Today's Manufacturing Pulse
Honeywell rolls out AI‑driven Experion upgrades and new cybersecurity suite
At the 2026 Honeywell Users Group conference, Honeywell introduced Feature Pack 3 for its Experion Process Knowledge System, adding Module Type Packages and a new Unit Operations Controller version. The company also launched Experion Cognition R100, an AI‑assisted platform designed to cut the $2 million average cost of unplanned downtime. A parallel announcement detailed an expanded OT Cybersecurity Suite with five new AI‑powered protections.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Factorial Energy completes $1.3B SPAC merger and Nasdaq listing
Filamentive Launches rPA12 Filament Made From Recycled MJF Powder Waste
Filamentive, a UK sustainable‑materials supplier, has launched rPA12, a nylon‑12 filament made entirely from recycled Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) powder waste. Developed with extrusion specialist 3devo, the filament matches the toughness, heat resistance and low moisture absorption of virgin PA12, and is offered on 1.75 mm, 1 kg spools. The product is positioned for industrial FFF/FDM applications and serves as a practical example of a closed‑loop supply chain for high‑volume MJF operators. Filamentive claims it is the world’s first commercially available filament of this type, marking a step toward circular economy in additive manufacturing.
NNSA, Sandia and Kansas City National Security Campus Open CAMINO Facility
On February 12, the National Nuclear Security Administration, Sandia National Laboratories, and the Kansas City National Security Campus inaugurated the Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation (CAMINO) at the Science and Technology Park near Kirtland Air Force Base. The new...
Ukrainian Startup Launches Production of Segmented Combat Wheels
Ukrainian startup Qirim Technology has begun production of segmented airless wheels for military ground drones and vehicles. The modular design replaces traditional pneumatic tires with interchangeable rubber segments mounted on a steel frame, eliminating punctures. Wheels are supplied free to...
Nemetschek Arabia Signs MoU with Saudi Facility Management Association
Nemetschek Arabia and the Saudi Facility Management Association have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding to drive digital transformation in Saudi Arabia’s facilities management sector. The MoU aligns with Vision 2030, focusing on BIM, digital twins, and data‑driven operations through joint...
Certis Partners to Deploy Autonomous Security Robots
Certis Group has signed a strategic partnership with FieldAI to roll out autonomous security robots across multi‑site operations worldwide. The collaboration blends FieldAI’s Field Foundation Models—general‑purpose AI that navigates without pre‑mapped routes—with Certis’ Mozart orchestration platform that synchronises robots, human...
When Hail Hits PV: New Research Maps Damage, Testing, and Mitigation
A new European‑led review maps how large hail damages photovoltaic (PV) modules, summarising laboratory tests, simulations and field studies across Europe and the United States. The paper cites 9,882 hail events in Europe in 2023, a €6 billion loss in northern...
Natural Spa Factory Champions Low Volume, High Mix Manufacturing to Support Emerging and Premium Brands
Natural Spa Factory’s Low‑Volume High‑Mix (LVHM) model lets emerging and premium brands produce small‑batch, multi‑format products without sacrificing professional‑grade formulation, quality control, or compliance. By consolidating formulation, filling, packaging, printing, fulfillment and dropshipping under one roof, the factory reduces handoffs...
Smart Water Systems in Automated Manufacturing
Industrial water treatment is shifting from manual oversight to a continuously monitored, data‑driven asset within automated factories. Sensors on reverse‑osmosis units feed pressure, conductivity and flow data into PLCs and SCADA systems, allowing real‑time alignment of water quality with production...
3D Printed Pipe Embeds Heater And Sensor For Space
A European consortium has 3D‑printed a 150 mm spacecraft‑grade pipe in 316L stainless steel that embeds a 60 W resistive heater, internal wiring, a D‑sub connector, and an aerosol‑jet‑printed temperature sensor. The design‑for‑additive‑manufacturing approach eliminates separate Kapton heaters and fragile leads, aiming...
Apple to Start Assembling Mac Mini in the United States This Year
Apple will begin assembling the Mac mini in the United States in 2026, a notable shift for a product that makes up about five percent of global Mac sales. The 2024 redesign introduced the first major update since 2010, pairing...
