tariffs and any countermeasures to assess effects on its supply chain and production and to "take corrective actions if necessary"."Aixtron has beaten significantly on top-line for Q1 reiterated its FY guidance and delivered orders well ahead of expectations as well," analysts at Barclays said in a note.Aixtron said it expects revenues in a range of around 120 million to 140 million euros for the second quarter That compared with analysts' expectations of 117.4 million euros in a poll by LSEG.It made first-quarter revenue of 112.5 million euros exceeding analysts' expectations of 102.5 million euros in a poll by LSEG.Analysts at Jefferies said Aixtron's first-quarter sales and orders came in well above estimates saying that the timing of recovery is difficult to assess.($1 = 0.8782 euros)Reporting by Ozan Ergenay in Gdansk Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Have you ever stepped in one place and somehow felt confused Have you ever defined which border is a border of what country did ever you ask yourself which country am I in at this current moment What kind of culture is being presented to me these are few questions I had in my mind while I was visiting a place called Kerkrade this is the last stop of the train stations in the Netherlands This place is a small town but has three diverse cultural influences This place is also know as the “Three-country point" as it marks the location where the borders of the Netherlands Kerkrade represents the western half of a city that was once united with the German town of Herzogenrath The towns were divided in 1815 when the Congress of Vienna established the current Dutch-German border the eastern edge of Kerkrade marked the international boundary This border even runs through the middle of Nieuwstraat/Neustraße is directly adjacent to the Dutch border and strongly associated with Kerkrade The name "Herzogenrath" translates to "Duke's Clearing," reflecting its origins under ducal control Herzogenrath and Kerkrade form a cross-border community known as Eurode This collaboration is evident in economic development housing businesses and government services from both countries sharing many festivals and traditions with Kerkrade The town is known for its welcoming community and the easy interaction between its German and Dutch residents due to unrestricted travel within the European Union While vehicles had to pass through official border crossings pedestrians could easily step over the wall the wall was removed as part of the Schengen Area agreement Nieuwstraat/Neustraße is a unified two-way road with the former wall space now occupied by trees and bicycle lanes The border is unmarked and can be crossed even when navigating a roundabout or overtaking a vehicle you are also mindful that you may be stepping into monuments for the Jews and Germans who are victims of the wars during the Nazi time Visiting Kerkrade for the first time made me question what life is like for people living at the border of three countries but it's also fascinating to learn how they navigate cross-cultural experiences and coexist with other nationalities I am lucky enough to know one of the residents of this town who has lived here for more than 10 years He mentioned that Kerkrade is interesting because there’s often the assumption that you’re solely from the Netherlands just crossing the street can bring you face-to-face with German neighbours and many residents use their own dialect called Limburgish He mentioned that adjusting to this environment is not difficult especially after living here for a long time The residents share cultural ties with Germans and other nationalities and the idea of living solely in the Netherlands fades away in the context of the open border system His interest in music is also influenced by Kerkrade's impact on his development Kerkrade hosts a music festival that attracts a variety of musicians eager to showcase their talents is an international competition for wind and brass bands bringing together artists from different nationalities to perform in Kerkrade a prestigious competition for professional is often referred to as the Olympic Games of brass band music This event brings together participants from various parts of the world to celebrate a shared love for music Learning about this made me reflect on the importance of music as a unifying element that connects people across the globe Music transcends borders—it is a common thread that we all share as one humanity Another fascinating aspect you will discover in this place is that the locals speak a unique dialect known as Limburgish with people speaking the Limburgish dialect and preserving their traditions which are prominently reflected in Kerkrade Limburgish is spoken by approximately 1.6 million people across Dutch Limburg The language is characterised by a wide variety of dialects with every town and village having its own version The region is marked by numerous isoglosses making it difficult for any single dialect to represent the full diversity of Limburgish all of which often reflect the region's history and natural surroundings This culture embodies the distinct identity and traditions of the Limburg region spanning parts of both the Netherlands and Belgium Limburg is renowned for its unique language all of which set it apart from other regions in these countries The unique monuments found in Kerkrade reflect a vibrant culture that is still alive and visible today Hennessy was generous enough to serve as my tour guide for a day in the forest and it was one of the most serene experiences of my life I heard the sound of the creek water and stepped into the freezing The water flows from the large lake in Kerkrade The Kerkrade forest is a reservoir and nature preserve in the Netherlands I also saw people from various nationalities including Ukrainians setting up camps in the city after the war Dutch and German children played in the water I realised that nature does not discriminate—it invites all humans to enjoy the forest because my experience here clearly speaks to a town that exemplifies how all kinds of people can live harmoniously together in a borderless society In a world where global politics often focus on border restrictions and closures—leading to war and invasion as seen in the current situation between Israel and Gaza—we are prompted to question our own humanity I hope that people will recognise that it is possible for us to share common space and time living in peace and harmony without compromising our own territories If we are willing to acknowledge the common elements that connect us and focus on these instead of what divides us Kerkrade reminded me of the lyrics from John Lennon’s song: “Imagine there’s no country; it’s easy if you try.” News: Suppliers Felix Grawert continues as Aixtron’s CEO Deposition equipment maker Aixtron SE of Herzogenrath Germany has announced that its supervisory board has decided on the early extension of CEO Dr Felix Grawert existing contract by a further five years Grawert has been a member of the Executive Board since August 2017 and has held the position of chairman of the executive board/CEO since 2021 he has been instrumental to the company's success in power electronics and growing revenue more than two-fold Aixtron made significant progress in the equipment technology for power electronics and optoelectronics These achievements enable Aixtron to play a central role in the global semiconductor industry I look forward to continuing our constructive and trustful cooperation,” says Kim Schindelhauer chairman of the supervisory board of Aixtron “I am very excited to continue my work at Aixtron and further shape the future of Aixtron and the semiconductor industry Our focus is on innovation and the technologies of tomorrow,” says Dr we will expand our technological leadership and make a significant contribution to the electrification and digitization of the world.” Grawert worked at Infineon Technologies AG He holds a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) a Master of Science (MSc) from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a degree in electrical engineering (Dipl.-Ing.) from the University of Karlsruhe (TH) Tags: Aixtron Visit: www.aixtron.com ©2006-2025 Juno Publishing and Media Solutions Ltd Semiconductor Today and the editorial material contained within it and related media is the copyright of Juno Publishing and Media Solutions Ltd Reproduction in whole or part without permission from Juno Publishing and Media Solutions Ltd is forbidden if the magazine and publisher are acknowledged Disclaimer: Material published within Semiconductor Today and related media does not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or staff Juno Publishing and Media Solutions Ltd and its staff accept no responsibility for opinions expressed editorial errors and damage/injury to property or persons as a result of material published View our privacy, cookie and data protection policy Reporting by Ozan Ergenay in Gdansk; editing by Milla Nissi You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Deposition equipment maker Aixtron SE is expanding its manufacturing presence in Europe with the acquisition of a production site near Turin The firm is hence expanding its production capacities to be prepared for further growth in unit shipments in the coming years the new location allows Aixtron to establish a link to the strong university and supplier ecosystem in the Piedmont region Aixtron’s exiting locations in Herzogenrath production) are expected to benefit from the strengthened European footprint we envision a significant share of Aixtron volume to be shipped from this location,” says Aixtron’s CEO & president Dr Felix Grawert at a media event with representatives of the regional Italian government “We were able to secure the rare opportunity to purchase an existing production facility at very attractive commercial terms which provides almost all of the specialized operations and test infrastructure for the manufacturing of our equipment,” he adds we will be located in the heart of the manufacturing ecosystem of northern Italy being close to many strong suppliers and world-class universities We are proud to join this ecosystem and expect strong benefits for all parties also for our exiting sites in Germany and in the UK.” Picture: Aixtron press conference in Turin with representatives of the Piedmont region’s government (from right to left): regional minister for Productive Activities Andrea Tronzano and Confindustria Piemonte president Marco Gay Adolfo Urso (National Minister for Enterprises and Made in Italy) emphasized the importance of the semiconductor industry for Italy and the region “With these investments announced for 2024 Italy