Featured Image

AMT Tech Report: Issue #353

May 16, 2025

“Unlike the objective of far too many companies, manufacturing is not about a quick 'exit.' It is centered on long-term value creation.”

– Hamdi Ulukaya


This is a published version of the AMT Tech Report newsletter. You can sign up to get the Tech Report in your inbox here.


1. Cobots Are Reshaping the Shop Floor

Collaborative robots are changing how manufacturers think about automation, blending human flexibility with robotic precision. In an IMTS+ webinar with Weldon Solutions, AMT explored cobot safety, deployment ease, and real-world use cases. With rapid market growth and expanding capabilities, cobots offer a practical path to smarter, scalable automation for shops of all sizes. Get the recap or watch the recording now.

Read full article.


2. DLP or SLA? Yes!

Last week, I toured Axtra3D’s North Carolina facility and saw their Hybrid PhotoSynthesis technology in action. Their Lumia X1 isn’t for hobbyists – it’s a high-speed SLA machine built for real-deal production. With the launch of TrueSilX50, they're now 3D printing true silicone parts with unmatched detail, speed, and finish. This isn’t prototyping. It’s haute fashion for mass industrial manufacturing.

Read full article.


3. Tooling Like Clockwork

While in Charlotte for an AMT Meetup, I also visited WTO Tools – a live tooling powerhouse for Swiss lathes. Think of them as a gearbox manufacturer, but instead of cars, they build the precision drivetrains behind most OE live tooling systems. If your Swiss lathe’s live tools are humming, there's a good chance WTO engineered the system making it happen.

Read full article.


4. Welcome to Walmart!

Alquist 3D just wrapped its fastest job yet: a 5,000-square-foot, 3D printed, Walmart pickup area in Alabama. Using two printers and a five-person crew, the 16-foot walls went up in just 75 hours – and were 15% cheaper and produced 55% less waste than traditional methods. Automation and precise material control were key. It’s the second Walmart project for Alquist and signals a scalable, cost-effective future for construction 3D printing.

Read full article.


5. The Dust Has Been Settled

Brembo’s new Greentell brake discs use laser metal deposition – a form of metal additive manufacturing – to apply a nickel-free coating that slashes wear by 80% and cuts environmental impact by 85%. Designed to meet Euro 7 standards, the discs reduce brake dust pollution and boost longevity. Expect cleaner wheels and longer-lasting rotors on high-end cars like BMWs and Porsches starting next year – at least in Europe.

Read full article.


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

To hear the latest in additive manufacturing, material removal, automation, and digital manufacturing, subscribe to the AMT Tech Trends podcast here.

PicturePicture
Author
Stephen LaMarca
Senior Technology Analyst
Recent technology News
Find cutting-edge innovations and network, Nov. 4-6, 2025, in Dallas, Texas — the new home of the Manufacturing Technology Series SOUTHWEST.
Robots keep marching. Dreamliner's secret sauce. Hitachi builds its own AI foundry. When 'overbuying' pays off. Grinding errors down to size.
Mazak builds their 40,00th machine. Robots do heavy lifting; humans keep it real. United is serious about going supersonic. Arizona's silicon gold rush. Two floors - no framing needed.
Human innovation at scale. GE is reshoring your refrigerator for $3B. But will they play Pokemon go up there? The sound of qubits. The center for digital twins wants you!
Ford hits Alt + F4 on the assembly line. RealSense goes solo, sees big picture. Screen to spindle. Quantum national security. The economy's not itself when it's hungry.
Similar News
undefined
Intelligence
By AMT | Oct 24, 2025

Q3 tariff survey results and practical tariff guidance; Dallas goes big on MT; Sharpie's domestic production investment pays off, and more.

6 min
undefined
Technology
By Stephen LaMarca | Oct 24, 2025

The put a GPU in body armor. Okuma expands strategic leadership. Hexagon extends its reach ( and its ruler). Parker plugs in. From startup to supply chain staple.

6 min
undefined
Advocacy
By Harry Moser | Oct 23, 2025

More than 500 U.S. manufacturers identify the keys to boosting domestic production: building a skilled workforce, applying total cost of ownership principles, managing costs, and preparing for geopolitical risk.

7 min