Maintenance Mindset: Tech trends — AI cyberattack defenses, quantum computing advancements, and more

Welcome to Maintenance Mindset, our editors’ takes on things going on in the worlds of manufacturing and asset management that deserve some extra attention. This will appear regularly in the Member’s Only section of the site.

Key takeaways

• Cybersecurity guidance for artificial intelligence system
• $10,000 electric power engineering scholarship winner
• Signal interference testing for bulletproof glass and other advanced designs
• Using artificial intelligence for welding operations
• New advanced manufacturing research facility in New Mexico
• $150 billion investment in U.S. computer manufacturing
• Aluminum 3D printing strengthened rare crystal shape discovery
• $5 million investment in manufacturing technology
• $50 billion investment in U.S. facilities for pharmaceutical manufacturing
• New additive manufacturing center in Oklahoma

Where science and the economy intersect is often where we find businesses innovating, and the exploration of new technologies is often a collaboration between industry, government and academia. This science roundup covers recent news and research, connecting manufacturing with government or university-led research and development (R&D) or workforce development initiatives. This month’s column focuses on artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, workforce development for industry, and investment in U.S. manufacturing.

NIST publishes AI system guidance

Cyberattacks for artificial intelligence (AI) systems are a real threat that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) takes seriously. It published voluntary guidelines for how to identify and mitigate attacks late last year, and in March 2025, NIST finalized the guidelines, primarily intended for those who design, develop, deploy, evaluate and govern AI systems.

Noteworthy: These systems may be adopted for predictive maintenance, quality control or process automation, and the reports notes that "adversarial machine learning" is on the rise. Data and model poisoning can lead to false alerts, missed failures or even manipulated maintenance decisions. Normal monitoring is not enough; red teaming and pre-deployment adversarial testing are recommended.

Pitt engineering graduate student wins $10,000 scholarship

University of Pittsburgh PhD graduate student Todd Marzec won the 6th annual Innomotics Peter Hammond Scholarship. Innomotics and the university’s Swanson School of Engineering awarded $10,000 to the winner. The scholarship is presented annually to outstanding graduate students pursuing studies in electric power engineering. Marzec has researched the design and optimization of magnetic components for power-dense electronic circuits, low- and medium-voltage power conversion equipment, power electronics for harsh environments and microgrid applications, and grid integration of renewable energy.

University of Oulu Finland 6G Test Center begins testing for first manufacturing client

The University of Oulu 6G Test Center worked with Finnish glass manufacturer Tambest to test bulletproof glasses with signal interference. The 6G Test Center focuses on dual-use products, or those that can be utilized by both civilian and defense sectors. The center is part of NATO’s DIANA research network. Tambest is researching and developing the thinnest and lightest possible bulletproof glasses, signal protection glasses and glasses suitable for withstanding explosion pressure waves. The 6G Test Center is maintained in collaboration between the University of Oulu and research institution VTT, and offers testing, evaluating, verifying and validating of next-generation wireless technologies.

Notre Dame study explores AI welding operations

An interdisciplinary team from the University of Notre Dame published Information Fusion, a new study that explores how a class of artificial intelligence (AI) tools capable of processing multiple types of inputs and reasoning can affect the future of work and, in particular, production work settings. In collaboration with welding experts in Indiana at the Elkhart Area Career Center, Plymouth High School, Career Academy South Bend, Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union 172 and Ivy Tech Community College, research focused on welding across several industries: RV and marine, aeronautical and farming. 

The study examined how accurately large language models could assess weld images to determine if those particular welds could be used for different products. The University of Notre Dame says, “Researchers found that while these AI tools showed promise in assessing weld quality, they performed significantly better analyzing curated online images compared to actual welds.” The discrepancy highlights the need for real-world data when training AI models.

