growth over	the	long	haul.	Measure:	jobs	created	in	the	technical	cluster	areas.
 Support	for	important	key	clusters	such	as	functional	films,	and	implementation	of	advanced	

manufacturing	technologies	at	local	manufacturers

 Strong	capacity	for	innovation	and	entrepreneurship	in	the	Region’s	primary	industry	segments,	

providing	broad-based	support	for	all	manufacturing	companies

 Support	and	assistance	for	existing	companies	in	their	expansion,	encouraging	the	founding	of	

new	companies,	thus	supporting	new	job	creation	within	key	clusters	across	the	region

 “Community”	Support	– building	and	promoting	collaboration	among	technical,	educational,	

finance,	and	infrastructure	resources	within	a	region.

5. Are	there	any	other	critical	issues	that	NIST	MEP	should	consider	in its	strategic	planning	for	

future	M-TAC	investments	that	are	not	covered	by	the	first	four	questions?	If	so,	please	

address	those	issues	here	and	explain	your	response.

One	of	the	key	issues	is	who	will	run	these	and	how	will	they	be	staffed,	and	where	will	they	

be	located.

Attachment:
FLEXIBLE	FILMS	WHITE	PAPER

INTRODUCTION

Despite	a	diversity	of	opinion,	there	is	little	debate	over	the	commonly	acknowledged	roots	of	the	

present-day	economic	malaise	in	the	U.S.,	which	if	not	addressed,	may	lead	to	substantially	greater	

economic	trouble	in	the	future.

Of	this	issue,	these	three	points	persist:

America	needs	to:

 Reduce	its	dependence	upon	foreign	oil	and	non-renewable	energy	sources;

 Find	a	consistent,	sustainable	source	of	jobs	for	an	expanding	workforce;	

 Leverage	its	technical	superiority	and	strengths	in	Advanced	Manufacturing.

Fortunately,	all	three	needs	can	be	addressed	and	definitively	resolved.	This	white	paper will	focus	on	

the	development	of	solutions	to	chart	the	course	toward	a	brighter future	– all	made	possible	by	the	

further	development	and	re-utilization	of	readily-available	capabilities	and	expertise	in	chemistry,	

flexible	films,	and	coating/deposition	technologies.
UNDERSTANDING	THE	FACTS

Understanding	the	problem	America	faces is	central	to	this	discussion:		dependence	upon	foreign	oil	and	

other	non-renewable	energy	sources;	the	loss	of	American	jobs	resulting	from	outsourcing	of	

manufacturing	and	technology-based	jobs	to	lower	cost	sources	of	supply;	and	America’s	inability	to

leverage	its	non-duplicative	strengths	in	advanced	manufacturing.

Reducing	dependence	upon	foreign	oil	and	non-renewable	energy	sources

Problem	1:		Rising	cost	of	oil	and	limited	availability	of	domestically-generated	energy	sources

A	stop	at	the	gas	pump	or	a	passing	glance	at	our	utility	bill	are	all	it	takes	to	realize	where	we	are	

headed	in	terms	of	the	cost	of	fueling	our	vehicles	and	warming	(or	cooling)	our	homes.	Oil	prices	have	

increased	400% over	the	past	15 years,	and	are	predicted	to	continue	to	rise.	To	stay	ahead	of	the	

inflating	bubble,	whether	by	buying	a	hybrid	vehicle	or	installing	solar	panels	for	their	house,	people	

have	found	a	benefit	to	doing	so	– not	only	in	energy	savings,	but	with	government	tax	breaks	for	

adopting	energy	efficient	technologies.

In	his	2013	State	of	the	Union	Address,	entitled	‘An	America	Built	to	Last,’	President	Barrack	Obama	

identified	several	key	initiatives	for	supporting	job	growth	by	investing	in	manufacturing	and	

infrastructure,	particularly	in	the	next	generation	clean	technology	and	alternative	energy	sectors.		

The	President	specifically	called	on	Congress	to	build	upon	our	success	as	a	world-leading	manufacturer	

of	high-tech	batteries.	He	reiterated	his	call	for	action	on	clean	energy	tax	credits.	And	he	called	upon	a	

national	shift	toward	clean	sources	of	electricity	by	setting	a	standard	for	utility	companies	– with	

$0.00		

$20.00		

$40.00		

$60.00		

$80.00		

$100.00		

$120.00		

U.S.	Average	($USD/barrel)	

Nominal	

Inflanon-Adjusted	
expectations	that	by	2035,	80%	of	the	nation’s	electricity	will	come	from	clean	sources	– wind,	solar,	

biomass,	hydropower,	nuclear	power,	efficient	natural gas	and	clean	coal.		

According	to	US	Energy	Secretary	Steven	Chu,	“When	it	comes	to	clean	energy,	our	motto	should	be:	

‘Invented	in	America,	made	in	America,	sold	around	the	world.’”	

Recognizing	it	is	not	possible	to	perpetually	fulfill	the	U.S.	demand	on	oil	products	entirely	with	its	own	

supply,	America	must	augment	its	oil	reserves	with	alternate	sources	of	energy	– putting	itself	in	a	

position	whereby	oil	serves	as	a	secondary	or	tertiary,	rather	than	the	primary	source.		There	are	

numerous	alternative	sources	of	energy	under	development;	but	each	has	a	relatively	long	path	to	

commercialization.	However,	many	alternatives	can	be	leveraged	today,	or	are	quickly	approaching	

market	availability.

Ø Large	trade	deficit	– largest	contributor	is	foreign	oil

Problem	2:		Consumption	of	oil	and	non-renewable	sources	adversely	impacting	environment,	leading	to	

the	need	to	increase	utilization	of	alternate,	clean	energy	sources.

The	environment	impact	of	oil	consumption	and	other	non-renewable	energy	sources	is	an	international	

concern.		For	example,	the	amount	of	energy	consumed	by	electric	vehicles	(EVs)	is	far	less	than	

conventional	gasoline	vehicles,	converting	about	59-62%	of	electrical	energy	from	the	grid	to	power.	

Conversely,	conventional	gasoline	vehicles	convert	17-21%	of	the	energy	stored	in	gasoline	to	power.		

And,	as	electricity	as	a	power	source	generates	no	tailpipe	pollutants,	it	is	natural	to	conclude	that	the	

development	of	alternate	energy	sources	is	critical	to	America’s	future.		Battery-powered	vehicles	are	

just	one	example	of	an	industry	that	can	take	full	advantage	of	thin	film	technologies	– including	the	

benefits	of	longer	battery	life,	lighter-weight	materials,	and	more	efficient	use	of	energy	stores.

With	advantages	to	industry,	commercial	business	and	consumers	alike	– the	effective	integration	of	

clean,	renewable	and	efficient	energy	sources	into	day-to-day	practices	and	operations	should	result	in	a	

positive	impact	on	the	environment,	as	well	as	balance	sheets	and	wallets	alike.
American	job	creation

Problem	1:	Rising	unemployment	in	the	manufacturing	sector	due	to	outsourcing

According	to	a	study	supporting	the	case	for	the	development	of	a	National	Manufacturing	Strategy,	

conducted	by	the	Information	Technology	and	Innovation	Foundation	(ITIF),	creating	these	higherskilled,	advanced	manufacturing	jobs	is	critical	to	the	U.S.	economy	for	five	key	reasons:

1.	It	will	be	extremely	difficult	for	the	United	States	to	balance	its	trade	account	without	a	healthy	

manufacturing	sector.	

2.	Manufacturing	is	a	key	driver	of	overall	job	growth	and	an	important	source	of	middle-class	jobs	for	

individuals	at	many	skill	levels.	

3.	Manufacturing	is	vital	to	U.S.	national	security.	

4.	Manufacturing	is	the	principal	source	of	R&D	and	innovation	activity.	

5.	The	manufacturing	and	services	sectors	are	inseparable	and	complementary.	

Manufacturing,	R&D,	and	innovation	go	hand-in-hand.	No	country,	including	the	United	States,	can	

outsource	manufacturing	while	keeping	the	higher-value-added	service	activities	domestically.		The	very	

nature	of	technology	development	requires	co-location	of	these	activities.

