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
Creality’s CFS-C Eliminates Hot-End Purging with New Remote Cutting Approach
Creality has launched the CFS‑C filament swapper, marketed as a “no‑purge” solution for its K1 series desktop FFF printers. By relocating the filament‑cutting operation from the hot end to the swapper, the system eliminates the traditional purge cycle, cutting change‑over time for multicolour prints. Waste is still generated, but it is collected in a basket rather than extruded as “poop.” The unit adds sensors, cutter‑wear monitoring and a humidity display, but omits filament drying, and retails for US $319.
Made Smarter Funding Supports AFD Systems Digital Enhancements for Expertise Growth
AFD Systems secured a £20,000 Made Smarter grant to acquire a high‑precision 3D laser scanner, launching a dedicated metrology and reverse‑engineering team. The new capability integrates scanning data into design, simulation and additive‑manufacturing workflows, enabling faster part development. AFD aims...
Cannon Group R&D Improves Precise Composite Mold Temperature Control
The Cannon Group unveiled its Nexus composite mold system, which integrates heating elements directly into the mold structure, delivering 25% more precise temperature regulation than conventional fluid‑based tools. Field tests on polyurethane reaction injection molding showed energy consumption slashed by...
Automation Alley Expands Industrial 3D Printing Access for SMEs
Automation Alley’s Project DIAMOnD has opened its Digital Transformation Center to companies outside its membership. The DTC now offers fee‑based access to industrial‑grade polymer and metal 3D printing technologies, including powder‑bed fusion, large‑format FFF/MEX, and directed energy deposition. SMEs can...
Comstock Metals Approved as Authorized Solar Panel Recycler in California
Comstock Metals received approval from California’s Dept. of Toxic Substances Control to operate as a universal waste recycler for solar panels. The authorization adds a drop‑off facility in Kings County, enabling end‑of‑life panels to be collected locally and then shipped...
Volvo Cars to Recall 40,000 Electric SUVs over Battery Fire Risk
Volvo Cars announced a recall of 40,323 EX30 electric SUVs after discovering that the high‑voltage battery packs can overheat and pose a fire risk. The recall targets both single‑motor extended‑range and twin‑motor performance variants, requiring replacement of the faulty modules....
MIT Engineers 3D Print Fully Functional Electric Motor
MIT engineers have unveiled a multi‑material 3D printer capable of fabricating a fully functional electric linear motor in a single print job. The system integrates four distinct extruders that handle conductive, magnetic, and standard plastic materials, allowing the motor to...
China Tests S2000 Grid-Connected High-Altitude Wind Turbine
Chinese startup Lin Yi Yuan Chuan Energy Technology successfully tested its S2000 airborne wind power system, a megawatt‑class platform that ascended to roughly 2,000 meters and fed electricity into the local grid. The maiden grid test produced 385 kWh, marking the first...
SHD Composites Commissions Wide-Format UD Prepreg, Film Coating Lines
SHD Composites has commissioned a 1,500‑mm wide‑format unidirectional prepreg line and an advanced film‑coating line, expanding its capacity to supply large‑scale, high‑performance composites for automotive, aerospace, marine and defence sectors. The new equipment, based on internal designs, enables rapid‑turn development...
Mastering MedTech Intelligence: The Intelligent Product Lifecycle at Fresenius Medical Care
Fresenius Medical Care has adopted PTC’s digital‑thread platform to create an intelligent product lifecycle that unifies design, quality and manufacturing data. The solution builds a shared product data foundation, enhancing traceability of requirements, design changes, and compliance documentation across cross‑functional...
The Used Truck Market Signals a Turn
The used‑truck market, long viewed as a real‑time barometer for freight health, is showing signs of recovery as large fleets begin to replace aging equipment. Spot rates have risen and diesel prices have fallen, easing the scarcity that has constrained...
Trump Tariffs Spur Urgent 12‑Month Market Diversification
Another threat from Trump on tariffs. How much market diversification can countries do? Now? In the next 12 months? And supply chains and logistics?
