Reforms Will Continue; Industry Needs to Spend More on R&D, Shed Protectionist Instinct: NITI Member
NITI Aayog member Rajiv Gauba said the Indian government will press on with its reform agenda, focusing on trust‑based governance and the removal of outdated compliance burdens. He warned that industry must dramatically increase private R&D spending, which is currently only 0.7% of GDP, to compete as a global production and innovation hub. Gauba also urged firms to abandon protectionist instincts as India finalises free‑trade agreements with the UK, EU and New Zealand. The remarks were made at the CII Annual Business Summit 2026.
VIS Says AI Demand Drives Growth as Singapore Fab Fully Booked
Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) says AI demand is fueling semiconductor growth, with its Singapore 12‑inch wafer fab's first phase already fully booked. The fab will begin sample shipments in July 2025 and target mass production in the first quarter of...
DYPIU and Dassault to Open Engineering Experience Center
D Y Patil International University (DYPIU) has signed an MoU with Dassault Systèmes to launch a Digital Engineering and Digital Manufacturing Experience Centre on its Pune campus. The centre will house a NextGen Product Innovation Lab, an Intelligent Production System Lab, and a...
Steel Tariffs Are Raising the Price of Canned Foods
President Trump’s 50% steel tariff, imposed under Section 232, has driven up the cost of tin‑plate steel used for cans. Despite the tariff, imports of the material surged in 2025, leaving U.S. can makers dependent on foreign supply. A tin can...
The Convergence of AI, IoT, and Robotics in Modern Manufacturing
Manufacturers are rapidly integrating AI, IoT connectivity, and advanced robotics to shift from static, manual processes to predictive, data‑driven operations. Real‑time sensor data links production equipment, warehouses, and monitoring platforms, giving plant managers visibility into bottlenecks and energy use. AI...
CEA-Leti and NcodiN Partner to Industrialise 300 Mm Silicon Photonics
CEA‑Leti announced a series of strategic collaborations aimed at scaling next‑generation silicon photonics and memory technologies. In partnership with French startup NcodiN, the institute will transfer the company’s nanolaser‑enabled optical interposer to a 300 mm silicon‑photonic process, targeting sub‑0.1 pJ/bit links for...
Unlocking Yield Improvements in Advanced Packaging Through Materials-Driven Failure Analysis
Advanced packaging—3D ICs, FOWLP, chiplets—now underpins AI, 5G, and edge computing, but its complex material interfaces are creating severe yield pressure. Traditional defect inspection alone cannot capture the subtle, multiscale failures that arise from thermal stress, CTE mismatch, and contamination....
Optimising SiCr Deposition for High-Yield Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS Manufacturing with Picosecond Ultrasonics
Picosecond ultrasonic (PULSE™) technology provides non‑contact, sub‑angstrom thickness metrology for silicon‑chromium (SiCr) films used in bipolar‑CMOS‑DMOS (BCD) devices. The technique, validated against TEM, achieved repeatability better than 0.5 Å (1σ) and captured wafer‑wide uniformity across 49 points. Simultaneously, reflectivity measurements revealed...
Shifting Supply Chains in the Era of Photonics
The article titled “Shifting supply chains in the era of photonics” appears to be unavailable, offering only a 404 error page. Nonetheless, the headline signals a growing focus on how photonics manufacturers are re‑engineering their supply chains amid component shortages,...
Beyond High-NA EUV: Particle Accelerator Technology Promises Exciting Future for Lithography
TAU Systems CEO Jerome Paye proposes compact laser‑wakefield acceleration (LWFA) free‑electron laser sources to replace traditional EUV lithography. High‑NA EUV is hitting both physical and economic limits, prompting a search for brighter, tunable light. LWFA can deliver orders‑of‑magnitude higher photon...
JSW Steel April Output Dips 1% as Blast Furnace Shutdown Weighs on Production
JSW Steel posted April crude‑steel output of 2.118 million tonnes, a 1% decline from a year earlier, as Blast Furnace 3 at its Vijayanagar plant was taken offline for a capacity‑upgradation. Excluding the shutdown, production would have risen roughly 10% thanks to...
Ford’s New Battery Container Is Here To Take On The Tesla Megapack
Ford has launched a new subsidiary, Ford Energy, to produce the DC block, a modular stationary battery container built in Kentucky with prismatic LFP cells. The 20‑foot container holds 5.45 MWh, offers two‑hour or four‑hour discharge options, and is designed for...