Greg	Tassey,	a	Senior	Economist	at	the	National	Institute	of	Standards	and	Technology	(NIST),	has	

written:	“When	technological	advances	take	place	in	the	foreign	industry,	manufacturing	is	frequently	

located	in	that	country	to	be	near	the	source	of	the	R&D.	The	issue	of	co-location	of	R&D	and	

manufacturing	is	especially	important	because	it	means	the	value-added	from	both	R&D	and	

manufacturing	will	accrue	to	the	innovating	economy,	at	least	when	the	technology	is	in	its	formative	

stages.	Thus,	an	economy	that	initially	controls	both	R&D	and	manufacturing	can	lose	the	value-added	

first	from	manufacturing	and	then	R&D	in	the	current	technology life	cycle—and	then	first	R&D	followed	

by	manufacturing	in	the	subsequent	technology	life	cycle.	This	is	the	economics	of	decline.”

But	the	honeymoon	may	be	over.		The	once	attractive	lure	of	significantly	lower	costs	for	manufactured	

products	produced	half	a	world	away	has	begun	to	wane.	Off-shore	manufacturing	companies	and	the	

workers	that	flowed	freely	between	them	in	pursuit	of	rapidly	escalating	wages,	are	becoming	as	noncompetitive	as	the	U.S.	companies	that	helped	facilitate	the	influx	of	foreign	manufacturing	jobs.

However,	reversing	years	of	outsourcing	and	the	resultant	job	losses	to	Asia	and	other	low-cost	labor	

markets	may	prove	to	be	a	challenge	for	the	U.S.	manufacturing	sector,	as	American	companies	were	

quick	to	take	advantage	of	the	movement	of	work	by	capitalizing	on	the	sale	of	manufacturing	assets	

that	would	otherwise	have	been	crucial	in	enabling	the	eventual	return	of	such	production	opportunities	

back	to	the	U.S.

That’s	certainly	not	to	say	that	all	overseas	outsourcing	efforts	are	‘bad’	or	that	such	efforts	aren’t	

beneficial	to	the	companies	selecting	this	approach	as	a	part	of	their	forward-going	strategy.		In	fact,	

many	companies	have	relocated	their	advanced	manufacturing	and	development	work	to	alternate	

locations	to	maintain proximity	to	their	customer	base.		
However,	as	a	recent	article	posted	on	GlobalPost.com	states,	“For	America,	this	could	be	the	start	of	

something	good,	according	to	the	Boston	Consulting	Group.	In	2011,	BCG	reported	that,	due	to	a	number	

of	changing	economic	realities	— including	rising	salaries	and	economic	expectations	among	Chinese	

workers,	new	labor,	environmental	and	safety	regulations	abroad,	the	higher	cost	of	energy	required	to	

ship	products	halfway	around	the	world,	and	the	US	market	and	the	uncertainties	of	political	risk	in	these	

places	— the	cost	benefits	of	producing	in	Asia	no	longer	automatically	outweigh	the	risks.”

Indeed,	the	BCG	report	predicts	a	“renaissance	for	US	manufacturing”	citing	the	fact	that	labor	costs	in	

the	United	States	and	Asia	are	expected	to	converge	around	2015.

“Executives	who	are	planning	a	new	factory	(abroad)	to	make	exports	for	sale	in	the	U.S.	should	take	a	

hard	look	at	the	total	costs,”	says	BCG’s	Harold	L.	Sirkin,	an	author	of	the	report.	“They’re	increasingly

likely	to	get	a	good	wage	deal	and	substantial	incentives	in	the	U.S.,	so	the	cost	advantage	might	not	be	

large	enough	to	bother	and	that’s	before	taking	into	account	the	added	expense,	time,	and	complexity	

of	logistics.”

Some	examples	of	companies	bringing	work	back	to	the	U.S.:

 Caterpillar	is	building	a	$120	million	plant	to	make	giant	earthmovers	in	Victoria,	Texas,	

including	some	models	that	were	previously	built	in	Japan	and	shipped	back	to	North	American	

customers.	The	plant	in	Japan	is	now	free	to	devote	more	capacity	to	the	booming	Asian	market.

 General	Electric	reversed	a	decision	to	build	a	new	“green”	refrigerator	plant	in	Asia	and	decided	

instead	to	invest	$93	million	in	refurbishing	a	plant	in	Bloomington,	Indiana,	saving	700	jobs.	The	

company	followed	up	in	2010	by	investing	$80	million	in	a	water	heater	plant	in	Louisville,	

Kentucky,	saving	another	400	jobs.

 Dow	Chemical,	the	cash	register	company	NCR,	Sauder	Woodworking	and	the	machine	tool	firm	

GF	AgieCharmilles	have	all	brought	overseas	production	back	to	the	U.S.	market	in	the	past	

three	years

Problem	2:	Developing	technologies	in	Asia	equates	to	loss	of	intellectual	capital

Along	with	transferring	manufacturing	jobs to	low	cost	labor	territories,	American	companies	have	also	

transitioned	the	know-how	critical	to	the	development	of	manufacturing	technologies to	these	same	

off-shore	sites.		It	can	be	argued	that,	where	manufacturing	goes,	innovation	follows.

In	addition	to	its	low-cost	labor	advantage,	Asian-based	companies	have	worked	fervently	to	reduce	the	

manufactured	cost	of	their	own	products	and	have	been	all	too	willing	to	learn	how	to	implement	and	

master	technological	advancements	developed	in	the	U.S.	to	drive	efficiencies	within	their	own	

factories.		American	companies	have	openly	offered	U.S.-developed	know-how,	seeking	very	little	in	

intellectual	protection,	and	asking	for	even	less	in	return	beyond	a	less	expensive	manufactured	

product,	effectively	risking	the	chance	of	ever	regaining	a	future	competitive	edge.		

In	fact,	90	percent	of	all	electronics	R&D	now	takes	place	in	Asia,	in	part	because	firms	need	volume	

production	to	be	able	to	afford	general	R&D. This,	combined	with	lack	of	legal	oversight	in	guarding	
intellectual	property,	increased	lead	times,	imposition	of	additional	duties	and	taxes,	as	well	as	

proximity	challenges	to	the	end	markets	served,	American	companies	are	now	awakening	to	the	true	

cost	of	what	it	has	given	up.

As	cited	in	the	Information	Technology	and	Innovation	Foundation’s		(ITIF)	study	arguing	the case	for	a	

National	Manufacturing	Strategy,	the	process	of	innovation	and	industrial	loss	becomes	additive.

“Once	one	technological	life	cycle	is	lost	to	foreign	competitors,	subsequent	technology	life	cycles	are	

likely	to	be	lost	as	well.”

Examples	abound	of	the	United	States	losing	technology	leadership	in	one	product	life	cycle	with	the	

result	that	it	falls	behind	in	subsequent	technology	life	cycles.	

For	example,	the	United	States	lost	leadership	in	rechargeable	battery	manufacturing	technology	years	

ago,	largely	because	increasing	demands	in	consumer	electronics	for	more	battery	power	in	smaller	

packages	largely	drove	innovation.

When	U.S.	companies	abandoned	the	“mature”	consumer	electronics	business,	the	focus	of	R&D	

manufacturing—not	just	for	laptops	and	cell	phones	but	also	for	advanced	batteries—shifted	to	Asia.	

And,	as	global	attention	has	turned	toward	developing	energy-efficient	vehicles	using	advanced	electric	

batteries,	Japan’s	and	Korea’s	strong	battery	(and	auto)	industries	have	assured	them	of	an	early	

advantage	over	U.S.	companies	in	developing	electric	and	hybrid	vehicles.	Hence,	GM	has	had	to	source	

the	advanced	battery	for	its	Chevy	Volt	from	a	Korean	supplier.	