is on its way to become one of the leading chip and semiconductor manufacturers in Europe,” he added “The investment by Aixtron in Piedmont for a new production site comes a few weeks after the launch in Turin of the Foundation for the National Center for Artificial Intelligence,” emphasized Piedmont Region president Alberto Cirio together with the regional ministers Andrea Tronzano (Productive Activities) Elena Chiorino (Training and Work) and Fabrizio Ricca (Internationalization) “An already excellent supply chain is therefore enriched and becomes increasingly competitive “Piedmont aspires to have a leading role [in the semiconductor sector] as demonstrated by the decision to join the Alliance of European Regions for Semiconductors a body of which we will assume the presidency in 2025,” they add “The contact with Aixtron was born exactly one year ago during a mission together with the president Cirio in Düsseldorf to consolidate our relations with the State of North Rhine-Westphalia with which we have many points of contact,” says Tronzano achieved thanks to the work of our Attraction Team accompany and consolidate investments in our territory is confirmed as one of the most attractive European regions from a production and industrial point of view.” Aixtron grows Q1 revenue and profit significantly year-on-year Aixtron wins German Innovation Award Aixtron begins constructing new €100m innovation center Visit: www.aixtron.com “With the new 300mm-capable cleanroom at the Innovation Center we will further expand our technological market leadership,” says Dr President and CEO of Aixtron in a press release “We already have the first 300mm GaN prototype systems which have also been integrated into pilot lines at several customers.” Aixtron broke ground and began construction on the new complex – in which it would invest approximately EUR 100 million – in November of last year The facility is designed for the important transition to 300 mm wafer size for gallium nitride (GaN) and other compound semiconductor applications GaN material systems are being used in an increasing number of power electronics applications due to their properties GaN-based semiconductor devices increase the efficiency of chargers in consumer electronics enable efficient power conversion in the field of renewable energy and provide energy-efficient power supply for servers and data centres with the applications for artificial intelligence Aixtron is accelerating the development of 300 mm deposition technology The larger wafer size provides customers with a productivity boost of 2.25 times more wafer area than the current 200 mm wafers customers can use their 300 mm fabs and processing equipment for the first time in the field of Compound Semiconductors This will make the production of GaN semiconductor devices not only more cost-effective but also offer opportunities for technology performance gains in the future we are bringing Compound Semiconductors for the first time into the mainstream of the semiconductor fabrication The Innovation Center is a major element of our strategy providing space and capabilities for next generation technologies The step towards 300 mm in Compound Semiconductors is a landmark milestone that is set to trigger numerous growth options for the industry in the years to come.” adds Professor Dr Vice President of Advanced Technologies at Aixtron deposition equipment maker Aixtron SE of Herzogenrath Germany has reported revenue of €118.3m (near the top end of the €100–120m guidance range) This was down 45% on last quarter’s record €214.2m but up 53% on €77.2m a year ago (although the latter was reduced by delays in the issue of export licenses pushing €70m worth of shipments out of the quarter) 58% of revenue came from Asia (up from 47% a year ago growing by 77% from €21.6m to €38.2m) and 10% from the Americas (down from 25% 79% came from equipment sales (up from 73% a year ago) growing by 65% year-on-year from €56.3m to €93m driven largely by systems for applications in silicon carbide (SiC)- and gallium nitride (GaN)-based power electronics The remaining 21% of total revenue came from after-sales (consumables metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)/chemical vapor deposition (CVD) systems for making GaN- and SiC-based power electronics devices comprised 45% and 17% Growth was driven by further technical advances to the G10-SiC CVD system for the production of silicon carbide-based power electronics which have already been confirmed by numerous customers and will be implemented in systems already delivered in the course of the year Aixtron has hence been able to win further new customers in the SiC segment in particular an additional customer from the ‘top-five’ SiC manufacturers (meaning that three of the top-five SiC-players now rely on the G10-SiC for their 200mm volume ramp) as well as a large volume order from China and several customers in Japan gallium nitride-based power electronics continue to expand into new application areas with the new G10-GaN MOCVD system (launched in September 2023) proving very popular among both new and repeat customers MOCVD systems for making LEDs (including micro-LEDs) comprised 21% of equipment revenue (up from just 12% a year ago) almost tripling year-on-year from €6.9m to €19.6m R&D activities in the micro-LED segment continue to be highly dynamic which has led to increased demand for Aixtron technology and orders from numerous customers MOCVD systems for making other optoelectronics devices (telecoms/datacoms and 3D sensing lasers for consumer electronics and wireless/RF communications) comprised 11% of equipment revenue (down from 23% a year ago) mostly comprising systems for producing lasers for optical data communications down from 46% last quarter and 40% a year ago and below the 43–45% guidance for full-year 2024 this corresponds to the strong revenue and the change in product mix Operating expenses have risen from €27.6m a year ago to €33.8m This was due partly to R&D spending rising by 19% from €19.2m to €22 As well as implementing further improvements to its new G10 product family Aixtron is simultaneously already investing in future tool generations full-time equivalent staffing has grown further work on the new Innovation Center in Herzogenrath is on schedule and within budget Aixtron is creating a new cleanroom where it will work with customers on the development and testing of the next generation of systems operating profit (earnings before interest and taxes almost tripling from €3.5m (5% EBIT margin) a year ago more than tripling from €3.5m (€0.03 per share) a year ago Operating cash flow was €7.4m (up from €5.8m a year ago) Capital expenditure (CapEx) was €25.7m (up from just €3.9m) This was due mainly to the investments related to the Innovation Center plus a further increase in inventories of €41.4m (from €394.5m to €436.4m) in preparation for a correspondingly high business volume in the following quarters Cash and cash equivalents (including other current financial assets) have correspondingly fallen further from €327.5m a year ago and €181.7m last quarter to €148.5m underlining the firm’s financial strength from 72% a year ago and 75% last quarter to 76% the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board are proposing a dividend payout of €45m from accumulated profit for 2023 €0.40 per entitled share (up from 2022’s €0.31 per share) Order intake was distributed relatively evenly across all addressed end-markets and amounted to €120.3m down 41% on €204.5m last quarter and 14% on €139.9m a year ago There was strong new momentum from business with systems for micro-LED applications which accounted for 37% of equipment order intake This was boosted by the continued development activities of micro-LED customers who are continuing to invest in development and pilot lines for the commercialization of micro-LED technology Equipment order backlog at the end of March was €355m down 15% on €417.9m a year ago but roughly stable with €353.7m last quarter the estimated development of the order intake Aixtron’s executive board has confirmed that gross margin of 43–45% and EBIT margin of 24–26% Second-quarter 2024 revenue is expected to be €120–140m “Our recent technological achievements in SiC have further strengthened our position in this area and helped us to win new customers and follow-up orders These successes are the result of our continuous work on innovative solutions that not only meet our customers’ needs but exceed their expectations,” says Aixtron’s CEO & president Dr Felix Grawert “We are committed to long-term partnerships with our customers with whom we work together on the innovations of the future The Gold Supplier Award from the leading micro-LED player BOE HC SemiTek is further proof of the success of our strategy,” he adds “Our strategy’s success is rooted in a long-term perspective,” says chief financial officer Dr Christian Danninger “We persistently invest in innovative solutions that address current technological challenges or fast data transfer with growing volumes.” Vishay selects Aixtron’s G10-SiC multi-wafer batch technology Wolfspeed orders multiple Aixtron G10-SiC systems to support ramp-up of 200mm epi production Aixtron wins German Innovation Award Aixtron receives Gold Supplier Award from BOE HC SemiTek Aixtron’s Q4 revenue grows to record €214.2m, aiding full-year growth of 36% Aixtron’s Q3 revenue and earnings up significantly year-on-year Silicon carbide and gallium nitride power electronics applications grow to 83% of Aixtron’s first-half revenue Aixtron’s Q1 shipments roughly halved by delays in export licensing , opens new tab.Chip stocks have been under pressure after the U.S. government's tighter restrictions on exports of chip equipment to China and uncertainty over the U.S. presidential election made investors cautious personal computer and memory chips has been only partially offset by increased demand for AI chips."Order intake in Q3 of 143.5 million is down vs the Q2 level of 176 million euros it is below consensus of 159 million euros but we believe still solid in the current weak environment," Stifel analyst Juergen Wagner said in a note."We believe this explicit and early guidance for next year should be taken well by the market expecting revenue to be in a range of 620 million to 660 million euros.