No Pause in Ajax Production While Investigations Are Ongoing
General Dynamics Land Systems UK will keep manufacturing the Ajax medium‑weight armoured fighting vehicle despite ongoing investigations into noise and vibration defects reported in November 2025. To date, 185 of the 589‑vehicle order have been delivered, with each unit requiring roughly 16 weeks to build. The company asserts the current production run adheres to original design specifications while awaiting findings from three separate safety inquiries. Previous mitigation efforts from 2020‑21 have not fully resolved the issues, prompting scrutiny of the programme’s timeline and the UK’s procurement reforms.
PLP ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH FULCRUMAIR TO DEVELOP NEXT-GENERATION ROBOTIC INSTALLATION SYSTEMS FOR POWER LINE CONSTRUCTION
PLP and FulcrumAir have launched a multi‑year strategic partnership to co‑develop next‑generation robotic installation systems for overhead power line construction. The collaboration builds on prior joint products such as the LineSpider™ and LineFly™ robots, aiming to boost efficiency, safety, and...
American Steel and Aluminum Debuts Ground Screw for Large-Scale Solar
American Steel and Aluminum (ASA) has launched a domestically produced steel ground screw for solar project foundations, manufactured in New England with a fully traceable supply chain. The product is slated for the 2026 construction season and is compatible with...
How to Integrate Decades-Old Modbus Devices Without Regret
Modbus remains the dominant industrial communication protocol, with the market expected to grow from $1.2 billion to $2.5 billion by 2033. Integrating legacy devices is cost‑effective using gateways, historians, or edge gateways, avoiding expensive rip‑and‑replace projects. Security must be addressed at the...
AGVs You Can Trust at MODEX 2026
MasterMover will exhibit its heavy‑duty automated guided vehicles and electric tuggers at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, highlighting the TOW300 AGV capable of moving up to 44,000 lb across indoor and outdoor environments. The TOW300 combines BlueBotics ANT navigation and SICK safety scanners to...
Knorr Bremse Accelerates AI Transformation Through Strategic AWS Partnership
Knorr Bremse has entered a strategic partnership with Amazon Web Services to fast‑track its AI transformation, leveraging AWS cloud and AI services to modernise technology, processes and organisational structures. The collaboration introduces an AI operating model, autonomous industrial solutions and a...
3D Printed Helicopter Bracket Made From Recycled Titanium Takes Flight
A UK‑based flight test marked the first use of a 3D‑printed structural bracket made from recycled titanium on an A109S helicopter. The bracket, produced by Additive Manufacturing Solutions Ltd using laser powder‑bed fusion, was sourced from titanium recovered from a...
India Seeks New Steel Export Markets in Middle East and Asia to Offset EU Carbon Tax Impact: Report
India, the world’s second‑largest crude‑steel producer, is pivoting toward the Middle East and Asian markets to cushion the impact of the European Union’s new carbon border adjustment tax. Roughly two‑thirds of its steel exports currently flow to Europe, where the...
“Robot, Make Me a Chair”
MIT researchers unveiled an AI‑driven robotic assembly platform that turns natural‑language prompts into physical objects. A generative AI creates a 3‑D mesh, while a vision‑language model determines component placement, enabling a robot to assemble furniture from reusable parts. The system...
Diamond Power Infrastructure Net Zooms 8 Times to ₹50 Crore on Better Demand
Diamond Power Infrastructure (DICABS) posted a net profit of ₹50 crore in the December quarter, an eight‑fold increase from the same period last year. Revenue surged 54 percent to ₹474 crore, driven by higher capacity utilization and premium EHV cable sales. The firm...
3 Threat Groups Started Targeting ICS/OT in 2025: Dragos
Dragos’ 2026 Year in Review OT/ICS report adds three new adversaries—Sylvanite, Azurite and Pyroxene—targeting industrial control systems in 2025. Sylvanite acts as a rapid‑exploitation broker, weaponising n‑day flaws within 48 hours and handing access to the Voltzite group across power, oil,...
The Forces Rewiring Modern Manufacturing
Manufacturing is undergoing a digital overhaul where connectivity, data and automation dictate factory efficiency, product consistency, and uptime. Unplanned downtime now averages $260,000 per hour, contributing to roughly $1.5 trillion in global losses each year. Tata Communications frames the CIO agenda...
