Making Cement From a Different Type of Rock Could Clean up Emissions
A recent study proposes making Portland cement from basalt instead of limestone, eliminating the direct CO₂ released during calcination. The basalt‑based route uses acid leaching and precipitation to produce calcium hydroxide, then kilns the material with only water vapor as a by‑product. Although the process currently consumes about twice the energy of traditional cement, it could cut emissions by roughly 30 percent on a fossil‑fuel grid and near‑zero with clean electricity. By‑product recovery of metals and silica may improve economic viability.
TS Conductor Opens $134 Million South Carolina Facility for AECC Conductor Cores
TS Conductor opened its new aluminum‑encapsulated carbon core (AECC) production facility in Hardeeville, South Carolina, investing $42 million in phase one of a $134 million, three‑phase project. The plant will boost AECC output up to ten times the capacity of its first...
Tyndall Airman Crafts Mission Success Through Innovative Problem-Solving
Senior Airman Andrew Collier faced a devastated metals technology shop at Tyndall Air Force Base after Hurricane Michael left an empty storage closet and thousands of tools scattered across the facility. He organized a systematic cleanup, sourced replacement equipment, and...
Reducing Friction in Engineering Workflows From CAD to Manufacturing
Spatial, a veteran in 3D modeling, is expanding its role to provide a unified suite of SDKs that bridge CAD, simulation, and manufacturing workflows. Its portfolio includes InterOp for lossless CAD translation, Data Prep for automated geometry healing, and modeling...
Anthro Energy Clears DOE Phase Approval for 12,000-Ton Lithium-Ion Battery Electrolyte Plant in Louisville
Anthro Energy received Department of Energy approval to move its Louisville, Kentucky electrolyte plant into construction, unlocking the next phase of a $24.9 million DOE grant. The project also benefits from $18.4 million in IRA Section 48C tax credits, totaling roughly $43 million in...
Mars Powers Production Growth with $253.6m Smart Factory Investment
Mars Inc. announced a $253.6 million investment to transform its historic Slough factory into a smart manufacturing hub. The upgrade will embed AI‑driven robotics, digital‑twin technology, and energy‑efficient utilities, boosting capacity and sustainability. The project will upskill roughly 1,850 employees and...
Centre Extends Bid Submissions to June 29 for EV Magnet Manufacturing Scheme
India’s Ministry of Heavy Industries has pushed back the bid deadline for its ₹7,280 crore (~$877 million) Rare‑Earth Magnet Manufacturing Scheme to June 29, 2026. The program offers a 15% capital subsidy and aims to create 6,000 MTPA of sintered NdFeB magnets, a component currently...
Industrial Production Rises by Most in Over a Year
U.S. industrial production jumped 0.7% in April, the strongest rise in more than a year, surpassing Bloomberg economists' forecasts. Manufacturing output, which makes up roughly three‑quarters of total industrial activity, increased 0.6%, driven by a 3.7% surge in motor‑vehicle and...
Fujiyama Power Commissions 2GW Solar Module Manufacturing Plant
Fujiyama Power has commissioned the first phase of a 2 GW solar‑module manufacturing plant in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, delivering an initial 1 GW capacity. The facility will eventually produce 2 GW each of solar modules, batteries, and inverters, with full‑capacity utilisation targeted for...
Industrial Robotics Market Report: Why Intelligent Automation Is Redefining Global Manufacturing
The industrial robotics market, valued at $34 billion in 2024, is projected to reach $70.6 billion by 2030, reflecting a 13% CAGR. Growth is fueled by labor shortages, volatile supply chains, rising wages, and the need for faster, higher‑quality production. Convergence of...
WIRobotics Raises USD $68M in Series B Funding to Develop Humanoid Robotics Platform
South Korean robotics firm WIRobotics announced a $68 million Series B round led by JB Investment, aimed at expanding its humanoid platform ALLEX beyond its wearable robot roots. The capital will fund development of human‑level object manipulation, deepen collaborations with Nvidia and...
ONERugged Advances Smart Manufacturing with Rugged Tech
ONERugged, a specialist in rugged computing, unveiled an integrated smart manufacturing portfolio aimed at accelerating industrial digital transformation. The suite combines NFC‑enabled digital signage, fanless panel PCs, Android handheld scanners and AI‑powered laptops to deliver edge‑computing, real‑time visibility and predictive...