($1 = 0.9212 euros)Reporting by Ozan Ergenay editing by Thomas Escritt and Emelia Sithole-Matarise You may not be able to find the page you were after because of: You might find one of the following links useful: Gain insights on a modern flash point test method that enhances safety and reduces sample volume requirements AFM can provide new insights into 2D materials to better understand their potential applications Kyocera's Fine Ceramics enable next-gen renewable energy solutions 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Terms and ConditionsCookie PolicyRegistrationLogin © 2025 SmartCitiesWorldSmart Cities World Ltd "+ articleTitle +" The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays The cross pinnacle on the Tower of Jesus Christ will be ready to receive visitors in 2026 on the centennial of Gaudi’s death Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass Steffen Romstöck said that he would respect the residents’ choice and would take over the helm of the municipality which will come into force from 1 January 2025 Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape But operating them is still illegal under the country’s legislation can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition it has a unique modular design that allows it to be shortened and lengthened like a train that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region the ranking considers several distinct but essential factors these quiet areas will now be available on all main routes in the country The academic institution shows a deeper understanding of the well-being of its students An interview with the mayor of Herzogenrath Benjamin Fadavian was elected as a Mayor of Herzogenrath in 2020 He holds a Doctor of Law degree from the University of Cologne Mayor Fadavian was Member of the Committee for Labour Economy and Science of the City of Aachen between 2014 and 2019 Herzogenrath is a dynamic and lively city with around 47.000 inhabitants in a prime location in the middle of the border triangle D / B / NL From a former mining town to a technology-oriented business location Herzogenrath has made an impressive development in recent years and today offers a high level of quality of life with the urban factors: living - working - relaxing Herzogenrath has its origins in the former “Land s´ Hertogenrode” around 1282 The Land Rode or s´Hertogenrode was divided in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna The state border with the Netherlands/Kerkrade today runs through the middle of Neustraße/Nieuwstraat which until 1995 was a curiosity in Europe due to a 60 cm high "wall" as the state border We are practicing successful cross-border cooperation with our Dutch neighbours in Kerkrade through the EURODE association for over 23 years The historic Castle of Rode in the center of the city plays an important role in the city's history and is Herzogenrath's most famous landmark serves as a cross-border cultural meeting place I was elected mayor to give Herzogenrath a new face This also includes redefining the subject of “cleanliness and safety” in the urban area I have started to identify neuralgic points and initiate changes With the creation of additional positions in our public order office and the procurement of modern equipment for the technical operations office the cleaning phases can be more closely synchronized and the goal of a clean cityscape can be efficiently implemented It is particularly important to me to get to know and analyze the structure and responsibilities under my authority I conduct one-on-one interviews with all of my employees in order to determine the mood down the hierarchical levels together with the results of a structural analysis commissioned into a possible restructuring within the administration The initiation of this process naturally encounters many questions and fears in the workforce that have to be addressed I am in a very creative exchange with the responsible staff in my authority We invite all employees to participate actively in the necessary change process After the expansion of an older stadium into a sports center for football and athletics the construction of a new central indoor swimming pool has now started A project that will be of particular importance not only for our citizens but also for people beyond the city limits A funding application has been submitted for upgrading the neighbouring sports facilities to become a high-performance center With the implementation we could advance a project in our city with a highly integrative effect emphasis should also be placed on the inclusion of residents with a migrant background the possibilities for spending one's free time are a very decisive factor for the quality of life and thus the attractiveness of a city Another important topic is climate protection With the energy park in Merkstein there are plans to make Herzogenrath energy self-sufficient If we manage to make Herzogenrath climate-neutral in the long term we can sustainably promote the careful use of energy resources Our top priority: We deal with the situation offensively The city administration is the first point of contact for questions from citizens At this point I would like to explicitly thank my employees and all citizens Without great discipline and mutual consideration coping with this particular crisis situation would not have been possible with so little friction A pressing issue is the vacancy of many business premises We are trying to counteract this with a concept for the development of the inner city The city of Herzogenrath will stand by all those affected who have to fight hard and will not leave them alone Special difficulties arise during this time due to our border location and the different legal conditions on both sides of the border But - as the recent differences in the handling of rapid tests for cross-border commuters have shown - we also stand in solidarity for our border neighbors in these times The public attention that the mayor of Kerkrade and I received through a joint declaration of solidarity at the state border ultimately contributed to the success for our citizens - namely to a practicable regulation of the test procedure for cross-border commuters I have high hopes for the vaccinations that are going on and I am sure that there will soon be a light at the end of the corona tunnel that has not come out enough so far: On 1 January 2022 after the municipal reorganization of 1 January 1972 I think this is a very important date to redefine the cohesion of the city The tripartite division of our city in Kohlscheid - Herzogenrath - Merkstein which is still retained due to geographic conditions alone be broken with the aim of strengthening our creative power and enabling connection to higher structures I am convinced we can also bind more young people to our strong community and create a better identification with their home and place of residence I would like to draw attention to our growing process and thus drive urban development forward dynamically it is very important for every mayor to capture and analyze the mood of the employees of his administration as well as the citizens and to gradually incorporate the knowledge gained into daily administrative work Only if the work of the authorities is placed on a broad basis can a high level of understanding and satisfaction be achieved for all those involved Transparent communication across all usable media of our time plays a central role The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital Reporting by Mateusz Dobrzyniewski and Amir Orusov in Gdansk; Editing by Milla Nissi and Mark Potter The exclusive English translation of the message sent by the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments to the Colloquium “The Source of the Future” First of all I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart the organizers of the Colloquium entitled “The Source of the Future” on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum by Pope Benedict XVI for allowing me to offer an introduction to your reflections on this subject which is so important for the life of the Church and for the future of the Liturgy; I do so with great joy I would like to greet very cordially all the participants in this Colloquium particularly the members of the following associations whose names are mentioned on the invitation that you so kindly sent me and I hope that I do not forget any: Una Voce Germany; The Catholic Circle of the Priests and Laity of the Archdioceses of Hamburg and Cologne; The Cardinal Newman Association; the Network of the priests of Saint Gertrude Parish in Herzogenrath pastor of Saint Gertrude Parish in Herzogenrath I am very sorry that I had to forgo participating in your Colloquium because of obligations that came up unexpectedly and were added to a schedule that was already very busy be assured that I will be among you through prayer: it will accompany you every day and of course you will all be present at the offertory of the daily Holy Mass that I will celebrate during the four days of your Colloquium I will therefore start off your proceedings to the best of my ability with a brief reflection on the way that the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificumshould be applied in unity and peace The Pope emeritus made the distinction between two forms of the same Roman rite: a so-called “ordinary” form referring to the liturgical texts of the Roman Missal as revised following the guidelines of Vatican Council II and a form designated “extraordinary” that corresponds to the liturgy that was in use before the liturgical aggiornamento two missals are in force: that of Blessed Pope Paul VI the Second Vatican Council wished to promote greater active participation by the people of God and to bring about progress day by day in the Christian life of the faithful (see Sacrosanctum Concilium some fine initiatives were taken along these lines However we cannot close our eyes to the disaster the devastation and the schism that the modern promoters of a living liturgy caused by remodeling the Church’s liturgy according to their ideas They forgot that the liturgical act is not just a PRAYER but also and above all a MYSTERY in which something is accomplished for us that we cannot fully understand but that we must accept and receive in faith And this is the real meaning of active participation of the faithful It is not about exclusively external activity the distribution of roles or of functions in the liturgy but rather about an intensely active receptivity: this reception is the humble offering of oneself in silent prayer and a thoroughly contemplative attitude not only at the level of the Christian faithful but also and especially among many priests and bishops has made us incapable of understanding the Eucharistic liturgy as a sacrifice as identical to the act performed once and for all by Jesus Christ making present the Sacrifice of the Cross in a non-bloody manner There is often a sacrilegious tendency to reduce the Holy Mass to a simple convivial meal a terrible diversion from the anguish of a life that no longer has meaning or from the fear of