Manufacturing & Prototyping

Unique Nanodisk Holds Major Potential for Future of Photonic Research

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have for the first time succeeded in combining two major research fields in photonics by creating a nanoobject with...

This OLED Device is Thinner Than a Human Hair

A new type of OLED (organic light emitting diode) could replace bulky night vision goggles with lightweight glasses, making them cheaper and more practical for prolonged use, according to...

World’s Strongest Battery Paves Way for Light, Energy-Efficient Vehicles

When cars, planes, ships, or computers are built from a material that functions as both a battery and a load-bearing structure, the weight and energy consumption are...

Generative Design Pairs with Digital Manufacturing for Space-Ready Parts

NASA engineers partnered with digital manufacturer Protolabs for a generative design experiment at the recent PowerSource Global Summit, a technology conference held in Orlando. Read on to learn more about the space-ready parts that came out of it.

A New Model Offers Robots Precise Pick-and-Place Solutions

Pick-and-place machines are a type of automated equipment used to place objects into structured, organized locations. These machines are used for a variety of applications — from...

AI's Role in Advanced Medtech Manufacturing

AI is optimizing manufacturing efficiency, quality control, and supply chain management.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: Idec Corporation's expanded SmartAXIS touch family, including the new FT2J Series combined PLC+HMI.

New on the Market

See what's new on the market, including the latest wafer inspection system from PI Americas, Remcom's XFdtd ® 3D Electromagnetic Simulation Software, ASM's high-resolution measurement system, NOVOSENSE Microelectronics' 16/24-channel driver IC for automotive LED applications, Advanced Energy Industries' NavX™ impedance matching network, the QUINT HP AC UPS from Phoenix Contact, Precision Glass & Optics' new double-sided polishing (DSP) capabilities, and more.

New Membrane Mirrors for Large Space-Based Telescopes

Researchers have developed a new way to produce and shape large, high-quality mirrors that are much thinner than conventional space-telescope mirrors. The final product is even flexible enough to be rolled up and stored compactly inside a launch vehicle. Read on to learn more.

3D-Printing Flexible Devices without Mechanical Joints

Eva Baur, a Ph.D. student, used 3D-printed double network granular elastomers (DNGEs) to print a prototype ‘finger,’ complete with rigid ‘bones’ surrounded by flexible ‘flesh.’ The finger was printed to deform in a pre-defined way, demonstrating the technology’s potential to manufacture devices that are sufficiently supple to bend and stretch, while remaining firm enough to manipulate objects. Read on to learn more.

3D Printing with an Unknown Material

This research could help to reduce the environmental impact of additive manufacturing, which typically relies on nonrecyclable polymers and resins derived from fossil fuels. Read on to learn more.

RTV Silicone Sealing Method for Component Interfaces

The RTV sealing method may benefit terrestrial applications that may demand cure-in-place internal seals. The method could also innovate manufacturing processes for components by enhancing the speed of assembly while increasing seal integrity. Read on to learn more.

Rapidly Testing Stretchable Sensors

Engineers have developed a new technique for making wearable sensors that enables medical researchers to prototype and test new designs much faster and at a far lower cost than existing methods. Read on to learn more.

Engineering a New Approach to Satellite Constellation Design

Propulsion systems that were once crafted in very limited quantities now need to be manufactured by the thousands. This scale-up necessitates a new design and development approach that blends modern manufacturing principles with legacy systems. Read on to learn more about it.

Advanced Laser Cleaning Robotic Work Cells Turbocharge Industrial Processes

Enclosed robotic laser parts cleaning systems are poised to safely remove rust and contamination as well as condition surfaces at dramatically higher volumes and at lower cost than conventional methods. Read on to learn more about the process.

Researchers Use Inkjet Printing to Make a Portable Multispectral 3D Camera

The palm-sized light field camera could improve autonomous driving, classification of recycled materials, and remote sensing. Read on to learn more about it.

Exploring Robotics and Cobots in Medical Device Production

How robotics and cobots are providing increased efficiency and quality in the medical device production process.

How the Air Force Is Using AI to Fix Supply Chain Challenges

Art Sellers, SparkCognition Government Systems Interim President and General Manager, joins the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast to explain the new partnership using AI to improve supply chain efficiency for the U.S. Air Force.

Overcoming Challenges in Material Selection for 3D Printed Medical Devices

In this season, we are taking an in-depth look at Printed Health: Transforming Medicine with Advanced Manufacturing, and this episode will focus specifically on...

Making EVs Accessible for All

To address the needs of wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) users in the U.K.’s transition to electric, Motability Operations has revealed eVITA. It’s an accessible and versatile concept electric wheelchair accessible vehicle (eWAV), designed in collaboration with CALLUM.

The Landscape of 3D Printing in Healthcare

The ethical implications of integrating robots into healthcare, discussing topics such as patient trust, privacy concerns, and the balance between human and robotic interaction in caregiving.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: Dewesoft's OBSIDIAN®, a breakthrough data acquisition (DAQ) instrument that combines the best features of a high-end DAQ system, a long-term datalogger, a real-time EtherCAT data server, and a signal conditioning front end.

Volvo Trucks’ Battery Chemistry of Choice: NCA

While Daimler Truck and Paccar are pursuing LFP battery cells, Volvo Trucks employs lithium-ion batteries in which lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA) is used as the cathode — for now anyway. The Swedish truck maker is continuously exploring other battery technologies. Read on to learn more.

New Methods in Preparing and Purifying Nanomaterials

Innovators at NASA’s Glenn Research Center have made several breakthroughs in treating hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanomaterials, improving their properties to supplant carbon nanotubes in many applications.

Oxygen-Free Chemical Vapor Deposition Method to Make Graphene

Engineers are poised to clean things up with an oxygen-free chemical vapor deposition (OF-CVD) method that can create high-quality graphene samples at scale. Their work directly demonstrates how trace oxygen affects the growth rate of graphene and identifies the link between oxygen and graphene quality for the first time.