“In a bid to extend its lead, Tesla is closing in on an innovation that would allow it to die cast nearly all the complex underbody of an EV in one piece, rather than about 400 parts in a conventional car, the people said.
The know-how is core to Tesla’s ‘unboxed’ manufacturing strategy unveiled by Chief Executive Musk in March, a linchpin of his plan to churn out tens of millions of cheaper EVs in the coming decade, and still make a profit, the sources said.”
From Reuters.
“Advancements in recombinant DNA, cloning, and biomanufacturing have reduced our reliance on animals to serve as chemical factories while leading to more precise and efficient antibodies and antivenoms. We have now reached the point where just about any molecule that has historically been made from animals can be made synthetically from engineered cells. However, just because it is technically feasible to move completely away from biopharming does not mean that it will be easy. And while there has been progress in eschewing animal-derived products in some areas, such as with insulin, others, like synthetic antivenom or vaccine production, have been less straightforward. Solutions to these require not only mimicking what animal biology does naturally but doing so at scale.”
From Works in Progress.
International Federation of Robotics | Manufacturing
“Robot adoption in factories around the world continues at high speed: The new global average robot density reaches a record 162 units per 10,000 employees in 2023 – more than double the number measured only seven years ago.”
“If you bought a diamond this year, there’s a roughly 50% chance it was manufactured in a laboratory.
Why it matters: Lab-grown diamonds have radically transformed the jewelry market. But despite the cheaper alternative, the amount being paid for diamonds is actually rising — and the stones are larger than ever.
The big picture: Two things are happening at once: Lab-grown diamonds are getting more popular as they get cheaper, while people are spending more than ever on natural diamonds.”
From Axios.
“A robotic truck equipped with a 105-ft (32-m) telescopic boom arm has just journeyed from Australia to Florida. Now the construction robot will get busy churning out up to 10 houses in a bid to become the employee of choice for building entire communities.
The truck and its accompanying brick-laying arm is known as the Hadrian X and has been developed by robotics company FBR, which first announced its prototype in 2015. That machine could complete a full-sized house in two days. Last year, FBR (which used to stand for Fastbrick Robotics), showed off the new Hadrian X which, at top speed, could stack 500 USA-format masonry blocks per hour.”
From New Atlas.
