Today's Manufacturing Pulse
Ford pivots Kentucky battery plant to AI data‑centre storage in $2 billion bet
Ford has launched a $2 billion subsidiary, Ford Energy, to repurpose its Kentucky battery plant for grid‑scale storage. The flagship DC Block container holds 5.45 MWh of LFP cells licensed from CATL, and the company secured a five‑year EDF Power Solutions agreement for up to 20 GWh of storage with deliveries slated for 2028.
Also developing:
By the numbers: USA Rare Earth secures $1.6B federal funding under CHIPS Act
Roland DGA Launches UV Direct-to-Film System with New Media
Roland DGA unveiled a UV Direct‑to‑Film (DTF) system that pairs new UV‑DTFA print sheets with UV‑DTFB transfer film. The media delivers up to twice the adhesion of competing solutions while eliminating residue and boosting dimensional stability. Designed for VersaOBJECT MO, VersaOBJECT CO‑i and VersaSTUDIO BD UV flatbed printers, the system simplifies printing on large, irregular or three‑dimensional objects. The roll‑and‑sheet format enables fast, scratch‑resistant graphics that survive dishwasher cycles, opening new customization opportunities for print shops and makers.
China Wafer Prices Fall for Fourth Week as Discounting Deepens Under Inventory Pressure
Chinese photovoltaic wafer prices fell for a fourth consecutive week, with n‑type M10 wafers dropping 2.38% to $0.164 per piece and n‑type G12 falling 4.98% to $0.191. Operating rates at major wafer producers have slipped below 50%, while inventory levels...
How Medical Device Manufacturers Can Overcome Recruitment Gaps and Accelerate Innovation Hiring with Rapid Prototyping
Medical device makers face a perfect storm of innovation pressure and a severe talent shortage, causing development cycles to stretch 18‑24 months. Rapid prototyping technologies can compress these cycles by up to 40%, enabling faster design iteration and ISO 13485‑compliant...
Pella Workers Talk to Machines, Errors Plummet
Window and door maker Pella has deployed a proprietary voice‑activated connected‑worker platform built on Honeywell software. The system guides operators through tasks, slashing error rates and shortening the time needed to reach full productivity. By standardizing on a scalable solution...
Maximum Efficiency for Metal-Plastic Composite Parts
Swoboda CZ in the Czech Republic has installed a fully automatic production cell to manufacture metal‑plastic switchbox housing components. The new cell, built around a 270‑ton Wittmann vertical injection‑moulding machine with a two‑station rotary table, has doubled the plant’s capacity...
France Launches Tender for 300 Double-Deck EMUs
SNCF Voyageurs and Île‑de‑France Mobilités have issued a joint tender for more than 300 Z2N NG double‑deck EMUs under a framework worth over €8 billion. The 23‑year agreement, running to December 2052, includes a firm order for 52 trains valued at €1.5 billion and optional tranches...
Sunoyster Offers Lightweight 440 W Glass-Covered TOPCon PV Panel
German solar tracker developer Sunoyster Systems has launched the G440, a 440‑watt TOPCon photovoltaic module that weighs just 12 kg and features a 2 mm tempered‑glass cover. The panel delivers 22.2 % efficiency using 108 half‑cut monocrystalline cells and can be glued directly...
Gitana 18, a Racing Trimaran Sailboat Featuring Future Fibres’ Latest Rigging
The Gitana Team unveiled the 104‑foot Gitana 18 Maxi Edmond de Rothschild in Lorient on 14 February. Designed with Guillaume Verdier, the trimaran features fully foiling hulls, retractable Y‑foils and a rotating diamond mast. North Sails, Southern Spars and Future Fibres supplied...
Researchers Test SLS of PHB With Biocarbon
Researchers evaluated selective laser sintering of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) blended with a biocarbon filler to assess its viability as a greener powder‑bed material. By varying bed temperature, laser power, scan speed and hatch spacing, they identified a narrower yet manageable sintering...
Application Spotlight: AI-Designed Patient-Specific Spinal Implants Set for First In-Human Procedures in 2026
Nivalon, founded by Todd Hodrinsky and Marcel Janse, is preparing to launch its AI‑designed, patient‑specific spinal implant system, EvoFlex, in first‑in‑human trials slated for 2026. The implants are generated through machine‑learning algorithms that model each patient’s vertebral geometry, aiming to...
