THE MIDAS TOUCH OF STOCKING DISTRIBUTION FLEXIBILITY Masline Electronics TEAM EFFORT AND AUTOMATION WIN THE DAY Chick Machine Company MAXIMUM RESULTS. MINIMALIST AUTOMATION. Ascension Automation Solutions Ltd. MANUFACTURINGINFOCUS.COM N O V EMB ER 2 02 3When something exceptional develops between us: That´s the MAPAL effect.That´s the MAPAL effect. When something exceptional develops between us: That´s the MAPAL effect.That´s the MAPAL effect.EDITOR’S CORNER When something exceptional develops between us: That´s the MAPAL effect.That´s the MAPAL effect. When something exceptional develops between us: That´s the MAPAL effect.That´s the MAPAL effect. 3 When we discuss robotics, we are usually talking about the macro-scale robots of a factory floor assembling automotive parts, or something like the arm on the space station. These grand machines are fascinating to see in operation, with some truly fantastic engi- neering going into them, but in this issue we’re going to scale down and focus on a very different type of robotic engineering. Micro- and nano-scale robotics have been discussed for decades and have been the topic of some excellent science fiction, but the practical construction and implementation of devices on those scales have only just started to see some real traction. While the usual goal of macro-scale robots is often to assist human workers, or to replace a predictable, repetitive task, the goal of tiny robots is different: to do some- thing that simply could not have been done before, due to the limitations of scale. What that means exactly is still being developed, with a lot of promise in the biotech industry but so much potential beyond that as well. William Young goes into more detail in his latest piece, Grand Innovation on the Infinitesimal Scale – Microrobots and Nanobots. Tim Hocken Editor Suite 300, 7071 Bayers Rd. | Halifax, NS | B3L 2C2 | Canada P: 1-647-479-2163 | E: EDITOR Tim Hocken DEPUTY EDITOR Jaime McKee COPY EDITORS Thora Smith | Allister Havercroft CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alan Tughan | Allison Dempsey | Claire Suttles Nate Hendley | Pauline Müller | William Young Karen Hawthorne | Robert Hoshowsky DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS James Corbett OPERATIONS MANAGER Severina Gachparova OPERATIONS ASSISTANT Marc Arsenault CONTENT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Scott Forbes CONTENT DEVELOPERS Jamal Francis-Anderson | Steve Finn Lily Mitchell | Taylor Dunne SALES TEAM LEAD Pamela Taylor SALES TEAM Morgan Culpepper | Dean Lucas GRAPHIC DESIGN TEAM LEAD Laura Pratt GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Ashley Dowling | Ebic Tristary Isaac McWhinnie | Yoana Ilcheva SENIOR STAFF ACCOUNTANT Christi Lingard OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Julia MacQueen BUSINESS COORDINATOR Abigail Potter IT ADMINISTRATOR Rebecca Sanford PUBLISHER Jeff Hocken “While the usual goal of macro-scale robots is often to assist human workers, or to replace a predictable, repetitive task, the goal of tiny robots is different…”INSIDE NOVEMBER FOCUS ON: THE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (ECIA) ENGINEERING & DESIGN EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING 4FOCUS ON: NATIONAL TOOLING AND MACHINING ASSOCIATION (NTMA) Microrobots and Nanorobots Robotics is an ever-growing field across a bevy of disciplines, including within manufacturing and its partner industries. More and more compa- nies are beginning to see the benefits of adopting automated solutions to factory processes, fabrication, and more. Beyond the facility floors of various production lines, great strides are being made towards robotics that can fit on the tip of a finger, which is where the fields of micro and nanorobotics come in to evolve the future of automation potentially further in manufacturing. 120 TEAM EFFORT AND AUTOMATION WIN THE DAY Chick Machine Company 5 MANUFACTURING IN FOCUS BIOMEDEVICE SILICON VALLEY 15 – 16 November, Santa Clara, CA BIOMEDevice Silicon Valley brings together the brightest industry minds to demonstrate and discuss emerging trends, innovation, and disrup- tive tech changing the future of the medical device industry. BIOMEDevice brings it all, from education to networking events and more. For more information AEROSPACE & DEFENSE MANUFACTURING & R&D SUMMIT 30 November – 1 December, Orlando, FL An invitation-only, premium summit bringing together leading executives, innovative suppliers, and solution providers, this summit’s content aligns with key industry challenges and interests, relevant market developments, and practical and progressive ideas and strategies. Topics include: Manufacturing Innovation in the 21st century; Reinforcing the Supply Chain; Leveraging the Capabilities of Additive Manufacturing; Adopting Digital Transformation; and more. For more information INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LEAN SYSTEMS AND MANUFACTURING PRACTICES (ICLSMP) 11 December, Toronto, ON This event will bring together leading experts, thought-provoking discussions, and a diverse group of attendees from around the world. The conference will provide ample opportunities for networking and professional growth, and will feature a wide range of sessions, including keynote lectures, oral presentations, poster sessions, symposia, and workshops. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in discus- sions, connect with others in their field, uncover the latest research and discoveries, and explore solutions to ongoing challenges. For more information MEDICAL DEVICE SAFETY MONITORING REPORTING AND SURVEILLANCE 29 – 30 January, San Diego, CA This premier marcus evans conference explores future implications for post-market management planning, risk management, complaint handling, and clinical evaluations to align with revised and ever-changing industry deliverables. Moreover, attendees will be provided a blue- print on how to develop innovative PMCF, PSUR, safety, quality, adverse event, and post-market reporting document processes. For more information CROSS SECTOR SUPPLY CHAIN AND OPERATIONAL RESILIENCE 12 – 14 February, Houston, TX This GFMI conference will provide attendees with practical solutions and rich perspectives to better adapt their supply chain and operations to improve their resilience, account for the impact of current complexities and global instability, and minimize exposure to threats. Key chal- lenges to be addressed include geopolitical concerns and interdependencies, monitoring different links of the supply chain, IT and cyber resilience, and more. For more information INDUSTRY