Manufacturing Technology Only Validated at Production Scale

Another petrochemical plant operates with only AI. Quality tests predicted in real time. The world’s first soft exoskeleton improves worker hand ergonomics. Labor negotiations intensify.

Aug 13, 2023

Shop Talk

Capturing this week's zeitgeist

The UPS and Teamsters new labor deal ups the average value of a UPS full-time driver pay and benefits to $170,000 annually by the end of the contract in 2028. Unionized auto workers and construction workers look for similar gains in their negotiations:

Chrysler owner calls for focus on reality in UAW labor talks

US TSMC plant faces calls to ban Taiwanese workers

Assembly Line

This week's most influential Industry 4.0 media

☀️🔋 Scale and the Economic Mechanisms of Learning Rate: Applying Lessons From Solar to the Battery Industry

📅 Date: July 25, 2023
✍️ Authors: Charlie Parker, Dr. Nemanya Sedoglavich

Learning rates quantify the unit price decline for every doubling of manufacturing capacity and have proven to be a reliable method to forecast price declines based on market growth. In renewable energy markets like solar photovoltaics (PV) and energy storage, these learning rates have held steady for years. These price declines are often considered to be a result of volume purchasing or “economies of scale” but research has shown technology to be the primary reason for continued price declines.

While a specific or absolute metric may not exist, there appears to be a market size threshold for manufacturing technologies to develop. The threshold characteristics for the market include the ability to support several optimally sized plants operating at or near nameplate capacity. Another consideration may be the resources required to validate the type of technology and the associated value proposition. While new materials can be proven out in low-volume production, manufacturing technology can only be validated at a production scale, which takes considerably more resources in comparison.

🔋 The Race for Solid-State Batteries

📅 Date: July 28, 2023
🏭 Vertical: Automotive
🏢 Organizations: Porsche, Sakuu

Solid-state batteries could reshuffle the deck on the market for electric vehicles. Longer ranges, faster charging times, greater safety—solid-state batteries offer numerous advantages for electric cars. Six key tasks need to be solved for a breakthrough in the automotive industry alone: improving product properties, converting existing gigafactories to solid-state production, integrating the batteries into vehicle systems, establishing robust supply chains for new materials, reducing costs by enlarging cell formats, and funding the start-up stage.

While Asian manufacturers like CATL and LG dominate lithium-ion technology, most of the leaders in solid-state battery technology are start-ups in the USA. The big carmakers appear to have learned their lesson from lithium-ion batteries. In order to prevent further dependence on Asian suppliers, they have been investing heavily in tech start-ups.

✈️ How AI is helping airlines mitigate the climate impact of contrails

🏢 Organizations: Google, Breakthrough Energy Ventures

🛢️🧠 ENEOS and PFN Begin Continuous Operation of AI-Based Autonomous Petrochemical Plant System

📅 Date: August 10, 2023
🔖 Topics: Autonomous Production, Autonomous Factory, AI
🏭 Vertical: Petroleum and Coal, Chemical
🏢 Organizations: ENEOS, Preferred Networks

ENEOS Corporation (ENEOS) and Preferred Networks, Inc. (PFN) announced today that their artificial intelligence (AI) system, which they have been continuously operating since January 2023 for a butadiene extraction unit in ENEOS Kawasaki Refinery’s petrochemical plant, has achieved higher economy and efficiency than manual operations.

Jointly developed by ENEOS and PFN, the AI system is designed to automate large-scale, complex operations of oil refineries and petrochemical plants that currently require operators with years of experience. The new AI system is one of the world’s largest for petrochemical plant operation according to PFN’s research, with a total of 363 sensors for prediction and 13 controlled elements. The companies co-developed the system to improve safety and stability of plant operations by reducing dependence on technicians’ varying skill levels.

Read more at Preferred Networks News

🧠 Data Driven Optimization - AI, Analytics IIoT and Oden Technologies

📅 Date: August 1, 2023
✍️ Author: Trey Bell
🔖 Topics: Manufacturing Analytics, IIoT
🏢 Organizations: Oden Technologies

If you can predict that offline quality test in real time, so that you know, in real time, that you’re making good products, it reduces the risk to improve the process in real time. We actually use that type of modeling to then prescribe the right set points for the customer to reach whatever outcome they want to achieve. If they want to lower the cost, lower the material consumption and lower energy consumption, increase the speed, then we actually give them the input parameters that they need to use in order to get a more efficient output.

And then the last step, which is more exploratory, which we’re working on now is also generating work instructions for the operators, kind of like an AI support system for the operator. We can lower the barrier to entry for operators to become top performers, through recommendations, predictions and generative AI for how to achieve high performance. By enabling operators to leverage science more than art or intuition, we can really change the game in terms of how we make things.

Read more at Industrial Machinery Digest

🧑‍🏭🦾 High-Tech Gloves Give Workers a Helping Hand

📅 Date: August 10, 2023
✍️ Author: John Sprovieri
🔖 Topics: Wearable Technology

Waupaca Foundry Inc. is a leading supplier of iron castings to the automotive, commercial vehicle, agriculture, construction and industrial markets. Using state of-the-art technology, the company produces castings from gray iron, ductile iron, HNM series high-strength ductile iron, and austempered ductile iron. The company melts some 9,500 tons of metal daily.

