IEN Radio

Eric Sorensen

Radio for manufacturing and engineering professionals. New industrial products, news and technical articles.

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Friday · 1 min
Hyundai Announces Plans to Launch 100 New Vehicles
According to Cox Automotive, U.S. new-vehicle sales are projected to reach approximately 15.8 million units by the close 2026, marking a modest 2.4% decline from the previous year. High R&D and operating costs - combined with a turbulent economy - have led many major automakers to adjust plans significantly. As an example, last month, The Volkswagen Group announced plans to cut the number of models it produces by 50 percent over the next few years. Uniquely, another automaker seems to be sending the pendulum in the opposite direction. Hyundai has announced an ambitious plan to produce more than 100 new or refreshed vehicle models between now and the end of the decade. At Hyundai’s recent CEO Investor Day, the company detailed its global effort, which will include seven new vehicles within the next eight months, as well as 18 pledged towards “new products and market segments.”
Wednesday · 1 min
Ohio Manufacturer Files Defamation Lawsuit Over 1-Star Google Review
An Ohio-based manufacturer of oil and gas process equipment has filed a lawsuit against a woman over a one-star Google review, the Tribune Chronicle reported. In the complaint, Starr Manufacturing alleges that the comments made by Julie Watson contained false statements that caused the company special damages and reputational harm. Watson’s review from six months ago said the company had faced “a host of quality control issues” after “contracting with shoddy subs,” which led to “time-consuming field updates” to fix improperly connected bolts and fasteners. She also claimed a “lack of oversight to identify where the breaches occurred” and said she could provide locations and names of people who could confirm the alleged “production and quality failures.”
Tuesday · 15 min
Gen Z in Manufacturing: Gen Z Likes to Job Hop; Here’s How to Keep Them in Your Plant
Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast that asks young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer. For this episode, I welcome Jake Collins, a 30-year-old senior applications engineer for Boston Micro Fabrication, a company that specializes in micro-precision 3D printing. Collins has a background in materials engineering with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Auburn University. He transitioned from nanotechnology research in school to a quality engineering role at commercial water product maker Elkay Manufacturing, where he gained deeper experience in design and engineering. He then moved into additive manufacturing at BMF, where he has spent nearly five years helping customers apply the company’s 3D printing technology. In this episode, Collins discusses: (1:10) Why Gen Z likes to job hop (6:20) Examples of non-traditional mentorship that young workers appreciate (10:22) The difference between companies that keep talent and companies that lose it (13:40) What the manufacturing workplace will look like when Gen Z is in charge Please make sure to like and share this episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing. To view previous episodes, visit manufacturing.net. If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to discuss your experience in the manufacturing industry, please get in touch with me, Nolan Beilstein, at nolan@ien.com.
August 21 · 18 min
Made in America: Freedom and Glory
Freedom & Glory is a family-owned American flag company based in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The company was founded by Dwight Morris in 1980 and has spent 45 years supplying American-made flags and patriotic products to schools, government agencies, veterans' organizations and communities nationwide. Today, Dwight's daughter, Liz Morris, leads Freedom & Glory as CEO. “We believe in the American dream,” said Liz Morris. “We are based on the analogy of a drop of dye in a bucket of water—the idea that even a small action can produce a lasting change.” Dwight started the company in the attic of his home just outside Chicago. One day, he went shopping, simply looking for a flag to fly outside his home. At the time, Chicago was the second largest city in the United States, and Dwight found it odd that he couldn't find an American-made flag. He founded Carrot Top Industries to fix that problem.