Argentina Sees 13% Drop in Cement Consumption
Argentina's cement market shrank sharply in early 2026, with April production down 13.2% YoY to 733,505 tonnes. Total cement consumption fell 12.7% to 730,856 tonnes, while imports rose 31.7% and exports plunged 60% to 2,861 tonnes. Over the January‑April period,...
Panasonic’s 4680 Mass Production Pushed Back yet Again
Panasonic Energy has postponed mass production of its 4680 cylindrical battery cell for a second time, still awaiting a purchase order from its primary customer, likely Tesla. The original 2024 launch date slipped to March 2026, which was also missed,...
What’s Really Needed For Advanced Test?
Advanced test in semiconductor manufacturing promises adaptive binning, feed‑forward models and real‑time analytics, but the industry’s biggest obstacle is data quality. PDF Solutions highlights that misaligned metadata and incomplete tool‑level data routinely break automated test flows, forcing engineers to intervene...
South Australian Manufacturing Firm Enters US Naval Nuclear Supply Chain
South Australia's Century Engineering became the first Australian firm to win export contracts in the U.S. naval nuclear supply chain, supplying precision‑engineered cranks for aircraft carriers through HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding. The agreement follows the company’s qualification under the Australian...
The Specialty Device Surge Part 3: Solving The Process Control Challenges Of MEMS, Photonics, Co-Packaged Optics, And More
The article outlines how specialty semiconductor devices—MEMS sensors, CMOS image sensors, SiC/GaN power transistors, and photonic/co‑packaged optics—require tighter process control than traditional logic chips. It details the specific challenges each class faces, such as wafer‑level uniformity, multi‑layer variability, and defect...
Complete End-To-End Closed-Loop Product Yield Ramp And Learning
Yield ramping at advanced semiconductor nodes is increasingly difficult as designs grow larger, more heterogeneous, and generate massive test data. A closed‑loop learning flow that ties together test pattern generation, diagnosis, volume analytics, and failure analysis can compress the learning...
AI Accelerator Testing Depends On DFT Innovations
The rise of AI accelerators is reshaping semiconductor test flows, demanding deeper functional testing, advanced DFT techniques, and continuous monitoring throughout a chip’s lifecycle. I/O and lane‑repair capabilities are emerging as critical yield‑enhancing tools, while system‑level testing is essential for...
Advanced Metrology for Backside Metallization Using Picosecond Laser Ultrasonics
Picosecond Ultrasonics (PULSE) technology is emerging as the preferred metrology solution for backside metallization (BSM) in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. The non‑contact, non‑destructive method can accurately measure film thickness and elastic modulus across single‑layer and multilayer metal stacks ranging from 50 nm...
Home Win: Challenging The Traditional Semiconductor Manufacturing Model
Custom Interconnect Ltd. (CIL) has opened a 64,000 sq ft BP2 facility, the UK’s largest semiconductor packaging operation, featuring a 15,000 sq ft ISO 7 cleanroom and the only domestic wafer‑level chip‑scale packaging system. The plant integrates high‑volume PCB assembly with semiconductor assembly, delivering up...
Tata Steel IJmuiden and Ecocem Partner on Steel Slag SCM Development
Tata Steel Nederland and Ecocem have signed a memorandum of understanding to broaden their work on turning steelmaking slags into supplementary cementitious materials for low‑carbon cement in Europe. The partnership, which previously focused on granulated blast‑furnace slag, will now develop...
DSV Capital Markets Day – New Ambitious Targets Disclosed (LIVE)
During its Capital Markets Day, Danish freight forwarder DSV announced a new cost‑saving ambition tied to the integration of its recent Schenker acquisition. The company now aims to generate up to Dkr9bn (approximately $1.4 billion) in additional annual synergies by 2030,...
Packet Digital Secures Navy Contract to Scale U.S. Battery Production & Manufacturing
Packet Digital and its Badland Batteries subsidiary have secured a $9.8 million Phase 3 contract from the U.S. Navy to launch large‑scale manufacturing of advanced lithium‑ion cells. The agreement follows Phase 2, which delivered the design and construction of a new cell plant...