meeting God face to face because His glance unveils and obliges us to look truly and unflinchingly at the ugliness of our interior life It is the living sacrifice of Christ who died on the cross to free us from sin and death for the purpose of revealing the love and the glory of God the Father Many Catholics do not know that the final purpose of every liturgical celebration is the glory and adoration of God the salvation and sanctification of human beings since in the liturgy “God is perfectly glorified and men are sanctified” (Sacrosanctum Concilium Most of the faithful—including priests and bishops—do not know this teaching of the Council Just as they do not know that the true worshippers of God are not those who reform the liturgy according to their own ideas and creativity to make it something pleasing to the world but rather those who reform the world in depth with the Gospel so as to allow it access to a liturgy that is the reflection of the liturgy that is celebrated from all eternity in the heavenly Jerusalem Hence it is necessary to recognize that the serious profound crisis that has affected the liturgy and the Church itself since the Council is due to the fact that its CENTER is no longer God and the adoration of Him but rather men and their alleged ability to “do” something to keep themselves busy during the Eucharistic celebrations a significant number of Church leaders underestimate the serious crisis that the Church is going through: relativism in doctrinal the desacralization and trivialization of the Sacred Liturgy a merely social and horizontal view of the Church’s mission Many believe and declare loud and long that Vatican Council II brought about a true springtime in the Church a growing number of Church leaders see this “springtime” as a rejection a renunciation of her centuries-old heritage or even as a radical questioning of her past and Tradition Political Europe is rebuked for abandoning or denying its Christian roots But the first to have abandoned her Christian roots and past is indisputably the post-conciliar Catholic Church Some episcopal conferences even refuse to translate faithfully the original Latin text of the Roman Missal Some claim that each local Church can translate the Roman Missal not according to the sacred heritage of the Church following the methods and principles indicated by Liturgiam authenticam can be understood and accepted by the people But the people desire to be initiated into the sacred language of God The Gospel and revelation themselves are “reinterpreted” “contextualized” and adapted to decadent Western culture wrote in his diocesan newsletter a horrible outrageous thing that seemed like the desire for and expression of a complete break with the Church’s past today we must rethink the very concept of the salvation brought by Jesus Christ because the apostolic Church and the Christian communities in the early centuries of Christianity had understood nothing of the Gospel Only in our era has the plan of salvation brought by Jesus been understood surprising statement by the Bishop of Metz: destruction and wars have followed and persisted these days at the liturgical because they claim that no era has been capable of understanding the “evangelical ideal” as well as ours Many refuse to face up to the Church’s work of self-destruction through the deliberate demolition of her doctrinal While more and more voices of high-ranking prelates stubbornly affirm obvious doctrinal moral and liturgical errors that have been condemned a hundred times and work to demolish the little faith remaining in the people of God while the bark of the Church furrows the stormy sea of this decadent world and the waves crash down on the ship a growing number of Church leaders and faithful shout: “Tout va très bien Madame la Marquise!” [“Everything is just fine Milady,” the refrain of a popular comic song from the 1930’s in which the employees of a noblewoman report to her a series of catastrophes] But the reality is quite different: in fact “No one can seriously deny the critical manifestations” and liturgy wars that Vatican Council II led to.5 Today they have gone on to fragment and demolish the sacred Missale Romanum by abandoning it to experiments in cultural diversity and compilers of liturgical texts Here I am happy to congratulate the tremendous by the English-language Episcopal Conferences by the Spanish- and Korean-language Episcopal Conferences which have faithfully translated the Missale Romanum in perfect conformity with the guidelines and principles of Liturgiam authenticam and the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has granted them the recognitio [approval] Following the publication of my book God or Nothing people have asked me about the “liturgy wars” which for decades have too often divided Catholics because the liturgy is the field par excellence in which Catholics ought to experience unity in the truth and consequently that it is inconceivable to celebrate the liturgy while having in one’s heart feelings of fratricidal struggle and rancor did Jesus not speak very demanding words about the need to go and be reconciled with one’s brother before presenting his own sacrifice at the altar grace is poured forth upon us; and the sanctification of men in Christ and the glorification of God to which all other activities of the Church are directed as toward their end is achieved in the most efficacious possible way which presupposes that everyone must be respected with his own sensibility although it must be reaffirmed that Vatican Council II never asked to make tabula rasa of the past and therefore to abandon the Missal said to be of Saint Pius V not to mention three such admirable priests as Saint John Vianney Saint Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) and Saint Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer at the same time it is essential to promote the liturgical renewal intended by that same Council and therefore the liturgical books were updated following the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium in particular the Missal said to be of Blessed Pope Paul VI And I added that what is important above all whether one is celebrating in the Ordinary or the Extraordinary Form is to bring to the faithful something that they have a right to: the beauty of the liturgy The liturgy should put us face to face with God in a personal relationship of intense intimacy It should plunge us into the inner life of the Most Holy Trinity Speaking of the usus antiquior (the older form of the Mass) in his Letter that accompanies Summorum Pontificum Immediately after the Second Vatican Council it was presumed that requests for the use of the 1962 Missal would be limited to the older generation which had grown up with it but in the meantime it has clearly been demonstrated that young persons too have discovered this liturgical form felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist Klaus Gamber (1919-1989) used the word Heimat to designate this common home or “little homeland” of Catholics gathered around the altar of the Holy Sacrifice The sense of the sacred that imbues and irrigates the rites of the Church is the inseparable correlative of the liturgy many of the faithful have been ill treated or profoundly troubled by celebrations marked with a superficial to the point where they did not recognize their Heimat whereas the youngest among them had never known it particularly the least significant and the poorest among them They have become in a way “liturgically stateless persons” with which the two forms (of the Latin rite) are associated aims therefore to restore to them their Heimat and thus to bring them back into their common home well before the publication of Summorum Pontificum had pointed out that the crisis in the Church and therefore the crisis of the weakening of the faith comes in large measure from the way in which we treat the liturgy lex credendi(the law of faith is the law of prayer) In the preface that he wrote for the French edition of the magisterial volume by Msgr La réforme de la liturgie romaine [English edition: The Reform of the Roman Liturgy] “What we need today is a new liturgical movement.” This was an expression of a concern which nowadays only willfully superficial minds could ignore What mattered to this priest was not winning new daring liberties: what liberty has not been arrogantly taken already He thought that we needed a new start coming from within the liturgy just as the liturgical movement had intended when it was at the height of its true nature when it was not a matter of fabricating texts or inventing actions and forms so that the celebration thereof might proceed from its very substance The result was not a revival but devastation we have a liturgy that has degenerated into a show in which one attempts to make religion interesting with the help of fashionable innovations and catchy moral platitudes with short-lived successes within the guild of liturgical craftsmen and an even more pronounced attitude of retreat from them on the part of those who seek in the liturgy not a spiritual “emcee” but rather an encounter with the living God before Whom all “making” becomes meaningless since that encounter alone is capable of giving us access to the true riches of being there is the conservation of the ritual forms whose grandeur is always moving manifests a stubborn isolation and finally leaves nothing but sadness between these two poles there are still all the priests and their parishioners who celebrate the new liturgy with respect and solemnity; but they are called into question by the contradiction between the two extremes and the lack of internal unity in the Church finally makes their fidelity appear to be merely a personal brand of neo-conservatism a new spiritual impulse is necessary if the liturgy is to be once more for us a communitarian activity of the Church and to be delivered from arbitrariness One cannot “fabricate” a liturgical movement of that sort—any more than one can “fabricate” a living thing—but one can contribute to its development by striving to assimilate anew the spirit of the liturgy and by defending publicly what one has received in this way I know that all the great moments of my day are found in the incomparable hours that I spend on my knees in darkness before the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ I am so to speak swallowed up in God and surrounded on all sides by His presence I would like to belong now to God alone and to plunge into the purity of His Love how far from loving the Lord as He loved me to the point of giving Himself up for me liturgical formation based on a proclamation of the faith or catechesis that refers to the Catechism of the Catholic Church