August 21 · 2 min
These 3D-Printed Concrete Shelters Can Save People During Tornados
About 1 in 15 people in the U.S. live in manufactured homes, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. And many of these communities lack access to shelter during extreme weather events. Researchers at Kansas State University have turned to 3D-printed concrete shelters to see if the emerging technology can help these people stay safe. Reese Greenlee is an assistant professor of architecture at KSU’s College of Architecture, Planning & Design. His work has set out to determine whether or not 3D-printed concrete structures, manufactured offsite, can lead to more affordable, adaptable and code-compliant storm shelters Greenlee said 3D-printed concrete is often just used as an outer shell, with another structural system embedded within it. His goal is to find out what it takes to make 3D-printed concrete a more viable structural system through the particular concrete mixture, printing process and geometry. The process builds shelters layer by layer. The concrete has to be just right, liquidy enough to be pumped and extruded, but also stable enough to maintain its shape and support the layers above it. Greenlee is working on a single full-size, 4-by-4-foot module building block. It's small, because he doesn't have a bigger printer. But the idea is that he can build pieces off-site in a controlled environment, ship them to a site and assemble them there. It's a bit of a departure for the 3D-printed construction industry which promotes on-site printing as a differentiator. Greenlee is also testing whether print orientation, infill and geometry can improve performance under extreme wind pressure and debris impact. Storm shelters have to take quite the beating, surviving impacts like a two-by-four traveling at 100 mph. Next, Greenlee and his team will take his shelters to an Intertek testing facility in Minnesota, where the full-scale module will undergo testing at tornado wind speeds. Greenlee said his work is important because manufactured housing and the communities that live in it have typically received little architectural attention. “It is a substantial portion of the population that has essentially been overlooked,” Greenlee said. #3DPrinting, #AdditiveManufacturing, #Manufacturing, #Construction, #ConstructionTech, #Engineering, #Innovation, #StormShelter, #Tornado, #SevereWeather, #AdvancedManufacturing, #KansasStateUniversity
August 20 · 1 min
Illegal Cookie Factory Caught Substituting Charcoal for Cocoa
An unlicensed cookie factory, that was substituting cocoa for a charcoal-based food additive, was recently shut down for various violations. According to Business Insider, Egyptian officials targeted the facility, which was producing imitation products meant to look like other popular brands, for using expired and other unsafe ingredients. During the raid, authorities seized 1.8 tons of finished product and raw materials including a barrel of expired glucose and boxes of expired butter. Inspectors also found a barrel of E153 vegetable carbon, a black food coloring that the manufacturer was using instead of cocoa to give the cookies the dark brown color typically associated with chocolate. According to the International Association of Color Manufacturers, E 153 vegetable carbon is made by burning wood, cellulose residues, peat and coconut and other shells at high temperatures. It’s not approved for use in the U.S. but other countries allow it in bakery products, cheese coating, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. But the main concern for authorities was the facility using it as a substitute for cocoa at an unlicensed factory. In response to the raid, Egyptian government officials are urging authorities to ramp up their inspection efforts at facilities. The owners of the unlicensed factory are now facing potential legal penalties. #Manufacturing, #FoodManufacturing, #FoodProcessing, #FoodSafety, #Factory, #Cookies, #FoodIndustry, #SupplyChain, #QualityControl, #ManufacturingNews
August 18 · 1 min
Meat Processor Accused of Dumping Animal Blood, Waste Into Nearby Waters
A meat processing plant and four of its employees could face prison time and significant penalties after prosecutors accused them of pumping wastewater containing animal flesh, blood and feces into a creek that flows to the ocean and a public beach. The newly unsealed indictment charges Ganaderos Borges Inc. (GBI) with four Clean Water Act violations and conspiracy to violate the act as part of a scheme to avoid millions of dollars in annual waste removal costs. GBI operates a slaughterhouse and meat processing facility in Naguabo, Puerto Rico. Prosecutors allege that the defendants knowingly discharged wastewater from the facility’s waste retention lagoon into U.S. waters without a Clean Water Act permit. The waste reportedly included animal blood, hair, tissue and feces, as well as grease, disinfectant and other liquids used in the slaughterhouse and processing areas. The indictment states that GBI held a non-discharge wastewater treatment