Materials & Manufacturing

Manufacturing & Prototyping

Explore innovations supporting advances in manufacturing and rapid prototyping. Access the developments and solutions that have an impact on applications in 3D printing and automation.

Stories

Briefs: Imaging

Smart Displays Show Information Through Fabric

The technology shines through fabrics to show notifications for email messages, time, weather, or other forms of basic information.

Briefs: Photonics/Optics

New Class of Nickel-Based Superalloys Withstands Extreme Heat

Parts remain crack-free and defect-resistant, making them conducive for use in metal-based 3D-printing applications.

Briefs: Materials

3D-Printed Objects Sense How a User is Interacting with Them

Sensing is incorporated directly into an object’s material, with applications for assistive technology and “intelligent” furniture.

Briefs: Materials

3D Printing of Polymers

A 3D-printable elastomer yields soft, elastic objects that feel like human tissue.

Briefs: Energy

Fabrication Method for Large-Scale Production of Perovskite Solar Cells

The sulfolane-additive process yields easy fabrication, low cost, and long operating life.

Briefs: Energy

Sound Waves Transport Droplets for Rewritable Lab-on-a-Chip Devices

Vibrating transducers create tunnels in a thin layer of oil to transport droplets across a chip without leaving a trace behind.

Briefs: Materials

Fabricating Superconducting Circuitry on Both Sides of an Ultrathin Silicon Layer

A new fabrication methodology addresses the need for a thin, double-sided circuitry board.

Articles: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Executive Roundtable: Sensing and IIoT

Four industry experts explore the future outlook for smart sensors and IIoT.

Briefs: Propulsion

Micro-Robots Propelled by Air Bubbles and Ultrasound

A remotely controlled microswimmer could navigate the human body and aid in drug delivery.

Briefs: Sensors/Data Acquisition

Software Gives Robots Human Touch

A software makes industrial robots nimbler and almost as sensitive as human hands.

Question of the Week: Energy

Will ‘Ocean Batteries’ Catch On?

Our lead story today highlights an innovative energy approach from a Netherlands-based company called Ocean Grazer. Tied to existing wind farms, the team’s “Ocean Battery” pumps water from solid subsea reservoirs into flexible bladders located just above the seabed. When there is a demand for power, the...

Briefs: Motion Control

Bipedal Robot Achieves Better Body Balance

A new robot developed by Caltech researchers LEO carves out a new type of locomotion somewhere between walking and flying.

INSIDER: Physical Sciences

Method to Create Upward Water Fountain in Deep Water

A pair of University of Houston engineers has discovered that they can create upward fountains in water by shining laser beams on the water’s surface. Jiming Bao, professor of...

Podcasts: Energy

How to Build an 'Ocean Battery'

Dr. Frits Bliek and his team at Ocean Grazer are building an "Ocean Battery" that brings hydrodam technology to the sea.

Question of the Week: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Will a Breath-Like Approach Cool Down Machinery?

University of Central Florida researchers are developing a human-like way for large machines to cool off: Letting the machines "breathe." (See our January issue of Tech Briefs to learn more.)

Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping

A Soft Gel Turns to 'Bone'

A combination of materials can morph into various shapes before hardening.

Question of the Week: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Would You Try ‘Intelligent’ Lawn Care?

Our lead story today featured “Best of Innovation” products at CES, including a smart irrigation system called “OtO Lawn.” The cloud-connected system only requires a hose and a Wi-Fi connection. A user goes into their phone and moves a joystick to determine zones requiring lawn care. The technology...

Blog: Manufacturing & Prototyping

Who Won 'Best of Innovation' at CES 2022?

Have a look at the 'Best of Innovation' technologies at CES 2022, including a foldable EV, "see and spray" agriculture, ocean batteries, and more.

Question of the Week: Software

Would You Use A.I-Driven Laser Cutters like SensiCut?

Laser cutters are a popular tool for today’s design engineers. Users, however, still face difficulties distinguishing among stockpiles of metals, woods, papers, and plastics.

Blog: Design

Sweat-Activated Vents Open Up New Ideas for Clothing

Duke scientists have created a fabric that releases heat once you start sweating.

Special Reports: Transportation

Vehicle Electrification - January 2022

Innovation is happening at a rapid pace in the e-mobility space. Read this compendium of recent articles from the editors of Automotive Engineering and Truck & Off-Highway Engineering to learn about...