which protects us from possible more-or-less learned ravings of some theologians who long for “novelties” This is what I said in this connection in what is now commonly called given during the Third International Conference of Sacra Liturgia: and in a spirit of faith and profound communion with Christ’s obedience on the cross I humbly ask you to apply Summorum Pontificum very carefully; not as a negative backward measure that looks toward the past or as something that builds walls and creates a ghetto but as an important and real contribution to the present and future liturgical life of the Church and also to the liturgical movement of our era I would like to conclude this introduction with the luminous words of Benedict XVI at the end of the homily that he gave in 2008 on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul: “When the world in all its parts has become a liturgy of God then it will have reached its goal and will be safe and sound.” And may God bless you and fill your lives with His silent Presence (Translation from the French original by Michael J 1 “Aggiornamento” is an Italian term that means literally: “updating” We celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican Council II Sacrosanctum Concilium in 2013 2 Joseph Ratzinger, Milestones: Memoirs: 1927-1977 translated by Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis (San Francisco: Ignatius Press 3 Cited by Jean Madiran L’hérésie du XX siècle (Paris: Nouvelles Editions Latines [NEL] 4 Joseph Ratzinger and Vittorio Messori, The Ratzinger Report: An exclusive interview on the state of the Church translated by Salvator Attanasio and Graham Harrison (San Francisco: Ignatius Press 5 Joseph Ratzinger, Principles of Catholic Theology: Building Stones for a Fundamental Theology translated by Sister Mary Frances McCarthy 6 Cf Postcommunion for the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday 7 Cf Interview with the Catholic website Aleteia 8 Cf If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter Catholics’ mission in immigration debate: avoid false divides Priest visits church destroyed by ISIS: This is from the devil Nearly two decades ago, in another country, and on the eve of a prominent and much-watched episcopal appointment, I wrote a lengthy wish-list (for a small upstart Catholic journal that seems to have disappeared) outlining […] Pope Francis addresses bishops of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church at the Vatican on Oct I don’t agree. Read: http://blog.adw.org/2010/05/and-with-your-spirit-its-not-what-you-think/ All comments posted at Catholic World Report are moderated While vigorous debate is welcome and encouraged please note that in the interest of maintaining a civilized and helpful level of discussion comments containing obscene language or personal attacks—or those that are deemed by the editors to be needlessly combative or inflammatory—will not be published Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Archbishop Joseph Augustine DiNoia, O.P., is a very fine theologian who taught theology for decades and has written extensively.  Several questions about his teachings are probably on the minds of Traditionalist Catholics since his recent […] You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/ Sign up to receive a weekly email with news, analysis, and commentary from a voice you can trust! (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[3]='MMERGE3';ftypes[3]='text';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';fnames[4]='MMERGE4';ftypes[4]='text';fnames[5]='MMERGE5';ftypes[5]='text';fnames[6]='MMERGE6';ftypes[6]='number';fnames[7]='MMERGE7';ftypes[7]='radio';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); business of German semiconductor equipment maker Aixtron because the deal posed a risk to American national security the Treasury Department said on Friday.Obama's executive order barring China's Fujian Grand Chip Investment Fund (FGC) from completing the acquisition of a German company with American assets was one of few such instances in which a U.S president has blocked a transaction due to national security concerns.His action appeared to be based on concerns about China gaining access to the secrets of producing a material called gallium nitride used in military equipment.In 2012 to sell its interest in wind farms near sensitive U.S naval installations in Oregon.An Aixtron spokesman said the FGC deal would be called off if Obama took such action Aixtron has said scrapping the proposed deal would mean it would have to take action to balance income and costs including potential job cuts.The Treasury Department said Obama was blocking the deal following an assessment by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) an inter-agency task force that the department leads."The national security risk posed by the transaction relates to the military applications of the overall technical body of knowledge and experience of Aixtron a producer and innovator of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and technology," the department said.Gallium nitride a powdery yellow compound used in light-emitting diodes (LED) is grown using Aixtron-manufactured technology military equipment maker Northrop Grumman .The Treasury Department noted that Aixtron makes equipment for the semiconductor industry including Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) systems used to grow crystalline layers for semiconductors especially those based on gallium nitride.Gallium nitride technology can boost the power and sensitivity of weapons systems while cutting their cost because it needs less electricity The technology is being used to upgrade the radars of both American and foreign-owned Patriot missile defense systems.CFIUS never gives reasons for its decisions But sources have previously told Reuters it blocked the $3.3 billion sale of Philips' lighting business to a consortium of Chinese investors last January over gallium nitride concerns.AIXTRON'S FUTUREChinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters at a regular briefing on Friday that the deal was "normal commercial activity" and that China hoped the world would not interfere politically.The German Economy Ministry withdrew its approval for the deal in October and is now doing its own review of the transaction It said the German process was independent of the U.S scrutiny.Analysts have said Aixtron has a bleak future as a stand-alone company as it struggles with market overcapacity Aixtron had 713 employees at the end of the third quarter 5 percent less than a year ago.A fall in Aixtron's shares took them below Grand Chip Investment's offer price of 6.00 euros per share The stock is hovering around a nine-month low.Bigger chipmakers such as Germany's Infineon and French-Italian STMicroelectronics were also slightly lower shrugging off fears of an M&A slowdown following two years of consolidation of the global semiconductor industry.Reporting by Matthias Inverardi and Harro ten Wolde; Additional reporting by Anneli Palmen in Duesseldorf Greg Roumeliotis in New York and Michael Martina in Beijing; Editing by Jane Merriman and Will Dunham This paper was first presented at GPD 2019 by Andreas Kasper NiS inclusions are found everywhere in the raw glass; their repartition is visibly influenced by gravitational settling (Author’s presentation GPD 2017) Further elaboration with more parameters allows to understand the observed nickel sulphide inclusion size spectrum Obviously only a minority of the original NiS population (c.15%) arrives finally in the glass; also size-depending decomposition (“digestion”) and self-destruction (“explosion”) due to composition evolution in the glass melt are playing a rôle in this size separation process Comparing this with the size spectrum of inclusions really having caused breakages reveals a “breakage ratio” curve that can be used to quantify how dangerous a given nickel sulphide inclusion population really is This will help to solve the actual key problem of spontaneous breakages on buildings namely to quantify the residual breakage risk of HStested toughened glass (acc proving that its safety is high enough to satisfy even highest demands Real breakages of HS-tested glass on buildings are extremely seldom; therefore We present an example from SaintGobain experience revealing that the residual risk is much lower than previously estimated it reaches a component safety comparable to concrete or steel Definitely since the early 1960ties [(1) (2) BALLANTYNE-1957/1961] and by later extensive work by [(7) (8) SWAIN-1980/1981] to give just one example the glass industry knows that thermally toughened safety glass in façades can break spontaneously disintegrating into small and comparatively harmless fragments; this is why it is called a safety glass imagining the small pieces dropping from height One of the characteristics of the phenomenon is that the toughened glass built into a façade does 1 year or more (depending on the climatic ambient conditions) breakages start and can continue for more than 10 years with Examining the details of such a breakage reveals a breakage departure point in the form of a butterfly this phenomenon is a property of toughened glass and does not at all prove the presence of a nickel sulphide inclusion looking for a fault in the middle of the so-called fracture mirror located in the bulge of the butterfly The root cause for just this seldom mineral (millerite) causing spontaneous breakages lies in its ability to form two phases of identical chemical composition but different crystallographic habitus the so-called α (or high-temperature) and β (or low-temperature) phases during production of thermally toughened glass and due to the high cooling rate applied Due to some difference in the expansion coefficients of NiSx and glass it sits in a cavity that is slightly bigger than itself in this way not exerting any pressure onto its surrounding because the matter is crystalline (NiS crystallizes at c it made a print with a scarred surface into the glass This makes some inclusions a weak point of the toughened glass especially if the inclusion is big in comparison to the total glass thickness for building glass this aspect is normally meaningless NiSx inclusions are subject to a slow α to β transformation the first % of this is spent to bridge the space between the inclusion and its cavity This fact also causes the time delay of the start of the breakages the inclusion starts to exert pressure onto its surroundings If and when this pressure leads to a local transgression of the glass’ rigidity (so-called σIc value) leads to total disintegration of the pane as described above Note that it’s not the inclusion that makes the glass