Paris Launches Tender for up to 300 Double-Decker EMUs
Paris Île‑de‑France Mobilités and SNCF Voyageurs have issued a single‑supplier tender for up to 300 new double‑deck EMUs on the RER C line, with a firm order for 52 units valued at up to €1.5 billion. The €8 billion framework could ultimately replace...
Uavos Completes High-Efficiency Aerocomposite Curing Oven
Uavos Inc. has completed validation of a top‑loaded aerocomposite curing oven that delivers ±1.7 °C temperature uniformity, 2 kW heating and up to 200 °C operation while cutting energy use by 15‑25 %. The system’s dual‑fan airflow architecture promises lower scrap rates and higher...
EU Halts US Trade Deal, Shifts Focus to Asia
EU stops trade deal with the US. What is next for the EU, India, and China and trade deals with the US? And for supply chains and logistics?
Supply Chain Cyber Risk Strategies Shift Toward Resilience
Supply chain cyber risk is moving from a pure prevention mindset to a resilience‑first strategy. Third‑party exposure dominates, with 61% of firms reporting a supplier breach in the past year, prompting tighter transparency and governance. AI accelerates both attacks—often under...
Miami International Airport Reports Sixth Year of Cargo Growth
Miami International Airport announced its sixth consecutive year of cargo growth, with 2025 shipments rising 13.6% to nearly 3.5 million tons. The airport handled a record 3 million tons in 2024, a 9% increase over 2023, and 84% of volumes were international....
Correction to European Steel Plate Import Prices on February 19
Fastmarkets announced corrections to its European steel plate import price assessments after discovering currency conversion errors. The Northern Europe 8‑40 mm plate range (MB‑STE‑0049) is now €609‑650 per tonne, down from the mistakenly reported €720. The Southern Europe range (MB‑STE‑0050) is...
Blizzard Shuts Down Container Terminals at Northeast Ports
A historic nor'easter dumped up to 13 inches of snow in the New York metropolitan area, prompting seven states to declare emergencies and forcing the shutdown of the region's busiest maritime gateway, Port Newark. All gates at APM Terminals, Maher...
Canadian APMA Unveils Two 3D-Printed Electric SUV Demonstrators Under Project Arrow Initiative
The Canadian Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association (APMA) showcased two 3D‑printed electric SUV demonstrators, Project Arrow Vector and Project Arrow Borealis, at a recent trade show. Both models feature a 550 km electric range and Level 3 autonomous driving capability, with a central‑facing...
AI Funding Could Sideline Manufacturing and Job Growth
Fed’s Waller: Spending on AI. That capital could go to manufacturing and upstream supply chain fe-risking and diversification. Reshore? Onshore? And the economy and jobs?
2026 FleetOwner 500: For-Hire List
FleetOwner’s 2026 FO500 for‑hire ranking shows little movement at the top, with Schneider National edging past TFI International to claim the sixth spot while the top‑ten list remains unchanged. Growth among lower‑ranked carriers is driven largely by mergers and acquisitions,...
Rising Opposition Threatens Hapag-Lloyd's ZIM Acquisition Deal
Opposition to ZIM’s sale to Hapag-Lloyd grows. Will Hapag-Lloyd seek a lower price or walk away from the deal? Any other potential buyer would face the same issues. https://t.co/sE5hMJ28vO
Tariff Refunds Boost Retailer Profits, Not Consumer Refunds
If retailers raised prices during tariffs, that doesn’t create a liability to each customer—it creates profit (or covers costs). So if or when tariff refunds arrive, the default outcome is: firms recoup, shoppers don’t. Bottom line: You aren't getting a penny...
‘Buy American’ Shifts to ‘Don’t Buy Chinese’ for Government Solar Projects
The federal government’s solar procurement is pivoting from a broad "Buy American" stance to a targeted "Don’t Buy Chinese" approach. The 2021 Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act still requires 55% domestic content, but agencies frequently seek waivers when U.S.-made...