Likewise,	the	migration	of	semiconductor	foundries	to	Asia	has	caused	a	sharp	decline	in	siliconprocessing	and	flexible-film-deposition	capabilities	in	the	U.S.	Flexible-film-deposition	is	now	a	critical	

process	in	manufacturing	photovoltaic	solar	cells,	printed	electronics,	and	battery	and	energy	storage	

devices,	so	the	U.S.	increasingly	risks	in	the	development	and	manufacture	of	these	next	generation	

products.	The	net	effect	is	the	deepening	erosion	of	the	U.S.	industrial	base,	the	hollowing	out	of	

advanced	production	supply	chains,	and	the	loss,	for	many	U.S.	industries,	of	their	“industrial	commons”	

– the	R&D	know-how,	advanced	process	development,	engineering	skills,	and	manufacturing	

competencies	related	to	a	specific	technology.	As	Harvard’s	Willy	Shih	and	Gary	Pisano	conclude,	

“Decades	of	outsourcing	manufacturing	have	left	U.S.	industry	without	the	means	to	invent	the	next	

generation	of	high-tech	products	that	are	crucial	to	rebuilding	its	economy.
Leveraging	Advanced	Manufacturing	and	Manufacturing	Development	Capabilities

The	U.S.	is	the	birthplace	of	advanced	manufacturing,	in	terms	of	technological	capabilities	and	

intellectual	capital.	However,	we	have	not	leveraged	our	technical	superiority	and	strengths	in	this	

space.		To	be	successful,	Manufacturing	Development	requires	skillful	application	of	Advanced	

Manufacturing	Technologies.		And	while	America	has	surrendered	well-paying	manufacturing	jobs	to	

Asia,	we	cannot	necessarily	expect,	nor	do	we	want,	all	of	those	jobs	back.		True,	meaningful	job	

creation	means	bringing	to	life	those	jobs	that	require	skilled,	advanced	technology	positions	– they	

develop	higher	capabilities	and	demand	higher	pay.	
READILY	AVAILABLE	SOLUTIONS	

Some	of	the	solutions	to	these	issues	are	readily	available	as	a	result	of	budding	developments	in	the	

Flexible	Film	&	Coating	Technologies industry.

America’s	manufacturing	industry	footprint	needs	to	be	re-tooled	to	take	advantage	of	current	day	

applications	of	renewable	energy	sources	to	bolster	its	competitive	edge	against	non-U.S.	manufacturing	

hubs	that	are	currently	winning	through	the	use	of	low cost	labor.		The	horizon	over	which	the	cost	of	

labor	will	inflate	in	these	territories	as	a	result	of	demand	for	increasingly	skilled	workers	is	quickly	

approaching	a	point	where	the	economic	advantage	of	placing	work	in	countries	outside	of	the	U.S.	will	

wane.		Therefore,	the	development	of	more	efficient	manufacturing	processes,	including	the	increased	

efficient	utilization	of	energy	supporting	those	processes,	is	critical	to	future	manufacturing	success	and	

survival	in	the	global	marketplace.		

The	use	of	flexible	films	offers	numerous	advantages	in	reducing	the	cost	of	energy	options,	and	in	

acting	as	an	enabler	for	the	development	of	future	energy	alternatives.		Equally	important	is	the	

commercialization	know-how	and	development	center	focused	on	bringing	such	technologies	from	

proof-of-concept	to	commercialization.		

As	such,	this	paper	will	describe	the	Functional	Film	Commercialization	Center	located	at	Eastman	

Business	Park	in	Rochester,	NY - an	existing,	turn-key	asset	specifically	designed	to	bring	functional	films	

solutions	to	life.		As	a	nucleus	of	technological	innovation,	and	rooted	in	a	dynamic	and	robust	history,	

the	Functional	Film	Commercialization	Center,	as	well	as	Eastman	Business	Park	both	house	state-ofthe-art	infrastructure	that	differentiate	them	from	other	industrial	facilities	nationwide.	Furthermore,	

both	actively	leverage	their	access	to	a	richly	talented	labor	pool	in	the	Greater	Rochester	region,	which	

has	had	direct	experience	in	the	efficient	manufacture	of	thin	film technologies	and	materials	for	a	

variety	of	end-use	applications.	

The	facility	is	operated	and	being	maintained	and	updated	as	a	sustainable	business	park	which	will,	

long-term	have	synergistic	potential	between	park	tenants	and	with	integrated	energy	and	material	

systems	that	further	bolster	the	sense	of	place	this	facility	brings	to	the	reinvention	of	the	modern	

American	manufacturing	sector.	

What	comprises	Flexible	Films	&	Coating	Technologies?

Flexible	Films	and	Coating	Technologies	cover	a	very	broad	set	of	market	applications	– both	as	an	enduse,	product,	as	well	as	an	enabling	and	value-adding,	integrated	component.		It’s	important	to	note	

that,	while	this	paper	focuses	on	Flexible	Films	and	Coating	Technologies	as	an	enabler	to	the	

development	of	alternative	and	clean	energy	solutions,	Flexible	Films	has	the	potential	to	create	many	

jobs	in	a	variety	of	market	segments,	including:		automotive,	consumer	electronics,	medical	and	

pharmaceutical,	display	technologies,	window	films,	etc.		Specifically,	roll-to-roll	produced	flexible	film	

products	have	the	potential	to	provide	breakthrough	technology	in	a	number	of	market	segments	

beyond	clean	technology.	Multiple	functionality	combined	in	a	single,	low	cost	film	creates	a	
competitive	advantage	that	can	be	leveraged	into	a	number	of	devices.	In	the	past	several	years	there	

has	been	significant	activity	in	the	development		of	flexible	films	in	the	following	technology	areas:

Electronic	Films

 Transparent	conductors

 Patterned	conductive	layers

 EMI	shielding

Optical	films

 Display	films	(polarizers,	retarders,	brightness	enhancers)

 Lighting	film	(filters,	diffusers)

 Window	films	(passive	solar,	filters,	tinting)

 Holographic	display	films

 Electrochromographic films	(changes	color	when	a	current	is	applied)

Medical	and	diagnostic	films

 Detection	films	(presence	of	certain	biological	agents)

 Monitoring	films	(e.g.	glucose	level)
Security	films

 Anti-counterfeiting

 Identify	verification/protection

Packaging	films

 Functionalized	substrates	(moisture	and	oxygen	barriers,	UV	protection,	smart	functions,	etc)

 Functional	materials	added	to	commodity	substrates

 Contamination	indicators

 Embedded	electronics	(RFID,	LED)
Environmental	films

 Anti-pollution	filter	media

 environmental	detection	films
Flexible	Films	and	Coating	Technologies	in	Renewable	Energy	Applications

The	development	of	flexible	films	and	coated	materials	to	facilitate	the	manufacture	of	highly-efficient	

products	for	enabling	integrated	sources	of	alternative	energy	is	on	the	rise.		“Alternative	Energy	

Applications	integrating	thin	film	technology	has	grown	by	X	%	and	represents	Y$	globally.	The	U.S.	

stands	to	benefit	from	having	national	resources	dedicated	to	the	R&D,	manufacture,	and	distribution	of	

thin	films	from	a	global	competitiveness,	economic,	and	energy	security	point	of	view.	

Flexible	films	have	enabled	significant	advancements	in	the	development	of	the	following	technologies,	

each	of	which	will	be	described	in	this	paper:

Ø Ultracapacitors	for	energy	storage

Ø Lithium	ion	batteries	

Ø Photovoltaic	cells	

o Flexible

o Organic

o Inorganic

Ø Silicon	anti-reflective	coatings		

Ø Fuel	cell	membranes	and	electrodes

For	each	of	the	technologies	described,	we	will	investigate	the	market	advantages	of	utilizing	flexible	

films	in	the	manufacturing	of	these	applications	and	inherent	production	challenges,	as	well	as	next	

steps	toward	enabling	commercial	application	of	these	market-leading	advances.
Flexible	Films	and	Ultracapacitor	Development

Ultra	Capacitors	are	part	of	a	foursome	of	energy	storage	and	generating	technologies	that	also	include	

Batteries,	Fuel	Cells,	and	Electrolysers.		Each	of	these	technologies	has,	at	their	core,	flexible	film	

coatings	of	various	materials.		The	key	to	these technologies	becoming	widespread	and	commercially	

viable	at	high	volume	will	be	the	reduction	of	costs	through	both	material	improvements	and	

manufacturing	yields.		

