Daily News Briefs

The National Nuclear Security Administration's Sandia National Laboratories and the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) are signing an agreement today to collaborate on technology including microelectronics, microelectromechanical systems, nanotechnology and software for space and security applications, with an emphasis on manufacturing. UCCS recently established the Rocky Mountain Technology Alliance (RMTA), an organization of industry, government and university leaders seeking to promote high-tech business in the Colorado Springs region. The agreement stems from a relationship between RMTA and Sandia's Regional Alliance for Manufacturing Program, led by Sandia's Manufacturing Systems Science and Technology Division. . . . Cognex Corp., a Natick, Mass., supplier of machine vision systems and vision sensors, has published a report, "Implementing Direct Part Mark Identification (DPMI) -- 10 Important Considerations," on factors to consider when implementing DPMI for traceability, including verification standards, mark placement guidelines and pointers on overall "readability" of codes that have been dot peened, etched or formed directly on surfaces of manufactured items. To request a free report, call 1-877-264-6391 or visit: www.cognex.com/2d