disintegrate in that way; the real reason is the stress energy frozen in that makes the toughened glass (macroscopically) very strong but at the same time (microscopically) vulnerable against certain inner weak points as e.g (but not exclusively as we will see later) nickel sulphide inclusions The latter are “only” the initiators of the failure annealed glass is completely safe against any consequence of this seldom glass fault As a prevention against spontaneous breakages the so-called Heat Soak Test (HST) was invented in heating up the toughened glass to a temperature above (all world-wide standards included) 210°C and then to wait for a certain time (minimum 10 minutes) in order to let the α to β transformation finish itself Panes containing critical inclusions sort themselves out In order to find out the safety of the HST glass already in the 1970ties a test was carried out At Pilkington’s German department in the frame of the construction of the Deutsche Bank twin tower in Frankfurt 400 tons of toughened glass were foreseen in the façades and the owners would not have wanted a breakage (which the HST was designed for this: Less than 1 breakage in said 400 tons expressed in expected residual breakages in the test itself because the glass could not be tested on a building The German Standard (DIN 18516) derived thereof fixed a holding time of eight hours “at constant oven temperature” very imprecise and would easily be misinterpreted the (at that time) three big European glass producers started to collaborate on a new HST product standard called “Heat-Soak Tested Thermally Toughened Safety Glass” Data of optimized HST furnaces were collected over 5 years evaluated statistically using the WEIBULL function 1 breakage in 400 tons by fixing a holding time of 2 hours at (280 ± 10)°C meant in terms of “expected additional breakages in HST” because these are the data that were Using the glass panes’ average mass as a lever from this extrapolated residual risk a component safety of c also according to [(6) Schneider-Hilcken_2010] We got motivated to review this state of knowledge because in the frame of a routine review of the HST Standards the questions about European homologation and the real safety of the HS-tested glass (that is lower than the additional breakages expected in the HST oven) were intensively discussed again and the component safety of “only” 10-5 p.a the Author and some of his international colleagues collected all available knowledge and added some partly older but previously unpublished data and evaluations The result thereof were three papers published in 2018 in the scientific journal “Glass Structure and Engineering” all devoted to “Spontaneous cracking of thermally toughened safety glass” online available for free download at  The present GPD paper summarizes a part of this work though being forced to letting some interesting facts apart the reader is motivated to download and read thoroughly said papers Nickel sulphide inclusions in float glass for building application are mostly spherical or slightly ellipsoidal They crystallize at the entrance of the float bath at c and if this occurs during the forming process the (still liquid) NiSx droplets are stretched their surface is scarred by the crystallization making the inclusion a “weak point” in some critical cases Because NiSx has a significantly higher density than glass (about the double) every inclusion tends to settle in the molten glass In general physical understanding (STOKE’s equation) bigger inclusions settle faster than smaller ones so that this process limits the size of the observable inclusions “coming through” to about 500 µm in diameter Some additional effects correlated with the principal instability of all NiSx species in an oxidizing (e.g float glass) melt (for details see papers mentioned) make the total yield of the nickel sulphide inclusion generation process to be not more than c 15% by reference to the starting conditions from steel particles involuntarily added into the glass batch there is no fixed composition in the inclusions The conversion of a nickel containing stainless steel particle into an inclusion in the ready-made glass comprises a liquid state wherein the S content (i.e possible x values being situated between c depending on their residence time and the temperature profile they have seen while they were liquid the actual value of x defines the crystalline state of the solid From this and the tendency of NiSx to decompose spontaneously (and randomly) if its vapor pressure is too high because of a high x value the following diagram of probability of occurrence of NiSx compositions is derived Examples of explicitly analyzed inclusions are shown below the schematic diagram The visible bubbles in the inclusions indicate their over-pressure smaller bubbles indicate higher over-pressure This is due to the fact that the bubbles we see only generate at the moment of crystallization Inclusions wherein bubbles already generated in the liquid state are unobservable because they destroyed themselves This is the major reason for the decrease in occurrence of the inclusions with high over-stoichiometry as mentioned above In order to make these facts useful for the problem of comparing the HST against ambient conditions well taking into account the cavity in the glass to be formed at 600°C and all relevant phase transitions of the potential NiSx combinations leading to the crystalline state One of the most important thereof is the transformation of Ni7S6 into Ni9S8 at 400°C related with a strong volume increase that is over-compensated by the high expansion coefficients of both Ni7S6 and Ni9S8 The thinking behind this approach is that the different combinations build up different pressure depending on temperature and the given value of x and that (range “T” [for “threshold] in the diagram) a minimum difference in diameters (∆d) must be built up in order to make the inclusion potentially critical putting relative the curves (c) and (d) for their parts over threshold T Setting the values for the HST (curve d) at 100% the relative values of curve (c) represent and the surface below the dotted line marked “f” gives the relative breakage probability between ambient conditions and HST It shows up that, only based on the simple facts of thermal expansivity the HST globally destroys 2.5 times the number f panes that would be critical on building The calculation also demonstrates that the simple extrapolation of the HST breakage data can never lead to a correct estimation of the pane’s safety at ambient The latter will always be under-estimated This is not the only fact leading to the same conclusion Other results published extendedly in above-mentioned papers point out clearly and independently because based on different facts Main points of view therein are the examination and testing of nickel sulphide inclusions identified and characterized in annealed glass and the statistical analysis of the difference in sizes and localization of inclusions found in both HST and “on building” breakages Details thereof are committed to be resumed by the Gentle Reader of the present summary Production problems are often an important source for scientific perception in spite of the big difficulties during production up to date not one single pane failed on the façade in question The plans to build the Peter-Merian house in Basel in Switzerland 1) needed several thousands of square meters of green patterned / casted glass for cladding that should look at the same time like the green float glass used for the windows SG decided to colorize the whole content of one of its patterned glass furnaces toughened (30% breakages) and HS-tested (another 30% breakages) the presence of nickel sulphide inclusions was thought to be guilty of this mess but sampling using horizontal heat-soaking (the single panes repose on a metal support so that breakage origins can easily be collected) turned out to be basically untrue Most of the samples were composed of different kinds of SiO2 and identified as batch melting relicts because the furnace was not really designed for this kind of dark glass and only one out of eleven was indeed a nickel sulphide inclusion By instance, this happened just during the period when we were collecting data for the implementation of the new HST standard and this glass production was just made in the same processing factory first because they were thought to be nickel sulphide breakages nobody knew this series would have any importance for the interpretation of what happens inside a HST oven The data went to the archive and were rediscovered and first evaluated statistically by the Author during his work on the present project in comparison with the nickel sulphide inclusion’s result collected for the EN standard The only visible difference is in the number and and the fact that the breakage causes are basically different leads immediately to the conclusion that the kinetics of the α to β transformation of the nickel sulphide inclusions cannot be the basic cause for this shape of the curve but that other reasons that are inherent in the HST itself must be preponderating Laboratory tests with different synthetic NiSx combinations were carried out since a long time and in many different laboratories but the measured transformation rates never fitted An explanation often proposed with emphasis (but never proven experimentally) is that the pressure built up within the inclusion should speed down its transformation At least as long as there is no physical contact between the inclusion and its surrounding (see explanation above) and we were happy enough to find a prove that it is not true after contact we were able to prove that this impact is not making the transformation preponderate it should be possible to model nickel sulphide inclusion caused breakage series (of not HS-tested glass) on a building using an ARRHENIUS based kinetic function under the premise that all inclusions act comparatively their transformation follows generally the same 1st order kinetics 2) absolute condition for this is that the temperature has to be known because it plays a central role in kinetic calculations for a given façade it can be between -30°C in winter +20°C in shadowed areas in summer and more than +60°C in full sunshine This adds a random influence into the time-to-breakage records a WEIBULL function is normally best adapted for a best-fit and the prognosis of potential future breakages The special conditions therein are that the building consists in two separate towers with a closed lobby in-between and the inside railings are entirely made of toughened glass this inner glass was not HS-tested (in 1999) and there was a problem of a series of spontaneous breakages