Articles tagged with Manufacturing
Volume 16 of the Wakefield Court Rolls series edited by Dr John A. Hargreaves details proceedings from 1812 to 1813, showing how the textile industry continued to thrive despite Luddite attacks and economic hardship. The volume includes transcripts of wills, revealing new information on women's rights and property deals.
The WPI Metal Processing Institute will contribute its expertise in lightweight metal casting and heat treatment to a new $148 million national manufacturing initiative. The initiative aims to create over 10,000 new metals manufacturing jobs and spur innovative research and development in lightweight metals processing.
The University of Tennessee at Knoxville is leading a national research effort focused on developing new lightweight materials for fuel-efficient cars and aircraft. The initiative aims to improve vehicle performance, safety, and energy efficiency by reducing material weight while maintaining strength.
The new journal will address key issues in policy, law, intellectual property, safety, and liability, among others. It aims to facilitate collaboration across disciplines to drive innovation and industrial competitiveness.
Researchers at Oregon State University created a new approach to sustainable manufacturing that incorporates the human component, addressing economic, environmental, and social impacts. The method considers various facets of sustainability, including energy usage, materials, worker safety, and satisfaction, to create a holistic process.
Researchers demonstrate low-power photonic devices fabricated using standard chip-making processes, achieving energy efficiencies competitive with electronics. The advancements enable the commercialization of photonic technology, accelerating its adoption in computing and communication applications.
Research published in Acupuncture in Medicine found that widely used acupuncture needles have significant surface irregularities and inconsistencies, which could lead to painful reactions, bleeding, or bruising. The study calls for manufacturers to review and improve their quality control procedures for needle fabrication.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University are converting the laser hot-wire welding process into a high-output 3D additive manufacturing process with partners Lincoln Electric and other industry leaders.
NASA is exploring the potential of additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, to create customized spacecraft and instrument components. The agency has launched several formal programs to prototype new tools using this emerging technology.
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute are investigating ways for robots to work alongside humans in settings like manufacturing plants and elderly homes. They aim to develop algorithms that enable robots to collaborate with people on tasks, enhancing productivity without compromising safety.
A study by Alexandra Kalev found that corporate downsizing negatively impacts managerial diversity, particularly for white women and blacks, but performance-based layoffs mitigate this effect. The research also highlights the importance of internal legal counsel in promoting diversity during downsizing.
The Next Generation Power Electronics Innovation Institute aims to create new jobs and boost the nation's manufacturing industry. ASU researchers will focus on developing gallium nitride-based power electronic devices for energy-efficient power conversion and Silicon Carbide-based materials for medium voltage high power converters.
The emerging class of ADCs holds great promise in cancer treatment, with two approved drugs expected to be blockbusters and over 100 more in preclinical pipeline. Challenges in manufacturing are being addressed by contract manufacturers expanding capacity.
A study by UC Irvine and other researchers found that Chinese air pollution affects the American West Coast, particularly Los Angeles. The pollution is caused by the manufacturing of goods for export, leading to an extra day of smog exceeding federal limits each year.
A new research suggests that developing relationships between companies, suppliers, and raw material suppliers can lead to significant cost savings and improved designs. By creating a sourcing hub, firms can simplify their supply chains and gain access to better advice on raw material selection.
Professor Paul Scott has been awarded an EPSRC Fellowship in Manufacturing with a £900,000 funding award. He will investigate ways of ensuring greater geometrical accuracy during manufacturing using computational geometry and develop new algorithms.
The final three of 18 primary mirrors for the James Webb Space Telescope have arrived at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The mirrors, built by Ball Aerospace, will form a 6.5-meter-diameter primary mirror when integrated with a stable structure.
A new low-cost 3D printer developed by Michigan Technological University's Joshua Pearce can lay down thin layers of steel to form complex geometric objects. The printer is less expensive than commercial metal printers and is affordable enough for home use, but requires more safety gear and fire protection equipment.
The NREL Electric Calcium Test (e-Ca) detects infinitesimally small amounts of moisture, making it 100 to 1,000 times more sensitive than other commercial tests. The test can detect water vapor transmission rates as low as one ten-millionth of a gram per square meter per day.
Researchers at USC Viterbi School of Engineering have developed a new 3D printing process that can fabricate heterogeneous objects in minutes, not hours. This breakthrough enables the creation of complex prototypes with multiple materials, such as dental and robotics models, more efficiently and cost-effectively.