permit that required liquid waste to be hauled from its facility to a disposal site. Prosecutors say the discharges took place from August 2018 through at least September 2025. Court documents state that GBI President César P. Borges-Arroyo and operator Neftalí Borges-Gómez directed employees to pump liquid waste from the lagoon toward an adjacent creek using a submersible pump and hose. The creek flows approximately half a mile to the Caribbean Sea at Tropical Beach in Naguabo. The defendants also allegedly hid the pump and hose when not in use and provided false and misleading statements and documents to authorities. The defendants are scheduled to appear in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge. GBI faces a penalty of up to $500,000 per charge. #Manufacturing, #FoodManufacturing, #MeatProcessing, #FoodProcessing, #EnvironmentalCompliance, #CleanWaterAct, #Wastewater, #EnvironmentalProtection, #Pollution, #Slaughterhouse, #MeatIndustry, #IndustrialWaste, #ManufacturingNews, #IndustrialNews, #PuertoRico
August 14 · 1 min
LISTEN: Nearly 150-Year-Old Beef Plant Set for Closure Will Remain Open
A Pennsylvania beef processing plant that had been set to close after nearly 150 years will instead remain open as a packaging facility — preserving hundreds of jobs outside Philadelphia. Meatpacking giant JBS said in June that it would end beef harvesting and processing operations at its Souderton plant amid broader turmoil in the U.S. beef industry, including drought conditions, tariffs and the smallest domestic cattle herd in decades. @JBSUSA The decision was originally expected to shut down the facility outright, but JBS said Monday that the company discussed alternatives with state and local officials and union leaders in subsequent weeks. Following those talks, JBS officials said, the company made the decision to instead convert the Souderton plant into a “dedicated value-added operation.” JBS said that it expects to invest over $30 million across the next decade to enable the facility — which dates back to 1877 — to prepare and package products for retailers in the Northeast. The move would preserve about 400 jobs at the plant, the company said, but union leaders noted that many others would still be out of work when beef processing ends Friday: the closure of the plant was expected to eliminate 1,500 union-represented jobs in total, as well as hundreds more in management roles or in jobs with the plant’s nearby suppliers. JBS USA CEO Wesley Batista Filho said that in addition to preserving some jobs, the decision would “strengthen our case-ready business” while “serving customers in a key consumer market.” Wendell Young, the president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776, added that it creates “a path for long-term success at the Souderton facility." #JBS, #Meatpacking, #BeefIndustry, #Manufacturing, #PennsylvaniaManufacturing, #FoodManufacturing, #Jobs, #Packaging, #SupplyChain, #FoodIndustry, #Factory, #ManufacturingNews, #IndustrialNews, #Labor, #UFCW
August 14 · 1 min
LISTEN: GM Reveals $4.5B Supply Chain Shield for Emergencies
General Motors disclosed a $4.5 billion Master IPU Agreement designed to help maintain vehicle production during a crisis. Disclosed in an SEC filing, the program will secure critical inventory for retail and fleet vehicles in the event of disruptions caused by extreme weather, natural disasters, excessive demand, cyberattacks and other events. @GeneralMotors According to the regulatory filing, General Motors will issue irrevocable payment undertakings (IPUs) to paying agent Procura Auto Parts. Procura will then advance funds to select suppliers to purchase and hold inventory on GM’s behalf. A syndicate of banks that includes JPMorgan Chase will provide the funds to Procura, with GM backing the arrangement through its IPUs. Suppliers will store the parts until GM needs them. The agreement provides for a 12-month funding period that began August 7, allowing a maximum of $4.5 billion in outstanding IPUs. GM will pay back the IPUs as it uses the inventory, with all payments due by August 6, 2029. Interest will accrue on outstanding IPUs at a rate equal to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, plus 1.55% annually. GM will also pay a 0.25% annual ticking fee on the daily average unutilized portion of the limit. The development underscores GM’s efforts to protect production from unforeseen disruptions. For example, a global semiconductor shortage that plagued the automotive industry during the COVID-19 pandemic forced GM to announce production downtime at domestic and international facilities. Additionally, a shortage of Japanese parts following the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami led to GM temporarily halting production at a pickup plant in Louisiana. GeneralMotors, #GM, #Manufacturing, #Automotive, #SupplyChain, #SupplyChainManagement, #AutomotiveIndustry, #Factory, #Industry40, #Cybersecurity, #Reshoring, #Logistics, #Operations, #IndustrialManufacturing, #ManufacturingNews
August 12 · 1 min