EVENTS 6 Are you planning an event relating to North America’s growing Manufacturing Industry? To get your event listed in Manufacturing in Focus, please contact us at least six to eight weeks before the event takes place at or call 1-647-479-2163INDUSTRY NEWS PARTNERSHIP TO PRODUCE ‘EXTREME-FAST CHARGING’ BATTERIES FOR EVS A partnership between Israeli firm StoreDot, which is known for its ‘extreme-fast charging’ battery capabilities, and tier-one man- ufacturer Flex-N-Gate, a global leader in mass-scale automotive component production, will result in the production of cells that can deliver 100 miles of range in only five minutes of charging. The effort will see the partners collaborate to achieve giga- scale production and commercialization at Windsor, Ontario’s Flex-Ion Battery and Innovation Centre to address changes that are taking place in the local market. Production is expected to commence early next year. Together, they can open new opportunities for StoreDot in the North American market with localized production capabilities in an area that has long served the automotive industry from inception to the current transition to electric vehicle (EV) production. StoreDot was the first to demonstrate a live extreme-fast charge of an EV battery in 10 minutes. The company expects to produce battery technology that can deliver 100 miles charged in three minutes by 2028, cutting that to two minutes by 2032. ROCKET STARTUP STOKE SPACE RAISES $100M Washington-based startup Stoke Space raised $100 million in new funds to support the development of a fully reusable rocket dubbed “Nova.” Nova will be a medium-class rocket that can deliver 5,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit. The announcement comes on the heels of the successful completion of a low-altitude flight test and landing of its “Hopper2” prototype, which proves the company is serious about maintaining paced development. The latest round of investments was led by Industrious Ventures, with University of Michigan, Sparta Group, Long Journey, Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy, YCombinator, Point72 Ventures, NFX, MaC Ventures, Toyota Ventures, and In-Q-Tel joining the effort which will, according to Stoke co-founder and CEO Andy Lapsa to CNBC, “really fortify what is still a very fragile commercial space economy.” 7INDUSTRY NEWS MACHINA LABS TO ADD FLEXIBILITY TO MANUFACTURING L.A.-based robotic metalworking firm Machina Labs has raised $32 million, an effort that was co-led by Nvidia’s NVentures and Innovation Endeavors. Innovation Endeavors has already invested in the firm, which now has $45 million in funding to bring its software-based approach to the manufacturing industry to make it more flexible. The funding will be used to increase research and development and marketing of Machina’s manufacturing solutions. Robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) will enable it to scale its impact, particularly in domestic reindustrialization activities, innovation in the defense sector, and electrification efforts. U.S. GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT REGIONAL HYDROGEN HUBS The Biden Administration in the United States has announced plans to support seven regional Hydrogen Hubs with $7 billion of funding. Among those selected to receive funding is Australia’s Fortescue, which has been selected to begin award negotiations in the establishment of its proposed green hydrogen production facility in Washington as part of the Hydrogen Hub. Part of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub development, Fortescue is expected to receive up to $1 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding which would support the advancement of planning, detailed design, environmental permits, and procurement activities. The project is currently in the design stage, with permitting to follow. The site is a remediated coal mine adjacent to the state’s last coal-fired power plant, which is set to retire in 2025. The proposed facility will produce green hydrogen at a scale that can support heavy-duty transportation, grid reliability, and other operations in the Pacific Northwest. Construction is set to begin in 2026. 8INDUSTRY NEWS CLEAN MANUFACTURING GETS A BOOST IN U.S. The Department of Energy (DOE) has committed $5.2 million to support cleaner manufacturing in the U.S. by way of investments in facility improvements that result in energy and greenhouse gas emissions reductions for small- and medium-sized manufac- turers. The ultimate goal is a net-zero economy by 2050. Announced on National Manufacturing Day, the investment is being made through the Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) Implementation Grants Program which is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The first round of funding is available to 41 small- and medium-sized manufacturers and provides up to $300,000 per manufacturer to implement DOE and energy assessment agency recommendations. CHIPMAKERS GET OK TO EXPORT TO CHINA Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have received the go-ahead from the U.S. government to supply specific U.S. semiconduc- tor manufacturing equipment to their facilities in China. The updated general authorizations will allow the South Korean chip manufacturers the opportunity to continue to supply U.S. semiconductor manufacturing equipment to their Chinese facilities while protecting national security. Designated by the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) as validated end users (VEU), licensing The grants are designed to help small- to medium-sized man- ufacturers, which represent more than 90 percent of the U.S. manufacturing base, take advantage of funding and exper- tise to optimize operations with cost-effective and energy- conscious investments that will improve competitiveness and reduce emissions. The IAC Implementation Grants have also been reopened for applications with a total of $80 million of initial funding. This will continue to operate on a rolling basis. Eligible applicants may be submitted for the rest of the year and will be based on available funds, to be reviewed quarterly. requirements have been eased. Last year, the U.S. imposed restric- tions on exports of advanced chipmaking tools as an attempt to slow China’s development and Samsung and SK Hynix had previ- ously had a one-year waiver, which was set to expire. Likewise, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), is antici- pating permanent U.S. approval to do the same, and has applied for the VEU program. Last year, it was also granted a one-year authorization set to expire. 9Next >