Scientists at Empa have developed a new manufacturing technique for high-efficiency CIGS solar cells, achieving a record-breaking energy conversion rate of 20.4%. This improvement enables CIGS cells to compete with polycrystalline silicon cells, marking a significant advancement in the field.
Case Western Reserve University researchers aim to develop processes that can be used by industry to manufacture Janus particles, which could carry paired medicines or provide unique optics for displays. The engineers focus on creating high-yield nanomanufacturing with simple processes.
Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a platform to study the aqueous chemistry of aluminum, a crucial metal for human civilization. This breakthrough has the potential to unlock significant advances in electronics, manufacturing, agriculture, and drinking water treatment.
Researchers at NIST developed a novel method for measuring laser power by reflecting light off a mirrored scale, simplifying calibration and enabling on-site measurements. The technique enables accurate and fast measurement of high-power lasers with reduced costs.
The Consumer's Guide to Minerals explores minerals' diverse uses in scientific research, manufacturing, medicine, and commercial applications. The digital publication provides a comprehensive reference for professionals and students in the fields of applied science, geology, and economics.
Dr. Ellery Frahm's study challenges a widely held theory, suggesting ancient Syrians produced their own obsidian tools locally rather than importing from Turkey. This finding has implications for understanding how early cities developed and the geographic origins of raw materials.
The Deshpande Center is awarding grants to researchers developing innovative technologies in disease monitoring, cancer treatment, water desalination, and digital printing. The project focuses on developing proof-of-concept explorations and validation for emerging technologies with a potential impact on quality of life.
A study by Michigan Technological University finds that making products on a 3D printer uses less energy than producing them in factories and shipping them. The analysis also shows that using renewable resources like PLA plastic can further reduce environmental impact.
A new report from NREL and MIT reveals that China's dominance in solar manufacturing is largely due to its production scale advantages, including access to capital and supply chain benefits. The study suggests that these advantages can be replicated in the US with innovative technology and scale-up.
A new study by the American Chemical Society found that state e-waste recycling bans have been largely ineffective in reducing electronic waste disposal. However, providing more information to women and older people could increase the effectiveness of these bans and recycling programs.
A UT Arlington engineer has received a $142,223 National Science Foundation grant to develop a system that uses complex data analysis to ensure consistency in various manufacturing processes. By examining this data, researchers can identify irregularities and help manufacturers adjust their variables for more consistent systems.
A study reveals that China's dominance in solar panel manufacturing is driven by larger-scale production and supply-chain benefits, not just cheaper labor. Future innovations in crystalline solar cell technology may help equalize prices by enhancing access to materials and expanding manufacturing scale across regions.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have developed a new method for creating inexpensive and easily manufactured nanoparticle-based solar cells using phosphorus and zinc. The team's innovative approach could make solar power more accessible to off-grid communities and reduce costs by up to half.
Researchers develop a lightweight structure made of tiny blocks that can be snapped together like bricks, revolutionizing the assembly of airplanes, spacecraft, and larger structures. The new material is 10 times stiffer for a given weight than existing ultralight materials and can be easily disassembled and reassembled.
Researchers will develop biomimetic materials with self-replicating and evolving properties using DNA-guided self-assembly and origami folding. The goal is to create self-replicating 3D arrays with potential applications in advanced materials, biofuels, and industrial products.
A Michigan Technological University researcher predicts that personal manufacturing with 3D printing will enter the mainstream, offering consumers significant cost savings. The study analyzed 20 common household items and found that making them with a 3D printer could save up to $1,944 compared to buying them online.
Michael Donauer developed a tool to identify causes of nonconformities in mass production environments, focusing on data usage and processing challenges. His work is an example of interdisciplinary approaches contributing to both academia and industry.
Researchers have discovered a champion nano-structured iron oxide structure that can produce solar hydrogen with high efficiency. The discovery, published in Nature Materials, aims to reduce the production cost of hydrogen from €15 per kilo to €5.
Researchers at Advanced Diamond Technologies successfully created thin films of boron-doped diamond at low temperatures, potentially enabling a wider range of applications for electronic devices. The new method expands the possibilities for depositing high-quality diamond coatings without damaging sensitive electronics.
The €3.9M HARCO project, backed by the European Commission, has successfully developed equipment to reduce vibration levels on machine tools, improving product accuracy and reducing costs.
A team of researchers led by Gupreet Singh has devised a method to assemble self-assembled copolymer block films with nanostructures, enabling multiple functions and flexibility on a macroscale level. The films can be embedded with nanoparticles for various applications, including data storage and water purification.