Many	applications	can	benefit	from	ultracapacitors,	whether	they	require	short	power	pulses	or	lowpower	support	of	critical	memory	systems.	Ultracapacitors	can	be	primary	energy	devices	for	power	

assist	during	acceleration	and	hill	climbing,	as	well	as	for	recovery	of	braking	energy	in	transportation	

applications.	An	ultracapacitor	used	in	conjunction	with	a	storage	battery	combines	the	power	and	

performance	of	the	former	with	the	greater	energy	storage	capability	of	the	latter.	It	can	extend	the	life	

of	a	battery,	save	on	replacement	and	maintenance	costs,	and	enable	a	battery	to	be	downsized.	At	the	

same	time,	it	can	increase	available	energy	by	providing	high	peak	power	whenever	necessary.	

Technology	Description

The	ultracapacitor,	also	known	as	a	double-layer	capacitor,	polarizes	an	electrolytic	solution	to	store	

energy	electrostatically.	Though	it	is	an	electrochemical	device,	no	chemical	reactions	are	involved	in	its	

energy	storage	mechanism.	This	mechanism	is	highly	reversible,	and	allows	the	ultracapacitor	to	be	

charged	and	discharged	hundreds	of	thousands	of	times.

Like	an	ordinary	capacitor,	an	ultracapacitor	has	two	plates	that	are	separated.	The	plates	are	made	

from	metal	coated	with	a	porous	substance	such	as	powdery,	activated	charcoal,	which	effectively	gives	

them	a	bigger	area	for	storing	much	more	charge.	In	an	ordinary	capacitor,	the	plates	are	separated	by	a	

relatively	thick	dielectric	made	from	someflexibleg	like	mica	(a	ceramic),	a	flexible	plastic	film,	or	even	

simply	air.	When	the	capacitor	is	charged,	positive	charges	form	on	one	plate	and	negative	charges	on	

the	other,	creating	an	electric	field	between	them.	The	field	polarizes	the	dielectric,	so	its	molecules	line	

up	in	the	opposite	direction	to	the	field	and	reduce	its	strength.	That	means	the	plates	can	store	more	

charge	at	a	given	voltage.	That's	illustrated	in	the	diagram	you	see	here.
In	an	ultracapacitor	there	is	no	dielectric	as	such.	Instead,	both	plates	are	soaked	in	an	electrolyte	and	

separated	by	a	very	flexible	insulator	(which	might	be	made	of	carbon,	paper,	or	plastic).	When	the	

plates	are	charged	up,	an	opposite	charge	forms	on	either	side	of	the	separator,	creating	what's	called	

an	electric	double-layer,	maybe	just	one	molecule	thick	(compared	to	a	dielectric	that	might	range	in	

thickness	from	a	few	microns	to	a	millimeter	or	more	in	a	conventional	capacitor).	This	is	why	

ultracapacitors	are	often	referred	to	as	double-layer	capacitors,	also	called	electric	double-layer	

capacitors	or	EDLCs).

Once	the	ultracapacitor	is	charged	and	energy	stored,	a	load	can	use	this	energy.	The	amount	of	energy	

stored	is	very	large	compared	to	a	standard	capacitor	because	of	the	enormous	surface	area	created	by	

the	porous	carbon	electrodes	and	the	small	charge	separation	(10	angstroms)	created	by	the	dielectric	

separator.	However,	it	stores	a	much	smaller	amount	of	energy	than	does	a	battery.	Since	the	rates	of	

charge	and	discharge	are	determined	solely	by	its	physical	properties,	the	ultracapacitor	can	release	

energy	much	faster	(with	more	power)	than	a	battery	that	relies	on	slow	chemical	reactions.

The	first	ultracapacitors	were	made	in	the	late	1950s	using	activated	charcoal	as	the	plates.	Since	then,	

advances	in	material	science	have	led	to	the	development	of	much	more	effective	plates	made	from	

such	flexiblegs	as	carbon	nanotubes	(tiny	carbon	rods	built	using	nanotechnology),	graphene,	aerogel,	

and	barium	titanate	as	seen	below.

Manufacturing	Requirements

The	requirements	for	making	Ultracapacitors,	Batteries,	Fuel	Cells,	and	electrolysers all	are	focused	on	

flexible	coatings	of	specialty	materials.		The	precision	and	placement	of	these	materials	is	paramount	to	

the	performance	and	life	of	these	devices	as	well	as	being	a	substantial	element	of	the	product	cost.		As	

new	materials	are	developed	the	manufacturing	processes	for	continued	precision	and	quality	will	need	

to	be	developed.		Additional	performance	will	be	able	to	occur	as	increased	density	of	the	basic	

materials	can	be	increased.	
Flexible	Films	and	Battery	Development

The	battery	industry	is	expanding	rapidly	in	both	the	grid	and	transportation	sectors.		The	drive	for	

increased	energy	efficiency	on	the	road	and	the	ability	to	store	off	peak	electricity	makes	batteries	one	

of	several	key	technologies	that	are	being	exploited	in	many	industries.		The	current	technology	leaders	

are	applications	using	Li-Ion	technology.		There	are	many	new	chemistries	being	developed	around	Li	

and	all	of	them	require	flexible	coatings	applied	to	both	sides	of	various	separator	materials.		To	realize

cost	potential	very	high	volume	roll	to	roll	processing	capability	will	be	required.		The	inherent	

capabilities	of	the	Rochester	Flexible	Film	Manufacturing	Technology	Center	have	just	such	expertise.	

Additionally,	the	ability	to	both	analyze	the	new	materials	as	well	as	develop	them	will	be	a	critical	

parameter	for	the	commercialization	of	the	complete	evolution	of	Li	Chemistry	battery	technologies	and	

beyond.	

The	processes	used	for	manufacturing	Lithium	batteries	are	very	similar	to	those	used	in	the	current	

production	of	Nickel	Cadmium	cells	and	Nickel	Metal	Hydride	cells	with	some	key	differences	associated	

with	the	higher	reactivity	of	the	chemicals	used	in	the	Li	cells	-

http://www.mpoweruk.com/battery_manufacturing.htm

Technology	Description	

Li-Ion	Batteries	are	generally	much	lighter	than	other	types	of	rechargeable	batteries	of	the	same	size.	

The	electrodes	of	a	lithium-ion	battery	are	made	of	lightweight	lithium and	carbon.	Lithium	is	also	a	

highly	reactive	element,	meaning	that	a	lot	of	energy	can	be	stored	in	its	atomic	bonds.	This	translates	

into	a	very	high	energy	density for	lithium-ion	batteries.	Here	is	a	way	to	get	a	perspective	on	the	

energy	density.	A	typical	lithium-ion	battery	can	store	150	watt-hours	of	electricity	in	1	kilogram	of	

battery.	A	NiMH	(nickel-metal	hydride)	battery pack	can	store	perhaps	100	watt-hours	per	kilogram,	

although	60	to	70	watt-hours	might	be	more	typical.	A	lead-acid	battery (like	the	cranking	battery	in	

your	car)	can	store	only	25	watt-hours	per	kilogram.	Using	lead-acid	technology,	it	takes	6	kilograms	to	

store	the	same	amount	of	energy	that	a	1	kilogram	lithium-ion	battery	can	handle.	That's	a	huge	

difference.

