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    Our roster of bloggers provide insight and advice on issues facing the maintenance and reliability industry today. These experts explore a range of topics, including workforce development, compressed air systems, electrical systems, supply chain management, and much more
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    3D printers are helping surgeons create custom cranial implants

    April 26, 2024
    Now I know that if I suffer a severe injury, especially to my skull, all I really need is a 3D printer.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Manufacturing in space, the final frontier 

    Alexis Gajewski
    April 19, 2024
    Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is redefining the future of robotics with its research on in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing (ISAM).
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Can gamification make manufacturing more fun?

    April 11, 2024
    A recent study claims that completion rates for monotonous assembly tasks increased when framed as playing a game.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Industry infographics

    Alexis Gajewski
    April 8, 2024
    Get the manufacturing data and industrial insights you need to make the right decisions for your plant.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    3 ways 3D printing is becoming better, faster, and stronger

    Alexis Gajewski
    April 5, 2024
    The field of additive manufacturing is continuously evolving.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Watch engineers turn fantasy builds into reality, one video at a time

    Alexis Gajewski
    March 31, 2024
    See how industry professionals are using their talents in their free time to design and build a more whimsical world.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Mercedes-Benz hires humanoid robots to help workers on the plant floor 

    Alexis Gajewski
    March 22, 2024
    Possible uses for the robot include bringing parts to production line workers, inspecting components, and delivering totes of kitted parts later in the manufacturing process. ...
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Chameleon-inspired 3D printing technique uses one ink to print different colors, including red, gold, and green

    Alexis Gajewski
    Feb. 23, 2024
    The natural world is the greatest source of inspiration for engineers, designers, and creators alike.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Inventors of Transformers toys help design Japanese lunar robot

    Alexis Gajewski
    Jan. 26, 2024
    The SORA-Q was jointly developed by Takara TOMY, a toy company; the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency; Sony Group; and Doshisha University.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Turn your manufacturing defects into profit: How Sweethearts rebranded its blurry conversation hearts  

    Alexis Gajewski
    Jan. 12, 2024
    For a limited time, the company is offering Situationship Boxes, which feature blurry, misprinted candies that are as hard to read as a real situationship.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    3D printer uses lasers and cameras to print intricate designs with a wider variety of materials

    Alexis Gajewski
    Dec. 15, 2023
    Researchers from MIT, the MIT spinout Inkbit, and ETH Zurich have been diligently working on a new 3D inkjet printer that will change what types of projects can be printed and...
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Shape-shifting fibers expand and contract based on body temperature 

    Alexis Gajewski
    Dec. 1, 2023
    Based on liquid crystal elastomers, the FibeRobo fiber can be embedded or structured into textiles.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Roll up: Pangolin-inspired robot is designed to travel within the human body

    Alexis Gajewski
    Nov. 10, 2023
    Recently, researchers have turned to the pangolin with its unique overlapping scales as a model for the latest technical innovation.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    DexR robot stacks packages onto FedEx trailers with Tetris-like precision

    Alexis Gajewski
    Oct. 20, 2023
    While loading packages may seem like a simple task, the reality is that deciding how to stack boxes of various sizes, shapes, weights, and packaging materials can be extremely...
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie MilliMobile robot runs on light and radio waves

    Alexis Gajewski
    Sept. 29, 2023
    What if you could deploy a micro robot no bigger than a coin to investigate issues at your facility and wirelessly transmit data from attached sensors to help you make more informed...
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Automated restaurants are precise, popular, and profitable. Just ask sweetgreen.

    Alexis Gajewski
    Sept. 22, 2023
    Sweetgreen opened its first robotic restaurant in Naperville, Illinois, earlier this year and called it Infinite Kitchen.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Meet the Mold-A-Rama machine, 3D printing’s older, kitschy cousin

    Alexis Gajewski
    Sept. 7, 2023
    What happens when you combine a vending machine with plastic injection molding and add in a pinch of mid-century flair?
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Clothes made from carbon emissions may be coming to a Walmart near you soon

    Alexis Gajewski
    Aug. 18, 2023
    Recently, Rubi announced that it will be partnering with Walmart to bring its innovative ideas and message to the masses.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Why program robots when you can control them with your mind instead?

    Alexis Gajewski
    Aug. 4, 2023
    This might sound like a futuristic concept, but a new study illustrates just how close we are to applying brain-computer interface technology in everyday life.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Holy guacamole! Chipotle is using robots to cut, core, and peel avocados

    Alexis Gajewski
    July 21, 2023
    Chipotle Mexican Grill has hopped on the automation bandwagon and is testing out a new cobot with the potential to slash prep times and optimize everyone’s favorite taco topping...
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    I don’t think you’re ready for this jellyfish-inspired robot that can clean the ocean floor

    Alexis Gajewski
    July 5, 2023
    These enticing invertebrates might be the solution to our oceanic pollution problems.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Robots are fighting deforestation in the Amazon, one seed at a time

    Alexis Gajewski
    June 23, 2023
    Every day, it seems, robots are gaining new and innovative skills that were unimaginable only a few years ago.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Self-healing clothes may become a reality thanks to fungi

    Alexis Gajewski
    June 9, 2023
    Researchers from Newcastle University and Northumbria University in the U.K. are pushing the envelop of sustainable fashion by utilizing the threads produced by fungi to create...
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Robotics and AI: From the plant floor to your local fast-food restaurant

    Alexis Gajewski
    May 26, 2023
    Wendy's plans to use an underground autonomous robot system to deliver food to hungry customers in the parking lot.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Looking for a snack? Try a rechargeable, edible battery

    Alexis Gajewski
    May 12, 2023
    Researchers from Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) have used products found in many pantries to develop a rechargeable, edible battery.
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Book your stay at a 3D-printed luxury resort in Texas

    Alexis Gajewski
    March 29, 2023
    Famous hotelier Liz Lambert has teamed up with ICON, an advanced construction technologies company, and BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, an architecture firm, to create a 3D-printed paradise...
    The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

    Metallica the manufacturer: Heavy metal band purchases vinyl pressing plant

    Alexis Gajewski
    March 20, 2023
    It’s not often that the worlds of manufacturing and popular music collide, but when they do, the result is pure metal.