🚀 Shaping the Future - Issue 27
A reminder that ATX West returns to Anaheim, California, on February 6-8, 2024.
🚨 The Industry 4.0 Club will be at ATX West
ATX West returns to Anaheim, California, on February 6-8, 2024, uniting the greatest minds in automation to advance manufacturing excellence. The Industry 4.0 Club will be hosting the Advanced Engineering panels.
Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we keep unveiling the distinguished guests and topics to be featured at the conference. Don't miss out – registration is now open. Secure your spot to be part of this conference.
🧠 Peer-to-Peer Support: The SCMEP OpExchange
Last week’s Fireside Chat focused on the innovative OpExchange initiative, a platform designed to facilitate the exchange of best practices among manufacturers in South Carolina. The conversation highlighted how this unique approach to knowledge-sharing contributes to the ongoing enhancement of competitiveness among companies across the state, ultimately fostering continuous improvement within the manufacturing sector.
You can listen to the conversation below.
📣 Preview of Upcoming Advanced Engineering Sessions at ATX West 2024
We unveil the ninth reveal of the Advanced Engineering sessions scheduled for ATX West, set to unfold in Anaheim, California, from February 6-8, 2024.
📌 Title: Emerging Frontiers of Generative Artificial Intelligence: Transforming Design and Manufacturing
📝 Abstract: Explore the transformative potential of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in design and manufacturing through a panel featuring experts from diverse fields. From visionary investors to industry veterans, the discussion transcends theory, delving into real-world applications across automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, and healthcare. Uncover insights into converting text prompts to design specifications, generating design spaces, computational design assessment, and the innovative pursuit of optimized performance metrics. Join us for a firsthand exploration of the intersection between Generative AI and manufacturing, gaining visionary perspectives on how Large Language Models (LLMs) will shape the future of creation and production.
💁♀️ Panel Moderator and Panelists: Aditya Raghupathy, Investor at Schematic Ventures, Moderator; Zohair Mekr - Director of Engineering @ Flex, Panelist: Juan Aparicio Ojea - CEO of Reshape Automation, Panelist; Saigopal Nelaturi - CEO of Stealth, Former Director of Software Research @ Carbon & Xerox Parc, Panelist
✍️ Bio: Aditya Raghupathy is an Investor at Schematic Ventures. The fund is based in San Francisco and was founded in 2017 by investors with backgrounds in supply chain, manufacturing, and industrial technology. Schematic has portfolio companies touching every aspect of the industrial world: freight (ONRAMP, Leaf, Platform Science, Flock Freight, Torch), electric vehicles (Harbinger Motors, ElectroTempo), delivery (Pandion, Airspace, FloorFound), warehousing (Outrider, Plus One, CognitOps, SVT), manufacturing (Fulcrum, Gig & Take) and international shipping (Altana, Mercado, RPA Labs). Prior to Schematic, Aditya was a Senior Consultant at Deloitte where he focused on developing smart factory applications across consumer and industrial products manufacturers. Later, as part of Deloitte's technology innovation group, Deloitte Catalyst, he led the scouting and evaluation of industrial startups for F500 corporates.
📚What we’ve read this week
Inside Boeing’s Manufacturing Mess [WSJ]
“The performance of the prime manufacturer can never exceed the capabilities of the least proficient of the suppliers,” Hart-Smith wrote. “These costs do not vanish merely because the work itself is out-of-sight.”’
Boeing's pre-2001 outsourcing strategy, criticized following engineer John Hart-Smith's warning, is under scrutiny. The decentralized approach involves global production of key components, leading to challenges in maintaining consistent quality. Spirit AeroSystems, once praised by Boeing, faces production issues and quality lapses as the sole supplier of fuselages for various Boeing aircraft. Financial struggles, worsened by the MAX grounding and COVID-19, resulted in layoffs at Spirit, leaving the company short of experienced workers. Employees report common production problems and ignored quality complaints, with rushed work environments potentially causing undetected defects. Consequently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has increased oversight of Boeing's manufacturing processes.
Siemens and Voltaiq Collaborate to Optimize Battery Manufacturing [Voltaiq]
Siemens and Voltaiq have collaborated to expedite battery manufacturing through their joint solution. Combining Siemens' Insights Hub with Voltaiq's battery-specific monitoring and advanced analytics, the end-to-end solution optimizes battery cell manufacturing, particularly in the critical finishing stage. By enabling early detection of cell anomalies, Voltaiq's technology enhances product quality and reduces scrap rates, addressing issues before they impact yield and profitability. The solution is swiftly implementable, compatible with existing equipment, and eases the workforce burden.
2024 Manufacturing Trends to Watch [Manufacturing Dive]
In 2024, the manufacturing landscape will be shaped by environmental concerns, technological progress, and political changes. Despite setbacks in meeting net-zero targets, the sector welcomes the UK's £4.5bn funding commitment and the Advanced Manufacturing Plan, focusing on renewables and digitization. AI, particularly generative AI, is expected to dominate, automating tasks and enhancing supply chain efficiency. Sustainability remains a priority, with a focus on reducing waste and carbon emissions, incorporating alternative energy sources, and adopting lean manufacturing practices. Addressing ongoing supply chain challenges, manufacturers aim for resilience and readiness for unforeseen events. The integration of IoT is set to make manufacturing more efficient, enhancing processes, worker safety, and moving towards the concept of smart factories. As technology rapidly advances, these trends define a greener, more efficient future for the industry in 2024.
How Olive Oil Is Produced in Spain [Business Insider]
Microsoft Discovered New Battery Material Using AI [Microsoft]
Microsoft, in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), employed AI and advanced chemistry to swiftly identify a novel battery material. The AI model efficiently screened 32 million candidates, narrowing down to 800 using filters like stability and energy-conducting potential. High-performance computing (HPC) further refined the selection. Molecular dynamics simulations assessed atomic movements, resulting in a shortlist of 150 materials, considering practical factors. From this, 23 candidates emerged, including a solid-state electrolyte with reduced lithium content, potentially cutting usage by 70%. Notably, it incorporates both lithium and sodium ions, usually considered incompatible.
🎤 Upcoming Events
👋 Get Involved
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💬 About Shaping the Future
Shaping the Future is Industry 4.0 Club’s official newsletter. We’ll be experiencing different formats over the coming weeks until we find the one that resonates the most with our members. You can help us improve by sharing feedback and suggestions. The newsletter will land in your inbox every Sunday morning; please subscribe to not miss anything and forward the email to someone you think would benefit from this.
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