Innovation Award for Equipment: Advanced Electron Beam’s Emitters Advanced Electron Beam (AEB) wins the Innovation Award for Equipment Technology. For years, coating technologists have recognized the advantages of using electron beam (EB) energy to polymerize paint. Although conventional EB technology has a number of advantages over possible alternatives, it has historically suffered from the major commercial disadvantage that the systems were large, expensive and difficult to maintain. In particular, EB systems have, until now, required vacuum pumping equipment, large high voltage power supplies and complex shielding, as well as in-plant engineering and maintenance expertise. As a result, it has not been easy or sometimes possible at all to integrate the systems into manufacturing equipment. AEB has developed a simple and ingenious electron beam emitter contained in a sealed unit. The technology is scalable and can be used to produce emitters in a variety of sizes. AEB currently produces a 10-in. and 16-in. model, which can be aligned in multiples to produce a beam of any desired width. The units have an operating voltage of 80-150 kV and weigh less than 30 lb. The emitter’s small size allows it to be easily integrated into existing manufacturing and production equipment. This unique technology will likely open the doors for numerous commercial developments in high-speed coating applications.