Know What's Happening in Manufacturing
Know What's Happening in Manufacturing
Japan launches $6.3B push to capture 30% of global physical AI robotics market
Japan is committing roughly $6.3 billion to accelerate AI‑powered robotics, targeting a 30% share of the global physical AI market by 2040. The initiative responds to a 14‑year population decline and a shrinking workforce, positioning robots as essential for factories, warehouses and critical infrastructure.
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By the numbers: BlackRock acquires 5% stake in Samsung Heavy Industries
AGY and JPS Composite Materials have launched a North American supply chain to produce low‑coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) glass‑fiber fabric for advanced semiconductor substrates. The partnership pairs AGY’s ultra‑low‑CTE L‑HDI fibers made in Aiken, South Carolina, with JPS’s weaving capability in Statesville, North Carolina. The fabric targets high‑performance IC packaging such as Chip‑on‑Wafer‑on‑Substrate (CoWoS) and System‑on‑Integrated‑Chip (SoIC) platforms. Initial production is underway with customer qualification processes in progress.
UK hot‑rolled coil (HRC) prices are trading at an average €62 per tonne discount to north‑European benchmarks after Tata Steel UK closed its last blast furnace in September 2024. Imports have surged from 770,000 t in 2023 to 1.4 million t in 2025,...
Industrial real‑estate activity is rebounding after pandemic‑induced vacancies as reshoring, automation and third‑party logistics (3PL) demand drive a flight to higher‑quality space. Vacancy absorption has accelerated, and CBRE projects renewals to exceed 35% of total leasing volume, well above the...
Researchers at Northwestern University have created an electrically driven carbon‑capture system using quinone‑functionalized covalent organic frameworks (COFs). The open‑flask synthesis produces gram‑scale COF powders that can be spray‑coated onto electrodes, enabling CO₂ adsorption and release via electrochemical redox cycles without...
Enterprises facing tariff spikes, freight cost surges, and geopolitical fragmentation must separate measurable (quantitative) shocks from structural (qualitative) risks. Leaders gain advantage by tightening controllable levers—pricing discipline, bonded inventory, freight timing, and proactive supplier negotiations—rather than blaming external volatility. A...
Transformer supply is hitting a critical bottleneck as lead times for large units have more than doubled since 2019 and U.S. prices have surged 79%. Hitachi Energy is responding with a $1.5 billion investment in new manufacturing capacity, part of a...
Norfolk Southern and global carrier CMA CGM have launched a new intermodal service linking the Midwest to the West Coast, using 40‑foot high‑cube containers and a door‑to‑door model. Managed by Norfolk Southern’s Triple Crown Services, the offering moves freight from Cleveland,...
Damen Shipyards delivered the Multi Cat 3113 vessel, named C‑Trojan, to Leask Marine after a six‑week build using a proven stock hull. The vessel features a DP1 dynamic positioning system, a four‑point mooring arrangement, and a re‑engineered layout that separates work...
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory demonstrated the JPL Additive Compliant Canister (JACC), a 3D‑printed titanium spring, on Proteus Space’s Mercury One small commercial spacecraft on Feb. 3, 2026. The spring unfolded from a 1‑inch stowed height to 6 inches, showcasing a single‑part mechanism that replaces...
MP Materials posted a fourth‑quarter revenue of $52.7 million and net income of $9.4 million, buoyed by a U.S. Department of War price‑floor agreement. The company recorded a 12% year‑over‑year increase in rare‑earth oxide concentrate, producing a record 50,692 metric tons, and more...
Maersk announced it will reroute several U.S. and other services from the Red Sea to the Cape of Good Hope, citing unforeseen security constraints in the region. The changes affect both ME11 and MECL routes, with one westbound and two...
#Technology #Thread #Semiconductor #Manufacturing #Chiplet The Semiconductor Let Us Explore Chiplet State: 1/ - Chiplets Are Redefining How Modern Semiconductor Systems Are Architected. - Instead Of Building One Large Monolithic Die, The Industry Is Moving Toward Modular Integration To Improve Flexibility And Scalability.
A new white paper by Norsepower and Kongsberg Maritime proposes a five‑generation taxonomy for mechanical sails, standardising terminology as wind propulsion shifts from isolated devices to integrated ship‑wide systems. The model spans from manual 1920s rotors (Gen 1) through data‑driven, multi‑sail...
Toray Industries unveiled Toraypearl PA12, a spherical polyamide‑12 powder engineered for powder‑bed‑fusion (PBF) 3D printers. The spherical morphology improves powder flow and packing density, delivering a surface roughness of roughly Ra 7 µm and a Charpy impact strength of 50 kJ/m². PA12 already...