Saudi Aramco Deploys AI Refinery System with Emerson
Saudi Aramco has rolled out an AI‑driven refinery optimisation platform built with Emerson’s Aspen Hybrid Models, creating one of the world’s largest multi‑site, multi‑period optimisation models. The system, initially applied to Continuous Catalyst Regeneration and Platformer units, delivers up to...
The Strange Death of Mr Diesel
Rudolf Diesel invented the compression‑ignition engine in the 1890s, delivering far higher thermal efficiency than contemporary steam systems and laying the groundwork for modern diesel power across industry, shipping, and road freight. His patents sparked worldwide licensing and attracted significant...
Chinese Aviation Expert Lays Out Plan to Sanction-Proof Domestic Passenger Planes
Chinese aviation veteran Zhang Yanzhong warned that the C919 passenger jet depends heavily on Western components, including the Leap‑1C engine, Honeywell APU, and avionics from GE and Collins Aerospace. He highlighted the risk of export controls and geopolitical decoupling cutting...
Tesla Model S and X Production Has Ended at Fremont
Tesla announced that production of the Model S and Model X has officially ceased at its Fremont factory, ending 14 years for the sedan and 11 years for the SUV. The decision follows a steady decline in sales as buyers...
How to Use AI to Help Your Manufacturing Job
The article explains how industrial AI is moving from a peripheral tool to an embedded discipline that reshapes the entire manufacturing lifecycle. By automating low‑level tasks, AI frees engineers and operators to focus on supervision, strategy, and continuous improvement. Real‑world...
Archer Materials Strengthens Pathway to Wafer-Scale Quantum Device Manufacturing
Archer Materials (ASX: AXE) is shifting its graphene‑based quantum device program from laboratory prototypes to wafer‑scale production using standard semiconductor processes. The company remains on track to showcase a functional qubit before year‑end, marking a critical milestone in its development...
Quebec’s Printeez to Open U.S. Headquarters in Florida
Printeez, a Quebec‑based print‑on‑demand and embroidery firm, has signed a lease for a 34,020‑square‑foot industrial space in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, to serve as its U.S. headquarters and production hub. The facility will house customized apparel manufacturing, including direct‑to‑garment, direct‑to‑film, and...
Queensland Hosts Australian Manufacturing Week for the First Time
Queensland will host Australian Manufacturing Week for the first time, drawing more than 7,000 participants from domestic and international firms. The week‑long showcase highlights the state’s advanced capabilities across sectors such as aerospace, mining equipment, food and beverage, and offers...
The Progress Paradox: What Does 'Good' Look Like After Years of Lean? (Lean Series, Part 3)
Even after decades of lean implementation, mature organizations still face problems, but their response has evolved. Operators and frontline teams now resolve issues at the source, cutting downtime from days to minutes. Leaders transition from problem‑solvers to coaches, focusing on...
Lotus Offers Lifeline to Troubled UK Car Plant
The Financial Times reports that Lotus is extending a rescue proposal to a struggling UK car manufacturing plant, aiming to safeguard jobs and keep production capacity alive. While the article is behind a paywall, it signals Lotus’s willingness to intervene...
AI Computing Surge Reshapes PCB Material Landscape
AI‑driven computing upgrades are reshaping the printed circuit board (PCB) material market, pushing the global copper‑clad laminate (CCL) sector to exceed $21.5 billion in 2026 with a 34.2% annual growth rate. Taiwanese manufacturers now command 37.4% of the CCL market, led...
5 Steps to Align Your Physical Fab Infrastructure with AI Yield Models
The article presents five practical steps to synchronize semiconductor fab infrastructure with AI yield models, starting with a contamination‑controlled baseline and ISO 14644‑5 compliance. It highlights how outgassing, fastener stress, and HVAC‑induced vibrations create phantom defects that confuse AI algorithms. Deploying...
MIDA Expands Malaysia’s Semiconductor Supply Chain Role Through Johor–Singapore SEZ Partnership
The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) partnered with Micron Technology and OCBC to host a Johor‑Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS‑SEZ) supplier event alongside SEMICON Southeast Asia 2026. The initiative aims to boost supply‑chain resilience, localisation and competitiveness in Malaysia’s semiconductor...
Manufacturing Revenue and Profitability Slump as Global Conflict Pressures Sector, Report Says
Australian small‑and‑medium manufacturers saw revenue plunge 42% quarter‑on‑quarter to $356,000 AUD (≈$235,000 USD) in Q1 2026, while average gross margins slipped to 32.8%, the lowest since Unleashed began tracking in 2018. Inventory values fell 56% YoY to about $200,500 AUD (≈$132,000 USD) and raw‑material...