Japan to Get Factory for Marine Hydrogen Engines in 2029
Yanmar Power Solutions, a Yanmar Holdings subsidiary, will construct an 8,000 m² factory on a 33,898 m² site in Amagasaki, Hyogo, to conduct test runs of marine hydrogen engines. Operations are slated to begin in March 2029, complementing the company’s recent ClassNK type‑approval...
RCV Engines Secures £4 Million European Deal & Bolsters UK Manufacturing
RCV Engines has secured a £4 million supply agreement with a European partner to deliver its mission‑critical propulsion systems. The contract was awarded after a competitive evaluation, highlighting the company’s 4‑stroke rotary valve engines that can run on heavy fuels such...
Visual Intelligence Powering Next-Generation Robotics
Machine vision has transitioned from simple part detection to a measurement‑grade sensory core for industrial robots. Advances in high‑resolution cameras, 3D imaging, edge AI and deep‑learning enable sub‑millimeter positioning, real‑time defect recognition and adaptive path correction. This vision‑driven intelligence lets...
All-in-One SLAM LiDAR, RTK and 360° Imagery Scanner Launched
Emesent has launched the GX1, an all‑in‑one SLAM LiDAR, RTK and 360° imaging scanner that delivers 5‑10 mm global accuracy. The system can cut survey time by up to 95 %, turning weeks of work into a single day. It integrates LiDAR,...
Driving Automotive Quality with Automation
Ajin Industrial, a long‑standing Tier‑1 supplier to Hyundai and Kia, replaced its manual fixture‑based inspection with Creaform’s CUBE‑R robotic 3D scanning cell and Metrology Suite. The automated system delivers higher dimensional accuracy, repeatable measurements, and real‑time feedback, cutting inspection time...
SemiQ Partners with Distributor NAC Semi Across North America
SemiQ Inc., a designer of silicon‑carbide (SiC) power semiconductors and 150 mm epitaxial wafers, has signed a distribution agreement with NAC Semi, a North‑American component distributor. The deal gives NAC Semi direct access to SemiQ’s high‑efficiency MOSFETs, power modules and Schottky diodes, targeting...
POSSIBLE Project Finds Success in Mechanical Recycling of Rigid PU, GFRP
The Cannon Group, together with MAP S.p.A. and the University of Bergamo, has proved that rigid polyurethane (PU) foam and glass‑fiber‑reinforced PU (GFRP) can be mechanically recycled within existing high‑pressure mixing lines. Two complementary routes were demonstrated: micron‑sized PU powders...
When Is It Time to Upgrade Your Control System?
Control system upgrades are back on plant executives' agendas as new capital budgets roll out for the year. The article highlights three primary risks of aging automation: hardware failure, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and the erosion of tribal knowledge. It urges decision‑makers...
When Is It Time to Upgrade Your Control System?
Plant managers face pressure to refresh aging control systems as new capital budgets roll out. Older PLCs and DCS platforms expose facilities to hardware failures, heightened cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and loss of tribal knowledge. Experts recommend a ten‑year upgrade cadence to...
Yaskawa Expands Proven Robotic Warehouse Solutions to North America
Yaskawa America announced the North American launch of its robotic warehouse solutions, extending technologies proven in Europe and early U.S. pilots. The offering centers on the PackMaster palletizing cell, delivering 800‑1,200 cases per hour, and a layer picker capable of...
Aftershock Ready: Fueling New Madrid
A new MIT Humanitarian Supply Chain Lab thesis analyzes fuel distribution vulnerabilities in the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ), identifying Memphis and nearby terminals as critical bottlenecks for emergency response. Using Operational Flow Capacity (OFC) modeling, the study quantifies baseline...
The Perfect Order Needs to Include the Right Data
Norman Katz expands the classic Perfect Order framework by adding a ninth right—"with the right data"—to address growing regulatory and digital‑supply‑chain demands. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) 204 rule now requires lot‑level traceability, manufacturing and expiration dates for...
Manufacturer Revives De-Commissioned System to Advance Production
A de‑commissioned seal‑coating system was recertified and now produces 500,000 tablets per hour, matching the output of brand‑new equipment. The revival required a modern HMI, a upgraded Allen‑Bradley PLC, and enhanced cybersecurity hardware. Surveys show 48% of North American manufacturers...