Silver has become a strategic material for the clean‑energy transition, with solar photovoltaics now accounting for roughly 17% of global silver demand. Primary ore grades are falling, pushing the industry toward higher‑grade, above‑ground sources such as retired solar panels that...
U.S. data‑center construction is driving a surge in electricity demand, giving wind turbine OEMs a fresh growth catalyst despite a hostile regulatory environment. German onshore specialist Nordex projects $11 billion in 2025 orders, while Danish Vestas expects revenue of $24‑26 billion in...
Oak Ridge National Laboratory has unveiled a multiplexed extrusion system designed to accelerate large-format 3D printing. Instead of a single bulky hot end, the prototype uses several small extruders whose outputs merge into one deposition line, improving heating efficiency and...
Michelin is redefining its business model, moving beyond traditional tyre manufacturing toward a mobility‑services platform. The French group announced a €5 billion revenue target from services by 2030, backed by a €1 billion investment in air‑less tyre technology and digital sensor integration....
Purafy Clean Technologies and Electromaax have formed a strategic partnership to produce and distribute the Purafy Portage, a portable water purification and desalination system. Electromaax will handle manufacturing and leverage its global marine distribution network, while Purafy supplies graphene‑enhanced ultrafiltration...
Manufacturers are increasingly rolling out their own RAMIS (Rapid Automated Manufacturing Integration Systems) platforms, intensifying competition in the industrial automation sector. The surge reflects a broader shift toward modular, AI‑enabled production lines that promise higher efficiency and lower downtime. Vendors...
On 10 February CrossCountry and Alstom unveiled the first refurbished Voyager train at Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane works. The overhaul delivers a modern interior and exterior, featuring new seats with extra legroom, LED lighting, upgraded tables, power sockets and enhanced CCTV....
James Cropper Advanced Materials introduced Vectis, an industrial‑scale aligned fibre platform that produces Unimat, a non‑impregnated nonwoven mat with up to 95% fibre alignment. The system leverages existing nonwoven equipment to deliver widths of 1,200 mm and areal weights from 20‑200 g/m²,...
Tariff volatility under the Trump administration is forcing U.S. brands to rethink where they source products. Executives like Brooklinen's COO note that shifting production to a new country takes months, not weeks, and domestic cotton supplies are limited. Companies are...
German shipbuilder Fassmer has secured a contract with the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) to build four SAMSe (mod) training boats for the German Navy. The vessels will support nautical instruction and the “Überleben...
ASUS unveiled its Optimized Liquid‑Cooling Solutions and a strategic partner framework to tackle thermal, power, and density challenges in next‑generation AI and high‑performance computing data centers. The portfolio spans direct‑to‑chip, in‑row CDU, and hybrid systems, built with partners such as...
Michael Petch revises his view of the AMUG Conference, arguing it is less an agenda‑setting forum and more a collective reckoning among seasoned additive‑manufacturing practitioners. The event’s dense, experience‑rich environment surfaces real‑world friction points that shape procurement and integration decisions...
I have zero doubt that we are seeing manufacturing starting to rip. Flatbed is naturally the first mode to signal it, as flatbeds haul heavy industrial raw materials. We talked about greenshoots a few weeks ago, and it was exciting, but...
Latest: Rapidus’ new $1.7B infusion; Intel & UMC exec moves; faster EUV; $100B GPU deal; Arm-Tensor robocar; smartphone market decline; HBF; $1B in AI chip funding; mCFET study; 1T1C 3D DRAM; automotive edge; chip industry earnings...https://t.co/rjAKYW2Kxa
Textile Exchange launched a three‑step Action Cohort pathway to accelerate responsible raw material production. Step one introduces voluntary data reporting in 2026, becoming mandatory for brands and retailers in 2027; step two pushes members to source more from verified preferred...
The performance of almost every physical part is a combination of a Shape factor and a Material factor. Maximizing both makes for the best part. True across mechanical structures, heat transfer, electrical design, even industrial design. https://t.co/F1lJ3dZlya
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The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association reported polysilicon operating rates fell to just 32% of capacity, extending an oversupply that pushed polysilicon prices lower and softened wafer prices across all grades. Wafer prices dropped 3‑8% after the Chinese New Year,...