Freightos Revenues up Nearly 25% in 2025
Freightos reported $29.5 million revenue for 2025, a 24 % increase over 2024, driven by higher carrier participation and transaction volume. Adjusted EBITDA narrowed to a $11.2 million loss, improving from $12.6 million the prior year, while cash reserves remain sufficient to fund growth....
Prometheus Starts Work on New Indiana Solid Rocket Motor Campus
Prometheus Energetics, a joint venture between Kratos Defense and RAFAEL, broke ground on a 600‑acre solid rocket motor campus in Bloomfield, Indiana. The facility will house four production lines capable of delivering up to 800 tons of domestic energetics annually, with...
70 Questions Reveal STEP 7’s Top Engineering Pain Points
Almost 70 questions for the STEP 7 Product Manager – this is going to be good. 🔥 We asked you what you’ve always wanted to ask the STEP 7 Product Manager in the TIA Portal. And you delivered: nearly 70...
ECER.com Redefines the Future of Mobile B2B Commerce
ECER.com is transforming international B2B trade by turning smartphones into full‑service sourcing hubs. The platform adds instant mobile alerts, multilingual AI chat and live video, letting buyers respond to inquiries any time, as demonstrated by a Guangzhou firm that closed...
SecFund Invests in Advanced Composite Manufacturer Arceon
Arceon, a Delft‑based advanced composite maker, received new capital from SecFund and Tenzing Alpha to commercialise its carbon‑based material Carbeon. The single‑step silicon infiltration process makes Carbeon lighter, stronger and faster to produce, targeting rockets, satellites and hypersonic platforms. The...
$1.9B SEED Precinct Targets Advanced Manufacturing, Factory Opportunities in Western Sydney
Mirvac and Australian Retirement Trust have secured state approval for the first stage of SEED, a $1.9 billion industrial precinct in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. The 39‑hectare development, part of a 90‑hectare masterplan adjacent to the upcoming Western Sydney International Airport,...
XPONENTIAL 2026 in Detroit Showcases an Industry Ready to Scale
XPONENTIAL 2026, held May 11‑14 in Detroit, is the world’s largest showcase for uncrewed systems, robotics, and autonomy across air, ground and maritime sectors. The event emphasizes production‑ready technology, with exhibitors demonstrating integrated platforms, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable deployment at...
AI-Powered End-of-Line Inspection Redefines Quality Control
Production lines face rising variant complexity and tighter delivery windows, pushing traditional visual inspections to their limits. Austrian Danube Dynamics teamed with Aspöck Systems to deploy the AI‑driven “auros for quality” platform, leveraging IDS uEye XCP cameras for end‑of‑line testing...
Apple to Shift some Mac Mini Production to Houston From Asia, WSJ Reports
Apple announced it will begin assembling a portion of its Mac Mini desktop computers at Foxconn’s new plant in north Houston later this year, while maintaining Asian production lines. The move aligns with the company’s broader $600 billion U.S. investment commitment...
Trump's Tariff Rate Uncertain: 10% Formal, 15% Unconfirmed
Trump's 10% global tariff was formalized in a proclamation from Friday and goes into effect at midnight tonight. He later said he would raise it to 15% but with three hours to go, is yet to do anything formal to...
Felton Industries Launches Manufacturing Push with Tow & Fold Mobile Grandstand Range
Australian outdoor‑furniture maker Felton Industries has introduced the Tow & Fold mobile grandstand, a towable trailer that expands into a nine‑tier, 200‑seat spectator platform. The system targets regional councils, schools and event operators seeking high‑capacity, flexible seating without the labor‑intensive...
EU Sets Recycled Plastics Targets, Expands to Steel, Aluminium
EU agrees recycled plastics targets for cars, with future recycled steel and aluminium rules under end-of-life vehicles regulation. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/02/eu-end-of-life-vehicles-regulation-sets.html
Equal Tariffs, but China Parity May Backfire
Memo to self: file under unintended consequences. ✍️ @ft “The tariff structure puts all countries on an equal footing. . 💥”But parity with China is not necessarily good news.” For other countries 🎩📈 @SimonEvenett @IMD_Bschool https://t.co/OCibAcj1Ms
China’s Xiaomi Starts In-House Appliance Production in Push for Quality
Xiaomi has launched an in‑house home‑appliance production line at a new Wuhan plant, investing roughly RMB 2.5 billion ($350 million) and achieving a capacity of up to 7 million units annually. The company plans to manufacture about 20% of its air‑conditioners and other key...