The	anodes	and	cathodes	in	Lithium	cells	are	of	similar	form	and	are	made	by	similar	processes	on	

similar	or	identical	equipment.	The	active	electrode	materials	are	coated	on	both	sides	of	metallic	foils	

which	act	as	the	current	collectors	conducting	the	current	in	and	out	of	the	cell.	The	anode	material	is	a	

form	of	Carbon	and	the	cathode	is	a	Lithium	metal	oxide.	Both	of	these	materials	are	delivered	to	the	

factory	in	the	form	of	black	powder	and	to	the	untrained	eye	they	are	almost	indistinguishable	from	

each	other.	Since	contamination	between	the	anode	and	cathode	materials	will	ruin	the	battery,	great	

care	must	be	taken	to	prevent	these	materials	from	coming	into	contact	with	each	other.	For	this	reason	

the	anodes	and	cathodes	are	usually	processed	in	different	rooms.
									 																																																										 				

		Li-Ion	Battery	Architecture Li-Ion	Anode	structure

Particle	size	must	be	kept	to	a	minimum	in	order	to	achieve	the	maximum	effective	surface	area	of	the	

electrodes	needed	for	high	current	cells.	Particle	shape	is	also	important.	Smooth	spherical	shapes	with	

rounded	edges	are	desirable	since	sharp	edges	or	flaky	surfaces	are	susceptible	to	higher	electrical	

stress	and	decomposition	of	the	anode	passivating	SEI	layer,	which	can	lead	to	very	large	heat	

generation	and	possible	thermal	runaway	when	the	cells	are	in	use.

The	metal	electrode	foils	are	delivered	on	large	reels,	typically	about	500	mm	wide,	with	copper	for	the	

anode	and	aluminum	for	the	cathode,	and	these	reels	are	mounted	directly	on	the	coating	machines	

where	the	foil	is	unreeled	as	it	is	fed	into	the	machine	through	precision	rollers.		Batteries	can	be	

configured	in	either	cylindrical	or	prismatic	cells.

													

Prismatic	type	cell 																								Cylindrical	Cell

Cell	Assembly

In	the	best	factories	cell	assembly	is	usually	carried	out	on	highly	automated	equipment;	however	there	

are	still	many	smaller	manufacturers	who	use	manual	assembly	methods.	

The	first	stage	in	the	assembly	process	is	to	build	the	electrode	sub-assembly	in which	the	separator	is	

sandwiched	between	the	anode	and	the	cathode.	Two	basic	electrode	structures	are	used	depending	on	

the	type	of	cell	casing	to	be	used,	a	stacked	structure	for	use	in	prismatic	cells	and	a	spiral	wound	

structure	for	use	in	cylindrical	cells.
Formation

Once	the	cell	assembly	is	complete	the	cell	must	be	put	through	at	least	one	precisely	controlled	charge	

/	discharge	cycle	to	activate	the	working	materials,	transforming	them	into	their	useable	form.	Instead	

of	the	normal	constant	current	- constant	voltage	charging	curve,	the	charging	process	begins	with	a	low	

voltage	which	builds	up	gradually.	This	is	called	the	Formation	Process.	For	most	Lithium	chemistries	this	

involves	creating	the	SEI	(solid	electrolyte	interface)	on	the	anode.	This	is	a	passivating	layer	which	is	

essential	for	moderating	the	charging	process	under	normal	use.	

During	formation,	data	on	the	cell	performance	such	as	capacity	and	impedance,	are	gathered	and	

recorded	for	quality	analysis	and	traceability.	The	spread	of	the	performance	measurements	also	gives	

an	indication	of	whether	the	process	is	under	control.	(Beware	of	manufacturers	who	use	this	process	

for	sorting	their	cells	into	different	performance	groups	for	sale	with	alternative	specifications).	

Although	not	the	prime	purpose	of	formation,	the	process	allows	a	significant	percentage	of	early	life	

cell	failures	due	to	manufacturing	defects,	the	so	called	"infant	mortalities",	to	occur	in	the	

manufacturer's	plant	rather	than	at	the	customers'	premises.

Manufacturing	Requirements

Tight	tolerances	and	strict	process	controls	are	essential	throughout	the	manufacturing	process	which	

involves	high	speed	roll	to	roll	coatings	and	assembly.	Contamination,	physical	damage	and	burrs	on	the	

electrodes	are	particularly	dangerous	since	they	can	cause	penetration	of	the	separator	giving	rise	to	

internal	short	circuits	in	the	cell	and	there	are	no	protection	methods	which	can	prevent	or	control	this.		

Manufacturing	expertise	in	flexible	films	will	help	drive	down	costs	and	minimize	material	usage	as	well	

as	insure	repeatability	from	part	to	part	at	high	volume.

													
Flexible	Films	and	Solar	Technology	Development

Among	Renewable	sources	of	energy	to	satisfy	the	demands	of	our	society,	the	abundance	of	sunlight	

offers	enormous	potential	both	as	a	source	of	thermal	and	a	source	of	electrical	power.	Photovoltaic	

(PV)	cells	afford	the	direct	conversion	of	incident	sunlight	into	electricity	via	the	photoelectric	process.	

Largely	a	semiconductor	process,	the	absorption	of	a	photon	by	a	semiconductor	material	creates	a	

charge	carrier,	which	becomes	mobile,	moving	from	atom	to	atom,	past	a	semiconductor	junction,	

where	it	exits	as	an	electron,	capable	of	providing	electric	current,	due	to	a	potential	formed	across	the	

semiconductor	junction.	See	Figure	1.

																				

Figure	1	(Source:	http://library.flexiblekquest.org/03oct/02144/glossary/solar_cells.html)

Early	efforts	to	harness	the	Sun’s	power	for	electricity	included	silicon	PV	cells,	consisting	of	crystalline	

silicon,	formed	into	semiconductors.	Even	early	devices	exhibited	relatively	high	efficiency,	in	the	area	of	

20%	of	the	incident	light	converted	into	useful	power.	Different	silicon	materials	(mono- and	polycrystalline)	and	different	junction	arrangements	yielded	higher	efficiencies	(approaching	50%),	but	at	

the	sacrifice	of	higher	cost.	As	experiments	progressed	the	manufacturing	technology	grew	with	

progress,	enabling	relatively	large	“rods”	of	silicone,	typically	monocrystalline,	to	be	produced,	sawn	

into	wafers,	and	sandwiched	between	two	pieces	of	glass	to	form	a	solar	cell.	External	electronics	

afforded	control	and	direction	of	current,	as	well	as	electromechanical	positioning	of	the	PV	cell,	in	

order	to	efficiently	capture	maximum	sunlight	as	time	passed.	The	cell	and	its	current	carrying	and	

positioning	components	comprised	as	solar	cell	system.		While	approaching	reasonable	efficiency,	the	

cost	of	production	has	remained	high,	with	systems	affording	the	lowest	cost	at	around	$10/watt.	In	

2012,	China	has	undertaken	questionable	economic	policies	(dumping)	to	bring	crystalline	silicon	panels	

down	to	$1/watt,	$2	to	the	customer,	that	have	resulted	in	driving	installed	costs	down,	albeit	

artificially1.	
Figure	2	Flexible	Film	Solar	Cell(http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/greenscience/flexible-film-solar-cell.htm)

A	majority	of	the	World	has	adopted	and	is	developing	solar	energy	systems	using	the	silicon	

technology.	In	the	US,	attention	has	turned	to	Flexible	Film	photovoltaics,	where	the	semiconductor	

consists	of	newly	discovered	materials	such	as	Cadmium	Telluride	(CdTe)	and	Cadmium	Indium	Gallium	

Diselenide	(CIGS),	and	the	the	semiconductor	junction	is	formed in	layers,	as	shown	if	Figure	2..	

One	of	the	bright	promises	of	flexible	film	solar	cells	includes	cost.	By	2008,	solar	cells	made	of	CdTe	had	

dropped	costs	to	$1.14/	watt,	and	by	2011,	CIGS	cells	were	manufactured	in	California	at	a	cost	of	$0.99,	

resulting	in	systems	installations	in	Germany	at	$3/watt.	Most	recently,	the	high-tech	engineering	firm	

Manz	(Reutlingen,	Germany)	has	achieved	a	technological	breakthrough:	its	integrated	production	line	

for	CIGS	flexible-film	solar	panels,	the	Manz	CIGSfab,	can	be	used	to	manufacture	solar	panels	that	in	the	

future	will	supply	power	costing	between	four	euro	cents	(Spain)	and	eight	euro	cents	(Germany)	per	

kilowatt	hour	(Levelized	Cost	of	Energy,	LCOE),	depending	on	the	location,	the	company	reports2.

