What do dents and broken teeth have in common? If you answer that both are annoying troubles and need to be "repaired", you may be right. However, in the innovative world of 3M, the answer is much deeper.

The story begins with a 3M team developing products for auto repair shops. They noticed that the filler mixing process used to repair dents in automobile bodies has never been improved for more than 50 years. It is no exaggeration to say that the filling machine is still mixed by hand, which is a serious waste and full of mistakes.

Later, they found that it was not unreasonable for the workers in the garage to manually allocate fillers. It is a great challenge to complete the automatic mixing of 50: 1. Further research also found that the standard static hybrid system could not meet the needs. In the static mixing system, mixing fillers at the ratio of 50: 1 will produce unbearable "back pressure" of the whole system, which will eventually lead to machine shutdown.

Starting from an unexpected source, the 3M technical team finally achieved a breakthrough-they consulted scientists in the 3M dental products department. Dentist's job and car repair seem to be far apart, but the basic idea and technology behind 3M innovation can connect two seemingly completely different worlds and solve problems. 3M dental scientists and car maintenance team saw 3M ESPE Pentamix? The potential of automatic mixing system, a key product, can help dentists to mix putty-like dental impression materials more effectively. This putty-like substance is usually used to make crowns and bridges. Pentamix？ The system can solve the similar problems of great waste and low quality encountered by automobile mechanics.

The two 3M teams then collaborated to explore how to use Pentamix. Dental solution helps the automobile maintenance team to achieve innovation, overcome technical obstacles and develop a practical body filler mixing system. But the chain reaction of creativity has just begun. Automatic (dynamic) mixing is really good, but batch processing of desktop mixing systems will still produce waste.

The 3M team wanted to develop a continuous and portable process, so they turned their attention to 3M filtration technology and special nozzles and nozzles to design solutions. Now, the mixing process is not only dynamic, but also portable, and raw materials can be sprayed directly from the nozzle to the car body: there is no waste at all, and workers don't have to walk back and forth. The 3M dynamic mixing system developed in this way enables the auto repair shop to accurately mix the body fillers as needed, thus avoiding the confusion and waste caused by manual mixing.

So, from the perspective of 3M, whether you go to the dentist or the auto repair shop, the purpose is actually the same: to solve the problem. Innovation sprouts from here. All you need is imagination and perseverance to find answers in unexpected places. Who knows, what will be "stirred up" by the powerful energy of 3M cooperative innovation next time? From clean electronic equipment to giant squid

Imagine playing a video on your computer, or making a phone call, while your computer or mobile phone is soaked in a wonderful liquid that looks no different from water ... or you can safely soak old photos of your family that you can't get back after losing them in this mysterious liquid. Miraculously, the computer, mobile phone and photos are all safe and sound. This is because 3M scientists invented a unique chemical agent-3M? Norvik? Brand liquid-will not damage electronic equipment or precious souvenirs.

In fact, this liquid is often used to protect them. This is not magic: this is the innovative invention of 3M company at work. This magical liquid will not cause damage to electronic equipment, and it can be completely evaporated without leaving any water vapor or residue. Therefore, it is not surprising that Novec liquid is used to safely put out fires in places that Americans regard as treasures, such as the Alamo Laboratory and the Library of Congress. This liquid is also used to protect the Franklin Library and the dedicated Bible sworn by the Speaker of Pennsylvania Parliament.

Besides museums and archives, 3M Novec liquid is actually in your daily life. This chemical substance enables us to get close contact with electronic equipment. It is used to clean electronic equipment and minimize the heat generated by our computers and mobile phones.

However, the application of innovation and invention is regardless of size, so this magical liquid can be used not only for small devices in your pocket, but also for some "big things"-as big as giant squid.

If you visit the Smithsonian Institution Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., you are likely to see shocked children and parents standing in front of a 24-foot-long giant squid specimen, which is displayed in a huge water tank and preserved well with Novec liquid. It is the magic of innovation that enables museum visitors to see this huge specimen clearly, because Novec liquid, unlike alcohol, will not make the specimen yellow or fade. The magical journey of 3M Novec liquid from electronic product manufacturing to fire fighting continues. In fact, this liquid is even used to make plastic surgery transplant tissue. Many people we know have relatives who walk on titanium hip joints, and all of them have had transplants. Manufacturers of plastic transplant devices often use Norvik liquid to clean them, because Norvik liquid can be cleaned accurately and has no residue.

