Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [Feb 25, 2026] Mesh Feigenbaum on Global Industrial Capacity
Mesh Feigenbaum, a leading forging‑press expert, released an updated benchmark revealing that global capacity for massive aerospace and defense forging presses is shrinking as aging equipment retires faster than replacements arrive. The study warns that unplanned press failures can stall commercial aircraft and military programs for years. It highlights China’s aggressive investment in sovereign forging capability, contrasting with the United States’ reliance on thin commercial margins and limited government support. Revitalizing U.S. capacity will demand substantial public‑private investment to avoid supply‑chain bottlenecks.

Multimodal AI Sensor Fusion Targets 3D Print Faults
Researchers propose a multimodal sensor‑fusion framework for real‑time fault detection in additive manufacturing, merging vision, thermal, acoustic, vibration, and drive‑current streams. Current single‑sensor solutions often miss subtle defects or generate false alarms, limiting scalability of 3D‑print farms. The fusion model...

Lean Roundup #201 – February 2026
The February 2026 Lean Roundup aggregates ten fresh blog posts that explore how Lean thinking is evolving across leadership, strategy, and technology. Highlights include "good trouble" as a catalyst for cultural change, the discipline of Leader Standard Work, and the...

President Mnangagwa Signals End of Raw Mineral Exports
President Emmerson Mnangagwa told Zimbabwean exporters that raw mineral shipments are effectively ending, insisting that value‑addition must occur domestically. The Finance Act now imposes a 10% export tax on unbeneficiated lithium and chrome, with chrome also subject to a 5%...

Avio to Build $500 Million Facility in Hurt, Virginia
Italian rocket builder Avio announced a $500 million solid‑rocket‑motor manufacturing complex in Hurt, Virginia, pending approval by the Virginia General Assembly. The 860,000‑square‑foot facility, financed by a €400 million capital increase, will create more than 1,000 jobs and may receive a $97.7 million...

Pharmaceutical Executive Daily: Novo Nordisk Announces Price Reductions for GLP-1 Products
Novo Nordisk announced steep price cuts for its GLP‑1 diabetes and obesity drugs, aiming to broaden patient access amid intensifying pricing scrutiny. AbbVie is committing $380 million to expand API manufacturing capacity, reinforcing supply‑chain resilience. Bora Pharmaceuticals and GSK sealed a...

Mitsubishi Electric US Announces Structural Reorganization in the US
On February 5, 2026, Mitsubishi Electric US announced a structural reorganization that consolidates Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. (MEAU) and Mitsubishi Electric Automotive America’s (MEAA) operations under Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. (MEUS). The automation business becomes the Industrial Automation Division of...

Prusa Details XL Roadmap, Prices, And Toolheads
Prusa Research announced a $200 price reduction for the assembled Original Prusa XL, positioning it as the most affordable multi‑material tool‑changer in its lineup. The XL retains its active tool‑changing architecture, supporting up to five full heads, while the newer INDX...

The Age of Physical AI: Inside Oshkosh’s Blueprint for an Autonomous Future
Oshkosh Corp., led by EVP Jay Iyengar, is championing a "moments of autonomy" strategy that embeds physical AI into high‑value, repetitive or hazardous tasks rather than pursuing full automation. The company is rolling out autonomous jet‑bridge docking systems that align...

Dyze Design Patents Modular Motion Control For AM
Dyze Design has filed a patent proposing a modular motion‑control architecture that separates command streams into priority queues and splits telemetry into real‑time and archival channels. The design adds edge‑processing modules for sensors, stepper and BLDC drives, and even a...
Siemens to Deliver Industry-Leading PCB Test Engineering Solutions
Siemens announced the acquisition of ASTER Technologies, a specialist in PCB test and reliability solutions, to bolster its electronic design automation (EDA) portfolio. ASTER’s design‑for‑test, design‑for‑manufacturing, and design‑for‑reliability tools will be integrated into Siemens’ end‑to‑end digital‑thread platform, enabling earlier validation...

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...
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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

TSMC Process Simplification for Advanced Nodes
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) disclosed Patent US10692720B2, which merges advanced EUV lithography with a controlled angled‑etch step to achieve sub‑35 nm end‑to‑end spacing. The method replaces the traditional three‑step lithography/etch flow with a single exposure, dramatically simplifying the process for...

Who’s The Biggest In 3D Printing, February 22, 2026
The weekly Fabbaloo leaderboard shows the public 3D‑printing sector valued at $15.9 billion, with Farsoon and Bright Laser holding the top spots at $4.6 billion and $4.1 billion respectively. Chinese firms were flat due to the Lunar New Year holiday, while Xometry added...

Embraer, Adani Launch India E175 Assembly Push
Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer and Adani Defence & Aerospace have signed an enhanced MoU to set up a final assembly line for the E175 regional jet in India. The venture aims to tap an estimated demand for 500 aircraft in...
Digital Twins and the New Warehouse Reality
Digital twins are emerging as a practical solution for warehouse managers to test automation, layout changes, and staffing scenarios without disrupting live operations. By integrating CAD drawings, inventory data, and historical performance, these virtual replicas provide a 360‑degree view of...