Austal Lands Massive $4 Billion Deal to Build Eight LCH Vessels for Australia
Austal Defence Australia secured a $4 billion Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement to build eight Landing Craft Heavy vessels for the Australian Defence Force. The 100‑metre, 4,000‑ton ships, based on the Damen LST100 design, can carry over 200 personnel, six M1A2 Abrams tanks...
The Value of Circular Steel in Modern Construction
7 Steel UK is scaling a fully domestic, circular steel model that turns the UK’s 8 Mt of annual scrap into low‑carbon billets using an electric arc furnace. By keeping scrap in‑country, the company shortens supply chains, boosts material traceability and cuts embodied...
INSPECTIS Launches New Ring Light With Dual White & UV Light
INSPECTIS AB introduced the HD‑124‑WUV Dual White & UV Ring Light, featuring 32 white and 8 UV LEDs for high‑intensity, interchangeable illumination. The product will debut at the IPC/APEX Expo in March 2026 and integrates directly with INSPECTIS digital microscopes,...
Additive Manufacturing Set to Drive $110B Market by 2034, Reports AM Research
Additive manufacturing is projected to generate $110 billion in market impact by 2034, up from $24.5 billion in 2025, according to AM Research. The forecast draws on more than ten years of historical data and covers metal and polymer parts across eight...
Hexagon Launches New Certified Marker-Free HYPERSCAN 3D Scanner
Swedish metrology firm Hexagon unveiled the HYPERSCAN 3D scanner, a portable, marker‑free system designed for large‑scale production inspection. Certified to VDI/VDE 2634‑3 and validated by an ISO 17025 lab, the scanner offers two models—Ultra (5.5 m range) and Super (7 m range) with up...
Top.E R1: 5-Axis 3D Printing as an Attack on the Support Structure
The episode examines the Top.E R1, the first desktop 5‑axis AI‑enabled FDM printer, which tilts its build platform up to 30° to print overhangs without traditional support structures. By reducing supports, the printer promises material savings, less post‑processing damage, and...
Cargo Elevator System Using XG5000 PLC Programming
The XG5000 PLC program implements a three‑floor cargo elevator that moves one floor at a time using up and down push‑buttons. Limit‑switch sensors on each floor provide position feedback, while a latched SYSTEM_ON memory bit keeps the controller active after...
Aussie Flash PMI Cools, RBA Still Hot
Australia’s flash PMI for February showed a deceleration, with output and new orders slipping across manufacturing and services after a vigorous start to the year. Despite the slowdown, business sentiment stayed upbeat, and employment rose sharply as firms added staff...
ESAB Corp (ESAB) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp reported Q4 2025 revenue of $2.97 billion, a 14.8% year‑over‑year increase, and adjusted EPS of $2.10, up 25%, while GAAP EPS fell 4.1% due to restructuring charges. The company expanded its multiyear backlog to $27 billion, up...
LR Verifies Performance Assessment Methodology for Jet Sail
GT Wings announced that Lloyd’s Register has verified the performance assessment methodology for its AirWing™ Jet Sail system after ten months of commercial operation on the 20‑metre installation aboard MV Vectis Progress. The sea‑trials covered Atlantic winter routes, Great Lakes passages and...
Incat Crowther Designing Fuel-Cell Ferry for New York
Incat Crowther, together with SWITCH Maritime, is advancing a 28‑metre hydrogen fuel‑cell electric ferry for New York waters. The vessel will carry 150 passengers at 25 knots, powered by 720 kg of compressed hydrogen, delivering a full‑day range without shore‑side charging. Backed...
ASPR Announces Investment to Increase Domestic Production of Essential Drugs
The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) announced its first Defense Production Act Title III investment to boost U.S. manufacturing of essential drugs. The funding targets the chronic shortage of oseltamivir, the antiviral known as Tamiflu, by supporting domestic production...
Thermography Helps Leading Bike Fitter Find Optimal Cyclist Position
Bikefit Van Staeyen in Antwerp has integrated FLIR’s E96 thermal imaging camera into its bike‑fitting process, creating the ‘Lava.flow’ system that visualizes real‑time heat and pressure distribution on cyclists. By merging thermography with motion tracking, force analysis and EMG, the...
Europe Promises Protection for Chemical Makers
European leaders announced a package of measures to rescue the ailing EU chemical sector at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp. The European Commission introduced antidumping duties on imported ABS (5.2%‑21.7%) and BDO (up to 142.5%), targeting South Korean, Taiwanese,...
