3M Forward is a plan that highlights how supplies science-primarily based innovation at scale can assist society progress amid 3 unstoppable forces shaping our planet: climate modify and resource scarcity, shifting demographics and social modify and convergence of the physical and digital worlds. As aspect of 3M Forward, 3M scientists, engineers and specialists share how their options are assisting to develop a brighter future.
Mark Copman, 3M senior vice president, new development ventures, says: “The international forces highlighted inside 3M Forward are disruptive in nature, but we see them as catalysts for new advances in science and good societal effect.
“Science has the possible to resolve the toughest international challenges, and 3M’s diverse international portfolio and vast experience make us optimally positioned to visualize what’s achievable and develop what’s subsequent.”
Climate modify and resource scarcity
Growing prices of international improvement and decreasing levels of organic sources have contributed to negatively impacting the atmosphere and accelerating international climate modify. With no swift options, the effects of climate modify will continue to hit vulnerable men and women, economies and ecosystems – whilst expanding into new geographies.
According to the 3M State of Science Index, original third celebration investigation performed by Ipsos, 93 % of men and women globally are concerned about the consequences of climate modify and 90 % think science can assist reduce its effects.
Gayle Schueller, 3M senior vice president and chief sustainability officer, says: “We see the broadening consensus for climate action and increasing demand for revolutionary and sustainable options reaching an inflection point.
“Our robust innovation pipeline makes it possible for us – and our buyers – to accelerate and scale up current science-primarily based options in the important regions of decarbonization, power transition and circular economy.”
1 way 3M is accelerating the delivery of new climate options to contribute to a low carbon economy is by way of collaborations, reflected in the company’s current partnership announcement with Svante. 3M and Svante will collaborate to create Direct Air Capture (DAC) items for sale to the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) business.
Moreover, the firm is establishing an revolutionary 3M Nanostructured Supported Iridium Catalyst Powder that could make the production of green hydrogen a lot more expense-productive, effective and obtainable – thereby enabling a a lot more sustainable fuel answer for manufacturing and industries exactly where electrification is tough, such as extended-haul trucking or steelmaking.
3M is also scaling international availability and applications for its current portfolio of climate options, which are developing power-effective houses and firms, decreasing raw material use and waste, optimizing electric autos and modernizing the grid to integrate renewable energy generation in markets about the planet.
Shifting demographics and social modify
Higher international connectivity implies shifts to education, sustainability, equity and technologies. It can have impacts far beyond their geographic origin. These shared social modifications present private and expert possibilities but also present challenges. For instance, urbanization prices continue to develop as the planet redefines the future of perform and consumerism with technologies, but a diminishing population in a lot more rural regions can build labor shortages and effect provide chains.
Mike Kesti, senior vice president, 3M corporate investigation lab, says: “3M is innovating to meet the shifting requirements and values of men and women about the planet – regardless of whether they require options for the evolving nature of their perform or inside their houses.
“3M’s collection of technologies platforms, coupled with our robust and international manufacturing infrastructure, allow us to effectively scale and provide impactful options to our buyers and society.”
The items and technologies that emerge from 3M’s innovation pipeline are as diverse as the men and women whose lives they boost. In healthcare facilities, the company’s Clinician Options Portfolio is decreasing the administrative burden on wellness care providers so they can much better concentrate on their sufferers and build much better wellness outcomes.
To address labor challenges inside manufacturing whilst enhancing productivity and excellent, 3M is introducing automated technologies like the 3M Finesse-it Robotic Paint Repair Technique, which functions with third-celebration vision systems to automatically recognize and repair frequent paint defects on automotive production lines.
And to empower new techniques of operating, 3M lately launched The Post-it App for Microsoft Teams. The app supplies the technologies to help hybrid teams, enabling workers to share hand-written notes with their colleagues and take action on projects, no matter exactly where they reside or perform, giving a lot more freedom and flexibility.
Convergence of the physical and digital planet
Computer software, sensors, artificial intelligence and human-machine interfaces make up a quick-evolving international ecosystem that powers business, commerce and each day life. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, men and women are a lot more engaged with these interfaces and a lot more dependent on them.
Speedy technological advancements and connected systems are shaping a new reality exactly where the physical and digital increasingly overlap—an intersectional atmosphere exactly where 3M thrives.
John Banovetz, 3M executive vice president, chief technologies officer and environmental duty, says: “3M technologies provide a lot more seamless connectivity involving the physical and digital worlds.
“At 3M, we are advancing industrial automation to streamline processes and leverage 3M supplies in new techniques, boosting the energy and overall performance of our customers’ items and optimizing their production processes.”
3M is major the way in optical supplies technologies and enabling increasing sectors such as virtual reality (VR). 3M has been an business leader in effectively demonstrating the viability of pancake lenses in VR headsets. Enabled by 3M’s patented reflective polarizer technologies, pancake optics minimize the size of headsets and considerably boost image resolution.
These advantages are fueling future development and adoption of VR technologies as it promises to grow to be a lot more mainstream. In industrial applications, advancements such as the 3M On Demand Bonding Technique featuring 3M VHB Extrudable Tape blend automation with adhesive science to assist minimize waste and boost manufacturing course of action efficiency.
And for buyers, 3M is establishing connected options for current solution offerings, like the state-of-the-art Filtrete Clever HVAC Air Filter. This technologies aids trap and capture allergens and other microscopic particles, like bacteria and viruses, from the air in houses. It tracks the life of the filter primarily based on airflow and usage – not just time – so home owners under no circumstances have to be concerned about altering their filter as well early or as well late.
Delivering science-primarily based innovations at scale for a brighter tomorrow
As the transformative forces of climate modify and resource scarcity, shifting demographics and social modify and convergence of the physical and digital planet continue to shape our reality, 3M applies the most recent supplies science-primarily based innovations and leverage its complete capabilities to provide meaningful options that assist society progress.
With R&D capabilities in 55 nations and a lot more than 7,000 R&D specialists and scientists, 3M innovation has led to a lot more than 132,000 patents and 60,000 items across diverse industries. The outcomes and effect of 3M’s international portfolio and deep experience let the firm to present scalable scientific options and assist develop a brighter future for all.