Boston Scientific’s Penumbra Acquisition: Impacts and 3D Printing Opportunities in Vascular Medicine
Boston Scientific announced a $14.5 billion acquisition of Penumbra, re‑entering the neurovascular market and expanding its cardiovascular device portfolio. The deal, paid at a 19 % premium with a 73 % cash and 27 % stock mix, targets Penumbra’s thrombectomy and embolization technologies. Boston...
Eli Lilly Invests $3.5B in Pennsylvania to Scale Next‑Gen Obesity Drug Manufacturing
Eli Lilly announced a $3.5 billion investment to build a new injectable‑medicine plant in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. The facility, slated to break ground in 2026 and run by 2031, will focus on next‑generation obesity and metabolic drugs such as the triple‑agonist retatrutide....
EnVista Launches enMotion WES for Automated Warehouses
enVista unveiled enMotion WES+, a cloud‑based warehouse execution system designed for highly automated distribution centers. The platform integrates third‑party WMS, WCS and robotic assets, using a visual Material Flow Graph to model every process from inbound to outbound. Machine‑learning analytics...
Ryan McCormack’s Operational Excellence Mixtape: February 20, 2026
Ryan McCormack’s February 2026 Operational Excellence Mixtape warns that change fatigue is eroding continuous‑improvement efforts. He urges leaders to anchor teams to core values, embed quality as the operating architecture, and use process confirmation to lock improvements into daily work, citing Toyota’s...

Real-World Manufacturing Lessons From a Failing Business
The episode dissects a failing small machine‑shop that illustrates common ownership pitfalls in SME manufacturing. It reveals how a founder’s hand‑off to inexperienced children, over‑reliance on a single automaker client, superficial diversification, and lack of sales expertise drove the business...

Proximal Sound Prints Elastomer Microstructures Using Ultrasound
Proximal Sound Printing (PSP) is an ultrasound‑driven additive manufacturing technique that cures native PDMS at a localized barrier, achieving a practical feature size of 0.2 mm. The process reduces electrical input to roughly 5 W—four times less than its predecessor Direct Sound...

What Is the 3nm Pessimism Wall and Why Is It An Economic Crisis?
The article defines the “3 nm Pessimism Wall” as the excessive 25‑35% clock‑period guard bands that arise from abstraction‑based sign‑off methods rather than physical limits. These inflated margins force over‑design of buffers, increase power consumption, and waste silicon area, turning advanced‑node...
Above the Fold: Supply Chain Logistics News (February 20, 2026)
In this episode Adrian Gonzalez reflects on the hype around AI and existential risks, then dives into the week’s supply‑chain headlines, highlighting record U.S. imports despite steep Trump tariffs, Mexico overtaking Canada as the top U.S. export destination, and the...

Telemeter Launches 3D Printable Electromagnetic Absorber Filament for Automotive Radar
Telemeter Electronic introduced a 1.75 mm FFF filament engineered to absorb electromagnetic energy in the 76‑81 GHz automotive radar band and broader 50‑100 GHz millimeter‑wave spectrum. The PLA‑based material prints on standard desktop printers using typical PLA temperatures, yet its dielectric loss enables...

CEO Interview with Aftkhar Aslam of yieldWerx
YieldWerx, led by semiconductor veteran Aftkhar Aslam, offers a data‑centric yield‑analytics platform that consolidates fragmented fab, test, and packaging information into a single, actionable environment. The solution tackles extreme data volumes and multi‑domain complexity, supporting advanced packaging, silicon photonics, MicroLED,...

Israel Considers Updating 50-Year-Old Building Codes to Enable 3D Concrete Printing
Israel is reviewing its 50‑year‑old building construction regulations to accommodate 3‑D concrete printing (3DCP). The push follows exposure to advanced construction tech at the World of Concrete expo and a severe labor shortage caused by the Gaza conflict. Officials argue...

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...
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...

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...

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...

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...

🦾 Robotics Funding Rounds by Month - December 2025
The episode reviews December 2025 robotics funding, highlighting 127 rounds that raised $2.74 billion, bringing the year’s total to roughly $35 billion. It notes a healthy volume of deals despite lower individual round sizes, with notable activity among humanoid, biotech‑robotics, construction, and...

ABB Automation Extended
ABB announced its Automation Extended program, a strategic evolution of its distributed control systems that lets customers modernize without interrupting operations. The initiative builds on the long‑standing ABB Ability System 800xA platform, now released as version 7.0 with a separation‑of‑concerns...
Invisible Battery Parts Finally Seen with Pioneering Technique
Oxford researchers unveiled a patent‑pending staining method that tags lithium‑ion battery polymer binders with silver and bromine, making them visible under electron microscopy. The technique captures nanoscale binder layers and clusters in graphite, silicon and SiOx anodes, revealing distribution patterns...

Tanaka Establishes Total Solutions System for Contract Manufacturing of Diagnostics
Tanaka Precious Metal Technologies has built a total‑solution system for contract manufacturing of in‑vitro diagnostic test kits, adding dedicated dispensing and packaging lines for extraction buffer. The new infrastructure lets the company handle every step—from assay development to final product...
MD&M West 2026 Recap
MD&M West 2026 convened over 1,700 exhibitors and more than 13,000 attendees in Anaheim, showcasing the latest in medical device manufacturing. Thirteen on‑site interviews highlighted digital transformation, smart manufacturing, advanced materials, and precision tooling across a spectrum of companies. Notable...
Dry Graphene Transfer at Scale Enabled by a Ferroelectric Polymer that Switches Its Grip on Command
Researchers at NUS and partners have introduced a fully dry graphene transfer technique that uses a ferroelectric polymer, P(VDF‑TrFE), to reversibly switch adhesion. By polarizing the polymer, its grip on graphene overtakes the copper substrate, enabling clean delamination and >99%...

How Do We Test Our Winning Logic?
The article introduces the "Value Stick" as a pragmatic framework for testing a company’s winning logic, blending operational excellence (OpEx/Lean) with digital growth methods. It focuses on four levers—Willingness to Pay, Price, Cost, and Quantity—to assess whether a strategy can...