Germany Injects €1.3B Into Salzgitter Green Steel
After financial commitments fell through, the German government pours €1.3 BILLION into Salzgitter’s green steel project. GERMANY'S GREEN SECULAR RELIGION = KILLING THE GERMAN ECONOMY. https://t.co/gmESJ38qxH
Inside Pakistan’s Pivot: From Assembling Kits to Designing Advanced Defence Solutions
At the 2026 World Defence Show in Riyadh, Pakistan’s defence industry announced a strategic shift from licence‑based kit assembly to indigenous design and systems integration. State‑run firms displayed a range of home‑developed products, including GIDS’s Shahpar UAVs and Blaze loitering...
Solid Power Inc (SLDP) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Simpson Manufacturing reported full‑year 2025 net sales of $2.3 billion, a 4.5% increase driven primarily by pricing, modest acquisitions and favorable FX. Operating margin rose to 19.6% after $13.1 million in cost‑saving initiatives and a $12.9 million gain from asset sales. The company...
Albany International Corp (AIN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Albany International reported Q4 2025 revenue of $1.2 billion and full‑year sales of $4.6 billion, the strongest top line since 2012. Adjusted EBITDA rose 11% YoY to $232 million in the quarter and $859 million for the year, pushing the margin to 19.7%, a...
Interface Inc (TILE) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Interface Inc. reported third‑quarter net sales of $364.5 million, a 5.9% increase year over year and 4.2% on a currency‑neutral basis. Adjusted gross profit margin rose 208 basis points to 39.5%, while adjusted operating income grew 24.5% to $54.1 million and EPS...
Lucid Group Inc (LCID) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Lucid Group reported a record 2024 with 9,029 vehicles produced and 10,241 deliveries, a 71% year‑over‑year increase. GAAP gross margin narrowed to –114% from –225% a year earlier, signaling improving cost structure. The new Lucid Gravity SUV generated strong order...
Xometry Inc (XMTR) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Xometry Inc. reported fourth‑quarter 2025 revenue of $2 billion, a 5% year‑over‑year increase, driven by modest LTL growth and higher yields. Adjusted EBITDA rose 11% to $312 million, with the LTL segment contributing $285 million, while adjusted diluted EPS climbed 18% to $0.88....
Ethical Clothing Australia Urges Local Manufacturing for Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Uniforms
Ethical Clothing Australia has launched a campaign urging that the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic uniforms be produced locally under accredited ethical standards. A YouGov poll shows 82% of Australians support domestic manufacturing of the gear, while 85% want government...
Industrial Housing Cuts Labor Costs in Pricey Cities
It's also bc site-built home construction is so labor intensive ... which means cities with high housing costs have high CONSTRUCTION costs That's exactly why @americanhousing is doing industrial manufacturing of high quality, non-combustible, beautiful, dense, attached housing We are bringing down...
DAF Increases B-21 Raider Production Capacity to Deliver Combat Capability Faster
The Department of the Air Force and Northrop Grumman have signed an agreement to expand B‑21 Raider production, leveraging $4.5 billion authorized in FY 2025 legislation. The deal raises annual production capacity by 25 %, compressing delivery timelines while preserving cost and performance...
DHL Supply Chain Completes 1B Picks with Locus Robotics
Logistics giant DHL Supply Chain announced it has completed one billion picks using Locus Robotics’ autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) across more than 40 global sites. The deployment, which began in 2017, has delivered 30%‑180% higher pick rates and an 80%...
Laser Shockwaves Transform Carbon Nanotube Films Into Graphene-Rich Networks without External Heating
Researchers have demonstrated that nanosecond laser‑induced shockwaves can transform single‑walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin films into multilayer graphene‑rich networks in a single, chemical‑free step. The process applies ~2.27 GPa pressure pulses without external heating, causing the nanotubes to unzip and coalesce...
Chinese Ship Completes First Autonomous Docking and Cargo Handling
Four years after launching the world’s first autonomous electric feeder, China’s 300‑TEU vessel Zhi Fei completed its first fully autonomous docking at Qingdao Port, completing the maneuver in just 30 seconds. The ship, capable of crew‑managed, remote‑controlled or unmanned navigation, operates...