Rockwell Automation Digital Twin Technology Accelerates Project Delivery and Cuts Costs for Brazil-Based Falcare Industrial Equipment
Rockwell Automation’s Emulate3D digital twin helped Brazil’s Falcare Industrial Equipment accelerate project delivery and cut costs. By simulating mechanical behavior and control logic before hardware construction, Falcare reduced project execution time by 60% and eliminated costly rework. The technology also...
Zhonggu Spreads Its Wings to Meet Manufacturing Shift
Zhonggu Logistics, China’s largest coastal container carrier, announced an order for six 6,000 TEU vessels, with options for two more, to support a strategic pivot toward intra‑Asia shipping as Chinese manufacturing relocates across the region. The mid‑size ships address port constraints...
Nearshoring and Logistics Upgrades Position the Caribbean as a New Regional Hub
The Caribbean is repositioning as a regional supply‑chain hub as nearshoring gains traction and governments fund logistics upgrades. High logistics costs—16 to 25 percent of GDP—have spurred port expansions in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Guyana and Belize, backed by investors such as DP World...
DARPA Launches Biomass-to-Chemicals Fleetwood Program
DARPA’s Biological Technologies Office has issued a special notice to start the Fleetwood program, a 24‑month effort aimed at creating novel catalysts that transform lignocellulosic biomass, especially lignin, into carbon‑based industrial chemicals. The initiative will fund multidisciplinary teams to develop...
Nitride Global, USLLC and Axiom Space Awarded NASA SBIR Grant
Nitride Global, United Semiconductors LLC, and Axiom Space have won a NASA SBIR grant to develop a physical vapor deposition reactor that can grow high‑purity aluminum nitride (AlN) crystals in micro‑gravity. The Phase I prototype achieved temperatures of 2,800‑3,200 °C while consuming...
Covestro Materials Feature in SUE Autonomous Minibus
UE | STUDIOS unveiled the SUE autonomous electric minibus, a self‑driving urban shuttle built with Covestro’s Makrolon polycarbonate glazing and recyclable interior monomaterials. The vehicle features a 381 cm panoramic windshield, sensor‑transparent Makrolon AX ST, and Arfinio‑based interior components designed for durability and circularity. Funded...
EACON Auto BEV Fleet Delivers Cost & Emissions Reduction for Shougang
EACON’s autonomous battery‑electric haul trucks have been operating at Shougang Group’s Shuichang iron‑ore mine for a year, logging over 350,000 km and moving more than 11 million tonnes of material. The fleet’s regenerative‑braking system recovered 386,000 kWh of energy, equating to roughly 185 tonnes...
Fujifilm Biotechnologies Opens Largest Single-Use CDMO Facility in the UK
Fujifilm Biotechnologies has opened an expanded UK site in Teesside, marking the launch of the country’s largest single‑use biopharmaceutical CDMO facility. The £400 million investment adds 2,000 L and 5,000 L single‑use bioreactors, delivering up to 19,000 L of small‑ and mid‑scale antibody manufacturing...
LogiQ-On Tech Tapped for Apex Steel’s Digital Transformation
Reseller LogiQ-On Tech has been engaged to digitize Apex Steel’s warehouse and shop‑floor operations, replacing a legacy paper‑based system with a connected solution. The rollout combines Zebra Technologies’ rugged mobile computers, printers and barcode scanners with Boyum IT’s Produmex WMS,...
The Role of Rail in a Future-Proof Supply Chain
The eBook "The Role of Rail in a Future‑Proof Supply Chain" argues that integrating rail with trucking creates a more resilient, scalable, and sustainable logistics network. It outlines three pillars—sustainability, scalability, and resilience—showing how rail delivers pricing stability, capacity efficiency,...
US Fixation on the Hard-Hat Economy and Making Manufacturing Great Again Makes Little Sense
The article argues that U.S. political focus on reviving the “hard‑hat” economy is misplaced. Manufacturing now comprises under 8% of employment, and recent tariff and subsidy policies have raised input costs without restoring jobs. Federal initiatives like the Inflation Reduction...
