Achieving that in a furnace with just a few heating zones is complicated, even if the furnace moves. Since neither the heater nor the sample is moving, the furnace will occupy much less space than the traditional translation furnace. On a space station, space is a very precious resource. Blue lasers could transmit larger volumes of data than conventional red or infrared lasers, and thus would be valuable in data storage and optical computers. They could also be used in holographic projections, complementing the red and green already available.
Dendrites are treelike structures that crystals form as they grow.
Understanding how dendrites grow and are shaped, and how they interlock to form a strong alloy will be studied with the precision control that the UMC offers. T he UMC is also valuable for research of the formation of metal matrix composites in which metal alloys are imbedded with fibers or ceramics, somewhat like glass fibers in plastic resin to make fiberglass. It can also produce large single-crystal shapes. One example is high-temperature turbine blades for advanced jet engines. If the blades can be made to withstand temperatures 5 to 10 deg. higher than they can now handle, the efficiency of jet engines would be increased.