The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center has announced a significant investment of over $100 million in grants for life-sciences-related capital projects in western Massachusetts. This investment will support the growth of the state's life sciences supercluster and enhance the University of Massachusetts Amherst's ability to drive econom...
A new method using Petri nets simplifies supervisor control for automated manufacturing systems, reducing deadlocks and improving system throughput. NJIT professor Mengchu Zhou's research proposes removing dependent inequalities to minimize computerized supervisory control time, providing a more efficient solution.
A new MIT-led lifecycle assessment found that more than two-thirds of a running shoe's carbon impact can come from manufacturing processes. The researchers identified hotspots of greenhouse-gas emissions in the production of small, lightweight parts such as soles and found ways to reduce waste by recycling scraps and streamlining assem...
A £1 million project aims to design and build a reactor vessel that safely uses oxygen in manufacturing processes. This would enable compounds to be oxidised effectively while producing only water as a by-product, reducing toxicity and waste.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a new technique to detect flaws in lithium-ion batteries during manufacturing, including uneven coating and thickness variations. The 'flash thermography measurement' method uses heat and thermal imaging to quickly identify defects, which can impact battery life and reliability.
A University of Texas at Arlington aerospace engineer is developing diagnostic and predictive tools to aid aircraft manufacturers in analyzing composite structures. The work integrates design and manufacturing processes to advance the performance of composite materials, improving safety, speed, and reliability.
Researchers at the University of Granada have developed a self-compacting concrete using ash from olive pruning residue pellets, reducing time and costs. The new concrete has a higher compression strength than conventional concrete without requiring additional filler materials.
Researchers from the University of Illinois found that using common components can reduce product line cannibalization, allowing firms to redesign their product lines and improve profits. This challenges traditional marketing wisdom that differentiation is key.
Scientists find that altering the structure and assembly of cellulose can make it more easily broken down, leading to more efficient biofuel production. By modifying the synthesis process, plants can produce cellulose with fewer structured bundles, reducing the need for time- and energy-intensive industrial processes.
A UC Riverside engineer is exploring a nearly century-old manufacturing technique to strengthen tiny titanium-based medical devices, which could lead to significant improvements in their performance and reliability. The technique, known as gas nitriding, involves heating the device in a nitrogen atmosphere to increase its strength.
A new study from St. Michael's Hospital found that dietary supplements accounted for more than half of the Class 1 drugs recalled by the US Food and Drug Administration between 2004-12. The majority of these recalls were for bodybuilding, weight loss, or sexual enhancement products containing unapproved medicinal ingredients, including...
A study in Medical Care found that startup companies founded by physician entrepreneurs produce high-quality patents for class III medical devices. The researchers suggest that stricter policies on financial relationships between physicians and medical device manufacturers could slow innovation. This could have unintended consequences,...
Polycrystalline diamond is used to manufacture monolithic components for optical circuits, combining integrated optics with mechanical elements. The material's high refractive index, low absorption, and modulus of elasticity enable efficient photon transport and robustness.
The researchers designed nanostructured metamaterials that can control device performance across a range of frequencies. They achieved this by introducing nanonotches in the corners of the fishnet holes to create flexibility in independently controlling permittivity and permeability.
A new roadmap for robotics aims to maximize progress in the next decade. Robots have the potential to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US, improve logistics and reduce delivery costs, and make first responders safer.
A Concordia University study found that Canadian aerospace companies can adapt to the global pace by adopting a smaller-is-better approach and focusing on integrated low-cost differentiation strategies. The research suggests that companies should develop marketing plans to convince large global companies of the benefits of working with...
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University found that hospitals adopting Lean methodologies from Toyota and similar manufacturing approaches improved heart attack process of care measures, leading to lower 30-day mortality rates. However, no significant association with reduced readmission rates was observed.
The collaboration aims to accelerate the translation of Organs-on-Chips from benchtop to marketplace, providing more predictive and useful measures of drug efficacy and safety in humans. The Wyss Institute has developed over ten Organs-on-Chips, including lung, heart, liver, kidney, bone marrow, and gut-on-a-chip technologies.
The University of Nottingham will lead two innovative manufacturing centres, one in food production and the other in medical devices, with a focus on sustainable food production and cost-effective medical device manufacturing. The £45 million package of investment aims to drive growth and keep the UK ahead in the global race.