LISTEN: GM Exits Joint Venture for $3.5B EV Battery Plant
Korean manufacturer Samsung SDI announced that it acquired General Motors’ stake in the SynergyCells joint venture. The collaboration had planned to build a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery cell factory in New Carlisle, Indiana, with the American automaker holding a 49.99% stake. Samsung SDI attributed the decision to market changes since the joint venture’s conception in 2023, including “slower-than-expected growth of EV demand.” The company said it plans to continue building the facility, which would serve as its first independently operated battery production base in North America. The plant is currently under construction, though Samsung SDI did not provide an expected completion date. Once finished, the company now plans to make batteries for energy storage systems. Despite GM’s exit from the joint venture, the two companies signed a new agreement to develop a prismatic battery cell for potential future EV applications, with Samsung SDI noting that the Indiana plant could eventually make the cells. General Motors and Samsung SDI formed their original partnership in April 2023 and selected New Carlisle as the plant site two months later. The joint venture intended to make nickel-rich prismatic and cylindrical cells, achieve a capacity of 30 gigawatt-hours, create 1,600 jobs and begin production in 2026. However, in August 2024, the companies delayed the production start to 2027 after construction had begun. GM’s decision to sell its stake follows a January 8 SEC filing in which the automaker said it expected to record approximately $6 billion in charges in the fourth quarter of 2025 following its review of EV capacity and investments. The announcement comes as automakers scale back EV plans after the loss of a $7,500 EV federal tax credit last September. #GM, #GeneralMotors, #SamsungSDI, #EV, #ElectricVehicles, #EVBatteries, #BatteryManufacturing, #EnergyStorage, #Manufacturing, #IndianaManufacturing, #Automotive, #BatteryTechnology, #SupplyChain, #IndustrialNews, #ManufacturingNews
August 11 · 1 min
LISTEN: Milwaukee Tool Thief Gets 5 Years
Last year, an employee at Milwaukee Tool was arrested for stealing more than $1 million in tools from the Wisconsin tool maker. Matthew Yang worked in the company's IT department and manipulated the Milwaukee Tool ordering system to send tools to multiple addresses, including his own. On Friday, 32-year-old Yang was sentenced to five years in prison, which will be followed by five years of extended supervision. Yang must also pay Milwaukee Tool $1.08 million in restitution and will be on probation for nine years, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The sentence was part of a plea deal that saw Yan plead no contest to five felonies to have nine other charges dropped. Police were contacted in April 2025 after Yang had some 9,000 pounds of tools sent to his apartment complex, which is unordinary. The freight company reached out to Milwaukee Tool’s customer service to confirm the address, but the tool maker couldn’t find the order in its system, according to the local Fox affiliate. Yang would create the orders, have them shipped, but then delete the order before payment processing. He did this for some 115 orders. Milwaukee Tool caught six of them, which means 109 made it to their destinations. Yang had a unique knowledge of Milwaukee Tool’s operation. He worked with the company for about eight years, starting in the supply chain department before he moved to IT. During the investigation, law enforcement also found that Yang visited a local casino at least 140 times and sustained some significant losses.
August 11 · 17 min
LISTEN: Gen Z in Manufacturing: What Makes a Factory Feel Outdated to Gen Z
Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast that asks young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer. For this episode, I welcome Jacob Collier, a 24-year-old assistant specialist on the IT team at Yaskawa Motoman Robotics, a company that provides automation products and solutions for various industries and robotic applications and features a product line of more than 150 robot models. Collier previously spent over two years as an intern at Yaskawa Motoman, where helped the company implement the Limble CMMS. He now supports various IT systems and assets across the company’s manufacturing facility and contributes to other operations like the in-house print center, which produces manuals and stickers for robots built on-site. In this episode, Collier discusses: (1:12) What young people expect from internships (5:32) The biggest disconnect between IT and manufacturing teams (10:09) How Gen Z likes to learn (13:14) Signs of a dated facility that Gen Z will notice Please make sure to like and share this episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing. To view previous episodes, visit manufacturing.net. If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to discuss your experience in the manufacturing industry, please get in touch with me, Nolan Beilstein, at nolan@ien.com.