Ottonomy Unveils Platform Connecting Robots, Drones and Smart Infrastructure on NVIDIA
Ottonomy unveiled Ottumn.AI, a cloud‑based platform that orchestrates autonomous robots, drones, and smart infrastructure across healthcare, manufacturing, and commerce. The solution runs on NVIDIA AI hardware, leveraging Jetson edge devices, Isaac Sim digital twins, and cloud GPUs for sub‑30 ms decision...
Additive Research Update: Soft Robots, Hard Materials, Recyclable Ink, and More
Recent academic breakthroughs demonstrate additive manufacturing’s shift from prototyping to production. Cornell University engineered a robot‑based system that prints concrete arches underwater using primarily seafloor sediment, meeting DARPA’s depth requirements. Harvard researchers introduced a mold‑free, rotational multi‑material 3D printing process...
India’s Carbon Capture Moment Has Arrived
India’s 2026‑27 Union Budget earmarked roughly $2.4 billion (₹20,000 crore) for a national carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) programme targeting steel, cement and other heavy‑industry emitters. The funding marks a shift from research‑only projects to a full‑scale industrial strategy, driven by...
Expanded US Mining Would Boost Manufacturing's Material Possibilities
The United States is advancing domestic mining projects in Alaska, California, Pennsylvania and Nebraska to produce critical elements such as cobalt, copper, scandium, gallium and germanium. By securing these inputs, manufacturers can revisit alloy families previously deemed too costly or...
From Which Countries Did the US Import Solar Panels in 2025?
U.S. solar projects continued heavy reliance on imported silicon panels and cells in 2025, with 33 GW of panels and 21 GW of cells entering the market. Imports shifted toward Southeast Asian suppliers, led by Indonesia, Laos and India, while Ethiopia and...
Beyond Digital Twins: NVIDIA and Dassault Bet on Industry World Models
Dassault Systèmes and NVIDIA have launched Industry World Models, a new architectural layer that unites virtual twins with accelerated computing to provide scientifically validated, physics‑based representations of complex engineered systems. Unlike prior industrial AI efforts focused on speed, the partnership...
Green Tech Production Quadruples, Outpaces All Consumer Goods
Technology production (green) * ~50 in 2000 * ~190 today Nearly a 4x increase over 25 years This is the only category with powerful long-term structural growth. It recovered strongly after 2008 and exploded again post-2020. Everything else? Mostly flat. Industrial Production: Consumer Goods (2017...
Trump's Tariff War Sparks Court Battles, Supply‑Chain Uncertainty
Trump tariff vendetta picking up. Will all this go to the courts? Supply chain uncertainty.
Röchling Automotive to Supply TPC Intrusion Protection Plates for European EV OEM
Röchling Automotive announced an expanded partnership with a major European electric‑vehicle OEM to supply composite intrusion‑protection plates across an entire platform beginning in 2027. The plates use a sandwich structure of unidirectional glass‑fiber‑reinforced thermoplastic tapes, delivering high impact resistance while...
Trump’s 15% Tariff Set to Expire, Supply Chains Uncertain
US House not likely to codify Trump’s 15% tariff. So the tariff will expire after 150 days. What will Trump do then? More Trump unpredictability for supply chains?
Panama Transfers CK Hutchinson Terminals to Maersk, Sparks China Speculation
Panama gives two former CK Hutchinson terminals to Maersk. Will China do something to retaliate?
The Hidden Costs of Cheap Suppliers: Why Ignoring Human Rights Threatens Apparel Resilience
The apparel sector faces mounting regulatory pressure as the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and EU Forced Labour and Deforestation regulations demand rigorous supply‑chain due diligence. Companies relying on cheap, subcontracted factories risk product seizures, fines, and reputational damage...
Supplier Profile – Fibox
Fibox Enclosure Systems, with four decades of experience, designs UL‑listed, NEMA‑rated polycarbonate enclosures that protect electrical components in harsh, chemical‑laden or high‑impact environments. The company pioneered injection‑molded polycarbonate in 1966 and now operates manufacturing sites in Finland, Korea and China,...