Emerson Updates AspenTech Inmation OT Data Fabric
Emerson has refreshed the AspenTech Inmation OT Data Fabric, positioning it as the foundational data layer of the AspenTech Inmation Data Platform. The upgrade introduces a distributed node‑based architecture that streamlines deployment, scaling and security across edge, on‑premise and cloud...
Xometry Streamlines Data Center Supply Chain, Offering Single-Platform Sourcing for Critical Infrastructure Components
Xometry, the AI‑native manufacturing marketplace, has launched a single‑platform solution to source custom‑engineered data‑center components. The service taps a vetted global network offering CNC machining, sheet‑metal fabrication, injection molding and additive manufacturing, all backed by real‑time quoting and supply‑chain visibility....
FLEETWERX Launches FLEET-X to Test How Critical Parts Can Be Made and Delivered in the Field
FLEETWERX is piloting the FLEET‑X experiment at Camp Roberts during JIFX 26‑3 to demonstrate rapid, field‑based manufacturing and unmanned delivery of critical military parts. The live exercise links the Naval Postgraduate School’s CAMRE consortium with industry partners such as Re:3D, Fieldmade,...
System-Level BESS Manufacturing Defects Cause ‘Hidden Risk’ for Developers, Intertek CEA Says
Intertek CEA’s 2026 Global Energy Storage Manufacturing Quality Report shows system‑level defects dominate BESS quality issues, rising to 75% of findings in 2025. While cell and module manufacturing remain highly automated, manual integration processes generate most defects, especially in balance‑of‑system...
Hexagon and Fill Maschinenbau Partner to Advance Manufacturing Autonomy Using Humanoids
Hexagon Robotics and Austrian automation specialist Fill Maschinenbau have teamed up to pilot Hexagon’s AEON humanoid robot in a real‑world manufacturing setting in Gurten, Austria. The collaboration will test AEON across machine‑tending, inspection and data‑capture tasks, integrating it with Fill’s existing...
Apollo Automobil’s Dragon Skin Exhaust Pushes Hypercar AM Forward
Apollo Automobil has introduced the Dragon Skin exhaust, a fully 3D‑printed, single‑piece titanium system for its track‑only EVO hypercar. The exhaust, printed in 123 hours using laser powder bed fusion and aerospace‑grade TA15 alloy, features a ceramic coating that tolerates...
Canon Offers Desktop Plastic Identification Device
Canon U.S.A. introduced the TR‑A100 Raman desktop plastic analyzer across North America. The device uses non‑destructive Raman laser spectroscopy to identify a wide range of plastics, including hard‑to‑detect black polymers. By scanning multiple samples on a tray and minimizing heat,...
China to Produce Jeep and Peugeot Cars Under €1bn Dongfeng Deal
Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Group has signed a deal with Stellantis to produce Jeep and Peugeot vehicles in China. The partnership, valued at under €1 billion, will see Dongfeng assemble both internal‑combustion and electric models at its plants. Production is expected...
Opinion: China's Deepening Presence in Europe’s Tech and Manufacturing Sectors
Chinese companies are shifting from a pure export model to embedding themselves within Europe’s tech and manufacturing sectors, according to Collabrium Partners’ Adam Zhang Yu. The strategy involves acquisitions, joint ventures, and local R&D centers to secure supply chains and...
Australia Hedges US Missile Supply Risk Through Local Deal with Norway
Australia and Norway have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to produce Kongsberg’s Naval Strike and Joint Strike missiles domestically in Australia. The agreement integrates Australia into a supply network serving roughly ten nations that rely on the high‑speed, subsonic precision...
Celestica To Build $876M Electronics Manufacturing Campus For Data Centers In AllianceTexas
Toronto‑based electronics manufacturing services firm Celestica announced a $876 million investment to construct a more than 1 million‑square‑foot advanced manufacturing campus in the AllianceTexas development near Fort Worth. The facility, slated to house two buildings—Alliance Center North 4 and North 6—will generate roughly 1,700...
Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. Brings CNC and Robotics Expertise to Machine Tending
At IMTS 2026, Mitsubishi Electric Automation will demonstrate two pre‑engineered robotic machine‑tending solutions—LoadMate Plus™ and ARIA—designed to automate CNC mills and lathes. The systems promise faster spindle uptime, consistent processing, and the ability to run lights‑out or extended‑hour production, helping manufacturers...