The power of innovation is so powerful that a simple idea can affect your life in many ways and to a great extent. Finding the right application-this probably depends on the "chemical reaction". Chain Reaction of Microreplication Technology —— From Safe Road to Painless Injection

From expressway signal signs to micro needles, micro-replication technology has triggered a series of amazing chain reactions of new product development.

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Microreplication technology gave birth to microneedles, which were used in the latest 3M products to help dermatologists pretreat patients' skin before treatment. 3M Company continues to devote itself to developing new applications of microneedles in health care industry.

How can you be more afraid of vaccines than car accidents? Admit it, even the bravest people cringe when they hear about subcutaneous injections (whether it's vaccinating themselves or their children). But what if it is an almost painless injection? What if we go further and the needle is almost invisible?

You may think it's impossible, but scientists with 3M talents don't think so. They figured out a way to insert hundreds of tiny "microneedles" into an area the size of a 10 cent coin. Their inspiration comes from cutting-edge technology in an unexpected field-a technology developed by-3M and originally used in expressway.

This technology, called microreplication, was introduced in the early 1960s. It is used to laminate and coat precisely formed and mutually cloned shapes on surfaces such as plastic sheets. Scientists have found that these precise miniature pyramids can change the physical, chemical and optical properties of plastic surfaces, and the effect is often surprising.

In the 1980s, amazing research results were achieved. At that time, 3M applied this technology to expressway signs and pavements. Thousands of microprisms reflect the light from car headlights, and signs and signs on roads and construction areas will be doubled to help drivers see the road clearly and drive safely.

3M's achievements don't stop there. Micro-replication technology produces anti-friction film, which is helpful to improve ship speed and flight efficiency of aircraft. Brighten the computer display screen and prolong the battery life of the notebook computer; You can also prevent mobile devices from being peeked by using ultra-fine shutters; Now, microreplication technology has created a tool for dermatologists, which can be used before treatment or when patients return to visit.

3M？ Microchannel skin system consists of a miniature disposable plastic tape with more than 300 solid microneedles, which dermatologists can use to poke tiny holes in the skin.

On the basis of this initial application, scientists of 3M Company have developed a microneedle belt, which can be used for vaccination and injection of other important drugs. Patients only need to insist on 10 minutes or even 10 seconds. This tape is so simple to use that patients can even use it themselves. These tapes may make painful and sometimes even painful injections a thing of the past.

Create a new application

Kris Hansen, technology and product development manager of MTS, the product group of 3M drug controlled release system, explained that the development of this application started 12 years ago. The original idea is that microneedles can be used to extract a very small amount of blood or body fluids from diabetic patients to help them monitor their blood sugar without pricking themselves with needles. A few years later, scientists in the product group of drug controlled release system further developed this technology and tried to use it to inject drugs into the body in addition to extracting body fluids.

"The emergence of micro needles is because we have combined several incredible inventions of 3M Group and focused on the expertise of drug delivery business, thus creating this brand-new product." Chris Hansen said.

Hansen said that the products made by this technology can greatly improve people's lives: "The changes brought by this product can make patients with severe chronic diseases get rid of dependence and no longer be subject to their own diseases-this change can make the population of the whole country get rid of the spread of infectious diseases in a faster and more effective way than at present."

"With microneedles, we believe that drugs can enter patients in a better way and make the actual treatment effect more significant. This potential to help people is the most attractive part of our microneedle technology. " She added.

Like other products developed for the healthcare industry, this product has a longer life cycle than other 3M products.

"In the process of upgrading microneedle technology, microneedles will have a lot of opportunities to contribute to various products in the health care industry. We always keep in touch with other business departments, exchange ideas and try to find the most suitable application. " Hansen said. "The ultimate vision of microneedles will never be limited to drug injection."

It is a useful job to develop products with such novelty and great application potential.

"Being one step ahead and at the forefront of R&D, manufacturing and regulations is very exciting and satisfying." Hansen said. "But it also means hard work and many risks. It is much easier to follow the trend than to pilot, but we have never been followers, have we? "

3M has always believed that "small things" are often very important. If there is any truth in the story of microneedles, it is that the smaller the invention of 3M looks, the greater its influence.

Chain reaction makes 3M? MicrochannelSkin system came into being.

The spread of 3M microreplication technology has produced breakthrough innovations in almost all business fields of 3M. The patented micro-replication technology of 3M company directly gave birth to a large number of inventions in the fields of reflective materials, industrial abrasives, optical films, consumer goods, adhesives, electronic products, skin drug delivery systems and so on. Now the microneedles are born.