Warehouse Post-Holiday Recovery: Maintaining Equipment and Staff
After the holiday rush, warehouses enter a post‑peak phase that is often ignored, yet it sets the stage for the next operational cycle. Prolonged equipment use and overtime work create hidden wear, while temporary layouts and staffing adjustments can become...
Heimatec Speed Increasers for Lathes and Swiss-Style Machines
Platinum Tooling Technologies, the exclusive U.S. importer of Heimatec live tools, announced a full line of speed increasers for turning centers and Swiss‑style CNC lathes. The devices offer 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4 gear ratios, pushing spindle speeds to a maximum...
NEXIV Software AutoMeasure Makes Creating Measurement Programs Easier
Nikon Corp. unveiled AutoMeasure, the latest version of its NEXIV software, tailored for the VMZ‑S, VMZ‑H3030 and iNEXIV VMA measurement systems. The update introduces measurement code suggestion, auto‑focus retry, and automatic measurement path optimization to simplify program creation and accelerate...
Midsize U.S. Firms See Tariffs Triple, Squeeze Cash
Tariffs paid by midsize US companies tripled last year, a JPMorganChase Institute study shows. Pass the cost on. Layoff employees. And/or take profit hit. Cash squeeze to pay duties and invoices. https://t.co/iPsMW2h5iP
China’s Factories Span From Ultra‑modern to Unsafe Extremes
True. Crazy what variety of manufacturing environments exist in China. From factories that are far more automated, clean, modern than any equivalent one in the US to ones that would get shutdown by a combined OSHA, EPA, NLRB squad in...
Think Lighting Audits Are Just About Energy Savings? Think Again
A lighting audit does more than cut electricity bills; it uncovers hidden operational risks and opportunities. By pinpointing fixtures that are near failure, audits help schedule replacements during planned shutdowns, avoiding costly unplanned downtime. They also improve worker safety, health,...
Hands On With The Bambu Lab P2S Combo, Part 1
Bambu Lab has launched the P2S Combo, its latest desktop 3D printer that supersedes the popular P1S. The machine retains the 256 mm cubic build volume but adds a rigid steel frame, 600 mm/s peak speed (practically 300 mm/s), and a 40 mm³/s material...
Saertex Strengthens Market Presence in Turkey with New Distribution Partner
Saertex announced a distribution agreement with Neva Kompozit Teknoloji ve Marine San. Tic. Ltd. Şti., expanding its footprint in Turkey. The partnership will bring Saertex’s multiaxial glass, carbon and natural fibre fabrics, plus custom lightweight solutions, directly to Turkish customers....
MTorres, Airbus Enable Next-Gen Composites via Thin-Ply AFP
MTorres has redesigned its automated fiber placement (AFP) heads to reliably handle ultra‑thin, low‑weight composite tapes, addressing twisting, wrinkling and misalignment issues. The company also upgraded its TorFiber CAM software—integrated with Dassault Systemes’ CATIA—to generate closed‑geometry and self‑intersecting tow paths automatically....
Sawmill Systems Test Assets Intangibly
Comact has deployed Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk Logix Echo to emulate 48 ControlLogix 5580 processors, expanding its testing capacity far beyond the limits of physical hardware. The virtual environment costs roughly one‑tenth of traditional PLC racks, delivering a scalable, cost‑effective platform for sawmill...
Execution, Not Chat: How Agentic AI Changes Supply Chain Operations
Agentic AI is shifting supply chain management from advisory chatbots to autonomous execution across ERP, WMS, and TMS systems. By embedding bounded autonomy, situational awareness, and direct action authority, these agents compress the detect‑decide‑act loop and reduce the costly “execution...
China State Shipbuilding Corporation Launches a Large-Scale Rotor Sail
China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) subsidiary Sunrui Environment and Sunrui Composites have launched a 5‑metre‑diameter, 35‑metre‑tall rotor sail at Dalian, touted as the world’s largest. The sail uses the Magnus effect to convert wind into thrust, offering lightweight, high‑efficiency propulsion...
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Kenco’s 2026 Innovation Report reveals that supply‑chain leaders are leaning heavily on AI and proven technologies to offset inflation and labor‑shortage pressures. While 83% of respondents maintain a dedicated innovation budget, only 35% increased it year‑over‑year, and half allocate at...