In this special situation the temperature is known because the lobby is airconditioned and the ARRHENIUS fit makes sense; its result showed to be significantly better than the WEIBULL approach The parameters of the kinetic function were under respect of the void around the inclusion at start conditions derived from this approach and showed to be comparable to those obtained in laboratory trials made years ago including the time-to-breakage curve from the HST records including the one derived from the “Lobby” records are too steep and too early to explain the HST WEIBULL-fitted curve breakages would be expected to stop long before the glass temperature reaches the holding temperature the “Lobby” curve includes potential impact from pressure increase within the inclusions due to their proceeding transformation slower than the curves derived from the laboratory results its form is still similar and it is comparatively fast we now understand what is NOT the preponderating cause for the shape of the time-to-breakage curve in the HST Another argument comes from the evaluation of the relative number of inclusions and breakages It is not possible to fully show this here we look at the number of “small inclusions” found in annealed glass In these histograms the inclusion’s sizes are pooled in classes of 50 µm each Because we do not have a combining reference 3) we choose the (175 ± 25) µm class as the reference for comparison this comparison shows that in the HST much more small inclusions lead to breakage than on building A more quantitative evaluation shows that the limit of criticality is c The difference (25 µm) is much higher than what can be allocated to thermal dilatation (0.8 µm / factor 31) even the thermal dilatation discussed above to cause many more breakages in HST than on building has only a minor effect in comparison to what the HST itself adds The only reasonable explanation for this seems to be that the HST process itself adds some kind of high stress that forces the smaller inclusions to become critical as well and the same is true for the breakages due to non-NiS-stones as described above this explanation seems even to be very plausible and evident The toughened glass is piled up nearly vertically often more than five tons at the same time; spacers in only the same thickness range as the glass itself are placed in-between and the whole pile reposes on a rack made of steel hot air is blown onto (normally) the lower edge of the pile One can assume that this edge reaches the final temperature rather fast the rack’s steel rods and the spacers shade the air flow so that It is well known that temperature differences in a glass pane induce proportional thermal stress This fact leads to the other fact that annealed glass is unable to survive a HST; the induced thermal stress can only be beard in the glass ia at least heat-strengthened It is also an illusion to believe that the glass temperature is homogeneous when some thermocouples distributed in the glass pile (but not too close to the edge; so says the EN 14179-1 If the thermocouples are placed too close to the edges Self-understood that the latter is higher than the glass temperature but the glass edges are at this temperature Reasons enough to believe firmly that temperature differences over the glass surfaces cause high membrane stress the Author was reported by credible glass processors that this stress leads to visible bowl-like bowing of the whole panes if a toughened glass pane has no inner defects be it a transformed nickel sulphide inclusion of sufficient size and in adequate stress field position be it a refractory stone shrinking by the heating-up but having caused a primary crack that turns out to be critical under the external stress conditions One can say that the HST tumbles the glass and eliminates every potentially defective pane No wind load on a building can be as strong as the tumbling stress in the HST Again the conclusion thereof is that the “simple” extrapolation of the HST results leads to under-estimation of the safety of HS-tested glass but also that if the latter’s safety shall be estimated correctly there is no way than to take into account (mathematically) the strong thermo-mechanic impact of the HST itself Most of the estimations elaborated above are minimum estimations based on conservative assumptions or they consider only one in many aspects so that it is sure that more safety has to be added This is the reason why it is impossible to derive thereof a precise number for the overkill of glass plates taking place in the HST ovens working worldwide The way how the different impact factors combine is actually unknown; it seems that the relation of breakages between buildings and the HST is low was never done up to date in sufficient quality and is – if at all – only possible using sophisticated detailed finite-element simulation tools and accounting for each of the properties discussed in the different parts of the series of the Author’s papers mentioned above A definitive statement could be obtained in a pragmatic way by evaluating the breakage rates observed on buildings after assuredly proven HST this is difficult if countable events (i.e breakages on buildings) do not occur over years the practical experience of SG during the last years shall be described as an example; other glass producers are more than welcome to publish their own experience for support All producers of glass panes according to EN 14179-1 are obliged to make available statistical data referring to HST-glass production In Germany this is even already mandatory since 2002 the year of the factual introduction of the new HST standard through the respective prEN coated etc.) and the related breakage numbers in the HST furnaces are systematically recorded in the factories concerned The four SG affiliates in Germany are under one quality directory The respective data are systematically information-technically merged since 2011 and only since that time they are available for cross-plant evaluation Thus the production of 17209 t of HST-glass was concretely recorded between 2011 and mid-2017 (both years included) and 2793 breakages (plus some collateral damages) were counted therein [(5) RUBBERT-2018] This refers to 1 spontaneous breakage in 6.2 tons of glass a common breakage rate also already published in e.g Extrapolated onto the whole time during which the new HST was factually applied (from 2002 to 2017 included) 42’000 t of HST-glass were produced in these four facilities In spite of the proven too high holding temperature only four breakages on façades were claimed out of this complete 16 year’s production they all originate from the same factory the same production period (2009) and are concerned to the identical built-in situation where HST is not forced by law since there’s no danger at all to life Many coincidences at the same time; however a small number of unreported single breakage cases cannot be entirely excluded even if this is not probable in view of the high sensitivity of both the clients and the public media “Glass rain on a building” is always a good lead story often enough read before and shortly after 2002 and being the core cause for the development of EN 14179-1 every customer complaint at SG concerning a spontaneous breakage (except the small series mentioned above) dates from before the factual introduction of pr-EN 14179-1; remember that spontaneous breakages of un-soaked glass can take place up to 30 years after toughening the factual introduction of pr-EN 14179-1 marked a turning point in the history of HST-glass hypothesizing that the four reported breakages are indeed breakages after HST that there might be a dark figure of three more 4) and that breakages after HST do not show the normal latency period of c leads to the estimation of a statistical residual breakage risk of one in 6000 t of HST-glass This means that the formerly envisaged goal of one breakage in 400 t (see e.g [(3) KASPERSERRUYS-2002]) is in reality excelled by a factor of fifteen A number of 6900 breakages in HST is accompanied by only (estimated) seven on building contrariwise to the 1.5% prospected in the mentioned publication by extrapolation of the breakages recorded during the holding time of the HST this counts only for SG products in Germany; the corresponding number from competing HST-glass producers would have to be added eventually up to 500 breakages only in Germany This high number would certainly not escape to the alertness of clients and public media the efficiency of the HST is estimated to be 99.9% instead of the prognosticated (extrapolated) ratio of 98.5% and the statistical residual breakage risk of Heat Soak Tested Thermally Toughened Safety Glass is estimated to be one in 6000 tons of HST-glass there are always more glass breaks in HST than on buildings only the difference in thermal expansion between glass and nickel sulphide has been assumed responsible for this effect; consequently The time-to-breakage data obtained in HST have thus been used and extrapolated to make an estimate of the residual breakage probability of Heat Soak Tested Thermally Toughened Safety Glass The facts being presented here should help to providing better estimating methods for HST toughened safety glass residual breakage probability New findings and calculations of the impact of the composition of nickel sulphide inclusions onto the difference in breakage probability between HST and façades have been compiled the result of this is that the HST eliminates every inclusion that could lead to breakage on buildings and additionally more than the same number as a “safety margin” The Kathedral glass evaluation dataset reveals that heat-soak tested glass is also safe if the breakage rate during production is very high but also other stones are responsible for significant breakage in HST The general form of the time-to-breakage curve and other findings (position in glass section breakage stress in case of pre-damage derived from the radius of the breakage mirror) are nearly identical with those from nickel sulphide inclusions The conclusion from this is that the nature of the inclusions causing breakage in HST is not the deciding factor for the time to breakage; the α to β transformation speed of the nickel sulphide inclusions is not the process determining the speed of this devolution This observation solves a long-existing question namely why the time-to-breakage curve in HST cannot be explained by the measured phase transformation speed of the different relevant NiSx species Considering the occurrence frequency derived here This leads to the new conclusion that in HST also other impact factors than the difference in thermal expansion play an important role We presume the main