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley opens new advanced manufacturing research facility

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) opened its new advanced manufacturing research facility (AMRF) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in early May. The AMRF at the UTRGV Edinburg Campus will serve as a center for research and development collaboration in advanced manufacturing, automation and integrated systems related to the automotive, space, defense and energy sectors. The center will support national and regional priorities, as well as support hands-on experience for students and workforce training in many areas, including advanced materials, robotics, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, digital simulation, fusion energy, and digital engineering. Workforce certifications are available in areas such as additive manufacturing and defense innovation.

3D-printed metal strengthened by rare crystal shape

Researchers from NIST have discovered quasicrystals in a 3D-printed aluminum-zirconium alloy, which increase the mechanical strength of the metal, making it more resistant to bending, stretching or cracking. Unlike typical crystals that repeat in predictable patterns, quasicrystals are non-repeating but ordered. The greater strength and durability results from the disrupted structure of the regular atomic arrangement in metals, helping prevent slippage between atoms. Traditionally, 3D printed metals parts have struggled with lightweight, high-strength metals like aluminum alloys, which are important for rotating machinery parts, heat exchangers, vehicle frames and other structural machine components.

University of Oklahoma and DOE collaborate to open additive manufacturing center

The University of Oklahoma and the Department of Energy’s multi-program science and energy laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), have entered a collaboration to establish an additive manufacturing center in Norman, OK. Building on the university’s existing Sooner Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory and ORNL’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, the new center will pioneer metal additive manufacturing solutions for aerospace and national defense needs. OU’s Oklahoma Aerospace and Defense Innovation Institute (OADII) and ORNL will advance research training and workforce development in metal additive manufacturing, hybrid manufacturing, machining and data analytics.

IBM to invest $150 billion in U.S. to accelerate technology and computer manufacturing

At the end of April, IBM announced its plans to invest $150 billion in the United States over the next five years to fuel and accelerate the country as a global leader in computing, including $30 billion in research and development to advanced IBM’s American manufacturing of mainframe and quantum computers at its Poughkeepsie NY plant. IBM also operates the world’s largest fleet of quantum computer systems and will continue to design, build and assemble quantum computers in the U.S.

Embry-Riddle invests $5 million in advanced manufacturing technology

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University made use of a $5 million investment from the Florida Department of Education for advanced manufacturing equipment. A newly acquired 3D ceramic printer has been used to study a bio-inspired ceramic coating material for a lunar lander to reduce damaging moondust adhesion. Modeled after a lotus leaf, the surface pattern makes it self-cleaning and impervious to water.

The equipment will also be used to study materials for hypersonics, space and energy. The Lithoz CeraFab Multi 2M30 additive manufacturing machine layers ceramic and metal to create patterns the size of a micron, or a millionth of a meter.

Other new equipment includes:

• A spark plasma sintering system called the SUGA-2000, used for the rapid densification of metals, ceramics and composites with high pressure and electric current. It will help researchers working on materials used in high-temperature and other extreme environments applications for hypersonics and space.
• An atomic-layer deposition system will perform nanofabrication for electronics and advanced sensor applications.
• The OrbitalS large-scale automated composite manufacturing system will produce next-gen aerospace, automotive and composite structures.
• A new Bunker AFM materials testing system will help researchers evaluate the quality of the advanced materials manufactured by the other systems.

Pharmaceutical manufacturer invests $50 billion for U.S. facilities

Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer Roche will invest $50 billion in the U.S. in the next five years to strengthen the company’s 13 U.S. manufacturing plants and 15 research and development sites across eight states. The investment will support:

• Expanded manufacturing and distribution capabilities for its medicines and diagnostics portfolio in Kentucky, Indiana, New Jersey, Oregon and California
• A new gene therapy manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania
• A new 900,000-square-foot manufacturing center to support Roche’s expanding portfolio of next generation weight loss medicines (location to be announced)
• A new manufacturing facility for continuous glucose monitoring in Indiana
• A new R&D center in Massachusetts, conducting AI research and serving as hub for its new cardiovascular, renal and metabolism research and development efforts
• Significant expansion and upgrading of its existing pharmaceuticals and diagnostics R&D center in Arizona, Indiana and California