Manifest 2026 Recap
In episode 230 of The Robot Report podcast, hosts Mike Oitzman and Eugene Demaitre recap the Manifest 2026 supply‑chain trade show in Las Vegas and interview eight robotics CEOs, including leaders from Gather AI, Robust.AI, Slamcore, Slip Robotics, Ambi Robotics, Corvus Robotics, Glid Technologies and AutoPallet. The episode...
Enemy Weapons Detector in the Hands of Soldiers Five Years Early
The British Army will field Leonardo UK’s SONUS acoustic weapon‑locating system five years ahead of schedule, with a rollout to frontline units within the next 12 months. Weighing 70% less than its predecessor, SONUS can be deployed in under three...
Build with Ukraine: Wingcopter and TAF Industries Establish Joint Venture to Scale Production of Reconnaissance Drones in Germany for Ukraine
Wingcopter and Ukraine’s TAF Industries signed an MoU at the Munich Security Conference to create a joint venture that will produce reconnaissance drones in Germany for Ukraine. The partnership combines TAF’s licensed battlefield‑proven designs with Wingcopter’s manufacturing and engineering capabilities,...
Pod-Based, On-Demand Media and Buffer Manufacturing System
Nucleus Biologics introduced the Krakatoa K500, the first bioreactor‑scale, pod‑based system that manufactures sterile cell‑culture media and buffers on‑demand at point‑of‑use. The solution combines pre‑filled powder pods, a closed single‑use workflow and automated mixing, delivering up to 500 L in under three...
AI in Fulfillment: Separating the Hype From the Operational Reality
Artificial intelligence is rapidly entering warehouse fulfillment, but its impact is often overstated. Fidelity Fulfilment’s pilots show AI can increase picker efficiency, reduce errors, and improve exception handling when paired with human oversight. Modern AI solutions are modular, cloud‑based, and...
NUBURU Activates Q1 Production Ramp for 40 High-Power Blue Laser Systems
NUBURU Inc. has launched its Q1 2026 production ramp for 40 high‑power blue laser systems through its Italian subsidiary Lyocon, fulfilling an $850,000 contract with Dutch agritech firm Trabotyx. The order comprises 24 units of 100 W and 16 units of 200 W...
Electronics Exporters Can Grab a Greater Share of the US, EU Markets: Niti Aayog Report
India’s electronics sector can tap a $1.6 trillion US‑EU market after the India‑EU free trade deal and a modest 18 % U.S. tariff, giving it a cost edge over China, Vietnam, Mexico and Thailand. Currently, India holds only about 1 % of the...
Fincantieri Partners with Generative Bionics to Develop Humanoid Shipbuilding Robots
Fincantieri has entered a four‑year industrial partnership with Italian robotics firm Generative Bionics to develop a humanoid welding robot for its shipyards. The robot will incorporate AI‑driven perception, vision and manipulation to operate safely alongside human workers, targeting initial on‑site...
Clorox Completes SAP ERP Overhaul as Purell Acquisition Tests Integration Capacity
Clorox wrapped up a five‑year, multi‑plant SAP rollout, replacing a two‑decade‑old legacy system with a cloud‑based ERP that unifies finance, supply chain, sales and planning. The deployment spanned 21 U.S. and Canadian factories and required over 5,000 employees to complete...
Didero Raises $30M Series A for AI Procurement Platform
AI startup Didero announced a $30 million Series A round, co‑led by Chemistry and Headline with participation from Microsoft’s M12 venture fund. The financing will accelerate adoption of its AI‑driven procurement platform, which embeds autonomous agents into existing ERP and communication tools...
EFW Signs New A330 Freighter Conversion Contract with Hengqin Winglet
Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW) has secured a new passenger‑to‑freighter (P2F) conversion contract with Chinese lessor Hengqin Winglet Aircraft Technology. The A330‑P2F conversion will be performed at a partner facility in China, with work slated to begin in mid‑2026 and technical support...
Nanostructured Plasma Engineering Extends the Life of Industrial Steel
A plasma‑based low‑energy nitrogen ion implantation (PBLEII) treatment dramatically improves the corrosion resistance of 17‑4PH martensitic stainless steel, with peak performance at 450 °C. Electrochemical tests show the corrosion potential shifting to –169.4 mV (SCE), passive current density dropping to 0.5 µA cm⁻², and...