Issue 59, 2026
AutomationDirect’s Issue 59, 2026 showcases a suite of new hardware and application stories that underline the shift toward Industry 5.0 and more accessible motion control. Highlights include the launch of STRIDE PRO Unmanaged+ Ethernet switches with IGMP snooping, the Schmersal PROTECT PSC1 safety controller, and a...
Easy EtherCAT Connectivity
EtherCAT is gaining traction in North America as a high‑performance alternative to PROFINET and EtherNet/IP for motion‑control and automation projects. The protocol delivers deterministic cycle times under 1 ms, supports linear, ring, star and tree topologies, and can connect thousands of...
Found Industries Aims to Strengthen America’s Industrial Supply Chains
Found Industries, originally founded as Found Energy, is launching a new division called Found Metals to extract the critical metal gallium from aluminum refinery streams. The move addresses U.S. reliance on China, which supplied 99% of global gallium in 2024,...
Canadian Solar to Boost Texas Panel Factory to 10-GW Capacity
Canadian Solar announced it will double the capacity of its Mesquite, Texas panel plant to 10 GW by the second half of 2026, while its new Indiana cell factory is slated to produce 2.1 GW of heterojunction cells this year and reach...
Opinion: Why Industrial AI Must Be Trained on Physics, Not Prompts
Industrial manufacturers are increasingly tempted by prompt‑based AI, but the technology’s lack of physical reasoning can cause costly line stoppages and safety incidents. The article argues that true factory‑floor intelligence must be grounded in physics—understanding force, torque, friction, and material...
This Company Wants to Make 1,000 Satellites a Year
Quantum Space, led by former NASA chief Jim Bridenstine, aims to launch its first Ranger Prime satellite next year and eventually scale to produce 1,000 satellites annually. The company is expanding a Tulsa, Oklahoma facility from 25,000 to 40,000 square...
Plastic Packaging Converters Raise Red Flags over Iran War Impact
The Iran‑Israel war has sent polyethylene and polypropylene prices soaring, with ICIS reporting a 115% jump in resin costs since February. North American packaging converters are feeling the squeeze, prompting Emerald Packaging to raise flexible‑pack prices by 8%—its largest monthly...
Fugro Strengthens Offshore Safety with New ROV Test Pool Facility in Singapore
Fugro has commissioned a new remotely operated vehicle (ROV) test pool in Singapore, expanding its in‑house capability to conduct controlled testing, verification, and validation of offshore equipment and procedures. The facility allows engineers to perform functional testing, system integration, and...
Eco Material Technologies Opens Pilot Processing Center
Eco Material Technologies, a CRH subsidiary, inaugurated a new pilot processing center and expanded its AASHTO‑ and CCRL‑accredited testing laboratory at the Materials Testing and Research Facility in Taylorsville, Georgia. The 16,400‑sq‑ft hub combines advanced research, pilot production, and technical...
Ai2 Releases Open Robotics Model Designed for Real-World AI Automation
The Allen Institute for AI unveiled MolmoAct 2, an open‑source robotics foundation model that dramatically speeds up robot decision‑making and expands out‑of‑the‑box manipulation capabilities. The new architecture uses Action Reasoning to reason about 3‑D environments, cutting inference latency from 6.7 seconds to...
Bipartisan Bill Would Create Federal Tax Credit for Industrial Water Reuse Projects
A bipartisan bill, the Advancing Water Reuse Act, proposes a 30% federal investment tax credit for industrial water reuse projects. The credit targets manufacturing, food processing, data centers, and municipal recycling systems that capture and treat wastewater, stormwater, saltwater, or...
Canadian Solar Begins Trial Production at Flagship Indiana HJT Solar Cell Factory
Canadian Solar has begun trial production at its flagship heterojunction (HJT) solar cell factory in Jeffersonville, Indiana, with Phase I delivering 2.1 GWp of capacity. The plant is slated for commercial operation in July 2026, and a second phase will add another 4.2 GWp...
IEEE Explores Future of ‘Networked AI’ Where Robots Learn Collectively
The IEEE Signal Processing Society has launched a special issue on networked AI, calling for papers on autonomous and evolutive optimization in connected robotic systems. Researchers aim to shift AI from isolated machines to collaborative, distributed learning across fleets of...