August 7 · 2 min
LISTEN: The Air Force B-52 Modernization Program Has Hit Some Snags
The Air Force hopes to get another 25 years out of its B-52 Bomber fleet but it’s running into some cost, scheduling and performance challenges. The B-52 was first introduced in 1955 and the Air Force is hoping that a series of updates can keep the fleet in the air until 2050. It intends to spend $21 billion to improve the engines, radar, communications, software and weapon systems for the more than 70 B-52s still in service. The Air Force already has the B-1 and B-2 along with the in-development B-21, but it said the B-52 still remains critical to the U.S.’s ability to deploy nuclear capabilities. Plus, it can fly nearly 9,000 miles without refueling and carry up to 70,000 pounds. However, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP), which represents the bulk of modernization costs, has increased by about $3 billion since a 2023 estimate, and initial operational capability has been delayed more than 15 months. While 10 out of the 13 B-52 modernizations experience challenges, the GAO said the Air Force still wants to proceed with engine production before critical flight testing is completed. #B52, #USAirForce, #Defense, #Military, #Aerospace, #MilitaryAviation, #Aircraft, #DefenseIndustry, #Engineering, #Manufacturing, #Government, #GAO, #Aviation, #NationalSecurity, #MilitaryTechnology
August 6 · 1 min
LISTEN: Company Reverses Decision to Close Ohio Glass Plant
A western Ohio glass plant that was slated to close by the end of this year will not only remain open, but also expand its production and add jobs, company and economic development officials said last week. Vitro, a producer of glass for automotive, architectural and consumer goods companies, announced in the fall of 2024 that it would close its facility in Crestline, Ohio, which makes glass for automotive OEMs. State officials said that the decision came amid “sharp headwinds” in the industry and was part of a broader plan to reshuffle Vitro’s manufacturing footprint, but over the following months, improving macroeconomic conditions and “new business opportunities” prompted Vitro to weigh other options to meet demand — including, potentially, modernizing, rather than shuttering, the Crestline plant. State economic development agency JobsOhio, also with other state officials and local economic development groups, said that it lobbied company executives to invest in Crestline instead of its other U.S. facilities, and officials announced last Monday that Vitro would move forward with a project to improve efficiency and bolster production capacity at the Ohio location. The move would retain its current workforce of 265, as well as add another 53 new jobs. Carlos Bernal, the president of Vitro Automotive Glass, called the announcement “an important step” in strengthening the company’s competitiveness, and that it remains “committed to continuously evaluating opportunities to improve our manufacturing network.” The Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved an eight-year tax incentive package to support the project, which includes a 1.302% tax credit over that span.
August 5 · 1 min
LISTEN: Kawasaki Settles Multi-Million Dollar Suit Over Stolen Semiconductor Tech
On August 30, 2022, Kawasaki Heavy Industries sued Rorze Corporation for patent infringement. Kawasaki accused Rorze of stealing its patented semiconductor silicon wafer handling and transfer robotic systems technology and — nearly four years later — a jury agreed. In March 2026, a jury found that Rorze willfully infringed on Kawasaki's patent and awarded $16.65 million in lost profits and $31.7 million on lost royalties. However, the $48.35 million verdict didn't end there as Kawasaki tried to triple the damages to some $145 million due to the willful infringement finding. #Manufacturing, #Robotics, #Semiconductors, #Patent, #PatentInfringement, #Kawasaki, #Rorze, #SemiconductorManufacturing, #IndustrialRobotics, #Automation, #ManufacturingNews, #Technology, #LegalNews, #Innovation, #Engineering
August 4 · 1 min
LISTEN: 117-Year-Old Candy Company to Shutter Factory
A candy company whose origins pre-date the Great Depression made a disappointing announcement last week. After 117 years in business, Pearson’s Candy Company will close its Minnesota factory. According to reports, Pearson’s - operating as St. Paul Candy Company - completed a WARN filing to notify the state that it would be cutting 80 jobs in September because it lacks the funding to continue operating its St. Paul plant. Pearson’s is perhaps best known for the Salted Nut Roll – a peanut and nougat confection that was invented during the Depression to serve as a sweet treat that was also filling, all for the price of a nickel. Other favorites produced by the plant over the years include the Nut Goodie, Bun Bar, and Mint Patty. The company changed hands many times throughout its century-plus in operation, and its been producing its goods from this specific St. Paul plant since 1959. Most recently, a 2023 merger placed Pearson’s under the Promise Confections umbrella of companies, which means production of these long-standing sweets