At present, 3M Company is planning to popularize this application technology to invent tools that can form micro-grooves, patterns and more complex features, which are unique signs of micro-replication products. It can also be used in the latest mold technology to improve the shape and arrangement of these features. Multi-layer innovation: from bright display screen to transparent credit card

3M's expertise in the research and development of optics and multilayer optical films has established a connection between seemingly unrelated products.

Overview: Multi-layer technology makes many applications possible-from a brighter electronic display screen to the first transparent and readable credit card.

Whether watching TV, surfing the Internet or browsing information with smart phones, one thing is certain: without a bright and clear screen, everything is meaningless. People have long been accustomed to this in their daily lives. However, clear screens and energy saving of these devices basically depend on a key research field: optics.

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In this field of innovation, 3M has exerted its influence for nearly a century, and the high-performance energy-saving products made by people are used in their hands every day.

In the electronics industry, 3M Company uses microreplicated films and films containing hundreds of submicroscopic layers (nano-layers) to make the display screen look brighter.

3M？ The brightness enhancement film has microprism, which can recover the light lost from the inclined angle and guide it to the eyes of the display screen user. The thickness of 3M multilayer optical film is just equivalent to a newspaper sticker? (Post-it notes? Note), but its reflective intensity is equivalent to 10 times that of traditional mirrors.

Our thin film, the reflective polarizer, can send back the light with the wrong deflection direction, so that the light can penetrate the LCD screen instead of being scattered, thus saving energy. The first product in this series-3M? Double brightness enhancement film-has been applied to notebook computers, hand-held mobile electronic devices and even automobile and aviation display screens.

The combination of these two films (brightness enhancement film and reflective polarizing film) can improve the energy-saving effect of TV screens and computer monitors by as much as 70%.

Other 3M products, such as 3M flat film, help to extend the battery life of flat electronic equipment. They reduce the thickness and weight without sacrificing brightness or quality.

Four kinds of 3M flat films-ultra-thin, high-brightness reflective polarization APF-V3； are combined. ; Efficient back reflection LBR-160; And thin, high-brightness brightness enhancement films BEF4-GMv2 and be F4-ft- which can improve the brightness of the display, enhance the outdoor viewing experience, and reduce the overall thickness of the backlight film.

The idea of covering thin films layer by layer can be traced back many years, but in 199 1, an interesting conversation laid the conceptual foundation of 3M multilayer optical thin film technology.

Jim Jonza, a full-time scientist in the R&D department of the enterprise, is now recognized as one of the inventors of multilayer optical films, and Andy Ouderkirk Haudecoeur, a scientist in the materials business department of the electronic market, happened to attend the annual technical forum, and the booth they were in charge of was just adjacent. They talked about the manufacture of thin films, and in a few minutes, they laid the conceptual foundation of 3M multilayer optical thin film technology.

Broaden product application

Knowing how light bounces, reflects and shines, 3M scientists began to study interesting materials and explore along the unpredictable road of innovation.

"Multi-layer technology has a variety of application prospects, and 3M is also expanding its application and development. The production and application of multilayer films need a lot of technical knowledge and resources. Despite this, the return will be huge. " Qiongza said. "Better understanding of science, continuous improvement of process design and development of new applications are the fun of many 3M people's careers, which has made them gain a lot. The research work in this field inevitably leads to another interesting idea. "

Today, 3M's expertise in optical thin film technology has given birth to the development of various products: 3M autostereoscopic enhancement film makes eye-catching 3D images possible; 3M？ Sunlight control window film prestige exterior wall series, this product saves energy and protects windows from fading and ultraviolet rays. And 3M? Cool mirror film helps to improve the efficiency of solar cells.

Develop unique customized solutions

The advantages are obvious ... but the curious nature of 3M scientists will not be satisfied that this interaction is limited to the optical field. The pursuit of infinite possibilities leads inventors to a seemingly unrelated destination: our wallets.

A well-known credit card company found 3M and asked about the possibility of using 3M membrane in credit card design to make their credit cards different from those of competitors. Scientists from 3M Company then used their expertise to make the electronic display brighter and more energy-efficient. Optical films not only have multiple layers, but also provide multiple opportunities, including developing new credit cards, which can be transparent and fashionable-this was impossible in the past.

