Featured Image

AMT Tech Report: Issue #322

How an F1 piston is manufactured. Need Prime delivery for manufacturing tech? Lab to fab. Robots aren't afraid of heights. New institute for advanced manufacturing R&D.
Sep 06, 2024

“There ain't no such thing as free lunch.”

– "Economics in Eight Words," El Paso Herald-Post, June 27, 1938


1. Robots Aren't Afraid of Heights

It’s a magical, beautiful feat of Italian engineering – that will work temporarily. Researchers at the Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia unveiled iRonCub3, the first humanoid robot capable of flight, designed for disaster relief. Resembling Iron Man's suit, it features arm-mounted jet thrusters that generate over 1,000 N of thrust and 600 C exhaust temperatures. The robot combines aerial and contact locomotion with manipulation abilities, allowing it to perform advanced missions like inspections and opening doors.

Read more here.


2. Need Prime Delivery for Manufacturing Tech?

Get it at IMTS! At least, you can next week, when AWS (Amazon Web Services) will be there! “Why though? What does Amazon know about manufacturing?” Well, AWS provides cloud computing tools like AI, IoT, and data analytics that help manufacturers improve efficiency, automate processes, and optimize operations. These technologies enable manufacturers to build smarter products, enhance maintenance, and speed up innovation, helping them stay competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.

Read more here.


3. Lab to Fab

The Pentagon will award $280 million in CHIPS Act grants to fund microelectronics prototypes, addressing the loss of U.S. capability in prototype fabrication. This builds on a 2023 round that allocated $240 million to eight regional hubs, leading to the formation of the Microelectronics Commons coalition, which has grown from 380 members to over 1,200. The goal is to close the "lab to fab" gap, reduce IP theft, and speed up design-to-test cycles, ultimately rebuilding U.S. microelectronics manufacturing.

Read more here.


4. New Institute for Advanced Manufacturing R&D

The Quad Cities Manufacturing Institute, which launched last month, is a partnership between Western Illinois University, the University of Illinois System, and Iowa State University. It focuses on advanced manufacturing R&D and workforce development, especially for the defense sector, collaborating with local businesses and the U.S. Army Rock Island Arsenal.

Read more here.

To get the latest tech developments delivered directly to your inbox, subscribe to the weekly Tech Report here.

To access Tech Trends, log in to or register for an MTInsight account at https://www.mtinsight.org/ 

PicturePicture
Author
Stephen LaMarca
Senior Technology Analyst
Recent technology News
Robots in the wild. Path to lights-out. War games and advanced manufacturing. Roll your own 3D printer. New metals.
Manufacturers are doers—always building, innovating, and transforming. It’s no surprise that the most-read articles on AMTonline.org this year spotlighted the driving forces of the industry: automation, innovation, and transformation.
With demand for manufactured goods surging after 2020 and high rates of job openings persisting due to a labor shortfall, more manufacturers are turning toward automation – and reversing the post-recessionary trend of declining manufacturing productivity.
With skilled workers in short supply, fewer young people interested in on-site work, boomers retiring, and demand remaining elevated, manufacturers could invest in automation for multiple returns.
The ARM Institute held a panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities for automation in aerospace manufacturing. They tackled efficiency and production; economic, technical, and human challenges; management support; workforce development; and more.
Similar News
undefined
Technology
By Benjamin Moses | Dec 20, 2024

Robots in the wild. Path to lights-out. War games and advanced manufacturing. Roll your own 3D printer. New metals.

6 min
undefined
Technology
By Stephen LaMarca | Dec 13, 2024

Check and MFG. Micron's coming to Manassas. Start them while they're young. 3D scanning a physical original... Diamonds (batteries) are (almost) forever.

6 min
undefined
Technology
By Benjamin Moses | Dec 13, 2024

Episode 127: Ben and Steve both have some testbed updates and conclude that having a solid in-house IT team on hand is vital for implementing new OT (operational technology) systems. The tech friends lighten things up by reflecting on their Thanksgiving.

45 min