Trump's Unpredictable Tariffs Threaten Transpacific Supply Chains
Trump tariff turmoil clouds transpacific contracting season. The bigger question is Trump’s unpredictability for imports and revenue. Goes beyond the 15% and what he may do next? That supply chain risk is also logistics risk. https://t.co/mQLO4g8ITo
Fox ESS Releases Hybrid Inverters for Commercial PV
Fox ESS has launched the H3‑Pro series, a line of five three‑phase hybrid inverters targeting commercial photovoltaic installations. The models handle 30‑50 kW PV input and 15‑30 kW AC output, support up to 200% PV oversizing, and can be paired with two CQ6...
Zim Takeover Raises Questions for Transpac Shippers – and MSC
Hapag‑Lloyd’s pending acquisition of Zim will reshape the Asia‑US east‑coast trade, especially the five vessel‑sharing services currently run with MSC. The carrier can either keep Zim’s premium, time‑sensitive strings separate or fold them into the Gemini alliance, each option raising...
Importers Brace for Potential 15%+ Tariff Surge
Trump. Is he amping up for more than 15% global tariffs? With his unpredictability, what do importer supply chains do now?
Clark: Managing Third- and Fourth-Party Cyber Risk in Trucking Operations
Third‑party vendors are now a primary attack vector for trucking firms, with 35.5% of all data breaches in 2024 traced to external partners—a 6.5% rise year‑over‑year. The report also notes that 4.5% of breaches originated from fourth‑party suppliers, highlighting deep...
Lam Research Deepens Investment in Boise, Idaho, to Support Projected Growth in U.S. Semiconductor Manufacturing
Lam Research inaugurated a new 9,200‑sq‑ft office in Boise, Idaho, staffed initially by about 150 employees focused on research, development and high‑volume manufacturing for Micron’s memory technology. The facility underscores Lam’s multi‑year strategy to expand U.S. operations and accelerate chip...
Short‑term Tariffs Won’t Drive Multi‑year Investment
A tariff that expires in 150 days isn’t a long-run industrial policy. Firms invest on multi-year horizons. If the policy is temporary, the investment response will be, too: mostly none. (This was recorded when the tariff rate was 10%; it's...
De Minimis Still Shelved After Supreme Court’s Tariff Ruling
The U.S. de minimis exemption, which let shipments under $800 enter duty‑free, remains suspended after President Trump’s executive order, despite a Supreme Court ruling that declared IEEPA‑based tariffs unconstitutional. The Court’s decision did not directly address the exemption, leaving its legal...
Local Content Rules Halve EV Subsidy Effectiveness
New @nberpubs: "Industrial Policies for Multi-Stage Production: The Battle for Battery-Powered Vehicles" https://t.co/DX6XB7e1R0 "local content requirements... drive up costs and reduce subsidy uptake, undoing more than half of the EV adoption stimulus coming from pure buyer subsidies" 😲
Celsius Seals Samsung Heavy LNG Carrier Order
Celsius Tankers, a subsidiary of Denmark’s Celsius Shipping, has placed an order for a 180,000‑cubic‑metre LNG carrier with South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries. The contract, valued at roughly KRW 368 billion ($255 million), lifts Celsius’s LNG fleet to 24 vessels. The new ship...
Mercedes-Benz Advances E-Mobility Offensive for Commercial Vehicles with New eArocs 400
Mercedes‑Benz Trucks unveiled the eArocs 400, a battery‑electric construction truck equipped with a 414 kWh LFP pack and up to 240 km range, after completing winter tests down to –20 °C. The vehicle features a 380 kW continuous, 450 kW peak drivetrain, 400 kW CCS2 fast‑charging, and...
CMA CGM Renews ULD Agreement with Jettainer
CMA CGM Air Cargo has signed a long‑term extension of its unit load device (ULD) partnership with Jettainer, the Lufthansa Cargo‑owned ULD solutions provider. The agreement gives CMA CGM access to Jettainer’s network of more than 100,000 ULDs across 500 global...
High-Temp Sodium-Zinc Batteries Reveal Causes of Rapid Capacity Loss
Researchers at Germany's Helmholtz‑Zentrum Dresden‑Rossendorf used operando X‑ray radiography to watch sodium‑zinc molten‑salt batteries function at 600 °C, uncovering hidden aging mechanisms. The imaging revealed liquid‑metal movement, dendrite formation, and electrolyte breakdown that together drive rapid capacity loss. Although the chemistry...
