Applied intends to trim the industry's costs in four ways: boost solar factory throughput, improve the productivity of every tool, cut materials costs by using photovoltaic materials more sparingly and raise solar cell efficiencies.

FORBES: Seeking The Light

STM, which now exists in dozens of variants, is a vital research tool in such fields as materials science, nanotechnology and microbiology.

ECONOMIST: MONITORS: And the winners are... | The

Advancements in materials and speed will be made simultaneously and additive manufacturing will become a brilliantly useful industrial tool.

FORBES: 3D Printing Doesn't Live Up To The Hype Yet

As the aerospace industry turns to new materials like titanium and car makers shrink engines to boost efficiency, they provide machine-tool makers with new markets.

ECONOMIST: Germany��s economic model