The future of the capital goods industry: advanced materials

What are capital goods?

Capital goods are industrial machinery, equipment, and infrastructure used in the manufacturing of products intended for end consumers. These assets are essential for making human work more efficient and increasing the production capacity of factories.

One of the characteristics of capital goods is that they do not fully wear out during the production process, meaning they have a very long lifespan, functioning as durable industrial equipment.

Differences between capital goods and consumer goods

Consumer goods are products intended for direct use by the end consumer, and can be durable, such as furniture and cars, or non-durable, such as food and cleaning products. Capital goods, on the other hand, are the equipment and machines used to manufacture those consumer goods.

Capital goods are significant investments that directly impact the production capacity and manufacturing efficiency of industries.

Examples of capital goods

Capital goods include production machinery and manufacturing equipment, industrial infrastructure such as factories and warehouses, software, and essential natural resources such as oil and gas.

Advanced materials

Advanced materials are those we already know, such as metals, ceramics, and polymers, but which have undergone technological processes to exhibit superior performance. They offer greater durability, strength, and other characteristics that favor the creation of innovative, high-performance products.

Contributing to innovation and efficiency across multiple industrial sectors, these advanced engineering materials are the result of research in fields such as chemistry, physics, and materials engineering.

Advanced metals, composites, and nanomaterials

Some examples of the application of advanced materials in industry:

• Advanced metals: the use of graphene-enhanced materials to improve metallic properties enables new industrial applications that require greater mechanical and thermal resistance, as well as improved oxidation resistance and antimicrobial properties. Additive manufacturing (3D printing) has also been crucial for improving metal properties, with titanium alloys printed using this technique showing up to 50% higher strength than the best alloys used in aerospace applications.
• Composite materials: formed by combining two or more components, composites maintain the individual properties of their constituents while offering superior capabilities. Fiber-reinforced composites are used in the aerospace industry, construction, and the manufacture of orthopedic prostheses, among other applications.
• Nanomaterials: industrial nanotechnology facilitates the modification of existing materials. Nanocellulose fibers, for example, are used to reinforce textiles, coatings, and packaging, making them more resistant. Graphene, added to electrical conductors, improves electrical and thermal conductivity, resulting in more efficient devices.

The relevance of these materials for the capital goods industry

Advanced materials bring significant technological and economic advances to the capital goods industry due to their enhanced capabilities, promoting:

• Sustainability: lighter and more energy-efficient materials reduce resource consumption, contributing to sustainable industrial practices.
• Greater resistance and durability: capital equipment becomes increasingly resistant to wear and corrosion, extending its lifespan and reducing the need for frequent maintenance.
• Higher quality: greater precision in manufacturing equipment improves the quality of final products.

Challenges and future outlook

The use of advanced materials favors the emergence of new technologies, enabling lighter, more resistant, and more efficient products.

However, the challenges of using these materials include high production costs and manufacturing complexity, which require advanced technologies and may represent economic barriers for the industry.

Despite this, demand for these next-generation materials is expected to continue growing, which should drive research and the adoption of technologies such as industrial additive manufacturing at scale.

Sources:

Portal da Indústria. Entenda por que materiais avançados são importantes para a indústria. 

Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovações. Materiais avançados. 

Máquinas e Metais. Instituto de materiais avançados entra em operação. ArandaNet. 

Inovação Tecnológica. Titânio impresso em 3D supera em 50% as melhores ligas aeroespaciais.