The	greatest	promise	of	the	future	is	the	cost	of	organic	materials,	such	as	Fullerene-PolymerPolyethylene	terephthalate(PET) are	dissolved	in	solution,	such	as	chlorobenzene	(CB)	and	sprayed	onto	

a	film	substrate,	to	form	a	flexible,	low	cost,	flexible	solar	cell,	as	depicted	in	Figure	3.	
Figure	3	– Flexible	film	solar	cell	(Source:	ScienceDaily	2/10/08)

The	operation	of	the	organic	photocell	is	diagramed	in	Figure	4,	below.	

Figure	4.	Organic	photocell	operation	(.http://staff.science.nus.edu.sg/~chmxqh/research.html)	

The	drawback	has	been	low	efficiency.	By	mid-2010,	organic	PV	cell	efficiencies	remained	in	the	5%	

area,	as	evidenced	by	Figure	5,	which	shows	relative	efficiencies	of	all	of	the	configurations	of	cells	to	

mid	2011.	ON	September	10,	2012,	a	German	company	reported	a	new	world	record	for	organic	

photocell	efficiency	of	10.7%	,	indicating	15%	was	reachable	wiflexible	5	years.	
Figure	5.		Various	Photovoltaic	Cell	efficiencies.(Source	Wikipedia,	reprint	from	NREL)

Flexible	films	will	play	a	major	role	in	the	further	development	of	solar	cells,	particularly	in	the	organic	

arena,	where	the	semiconductor	material	is	sprayed	onto	a	film	substrate.	A	polycarbonate	film	may	be	

employed	as	the	entry	layer,	instead	of	more	costly	glass.		Beside	cell	material	construction,	Films	may	

be	deployable	as	a	means	to	concentrate	sunlight	onto	arrays	of	photocells,	optically.	Film- based	

Fresnel	lenses	are	easily	and	inexpensively	formed,	and	are	capable	of	increasing	efficiencies	greatly,	In	

a	configuration	as	shown	in	Figure	6,	below.

In	May	of	2012,	a	multi-junction	solar	cell	with	a	Fresnel	lens	set	a	record-breaking	efficiency	of	43.5%.

Lastly,	research	may	provide	the	keys	to	unlocking	more	potential	of	solar	cells.	Advances	in	functional	

printing,	printed	circuitry	(already	used	to	fabricate	organic	PV’s)	and	low-temperature	sintering	

techniques	may	facilitate	a	return	to	complex,	silicon,	high-efficiency	photovoltaic	cells.	Flexible	Film	

Commercialization	Center	may	play	a	key	role	in	the	research	and	fabrication	of	next-generation	PV	

Figure	6	Concentrator	Solar	Cell	arrangement.	(http://sharp-world.com/corporate/news/120531.html)
materials	and	cell	production	methods,	achieving	efficiencies	greater	than	50	%	In	a	low-cost,	flexible,	

solar	cell.
Flexible	Films	and	Fuel	Cell	Development

The	most	important	part	of	the	PEM	fuel	cell	is	the	membrane	electrode	assembly	(MEA).	Due	to	this	

and	to	the	catalyst	costs,	many	researchers	have	been	studying	the	membrane	and	electrode	assembly	

manufacturing	processes	that	can	reduce	the	content	of	Pt	in	the	electrocatalyst	layer	while	maintaining	

the	performance.	The	MEA	is	the	heart	of	the	PEMFC	and	catalyst	plays	an	important	role	into	the	fuel	

cell	operation.	The	MEA	consists	of	a	proton	exchange	membrane,	catalyst	layers	and	gas	diffusion	

layers	(GDL).	
There	are	different	methods	to	make	a	MEA.	The	most	employed	methods	are	thin-film	methods.	In	this	

method	it	is	necessary	to	prepare	an	ink	with	the	catalyst.	This	ink	can	be	directly	coated	to	the	

membrane.	When	the	coat	is	made,	it	is	necessary	to	dry	the	membrane	under	vacuum	at	temperature.		

Alternatively,	the	catalyst	layer	can	be	applied	using	a	transfer	printing	method	in	which	the	catalyst	

material	is	coated	to	a	PTFE	blank. A	subsequent	catalyst	layer	is	then	decaled	on	to	the	membrane.	

Another	method	is	to	spread	a	thin	film	of	catalyst	slurry	either	onto	the	gas	diffusion	layer	or	the	

membrane.	The	assembly	between	gas	diffusion	layer	and	membrane	is	made	by	hot	pressing	or	rolled.	
The	Flexible	Films	Commercialization	Center	at	Eastman	Business	Park

As	important	as	the	advancement	of	Flexible	Film	applications	is,	little	of	the	technological	advantages	

can	be	realized	in	the	absence	of	the	capability	to	bridge	the	gap	from	proof-of-concept	through	to	

global-scale	manufacturing.		That	is	why	it	is	important	to	harness	the	major	breakthroughs	and	gamechanging	innovations	taking	place	at	the	intersections	of	materials	science,	chemistry,	and	engineering,	

in	concert	with	advanced	manufacturing	methods.		

Many	of	the	21st Century	business	opportunities	related	to	energy,	clean	tech,	and	functional	printing	

require	the	same	strong	technology	foundation	and	manufacturing	capabilities	of	companies	with	wellestablished	material	manufacturing/integration	capability,	and	manufacturing	infrastructure	and	

capacity.		Today,	these	capabilities	can	be	applied	in	the	development	of:		optical	and	specialty	films;	

batteries;	fuel	cells;	ultra	capacitors;	solar;	flexible	electronics;	highly	conductive	films;	and	light	filtering	

films	(e.g.	window	applications).			

The	Flexible	Films	Commercialization	Center at	Eastman	Business	Park leverages	these	key	capabilities,	

enabling	future	jobs	growth	and	utilizing	existing	capacity.

Located	at	Eastman	Business	Park	in	Rochester,	NY,	this	manufacturing	technology	innovation	hub

would	possess	world-class	expertise	at	one,	centralized	site,	and	offer:	pilot/testing;	deposition	

expertise	and	assets	in	printing	and	coating;	roll-to-roll	manufacturing	capabilities;	materials,	

formulation	and	scale.

Providing	access	to	state-of-the-art	manufacturing/manufacturing	capability	(people	and	equipment),	

the	Center	is	placed	where	advanced	materials	can	be	moved	into	well-understood	manufacturing	

processes.			As	such,	it	helps	fill	a	vital	role	in	the	commercialization	continuum,	translating technology	

investment	into	manufacturing	and	jobs	growth	by	connecting organizations	that	have	innovative	

concepts	or	prototypes	with	the	Center’s	technical	know-how,	scale-up	and	assets.
The	primary	advantages	of	utilizing	the	Center’s	capabilities:

1.		Manufacturing	efficiency	– enabling	the	production	of	high	speed,	low	waste,	multi-layer	structures

2.		Technical	superiority	– advanced	practical	application	of	deposition	and	curing	technology

3.		Commercialization	Expertise	- bridging	the	gap	from	innovation	to	market	reality

4.	Strategic	Alliances	and	Partnerships	– providing	support	now	and	well	into	the	future

Manufacturing	Efficiency

High speed	deposition

The	emphasis	should	be	on	high-speed	deposition	techniques	that	can	be	run	using	a	continuous-feed,	

roll-to-roll	process.	CVD	(chemical	vapor	deposition)	and	vacuum	coating	methods	are	slow	and	

generally	run	in	a	batch	mode	one	roll	at	a	time.	Replacing	films	made	by	vacuum	or	chemical	vapor	

methods	with	films	made	using	higher	speed	deposition	techniques	could	significantly	disrupt	existing	

markets	and	pull	manufacturing	volume	back	into	the	US.

Low	waste

Use	of	high-tech	analytical	and	process	measurements	can	enable	precision	control	of	key	material	and	

manufacturing	variables.	This	will	result	in	low	waste	and	high	yields.

Multi-layer	structures

Films	with	multiple	layer	structures	can	be	made	at	low	cost	by	coating	them	in	a	single	pass	through	

multi-station	coating	machines.		Using	this	type	of	manufacturing	process	would	enable	device	

manufacturers	to	streamline	their	assembly	process	and	reduce	their	product	cost	by	replacing	multiple	

films	with	a	single	film	with	multiple	functionalities.

