Blogs

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

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

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

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  

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

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 

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.
The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

Boston Dynamics robots make their runway debut during Paris Fashion Week

March 15, 2023
For the launch of their fall 2023 collection, Coperni partnered with Boston Dynamics to incorporate five of the company’s “Spot” canine robots into their Paris fashion show.
Lean Six Sigma

Correct workload imbalances in your maintenance program to leverage Lean principles

March 14, 2023
To fully leverage Lean, traditional concepts like mura need to be interpreted to fit the maintenance context.
The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

Japanese company offers balloon rides to outer space

March 6, 2023
What if you could experience the wonders of outer space without needing advanced degrees or a vault full of money?
The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

Want to improve your balance? Get an exoskeleton suit with superhuman reflexes.

March 1, 2023
Despite their many advances, robots are notorious for have poor balance skills. This deficiency, however, might be due to reaction time.
The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

Tractor beams make the leap from sci-fi fiction to reality

Feb. 20, 2023
Researchers from the QingDao University of Science and Technology in China have successfully created a first-of-its-kind macroscopic tractor beam.
The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

Beam into your next meeting with holographic technology

Feb. 13, 2023
Proto is a holographic communications company that created both the hardware and software necessary to make the everyday use of holograms a reality.
The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

This robot can “smell ya later” thanks to a biological sensor

Feb. 7, 2023
The sensor is connected to an electronic system, and a machine learning algorithm is utilized to identify odors.
The Lighter Side of Manufacturing

Company unveils world’s first tractor to run on … cow poop

Jan. 30, 2023
To help farmers reach their green goals, New Holland Agriculture, a division of CNH Industrial, has partnered with Bennamann to introduce the T7 Methane Power LNG (Liquefied Natural...