could be moved to another facility within the group, though it’s unclear at this time what - and whether - that happens. Former Pearson’s maintenance director Scott Kieland told Minnesota Public Radio that the continuous slate of private equity owners had failed to invest adequately in the aging plant. Alex Allen, a former Pearson’s VP, added that increasing production and ingredients costs made the closure feel “a little bit… inevitable” and that even the biggest companies in this space were feeling those same pressures. #cybersecurity, #infosec, #cybersecurityawareness, #ethicalhacking, #hacking, #cyberattack, #datasecurity, #networksecurity, #informationsecurity, #cybercrime, #tech, #technology, #ai, #ransomware, #malware, #cloudsecurity, #zerotrust, #phishing, #soc, #cyberdefense, #itsecurity, #cybernews, #security, #penetrationtesting, #digitalsecurity
July 31 · 1 min
LISTEN: Ohio Aerospace Plant Files for Bankruptcy
An affiliate of a Canadian aerospace manufacturer has filed for bankruptcy protection for its longtime factory in Southwest Ohio, according to a local report. Magellan Aerospace USA Inc. is seeking Chapter 11 protection for the Magellan plant in Middletown, the Journal-News reports. Documents filed with the court reportedly listed assets of $10 million to $50 million and liabilities of $50 million to $100 million. The Chapter 11 process typically allows companies to continue operating their assets; the filing would reportedly authorize company officials to pursue a restructuring or reorganization, as well as a sale of the facility or liquidation, if necessary. Magellan, based in suburban Toronto, makes complex assemblies and systems for aircraft manufacturers, engine makers and space agencies across the globe from production facilities in North America, Europe and India. The company says the Middletown plant manufactures high-temperature, vacuum-brazed honeycomb structures for exhaust systems and control surfaces and offers assembly of titanium- and nickel-based alloy components and aluminum structures. The facility traces its roots to 1928, when a company eventually known as Aeronca was founded in Cincinnati; it moved to suburban Middletown following a 1937 flood, and was acquired by Magellan predecessor Fleet Aerospace 40 years ago. Magellan officials indicated in a corporate resolution this month that bankruptcy would be in the best interests of the company along with those of its creditors, employees and other stakeholders. The Journal-News said that the company did not respond to multiple requests for comment. #Manufacturing, #Aerospace, #AerospaceManufacturing, #Bankruptcy, #Chapter11, #Ohio, #MagellanAerospace, #Aviation, #SupplyChain, #IndustrialNews, #ManufacturingNews, #Aircraft, #Factory, #BusinessNews, #Industry
July 22 · 2 min
TRISO-X Gets Boost to Help Create U.S. Supply of Unique Nuclear Fuel
Last week, TRISO-X announced tentative plans to create some 1,140 new jobs in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The company hopes to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in equipment to build a new fuel facility and R&D center at Horizon Center Industrial Park, according to the state's Department of Economic and Community Development . TRISO-X is unique in that it is the first company to receive a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build and operate a commercial-scale facility for producing high-assay low-enriched uranium fuel in the U.S. The company’s parent, Maryland-based X-energy, is trying to make advanced small modular reactors, accelerate commercialization of advanced nuclear technologies and strengthen the U.S. supply chain for critical nuclear fuel. Founded and based in Oak Ridge, TRISO-X broke ground in 2022 on what was, at the time, North America’s first commercial advanced nuclear fuel facility. The company said it received an $11 million economic development grant from Tennessee. TRISO-X specified that the funding will support continued development of its current campus in Oak Ridge, as well as a potential second commercial fuel facility and a dedicated R&D center. If everything goes according to plan, TRISO-X expects to have three facilities designed to establish domestic, commercial-scale manufacturing and research capabilities for the company's proprietary tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel. TRISO particle fuel is considered the most robust nuclear fuel on the planet, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The first facility, known as the TX-1, is anticipated to be the first purpose-built commercial TRISO fuel fabrication facility in the U.S. TX-1 is currently under construction. TX-2 will be a second, larger fuel fabrication facility to significantly boost capacity, with enhanced automation and production efficiency based on TX-1 operational experience. This is where the more than 1,000 new jobs would come into play. Finally, TX-L will be a dedicated fuel fabrication laboratory facility focused on fuel innovation, testing and continuous improvement of the manufacturing processes. When completed, the campus is expected to establish one of the world’s largest commercial-scale nuclear fuel fabrication campuses, with the capacity to produce enough fuel to support 55 of X-energy’s Xe-100 advanced small modular reactors. That represents nearly 4.5 gigawatts of new advanced nuclear power capacity, or enough to power 3.3 million U.S. households. NuclearEnergy, #AdvancedNuclear, #SMR, #TRISO, #TRISOFuel, #Manufacturing, #Energy, #NuclearFuel, #CleanEnergy, #OakRidge, #Tennessee, #AdvancedManufacturing, #SupplyChain, #Innovation, #MadeInAmerica