Breaking It Down: Kiwa PVEL Expands Test to Failure Methods for Assessing Module Breakage Risk
Kiwa PVEL has upgraded its Product Qualification Program with two test‑to‑failure methods: a Static Mechanical Load Test‑to‑Failure (SML‑TTF) and a Hail Test‑to‑Failure (Hail‑TTF). Both expand sample sizes to five units and progressively increase stress until glass breakage, delivering precise load...
GMEX Robotics Receives First Order for Bon Vivant 3.0 Automated Cooking Machines Worth Almost $3 Million
GMEX Robotics announced its first deployment order for the Bon Vivant 3.0 automated cooking platform, valued at roughly $3 million. The initial purchase, worth about A$504,000 (≈$332,000), will be delivered to an undisclosed leading Australian hospitality group by the end of June 2026....
Honda 'Indefinitely' Suspends $15-Billion EV Plant in Ontario
Honda Canada announced an indefinite suspension of its $15 billion CAD (≈$11 billion USD) electric‑vehicle supply‑chain project in Ontario, citing revised strategic objectives and shifting market demand. The plan, unveiled in April 2024, would have added a battery plant, cathode and separator...
April Product Releases: Smarter Inspections, Stronger Shift Handoffs
MachineMetrics introduced two new capabilities in its Max AI Operator Assistant suite: First Article Inspection (FAI) and Shift Handover. Both tools replace manual coordination with real‑time digital workflows, automatically capturing part data, machine state, and QA decisions. FAI streamlines inspection requests,...
AmbiStack Selected for 2026 RBR50 Awards, Marking Third Recognition for Ambi Robotics
Ambi Robotics announced that its AmbiStack system has been named a 2026 RBR50 Innovation Award winner for physical AI. The robot uses cameras, machine vision and AI to identify and stack both uniform and non‑uniform packages without prior knowledge of...
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Cognex announced the general availability of OneVision™, a collaborative AI vision development platform that unifies cloud‑based model management with edge‑based inspection. Since its beta in June 2025, more than 100 manufacturers have moved from single‑line pilots to multi‑site rollouts, cutting deployment...
UK’s Type 31 Frigate Program Hit by £140M Cost Adjustment Amid Rework Challenges
Babcock International announced a £140 million (≈$178 million) cost adjustment for the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate programme, driven by higher‑than‑expected rework and productivity shortfalls on the first two ships. The redesigns and out‑of‑sequence build activities have made late‑stage outfitting and commissioning more...
Rockwell Automation Expands EtherNet/IP In-Cabinet Solution with New Motor Control and Power Connection Capabilities
Rockwell Automation announced an upgrade to its EtherNet/IP In‑cabinet Solution that adds a supplemental power tap and extends Ethernet connectivity to 140ME motor protective switches and E100 electronic overload relays. The enhancements simplify panel wiring, cut installation time by up...
2 Hospitalized After Li-Ion Battery Explosion at Tenn. Manufacturing Plant
Two employees were seriously injured when a lithium‑ion battery exploded at Amaero Advanced Materials and Manufacturing's new 130,000‑square‑foot facility in Cleveland, Tennessee. One worker was airlifted by Erlanger’s Life Force helicopter to a burn center, while the other received ground...
Ola Electric in Talks to Supply Battery Cells to Global Automakers
Ola Electric is negotiating with global and Indian automakers to sell lithium‑ion cells and battery packs from its Krishnagiri gigafactory. The company currently operates India’s sole functional gigafactory with 6 GWh capacity and plans to expand to 12 GWh by July 2027 and...
Rare Earths Are on Trump’s Agenda in China. But US Electronic Waste Offers an Untapped Source at Home
The United States remains heavily dependent on China for rare earth minerals and permanent magnets, a vulnerability highlighted during President Trump’s recent talks with President Xi. The Department of Energy projects demand for neodymium magnets could reach 37,000 tonnes by 2030,...
Piaggio Fast Forward Launches Grogu-Inspired Cargo Robot with Autonomous Following Technology
Piaggio Fast Forward unveiled the Grogu gitamini, a Star Wars‑themed cargo‑carrying robot that autonomously follows its owner. Developed with Disney, the robot mimics the floating pram used by Grogu and can transport up to 20 lb (≈$25) of items. It incorporates the...
Alstom May Sell the Kassel Plant Where Traxx Locomotives Are Manufactured
Alstom is exploring the sale of its Kassel locomotive plant, a historic German facility that employs about 800 staff and produces the widely used Traxx electric locomotives. The discussions are in early stages, with no buyer identified and the company...