A while ago I sat down with Greg Perry, Senior Capacity Assurance Consultant at Excelix, behind microphones, to record an in-depth podcast, to gain valuable insights into the world of maintenance and reliability.. click to press PLAY and tune-in now.. https://t.co/egsCmIjFGs
Tekna announced it has produced one million kilograms of titanium powder, marking a decade of continuous growth since its plasma atomization debut in 2015. The company expanded from a single line to 24/7 operations and added a second line in...
Yangzijiang Shipbuilding posted a record FY 2025, with revenue climbing 7.4% to RMB 28.5 billion and gross profit jumping 28.3% to RMB 9.8 billion. The core shipbuilding division generated RMB 26.8 billion, up 6.4%, while the orderbook swelled to $22.4 billion for 245 vessels. Shipping‑related revenue slipped 8.1%...
Flexport unveiled an AI‑powered “Audit Your Customs Broker” agent that scans historical customs entries to spot filing errors and flag potential tariff refunds. The company claims the tool cut its own U.S. customs error rate to 0.2%, a ten‑fold improvement...
ROHM Semiconductor announced a licensing agreement with TSMC to adopt the foundry’s 650 V GaN process at its Hamamatsu fab, targeting volume production in 2027. The integration combines ROHM’s device design expertise with TSMC’s advanced manufacturing, creating an end‑to‑end GaN supply...
African nations sit atop a critical share of the world’s cobalt and other minerals essential for electric‑vehicle batteries, yet most of the value is still captured abroad. The author argues that proactive industrial policy—mirroring China’s use of special economic zones,...
Ricardo Valbuena’s second installment on asset integrity highlights two core pillars: people development and risk‑based inspection (RBI). He advocates establishing a structured inspector career ladder and supporting staff with API certifications to boost motivation, skills, and retention. The article also...
Phased‑array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) is being promoted as a replacement for radiographic testing (RT) in heat‑recovery steam generator (HRSG) pipe weld inspections. PAUT removes ionizing radiation exposure, delivers instant defect data, and allows real‑time welding adjustments. The technology shortens inspection...
The American Petroleum Institute’s Fall 2025 API Standards Conference, held November 9‑15 in Anaheim, convened the Committee on Refining Equipment to review and advance SCIMI initiatives. Six SCIMI standards were published in 2025, including addenda to RP 574, RP 580, RP 575 and RP 570,...
Inspectioneering’s Fall 2025 “Meeting of the Minds” roundtable in Anaheim revisited the core pillars of mechanical integrity (MI). Participants highlighted the Corrosion Control Document (CCD) and Integrity Operating Windows (IOWs) as essential data foundations. The discussion warned against the “shiny‑object” trap,...
Laser surface ablation is emerging as a precise, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional mechanical, chemical, and ultrasonic cleaning methods. By using controlled laser‑material interactions, it can selectively remove rust, coatings, and contaminants while preserving the substrate and eliminating abrasive waste....
The article emphasizes that a structured inspection planning process, anchored by a risk‑based planning matrix, is essential for successful turnarounds (TAs). Developing a comprehensive Inspection Test Plan (ITP) early ensures clear communication of scope, methods, acceptance criteria, and hold points...
The Inspectioneering article outlines how thermal hotspots in refractory‑lined, high‑temperature equipment jeopardize structural integrity and operational continuity. It details damage mechanisms such as overheating, cracking, and corrosion that arise when refractory linings fail. The authors emphasize inspection techniques—infrared, acoustic, and...
API’s Inspection and Mechanical Integrity Summit (IMIS) is slated for July 20‑23, 2026 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. Marking the event’s 10th edition, the summit will convene inspection planners, corrosion specialists, and fixed‑equipment decision‑makers....
The Netherlands will present a cluster of circular textile and digital traceability solutions at Techtextil, the premier international textile trade show in Frankfurt from April 21 to 24. The showcase targets global buyers and technology partners, emphasizing sustainable material loops...
Researchers introduced MICRO, a multimaterial, single‑step 3D‑printed electrochemical device that integrates electrodes, microfluidic channels, and housing in one build. By leveraging dual‑extrusion printing of conductive and insulating polymers, the platform eliminates wiring, sealing, and machining steps traditionally required for screen‑printed...
An aerospace OEM producing light‑helicopters replaced its traditional machined intake duct with a 3D‑printed carbon‑PEEK component. The additive‑manufactured duct consolidated multiple parts, cutting material and tooling costs by roughly 80% while also reducing weight and lead time. Performance testing confirmed...
Meriton, a national alliance of HVAC manufacturer representatives, unveiled a newly defined brand at AHR 2026 in Las Vegas. The rebrand emphasizes Meriton’s shift from a holding company to a unified partnership network spanning 19 brands across 25 states and over 2,000...