Viridi Replaces New York Municipal Diesel Generator with Battery
Viridi installed a 150‑kWh battery energy storage system at Erie County Sewer District No. 2 in Hamburg, New York, replacing a diesel backup generator. The BESS provides 32‑90 hours of power depending on pump demand, eliminating fuel use and cutting emissions. Real‑time...
How Automation Addresses Industry’s Worker Shortage While Improving Safety and Job Satisfaction
Manufacturers are turning to collaborative robots and machine‑tending automation to combat a persistent labor shortage. By moving workers from repetitive, ergonomically‑dangerous tasks—such as single‑cell welding or CNC loading—to supervisory roles across multiple cells, firms boost productivity and job satisfaction. Safety‑driven...
GameChange Solar Launches GeniusShip Logistics Aide
GameChange Solar introduced GeniusShip, a logistics platform that tags every delivery with a unique QR code, delivering component‑level data to site teams. The system provides real‑time calculations of installation zones, automatically adjusting to on‑site constraints. By improving material visibility and...
Talon PV Secures German Wafer Supply for American-Made Solar Cells
U.S. solar‑cell maker Talon PV has signed a long‑term supply agreement with German wafer producer NexWafe. The deal provides approximately 7 GW of NexWafe’s EpiNex silicon wafers through 2032 to fuel Talon’s planned 4.8‑GW TOPCon manufacturing facility in Baytown, Texas. The...
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Alloyed Ltd secured a £1 million grant from the UK ATI Programme to fast‑track the development of ABD®‑1000AM®, a nickel‑based superalloy engineered for laser powder‑bed fusion additive manufacturing. The project, run with ITP Aero and Cranfield University, aims to produce 3D‑printed jet‑engine...
ProEnergy Supply, OpenSolar Partner on Distributor Inventory Platform
ProEnergy Supply (PES) has launched an AI‑driven transactional gateway that integrates directly with OpenSolar’s new Shop platform, allowing solar designers to purchase equipment in real time. The solution connects live inventory to distributors’ ERP systems, reaching over 28,000 active solar...
SPE Opens Thermoset TopCon Student Poster Competition
The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Thermoset Division is hosting its fifth annual TopCon student poster competition at the Thermoset TopCon Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, on May 12‑13, 2026. Graduate and undergraduate students must submit abstracts by April 10, 2026,...
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions: Additive Manufacturing Powers the Future of Defense and Space
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is accelerating its defense and space programs by investing heavily in additive manufacturing, highlighted by the acquisition of a Velo3D Sapphire metal 3D printer and the launch of a CAMM materials‑characterization program. The company uses...
Roland DGA Launches Elevate Denture Solution for Digital Workflows
Roland DGA has introduced the Elevate Denture Solution, a digital denture kit that bundles Ivoclar Ivotion discs, hyperDENT CAM strategies, adapters and PMMA tooling for use with DGSHAPE DWX‑53 series mills. Developed with Ivoclar and FOLLOW‑ME! Technology, the solution offers...
DHL Expands Airfreight Cold Chain Network
DHL Group is expanding its dedicated air‑freight cold‑chain network, adding more than 30 GDP‑compliant aviation hubs and a new Brussels‑Cincinnati corridor. The rollout is part of a €2 bn investment in DHL Health Logistics and includes a dedicated Boeing 777 freighter painted...
L3Harris to Provide Communications Systems for Virginia and Columbia-Class Subs
L3Harris Technologies secured its largest full‑rate production contract to supply communications systems for 26 shipsets destined for the U.S. Navy’s Virginia‑class fast‑attack and upcoming Columbia‑class ballistic‑missile submarines. The award, granted by General Dynamics Electric Boat, spans production through 2033 and...
Nordlicht I Components Completed Early
Nordlicht I’s first monopiles and transition pieces were finished ahead of schedule by EEW and CS Wind, marking a key milestone before offshore construction begins later this year. The 68 steel structures, up to 80.5 metres long and 1,290 tonnes heavy, position the project...
Additive Screen Printing: Scalable Production Meets Micro Precision
Additive Screen Printing (ASP) merges industrial screen printing with additive manufacturing to produce metal and ceramic components with micro‑precision at high volume. The process deposits material paste through precision screens layer‑by‑layer, cures each layer, then sinters the green parts to...