The first transparent and readable credit card was made possible because a group of 3M scientists led by Mike Weber, a company scientist in the Display and Graphic Film Laboratory, found a way to block infrared light without blocking visible light, so that ATM would not miss this card.

Weber said: "Experience tells us that we can block any kind of light-ultraviolet, green, red, blue and infrared. The question is whether we can block infrared light and make a film compatible with the credit card production process. This is the hardest part. "

They succeeded, which marked the biggest technological breakthrough in bank card manufacturing since the birth of plastic cards.

"This is of great significance because 3M not only solved a technical problem for customers, but also made the company unique in the market." Mark Mark Griffin, global business manager of mobile interactive solutions' payment business, said.

Reflecting light in an unprecedented way breaks the Brewster's law, a traditional physical law that has been used for 200 years. Now, transparent credit cards give credit card manufacturers more surface space, add more design elements to plastic cards, attract cardholders with customized images, and make their own brands stand out.

3M's innovation has no clear boundaries. The inspiration for innovation comes from nature.

Lotus, with its natural waterproof and antifouling ability, has now become the inspiration source for 3M China Company to apply nanotechnology. Inspired by this, researchers from 3M China Company developed a new anti-fog cleaning cloth. 1 1 Century China philosopher Zhou Dunyi called lotus his favorite in the article "Lotus Lover", praising lotus for its magical ability to emerge from the mud without being defiled, which is beautiful.

The lotus character admired by Zhou Dunyi hundreds of years ago has also become the inspiration for the advanced technology research of 3M China Company today. Inspired by Lotus's waterproof and pollution-proof ability, the project team developed a vehicle anti-fog product by using nanotechnology, which can prevent pollutants from sticking to the car body.

The surface of lotus leaves is wavy, thus minimizing the contact between dirt and leaves. These tiny protrusions are covered with wax secreted by plants themselves, so they are impervious to water. The combination of these two characteristics makes the lotus "self-clean" when it rains, and the dirt will automatically flow away with the rain.

3M China Enterprise R&D Department (R&; D) Researcher 3M China explained, "We know that the spotless performance of lotus leaves depends on its microstructure and nanostructure. Then, we began to study whether this structure can be replicated through simple technical processes. "

Researchers from 3M Company cooperated in the laboratory to produce nanoparticles with similar self-cleaning ability. They experimented with different particle sizes, substrates and coating processes, and developed a material that they hope can be used as a protective coating for buildings and other outdoor structures.

In the end, their plan ran aground because the test results showed that the durability of this coating was not enough to keep the outdoor surface clean for a long time. However, despite the setbacks, the research team immediately began to look for other uses. "In the communication with the engineers in the business department, we found that there is a demand in the market to make this product into a disposable consumer product, which is operated by customers DIY. The result of information sharing is the product we are currently commercializing. "

Brand-new application

The first product to enter the market and apply this new nanotechnology is a kind of cleaning cloth called "3M". 505 anti-fog cleaning cloth is used to prevent goggles and lenses on the protective mask from fogging.

Nancy Sun, a senior technical service engineer in the R&D department of 3M China Company, said, "In a hot and humid working environment, lenses are prone to fog and block the line of sight. This kind of cleaning cloth helps solve this problem. " Besides China, this product is also sold to South Korea and South America.

On August 20 1 1, this new version of cleaning cloth entered the automotive care products market in China. The side of the window facing the car uses this "3M? After the product of anti-fog wet towel PN39060 ",the fog caused by weather change is eliminated.

Fiona Hao, a senior product engineer in the R&D department of 3M China Company, said: "Because of the rain outside and the humidity inside the car, drivers' sight becomes blurred, which is a serious problem." The laboratory test results show that the product is helpful to prevent fogging, and the fogging can last for at least one hour according to the surface conditions of the product application.

This kind of anti-fog cleaning cloth contains no solvent, and its ingredients are environmentally friendly, and customers report that it is very convenient to use. "The customer's response is very positive." Hao said.

For R&D personnel in 3M China, the current products only reflect the tip of the iceberg of the application potential of this new nanotechnology. She said: "We are inspired by the lotus leaf structure, but we will not be bound by it." She added that the research team is studying how to improve the coating. For example, 3M China is currently studying the application of this technology in the medical industry. These products are still under development, but it reflects the broad prospect of new application of this technology.

"In addition to anti-fog, this technology has many useful functions. This has opened up huge potential business opportunities for 3 M. "