July 18 · 2 min
LISTEN: Northwestern Engineers Made a ‘Phantom’ Drone That Vanishes in Plain Sight
Researchers have been trying to make invisible drones and camouflaged robots for years, before that it was cars and planes. They have used everything from transparent materials to light-bending optical systems or cloaks, but haven't been able to make it happen. But now, engineers at Northwestern University have created a drone that appears to vanish in plain sight after it takes flight. The team created the Phantom Twist, a drone that uses a concept called "motion blur" -- the effect that makes fast-spinning fans and propellers look like a ghostly smudge. The drone spins up to 25 times per second, which is too fast for the human eye to see clearly. While it isn’t completely invisible, it appears to seamlessly blend into the background. The work could lead to drones that monitor wildlife, survey the environment and inspect infrastructure with less visual disruption. To design the drone, the engineers first used a computational model to generate some 20,000 drone configurations capable of stable flight. Next, they used AI and optimization algorithms to rearrange the drones’ major components, including a motor, propeller, circuit board, counterweight and batteries. It was the algorithms that determined the ideal placement of the drone’s components to minimize its visibility from virtually every viewing angle while allowing for stable flight. Northwestern’s Michael Rubenstein, who led the project, said, "The design process was fully automated ... Then, when we were confident that a drone met all our criteria, we built it." According to the visibility metric, the optimized drone is about 10 times less visually perceptible than a conventional quadcopter. The new drone still has several limitations. For example, the propeller still makes noise, and some wires and support rods are still somewhat visible. Next, the team is working on new iterations with more transparent materials or quieter propulsion to make the Phantom Twist truly disappear. #AI, #Drone, #Drones, #Robotics, #Engineering, #Innovation, #NorthwesternUniversity, #ArtificialIntelligence, #Technology, #STEM, #Automation, #Research, #FutureTech, #Aviation, #Manufacturing
July 17 · 2 min
LISTEN: New Balance May Donate Shuttered Factory to the Town it Vacated
Athletic shoe company New Balance is well known for its U.S.-based manufacturing footprint, so when it announced in 2024 that it would be closing its plant in Norridgewock, Maine, many local officials were surprised. At the time, New Balance leaders said they’d be shifting work from Norridgewock to another Maine plant – in nearby Skowhegan. The Skowhegan plant, which opened in 2025, was intended to serve as its “Central Maine” operation and support the production that was previously taking place under two roofs. Because of the proximity, New Balance said it would transfer all 230 Norridgewock workers to the new facility. The biggest impact, then, was to the community of Norridgewock – a small town whose service sector relied heavily on the plant’s workforce for economic activity. However, in a move that may “make it up” to the community, New Balance later made the offer to donate its factory to the town. According to the Bangor Daily News, a Skowhegan-based food company called Maine Grains is interested in the former shoe factory site as a production facility for grain-based bars, cereal and other products. If the town’s residents agree to what’s been proposed among the companies, then New Balance would give the town the factory – at which point, Norridgewock would segment out 50,000 square feet to transfer to Maine Grains for its production expansion. The other two-thirds of the 170,000 square foot site could be leveraged at the town’s discretion, and local officials say their ownership would open up a lot of new avenues for redevelopment. As icing on the cake, New Balance has offered to pay to maintain the currently vacant plant for the next two years, meaning Norridgewock would have a little time to get some plans in place for how it can be used profitably. The town’s board has set a special town meeting for July 20th, where residents can cast ballots on whether the community should be authorized to take the donation – though it doesn’t require them to seal the deal. The expansion for Maine Grains would create an estimated 15 jobs in Norridgewock, though some officials are remaining cautious as the scenario plays out. Maine State Sen. and Norridgewock resident Brad Farrin said recently he hopes that “in the fever of trying to move this thing forward” that the town and board “dot our I’s and cross our T’s.”

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