Technical	superiority

Novel	deposition	technology

Development	of	the	equipment	and	materials	required	to	enable	coating	materials,	structures,	or	

patterns	that	are	not	possible	with	“generic”	methods	widely	used	in	the	coating	industry	around	the	

world.

Novel	curing	technology

Development	of	the	equipment	and	materials	required	to	enable	rapid,	in-line	curing	of	coated	

materials	to	enable	the	desired	performance	features.	This	is	especially	important	in	the	development	of	

high	speed	deposition	of	metals	on	flexible	substrates.

Commercialization	Expertise
The	expanded	pool	of	resources	available	at The	Flexible	Films	Commercialization	Center at	Eastman	

Business	Park (assets,	technical	expertise,	funding,	research	guidance,	government	interactions,	etc.)	is	

well-positioned	to	help	innovators	to	move	projects	through	development	and	to	successful	

commercialization,	stimulating	the	creation	of	high-tech	jobs	for	prototyping	and	commercial	scale	

manufacturing	of	these	technologies.		The	Center’s	unique	vertically	integrated	structure	successfully	

facilitates	control	over	each	step	of	the	commercialization	process,	from	material	synthesis	through	pilot	

coating	and	printing	to	commercial	scale	manufacturing.	Customers	can	be	assured	they	will	receive	

consistent,	superior,	high-quality	products	that	can	be	sold	as	an	initial	offering	into	their	target	

markets.		This	vertical	integration	enables	new	flexible	film	products	to	get	to	market	and	begin	earning	

revenue	with	a	minimal	amount	of	capitalization.	If	market	acceptance	is	demonstrated	and	product	

volumes	grows,	then	companies	can	expand	using	their	own	funds	to	capitalize	this	growth.

Strategic	Alliances	and	Partnerships		

At	The	Flexible	Films	Commercialization	Center at	Eastman	Business	Park,	partners	have	access	to	

years	of	experience	in	driving	innovation	from	proof-of-concept	through	to	high-scale	manufacturing.		

This	includes	sound	knowledge	on	the	challenges	of	manufacturing	flexible	films.

We	have	interacted	with	over	100	companies	looking	for	help	in	bringing	a	flexible-film,	roll-to-roll	

manufactured	product	to	the	marketplace.	In	general,	these	companies	have	a	defined	(usually	

patented)	material	technology	with	demonstrated	performance	feature	that	has	a	defined	market	need.	

What	they	lack	(almost	all	of	them)	is	an	understanding	as	to	what	is	needed	to	bring	these	product	

concepts	into	full-scale	commercial	manufacturing.	Typically,	they	demonstrate	their	product	concept	

using	a	lab	generated	device	that	was	made	with	a	process	that	would	not	be	economically	viable	in	the	

marketplace.	

In	order	to	commercialize	their	product	concept,	technologies	typically	need	additional	development	

work	in	the	following	areas:

1. Material/formulation	optimization	to	enable	the	materials	to	perform	properly	when	exposed	to	

the	shear	rates	that	are	typical	of	a	R2R	manufacturing	process.

2. Manufacturability	assessment	of	the	expected	reliability,	manufacturing	speed,	and	yields	in	

order	to	determine	the	economic	viability	of	the	product	concept

3. Manufacturability	development	to	maximize	the	manufacturing	efficiency	and	develop	a	

manufacturing	manual and	quality	control	process

4. Evaluation	of	customer-usage-based	performance	of	the	product,	specifically	the	impact	of	

environmental	conditions	and	aging.

Most	emerging	companies	lack	the	proper	understanding	of	the	scope	of	the	work	required	to	

successfully	navigate	through	the	above	issues.	
More	significantly,	these	companies	lack	the	assets	required	to	complete	this	work.	Some	have	tried	to	

build	their	own	assets,	but	this	strategy	drains	cash	and	consumes	valuable	time.	Once	the	assets	are	

on-line,	the	companies	typically	lack	the	expertise	and	experience	required	to	use	the	equipment	in	the	

most	efficient	manner.		The	cash	and	energy	of	an	emerging	technology	is	better	spent	refining	their	

materials	and	developing	a	viable	go-to-market	strategy	(preferably	in	partnership	with	an	end	user	of	

the	envisioned	product).

EBP	is	well	positioned	to	provide	the	capability	required	to	create	a	flexible-film	based	innovation	

accelerator	to	aggressively	push	the	commercialization	of	flexible-film,	roll-to-roll	manufactured	

products.	Existing	assets	and	expertise	are	available	to	provide	this	function	right	now.	Additionally,	

Kodak	can	provide	assets	and	expertise	to	do	initial	manufacturing	of	a	number	of	products	and	

technologies	at	a	cost	effectiveness	that	will	allow	the	product	manufacturing	to	remain	in	the	US.		The	

facilities	at	EBP	offer	all	that	is	required	to	get	a	flexible-film	product	to	market	and	generating	revenue.		

This	would	enable	emerging	companies	to	establish	a	positive	balance	sheet	and	focus	on	growing	their	

market	share.	Once	the	product	volumes	grow	large	enough,	they	will	have	both	the	cash	and	the	

knowledge	to	create	their	own	manufacturing	process	to	meet	their	expanding	needs.

The	capabilities	that	exist	at	EBP	are	highlighted	in	the	diagram	below.

Companies	would	have	the	option	of	using	these	capabilities	in	any	combination	that	made	the	most	

economical	sense	to	their	product	commercialization	needs.		For	example,	substrates	and	chemicals	can	

be	sourced	externally	and	still	coated in	the	wide	roll	manufacturing	plant.	Similarly,	converting	

operations	could	be	done	externally	to	Kodak,	with	Kodak	providing	wide	rolls	of	product	to	an	

identified	vendor	for	subsequent	product	converting	and	assembly.

A	unique	feature	of	the	EBP	capabilities	is	the	fact	that	all	of	these	functions	are	housed	in	a	contiguous	

set	of	building	on	the	Eastman	Business	Park	site	(see	site	map	below).		This	co-location	greatly	

simplifies	the	logistics	of	manufacturing	and	distributing	a	product,	and	thus	reduces	the	final	

manufacturing	cost.	

Chemical	

development	

Product	development	

&	pilot	coating

Specialty	Chemical	

manufacturing

wide	roll,	thin-film	

manufacturing

film	converting	

(slit/chop/package)

Worldwide	

distribution

Substrate	

manufacturing
Eastman	Business	Park

At	the	heart	of	this	capability	is	the	pilot	and	manufacturing	coating	facilities.	These	facilities	can	

produce	films	from	a	wide	range	of	materials	over	a	wide	range	of	configurations	(thicknesses,	patterns,	

#	layers,	etc)	using	a	wide	variety	of	deposition	techniques.		

Converting	and	

Distribution

Substrate	

manufacturing

Commercial	scale

Coating	and	Printing

Product	Development	

&	Pilot	scale

Coating	and	Printing
The	pilot	facility	is	designed	to	develop	the	product	from	benchtop	product	concepts	to	fully	

commercialized	products	ready	for	sale.	The	specific	capabilities	available	are:

For	thermoplastic	materials:

Compounding - Blending	of	materials	to	make	customized	thermoplastic	resins

Extrusion	Casting - Creation	of	films	from	10	to	1000	microns	from	thermoplastic	resins.		Composite	

films	with	up	to	3	distinctive	layers	are	possible.

Extrusion	Coating - Addition	of	up	to	3	layers	of	a	thermoplastic	material	onto	a	variety	of	paper	and	

plastic	substrates.

Bi-axial	stretching - Apply	stretch	ratios	up	to	4:1	in	both	the	x	an	y	axis	over	a	wide	range	of	

temperatures.

For	aqueous	and	solvent	based	solutions	(pumpable	liquids):

Solution	preparation/mixing - Blend	and	disperse	a	variety	of	materials	and	particle	sizes	into	a	wide	

range	of	organic	solvents.	