To improve ergonomics, Waupaca Foundry is using an innovative adaptive technology to support workers who manually grind castings. The Ironhand glove, developed by a Swedish company Bioservo Technologies, is the world’s first soft exoskeleton designed for the human hand to improve grip strength and reduce effort. The system consists of a glove covering all five fingers, and a power pack worn in a backpack or hip-pack. Pressure sensors within the glove trigger servomotors within the power unit and give the wearer a more powerful grip, which is easily adjusted for each application. The glove’s “soft extra muscle” strengthening technology merges neuroscience, mechatronics and robotics, and increases worker endurance for manual assembly tasks.

🍮 Dissolving Molds: A New Way to Think About Injection Molding

📅 Date: August 9, 2023
🔖 Topics: Injection Molding, Additive Manufacturing
🏢 Organizations: Nexa3D

Rather than mimic the conventional functionality of a tool, something new is in the game: dissolvable molds. The soluble tooling technology uses the same printer but different materials, allowing for a flexible workflow—from geometry to molds to parts.

The dissolving aspect provides design flexibility, Mason notes. Even for complex parts with undercuts and non-ideal parting lines, the mold design can be completed in 30 min., which eliminates the need to anticipate and address the pain points of a part before testing it. Mason says the speed of this approach is exceptional and molds are ready to use in less than an hour.

📐 Physics-Driven Generative Design: The Future of Engineering

🏢 Organizations: Hyperganic

📐👀 UCLA Researchers Propose PhyCV: A Physics-Inspired Computer Vision Python Library

📅 Date: July 23, 2023
🔖 Topics: Machine Vision, Physics-informed Neural Networks
🏢 Organizations: UCLA

In the latest innovation, Jalali-Lab @ UCLA has developed a new Python library called PhyCV, which is the first Physics-based Computer vision Python library. This unique library uses algorithms based on the laws and equations of physics to analyze pictorial data. These algorithms imitate how light passes through several physical materials and are based on mathematical equations rather than a series of hand-crafted rules. The algorithms in PhyCV are built on the principles of a rapid data acquisition method called the photonic time stretch.

The three algorithms included in PhyCV are – Phase-Stretch Transform (PST) algorithm, Phase-Stretch Adaptive Gradient-Field Extractor (PAGE) algorithm, and Vision Enhancement via Virtual diffraction and coherent Detection (VEViD) algorithm.

Capital Investment

Major factory investments and line commissions. Tracked in the Atlas.

🏭🇲🇾 Infineon to build the world’s largest 200-millimeter SiC Power Fab in Kulim, Malaysia

📅 Date: August 3, 2023

By significantly expanding its Kulim fab – over and above the original investment announced in February 2022 – Infineon will build the world’s largest 200-millimeter SiC (silicon carbide) Power Fab. The planned expansion is backed by customer commitments covering about five billion euros of new design-wins in automotive and industrial applications as well as about one billion euros in pre-payments. Among the customers are Ford, SAIC and Chery. In the area of renewable energies customers include SolarEdge and three leading Chinese photovoltaic and energy storage systems companies. In addition, Infineon and Schneider Electric agreed on a capacity reservation including prepayments for power products based on silicon and silicon carbide.

🏭🇩🇪 Germany spends big to win $11 billion TSMC chip plant

📅 Date: August 8, 2023

Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC committed 3.5 billion euros ($3.8 billion) to a factory in Germany, its first in Europe, taking advantage of huge state support for the $11 billion plant as the continent seeks to bring supply chains closer to home. The plant, which will be TSMC’s (2330.TW) third outside of traditional manufacturing bases Taiwan and China, is central to Berlin’s ambition to foster the domestic semiconductor industry its car industry will need to remain globally competitive.

Germany, which has been courting the world’s largest contract chipmaker since 2021, will contribute up to 5 billion euros to the factory in Dresden, capital of the eastern state of Saxony, German officials said.

Business Transactions

This week's top funding events, acquisitions, and partnerships across industrial value chains

✈️ Archer Accelerates Path to Market: Secures $215M Investment From Stellantis, Boeing, United Airlines, ARK Invest and Others

📅 Date: August 10, 2023
🔖 Topics: Funding Event
🏢 Organizations: Archer Aviation, Boeing, Stellantis

Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR), a leader in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, today announced operating and financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023. In tandem with earnings, Archer made a series of announcements that reinforce its path to FAA certification and commercial operations in 2025. Archer has landed a $215 million equity investment from industry leaders Stellantis, Boeing and United Airlines, received FAA approval to begin flying its Midnight eVTOL aircraft, and reached an agreement with Boeing and Wisk to enter into an autonomous flight collaboration and settle litigation between the companies. Additionally, Archer announced that it is on track to complete what it believes will be the first ever eVTOL aircraft delivery to a customer as part of its recently announced contracts with the Department of Defense (DoD).