ShinWon Calls for Data-Driven Supply Chain Approach at OECD Paris
ShinWon’s corporate‑strategy VP Eunice Kim spoke at the OECD Forum in Paris, highlighting the company’s data‑driven supply‑chain approach. She detailed how real‑time production dashboards, integrated ERP systems, and daily monitoring of line efficiency, capacity and absenteeism enable dynamic scheduling and...
Leanshoring: Winning with Customers by Bringing the Business Closer
Global supply‑chain shocks and tariff volatility are prompting U.S. firms to reconsider offshoring. Jim Womack’s "leanshoring" model combines lean manufacturing with reshoring, demanding a full‑cost analysis that accounts for risk, intellectual property and skill loss. GE Appliances illustrates the approach,...
Qualcomm–Tata Tie-Up for Automotive Module Manufacturing
Qualcomm Technologies and Tata Electronics have signed a partnership to produce Qualcomm Automotive Modules at Tata's new semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facility in Assam, India. The $3 bn greenfield plant will integrate Snapdragon Digital Chassis system‑on‑chips into ready‑to‑deploy automotive modules...
Porcher Industries Launches New Shape-Memory Thermoplastic Hybrid Textiles
Porcher industries unveiled a shape‑memory thermoplastic hybrid textile at JEC World 2026, merging glass, carbon or aramid fibers into a high‑areal‑weight fabric. The material drapes easily, remembers its shape, and cuts the number of plies needed, enabling complex 3‑D forming...
The Redefined Role of Steel in Solar Energy Projects
Solar installations are scaling up, prompting steel to shift from a simple commodity to a strategic engineering component. Project developers now demand steel that meets strict quality, traceability, and performance standards over 25‑year service lives. Integrated production models—combining high‑volume manufacturing,...
Is Inventory Processing Time Slowing Your Brand’s Growth?
Small and mid‑size brands are losing cash flow when inventory induction time— the period between arrival at a fulfillment center and being sale‑ready—gets stretched. Delays lock capital, force costly expedited freight, and can miss seasonal demand, squeezing margins. A hybrid...
How AI Agents Are Solving Logistics’ Most Repetitive Task: Track and Trace
Logistics firms are turning to AI agents to automate the labor‑intensive track and trace function, which can cost up to $25 per shipment in manual effort. Shipwell’s Track & Trace AI Worker, embedded in a transportation management system, gave Airlite...
Morocco Sets Net‑metering Tariffs for High, Medium‑voltage Systems
Morocco’s electricity regulator ANRE announced net‑metering tariffs for high, medium and extra‑high voltage solar plants effective 1 March 2026‑28 February 2027. Plant owners will receive MAD 0.21/kWh during peak hours and MAD 0.18/kWh off‑peak, with the low‑voltage residential rate to be set later. The regime permits...
3D Printed Dissolving Microneedles
Researchers have demonstrated dissolving microneedle (DMN) arrays fabricated using resin‑based 3D‑printed master molds, enabling drug delivery through the inner cheek. The workflow pairs rapid SLA/DLP printing with polymer micromolding, allowing design changes from CAD to mold within hours. Mechanical, dissolution...
U.S. Army Launches UH-60M Black Hawk Modification Initiative
The U.S. Army issued a Request for Information to explore a commercial modification line for its UH‑60M Black Hawk fleet. The program would upgrade 12 to 24 helicopters each year through component overhauls and integration of existing modernization kits. By...
U.S. Army Surveys Industry for M225A1 Mortar Component Supply
The U.S. Army issued a Sources Sought Notice to evaluate domestic manufacturers’ ability to produce the firing‑mechanism gun for its M225 and M225A1 60 mm mortar systems. The effort targets an estimated need of 55 units per year over two years...
Cleaver-Brooks Unvelis Air-to-Water Heat Pump for Hydronic Heating
Cleaver-Brooks has introduced the ClearAir air‑to‑water heat pump, targeting hydronic heating across residential, commercial and industrial sectors. The unit delivers up to 103 kW of thermal output and can heat water to 80 °C, eliminating the need for distribution upgrades. It features...