Manufacturing Automation’s ‘Blind Spot’ Remains at the Cut, Says Sandvik Coromant
Sandvik Coromant warns that manufacturing automation still lacks visibility at the cutting interface, even as factories adopt robotics and connected dashboards. The company promotes sensorized tooling—cutting tools equipped with force, vibration and chatter sensors—to deliver real‑time data that can trigger...
ARM Hub BioBriefing Spotlights Manufacturing Gap in Medtech Innovation
The ARM Hub BioBriefing in Brisbane highlighted a persistent gap between medtech research and scalable manufacturing in Australia. Industry leaders noted a policy shift toward urban manufacturing, positioning Queensland as a proving ground for on‑shore production. Speakers emphasized AI‑as‑a‑Service as...
Customers Offer to Buy Manufacturing Equipment for Memory Makers
Customers of SK Hynix are proposing to finance the purchase of advanced ASML EUV lithography equipment or dedicated memory production lines to secure supply amid a system memory shortage. Hynix is evaluating the offers but worries about becoming beholden to...
Covalent Launches Covalent Connect
Covalent, a Sunnyvale‑based advanced materials analytics firm, unveiled Covalent Connect, a platform that aggregates more than 500 partner laboratories, instruments, and experts into a single, software‑driven interface. The service promises seamless access to hard‑to‑find metrology techniques across semiconductors, energy storage,...
IndySoft Empowers Technicians With Launch of Scales
IndySoft has introduced IndySoft Scales, a mobile calibration app built for field technicians. The touch‑optimized, voice‑enabled, offline‑first solution promises to accelerate scale calibration jobs by roughly 30% while delivering instant, compliant records. It embeds seven industry‑standard test types and NIST Handbook 44...
NESI Technology Powers New Low-Carbon Lithium Plant in Germany
Vulcan Energy Resources has begun building a low‑carbon lithium plant in Frankfurt using NORAM Electrolysis Systems Inc. (NESI) proprietary NORSCAND technology. The project is backed by a €2.2 billion (~$2.4 billion) funding package and targets 24,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide per year—enough for...
COMAU and OMRON Robotics to Collaborate on Expanding Advanced Industrial Automation Solutions Across Light Industry, Electronics, and Medical Manufacturing
COMAU and OMRON Robotics have signed a strategic collaboration to jointly develop advanced industrial automation solutions for light‑industry, electronics, semiconductor, and medical manufacturing. The partnership merges COMAU’s robot hardware with Omron’s control and software platforms, aiming to deliver flexible, scalable...
Tesla Waves Goodbye To Model S And Model X As The Last Cars Roll Off The Line
Tesla announced the final Model S and Model X rolled off the Fremont assembly line, ending a 14‑year production run that defined the luxury EV segment. The vehicles, once benchmark setters for range and performance, have been eclipsed by higher‑volume...
IKO to Showcase Crossed Roller Bearings, Mechatronics and More at Automate 2026
IKO International will exhibit at Automate 2026 in Chicago, showcasing its crossed‑roller bearings, NT Series positioning tables, and a new Fast Track production program. The company highlights the high rigidity, accuracy, and compactness of its CRBs, while the NT tables combine...
Ford Formally Launches Grid-Scale Battery Business Ford Energy
Ford formally launched its new subsidiary, Ford Energy, to sell grid‑scale battery energy storage systems in the United States. The unit will produce at least 20 GWh of BESS each year, targeting data centers, utilities and large commercial‑industrial customers, with first...
Tormach Launches Automatic Collet Closer for 8L Lathe, Boosting Speed, Precision for Small-Part Production
Tormach has unveiled an Automatic Collet Closer for its 8L Lathe, adding air‑actuated 5C collet clamping that speeds up part changes and improves repeatability. The accessory integrates with the PathPilot control system and offers optional foot‑pedal actuation for hands‑free operation....
Robots for America Launches National Coalition to Advance U.S. Robotics Deployment Policy
Robots for America (RFA) unveiled a national coalition of 21 robotics firms on May 8, 2026, at the SCSP AI+ Expo in Washington, D.C., responding to a direct request from the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Commerce, SBA and...