Gravure	coating - Direct,	reverse,	offset	gravure	using	pan,	weir,	or	pressure	applicators

Gravure	printing - Custom	patterning	using	direct	gravure

Flexographic	printing - Custom	patterning	using	Kodak’s	state-of- the	-art	Flexcel	NX	system

Slot	die	coating - Precision	deposition	of	continuous	or	striped	patterns	over	wide	range	of	thicknesses

Slide/cascade	coating - Simultaneous,	multi-layer	deposition	of	materials

Curtain	coating - High	speed	deposition	of	multi-layer	coatings

Rod/Blade	coating - High	speed	deposition	of	viscous	materials

Dip	coating - Multi-tank	dip	processor	for	ion	exchange	and	plating	type	applications

All	of	these	capabilities	are	available	in	both	small	and	intermediate	scales.	These	two	scales	are	ideal	

for	commercializing	a	new	material	from	the	bench	top	to	first-run	manufacturing.

Small-scale	for	material	development

This	equipment	can	create	samples	with	solution	volumes	as	low	as	500	ml.	The	equipment	is	designed	

to	efficiently	screen	many	materials	variations	using	a	representative	shear	rate.	

Intermediate-scale	for	process	development/manufacturability

This	equipment	can	create	samples	at	line	speeds	that	equal	or	exceed	what	is	possible	in	commercialscale	processes.	The	equipment	is	designed	to	develop	manufacturing	process	specifications	and	

accurately	determine	the	most	economical	manufacturing	configuration.	If	final	product	format	has	a	

dimension	of	16”	or	less,	this	equipment	can	also	be	used	for	commercial	manufacturing	of	the	product.
The	manufacturing	facility	is	designed	for	high	volume,	commercial	manufacturing	of	most	flexible-film	

products.	This	facility	can	produce	flexible-film	products	at	widths	up	to	60”	and	speeds	up	to	1000	fpm.	

Eight	in-line	coating	stations	enable	the	manufacture	of	a	multi-layer	product	design	in	a	single	pass	

through	the	machine.	These	features	(width,	speed,	multiple	stations)	enable	the	low	cost	manufacture	

of	complex	product	designs.

All	together,	these	facilities	located	on	the	EBP	site	offer	a	great	opportunity	to	develop	new	flexiblefilm-based	product	concepts	and	create	companies	who	generate	a	positive	cash	flow	with a	minimal	

amount	of	initial	capitalization.	Once	successful,	these	companies	can	capitalize	their	business	with	their	

own	funds,	thus	limiting	the	dependence	upon	government	and	venture	funding	sources.
What	they’re	already	saying	about	The	Flexible	Films	Commercialization	Center:

The	flexible	film	capabilities	at	EBP	have	been	leveraged	by	a	variety	of	companies	over	the	past	3	years.		

These	companies	range	from	start-ups	to	Fortune	100	companies	who	are	looking	to	expand	their	

product	lines,	but	are unable	to	invest	the	required	time	or	money	to	create	the	capital	assets	required	

to	enable	that	growth.	

Feedback	from	companies	that	have	used	the	EBP	capability	over	the	past	5	years	have	discovered	its	

differentiated	value,	as	compared	to	other	alternatives	that	offer	similar	services.		Here	are	a	few	

examples	of	where	Eastman	Business	Park	demonstrates	a	clear	advantage.

1. Connected	services	– one-stop-shop

All	required	services	are	located	within	the	EBP	campus.	This	significantly	reduces	development

time	and	the	costs	and	inefficiencies	associated	with	travel	and	shipping.

2. Full	range	of	process	scales	– bench	to	commercial	manufacturing

You	do	not	need	to	change	service	providers	as	you	move	from	material	development	to	

manufacturability	assessment	to	commercial	manufacturing.	You	can	stay	with	the	same	people	

on	the	same	site	through	the	entire	commercialization	process.

3. Wide	range	of	process	options

Developing	the	optimum	process	for	an	emerging	product	concept	is	a	critical	part	of	the	

commercialization	process.	Typically,	several	process	options	are	trialed	prior	to	selecting	the	

most	robust	and	economical	methods.	EBP	assets	offer	a	wide	range	of	methods	and	equipment	

across	all	phases	of	the	manufacturing	process,	thereby	enabling	a	rapid	screening	and	selection	

process.	

4. Technical	experience	and	know-how

The	critical	factor	in	developing	a	manufacturable	product	is	the	understanding	of	the	

interaction	between	the	materials	and	process	equipment	being	used	to	convert	that	material	

into	a	flexible	film	product.	Resources	at	EBP	understand	both	the	equipment	and	the	materials,	

and	offer	valuable	insight	into	how	to	optimize	both	to	most	effectively	commercialize	the	

product.
The	Flexible	Films	Commercialization	Center at	Eastman	Business	Park enables	fulfillment	of	the	

objectives	of	the	Alliance	for	American	Manufacturing,	which	has	identified	key	steps	toward	for	

reversing	the	current	trends	in	manufacturing	and	R&D	job	loss,	including,

Ø Establish	a	manufacturing	investment	facility	to	leverage	private	capital	for	domestic	

manufacturing

Ø Expand	and	make	permanent	clean	energy	manufacturing	tax	credits	and	industrial	energy	

efficiency	grants	to	allow	America	to	lead	on green	job	creation

Ø Make	permanent	the	research	and	development	tax	credit	and	enhance	it	to	incentivize	

commercialization	and	production	in	America

Ø Focus	federal	investments	in	new	technology	and	workforce	training	on	promoting	regional	

clusters	of	innovation,	learning	and	production

This	long-term	public-private	partnership	between	industry	and	universities	enabled	by	Government	

provides	shared	facilities	open	to	industry,	forming	an	innovation	ecosystem,	stimulating	cooperative	

ventures	and	providing	technology	entrepreneurs	with	straighter,	faster,	more	efficient	and	economical	

pathways	to	develop	their	businesses.

By	speeding	their	progress	to	the	marketplace, The	Flexible	Films	Commercialization	Center at	Eastman	

Business	Park is	actively	transforming	some	of	the	world’s	largest	and	most	essential	industries,	

providing	environmental	benefits,	reducing	energy	costs,	enhancing	job	creation	efforts,	and	acting	as	

powerful	economic	drivers.
Moving	Forward...		

The	development	and	production	of	flexible,	functional	films	is	a	large	and	growing	opportunity	in	a	

wide	variety	of	market	and	technology	segments,	especially	those	in	the	emerging	clean	technology	

sector.		While	there	are	a	growing	number	of	materials	innovations	in	these	technology/market	areas,	

there	have	not	been	many	breakthroughs	in	terms	of	U.S.-based	revenue-generating	products	with	a	

measurable	impact	on	job	creation	or	our	dependence	on	non-renewable	energy	sources.

A	major	reason	for	the	difficulty	in	getting	these	material	technologies	into	profit-generating	flexible	

film	products	is	the	lack	of	assets	and	expertise	in	the	area	of	flexible	film	development	and	

manufacturing.	Millions	of	dollars	of	private	and	government	funding	have	been	spent	in	this	area,	but	

these	facilities	are	too	specific	in	their	design	and	often	lack	the	proper	technical	expertise	to	make	the	

most	effective	use	of	the	tools.	Additionally,	many	of	these	facilities	are	not	available	to	the	community	

of	users	who	need	them	to	commercialize	their	film	products.

Fortunately,	the	problems	we’ve	been	facing	are	already	solved.	A	full	range	of	flexible	film	

development	and	manufacturing	assets	is	available	now	at	the	EBP.		These	assets	are	operated	by	

personnel	with	decades	of	experience	at	using	the	equipment	and	capabilities	to	convert	materials	

into	flexible	films.	Emerging	companies	and	products	can	get	to	market	with	breakthrough	products	

made	at	disruptively	low	costs	and	with	little	capitalization.	Once	established,	these	companies	can	

“graduate”	from	the	flexible	film	commercialization	center	and	leverage	the	revenue	they	are	

generating	to	grow	and	capitalize	their	business	on	their	own.	Meanwhile,	the	flexible	film	

commercialization	center	would	be	moving	on	to	support	the	development	and	initialization	of	the	

next	generation	of	flexible	film	products	and	businesses.