influencing factor to be strong thermo-mechanical forces (temporary stress) induced into the glass during heatingup This absolutely non-negligible factor for the final safety of HS-tested glass could be quantified by stress measurement or finiteelement simulation the new findings are important arguments for why the existing estimations of residual breakage probability of toughened glass tested according to EN 14179 1 underestimate actual safety The presumption that the breakage behavior in HST and on buildings would be the same is clearly not correct our recommendation is to review the present safety estimation it should be considered as a minimum estimation with a big safety margin An example from Saint-Gobain practice shows additionally the very high real safety of the Heat-Soak Tested Thermally Toughened Safety glass Please note that the present R&D work does not aim to change the existing HST conditions according to EN 14170-1 More literature citations are listed in the Author’s articles available for free download: 1 - Architects: Hans Zwimpfer / Donald Judd Pictures on internet e.g: https://stechphoto.photoshelter.com/; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basel_-_2017_-_Peter_Merian_Haus.jpg the presumed general basic behavior according to a 1st order kinetic law assures that the average transformation rate would appear in this summary evaluation we do not know how many out of the total numbers out of those inclusions present in annealed glass lead to breakages in HST or on building and that the small (< 50 µm in HST; < 75 µm on buildings) are harmless the tacit assumption made by choosing the (175 ± 25) µm class as the reference is that in this one and the bigger classes the number of breakages in HST and on building were the same This is not forcedly true but leads to a minimum estimation in the comparison – Going a little more into detail: We found out that overall (i.e 25% of the inclusions identified in annealed glass lead to glass breakage in a simplified HST This shows that also in the reference class not every inclusion yet causes a breakage in HST The same is true for the Building breakages but because we see that much less of the smaller ones led to breakage here we can exclude that the breakage rate in the reference class is higher than in HST MORE... MORE... Log in or register to post comments This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The research part of the Photonik-Zentrum Kaiserslautern is to develop a new type of monolithic laser amplifier together with a passive energy control system for laser pulses This project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy via a Central Innovation Program for Small and Medium Enterprises (ZIM project) with €1 million ($1.1 million) over a period of three years DESASTERKIDS will also tour through Germany in addition to a few festival appearances: I now work as an Account Manager in an advertising agency in the beautiful city of Duesseldorf I’ve been blogging for 7 years on several websites and started working as a freelance writer for music magazines in 2013 I believe in the social value of music and its power to change the world for the better Nirvana and too many more to list them all This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. overpaid bankers and euro zone bailouts with many of his proposed policies: now he has set his sights on the Dutch monarch Queen Beatrix.Wilders' Freedom Party -- the third-largest in parliament after the 2010 election and the minority coalition government's main ally -- Thursday announced details of its proposed law to strip the Dutch monarchy of all political powers leaving it with a purely ceremonial role."This is about modernising the monarchy," Wilders told reporters Thursday.The proposed law will be studied by the Council of State where several opposition parties want the monarch's political powers curbed.The queen's political influence centres on her role in appointing a senior politician or politicians -- called the informateur and formateur -- to sound out various parties about forming a coalition government in the event elections produce no outright winner.After the elections in June 2010 None were from the Freedom Party.Queen Beatrix is president of the Council of State which advises the government on legal matters ranging from drugs policy to financial market regulation.She's a member of the secretive Bilderberg conference rubbing shoulders with leading international decision-makers and tycoons is a high-profile trade ambassador for the Netherlands and her family wealth was put at about 900 million euros (794 million pounds) in 2010 by Dutch glossy magazine Quote."The monarch should remain as the head of state but should be completely independent and should not be connected in any way to political responsibilities," said Andre Elissen of the Freedom Party adding "I think we can get a majority."Queen Beatrix's speeches show she is no fan of Wilders' anti-Islam anti-immigration agenda or his blunt talk."Social cohesion often used to be taken for granted in the Netherlands but in recent years we have realised that it is not a given constant efforts were required to keep conflicts and differences of opinion under control This is even more necessary today," she said in a speech last year."It's ideological and a clash of personalities," said Andre Krouwel a political scientist at Amsterdam's Free University."Of all the royal families in Europe saying 'who is this and why should a queen decide how a government is made'."A poll published by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf last month showed 52 percent thought the queen should not keep her current powers while 46 percent wanted the status quo.The minority coalition said late last year it saw no reason to change the monarch's role but several opposition parties in parliament do favour reducing the monarch's political influence -- including Labour and the Animal Party."The Left should support him (Wilders) because they want to take away formal powers in forming a government Logically the Left would have to support him or they will be exposed as hypocrites," said Krouwel.Reporting by Sara Webb; Editing by Matthew Jones On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the unveiling of the national monument dedicated to Pope St John Paul II on October 16, 2006, the JP2 Foundation invited the youth orchestra Eurode Jugendorchestra Herzogenrath from Germany to perform in Gozo. This is the third time the JP2 Foundation has hosted this youth orchestra. Under the musical direction of maestro Joseph Grech, the 25 members of the German orchestra joined members of the Gozo Youth Wind Band and Orchestra to participate during the 11.30am mass at the Gozo Cathedral on Sunday, October 17. Antonella Portelli animated the mass alongside the orchestra. Last Friday, October 22, marked the liturgical feast of Pope St John Paul II. A thanksgiving mass celebrated by Mgr Carmelo Refalo was held at 6.30pm at the Nativity of Our Lady parish church, Xagħra. Michelangelo Muscat’s composition Messa Totus Tuus for orchestra and choir was executed for the first time during the mass. The events commemorating this feast will come to an end today, October 24, at the Xagħra basilica, with a sacred music concert starting at 6pm. The concert, to be held under the music direction of Mro Abraham D’Amato,  will feature the orchestra Cappella Musicale Cæciliana, with guest musician clarinettist Jessica Ellul and soloist tenor Angelo Muscat, soprano Astrid Cacciatore and bass Albert Buttigieg. To view comments, please register for free or log in to your account. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. The Gozo Youth Orchestra and the Eurode Jugendorcester Herzogenrath presented a joint concert last Sunday at MBC Theatre, Nadur. Entitled ‘A celebration of youth creativity’, the concert featured excerpts from Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, California Dreamin’, Treasures by Bruno Mars, The Hey Song, What’s Up at the Symphony and Pop Concerto. The concert was directed by orchestras’ respective music directors Joseph Grech and Martin Eibach. Following its successful tour in Germany in September 2017 as part of an Erasmus+ programme, The Gozo Youth Orchestra welcomes the Eurode Jugendorchester Herzogenrath for the second part of this EU-funded programme. During their eight-day stay in Gozo, youth musicians from Gozo and Germany will participate in workshops and masterclasses tackling subjects from education to culture. Both ensembles comprising of 70 musicians will present a joint-concert titled ‘Sound Bridges’ will be held on Sunday the 21st October 2018 at 4.30 pm at Gozo College Foyer, at Europa Street, Victoria, Gozo. The concert will be directed by Joseph Grech and Martin Eibach musical directors of The Gozo Youth Orchestra and the Eurode Jugendorchester Herzogenrath respectively. Entrance is Free. The joint ensemble will also present a commemorative concert to refugee victims while travelling to seek a better life in Europe at the MPO rehearsal/concert hall in Floriana, Monday 22nd October 2018 at 6.30 pm. Everyone is invited to attend. This project was possible through the Erasmus+ through the EUPA agency Malta, MEUSAC, Oratory Don Bosco, the Gozo College and the Sir M.A. Refalo Sixth Form within the Mikiel Anton Vassalli College. We use cookies to ensure users are given the best experience on our website.  We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below. 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ABC News News HomeNew Munch on show in GermanyShare New Munch on show in GermanyTopic:Painting Munch discovery: Girl and Three Mens Heads (AFP) Link copiedShareShare articleA recently discovered painting by Norwegian expressionist master Edvard Munch was shown to the press on Friday and depicts a nude young girl facing three huge male faces. The painting, entitled Young girl and three male heads, was recently discovered under another of Munch's works, The Dead Mother, which was being restored at the Bremen Kunsthalle museum. "This is a sensational discovery," museum director Wulff Herzogenrath said. The newly uncovered work - which shows the profile of a young girl sitting in the dark next to three disproportionate heads - illustrates an adolescent's fears of the opposite sex as she enters puberty. The Bremen Kunsthalle has verified that it is by the impressionist master, who died at the age of 81 in 1944 and is best known for The Scream. The Scream and another of Munch's major works, The Madonna, were stolen in an audacious robbery last year when two armed and hooded thieves grabbed the paintings in broad daylight from a museum in Oslo. CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)