🖨️ Boston Micro Fabrication Secures $24M Series D Funding to Drive High Value Applications

📅 Date: August 10, 2023
🏢 Organizations: Boston Micro Fabrication

Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF), a leader in advanced manufacturing solutions for ultra-high precision applications, has raised a $24 million Series D round led by Guotai Junan Securities. With the funding, BMF will improve its innovative research and development, further promote and extend its terminal products, and strengthen its global collaborations across medtech and high-end manufacturing.

BMF was established in 2016 and is currently the only additive manufacturing company capable of producing the highest precision at the 2μm scale. To produce the industry’s most accurate and precise high-resolution 3D prints, BMF’s printers use Projection Micro Stereolithography (PμSL) technology leveraging light, customizable optics, a high-quality movement platform, and controlled processing technology. By combining multiple performance materials and related post-treatment processes, BMF has developed a new precision manufacturing solution.

Verdagy secures Series B funding led by Temasek and Shell Ventures

📅 Date: August 8, 2023
🏢 Organizations: Verdagy, Temasek, Shell

Verdagy, a pioneer in scaling electrolyzer technologies for industrial markets, today announced the closing of a $73-million Series B funding round. Temasek and Shell Ventures co-led the Series B round, with participation from new global investors Bidra Innovation Ventures, BlueScope, Galp, Samsung Venture Investment, Toppan Ventures, Tupras Ventures, Yara Growth Ventures and Zeon Ventures.

The new funding will enable Verdagy to accelerate the launch and commercialization of its eDynamic® 20 megawatt (MW) electrolyzer module, which will serve as a fundamental unit to future systems at the 200MW scale and beyond. Following initial commercial unit deployments with existing partners, Verdagy will expand deployment of its novel eDynamic electrolyzer technology to additional customers in heavy industries such as oil and gas, ammonia, steel and e-fuels to support global industrial decarbonization.

Tractian's new $45M Series B Funding Boosts AI-driven Maintenance Operations

📅 Date: August 7, 2023
🏢 Organizations: Tractian, General Catalyst

Tractian, a leader in industrial IoT and enterprise asset management software, today announced $45 million in growth capital led by General Catalyst with participation from existing investor Next47 and strategic angels to revolutionize the lives of maintenance professionals with its hardware-software solution. The new funding comes as Tractian’s asset monitoring system reaches over 1,000 industrial plants, and positions the company to rapidly scale customer enablement while investing in new technology innovation for its maintenance operators.

Tractian’s solutions are used in environments that address a combined total of 5% of global industrial output. The company’s broad market reach is evidenced in its customer base from various industries, such as John Deere, Procter & Gamble, Caterpillar, Goodyear, Carrier, Johnson Controls, and Bimbo, the owner of the brands Little Bites and Thomas Bagels. Tractian’s customers see a 6-12x ROI with savings of $6,000 per monitored machine annually on average.

👖 Sewts secures €7M Series A funding to transform the processing of easily deformable materials

📅 Date: August 10, 2023
✍️ Author: Cate Lawrence
🏢 Organizations: Sewts

Robotics startup sewts has successfully completed a €7 million Series A funding round. Founded in 2019 and based in Munich, sewts GmbH provides cutting-edge AI-embedded perception software, pushing the boundaries of robotics in the processing of easily deformable materials such as textiles and fois. The company has developed and demonstrated a unique technology that uses high-precision simulations to train machine learning algorithms efficiently. Combined with suitable hardware, it enables countless applications in industrial automation, like handling textiles in industrial laundries or manufacturing garments.

Sewts will use this fresh capital to progress with our growth targets internationally. These include launching further VELUM systems in international large-scale laundries and, as a next step, refining our prototype for the automated handling of returns in online shopping.”

🖨️🦾 Swiss startup SAEKI launches with $2.3M seed funding for industrial micro-factories

📅 Date: August 10, 2023
✍️ Author: Cate Lawrence

Swiss startup SAEKI has launched from stealth with a $2.3 million seed funding round to create fully automated plants with industrial robots using 3D technology to create anything from wings for aircraft to construction site installations. The funding round was led by Wingman Ventures, including participation from Vento Ventures, Getty Capital and angel investors.

The company is building its first production hub, offering industrial robots that act as micro-factories, combining multiple digital manufacturing methods, from 3D printing, milling, and inspection to creating an all-in-one low-waste production process and recyclable materials. It provides an end-to-end automation solution in 24 hours.

Ginkgo Bioworks Announces Collaboration with Merck to Improve Biologic Manufacturing

📅 Date: August 7, 2023
🔖 Topics: Partnership
🏢 Organizations: Ginkgo Bioworks, Merck

Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, today announced a new collaboration with Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, focused on improving biologic manufacturing.

Ginkgo will apply its expertise and capabilities in cell engineering, ultra high-throughput multiplexed screening, protein characterization and process optimization to improve production efficiency and increase yields. Under the terms of the collaboration, Ginkgo is eligible to receive, in aggregate, up to $490 million in upfront research fees, research milestone fees, option license payments and commercial milestone payments.

Exponential Industry

Discussion about this post