Home > Resources > Articles > 3 New Design Goals to Fuel Innovation Easily with Additive Manufacturing

3 New Design Goals to Fuel Innovation Easily with Additive Manufacturing

3 NEW DESIGN ARTICLE
Stand out with long-term scalability with AM by fuelling innovation in the design process. Staying relevant has now become critical when it comes to additive manufacturing. It is, therefore, essential to make decisions by deep diving into the right people, processes, and technologies at the right moment to keep up the momentum when using AM processes.


Better Product Designs with Design Innovation Framework for Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturers have started using the product design innovation (DI) framework. It serves additive manufacturing part designs with increased -
  • Proof of value (POV) - Helps your business stand out in the market with superior quality design.
  • Proof of concept (POC) – Ensures that the design will function as intended.
  • Proof of market (POM) – Defines the level of success of a design at scale for mass market production.
  • Proof of impact (POI) – Using simulation to mitigate design failures and ensure that your designs last longer.

As a result of the design innovation framework, additive manufacturing parts are manufactured faster and with better quality while lowering material costs. Furthermore, with more and more additive manufacturing companies implementing design innovation frameworks for their production, it is possible to tap into the opportunities of innovative product design at an early stage to give your production a competitive edge. Therefore, in the quest to grab an early market share in additive manufacturing for new, small and medium enterprises, the design innovation framework will play a pivotal role. Your product design, product research and development teams will implement the DI framework for the scalability of your additive manufacturing units.

Fuel innovation and design thinking to produce innovative product design ideas with the goals and practices in the DI framework, as mentioned below. They infuse your designs with the design innovation framework to get quality manufactured products.


Strategic Business Growth with AM Design to Fuel Innovation for Small and Medium Enterprises

Fuel innovation in how you design additive manufacturing parts with strategic business growth. By keeping three goals in mind during the design process, you can use cutting-edge research in additive manufacturing design to help your business grow.


Increase Speed:

  • Create highly detailed intermediate manufacturing goods. As additive manufacturing is still in the transition phase, creating highly complex designs on a small scale is easy. But for large-scale AM production, intermediate goods like molds make it easy and quick to make intricate details.
  • Build upon the existing DI (Design Innovation) process.
  • Make use of designs from the design repositories and similar component geometry.
  • Choose an orientation that does not need additional support.
  • Save resources by preferring cellular structure over solid volumes.
  • Make use of internal volumes to add more functionality.
  • Print functional joints to save assembly steps and time.
  • Standardize the assembly process to save production time.
  • Use high-resolution STL files to reach your maximum design potential.
  • Improve printability by scaling the artifacts and considering the resolution of the process.


Manage Quality:

  • Reduce residual stress to keep the parts from warping.
  • Materials must be qualified and characterized to be micro-structured.
  • Adhere to industry standards to get consistent, reliable, and repeatable outputs.
  • While successful designs with strategic AM innovation can be beneficial to
  • Create new products with AM.
  • Create new business models with AM,
  • AM helps to advance product design processes.
  • Create new classes of AM technologies.


Save Costs:

  • Save costs by creating multifunctional parts.
  • Choose a cheaper alternative material that satisfies the same constraints.
  • Go for an economical assembly by manufacturing high-performing parts.
  • Implement a cellular structure to reduce the quantity of material used.
  • Innovate designs that bring down costs through accurate simulation of manufacturing constraints.
  • Use composite material that satisfies the applied constraints.


Risk Factors to Consider and Mitigate When Investing in AM


The Risk of Data Leakage

Cyber security is a critical component when storing design file data on the cloud and sharing it over the network. Getting a design file copied, stolen, altered, infected, or deleted causes a loss of time and sometimes money. Attackers ask for a ransom by putting a worm in your design file or blocking access.

A highly private network with encrypted personal cloud connectivity and highly secure access control are the answers to mitigating the risk of cyber-attacks. Mitigating the risk is done with several measures. These include doing regular risk assessments, using a single design with no mistakes as a base for other design models, using advanced RFID tags to make products with AM, and practicing individual vigilance through awareness.


The Risk of Poor Quality

When outsourcing your manufacturing to an AM unit, the risk of low quality of the manufactured products is high. You cannot offer a warranty or guarantee when outsourcing production. Also, there is a risk that companies facing losses due to faulty products might want to claim for their losses.

Quality improves when you give much attention to post-processing the manufactured parts.


Leading Industries Using the DI Framework in AM:

  • Aerospace
  • Automotive
  • Consumer products
  • Energy
  • Infrastructure
  • Medical and pharmaceutical
  • Food
  • Sports Accessories


Final Thoughts:

Gearing up with innovation in additive manufacturing starts with three design goals. These include increasing speed, managing quality, and saving costs, which can help you achieve strategic business growth to scale for the long-term for business resilience. In addition, the DI framework for AM helps your large enterprise use progressive design thinking. So, now is the best time to invest into new ways to design products using design and management software for additive manufacturing.

Spotlight

Aro Metal Stamping

We MANUFACTURE… Bus bars, bus bar assemblies, lead frames, heatsinks, shields, covers, clips, springs, brackets, retainers, fences, insert molded components, terminals, lighting components, refrigeration components, corner braces, antennas, mounting plates, fuse clips, and solenoid components to name a few, but CUSTOM PARTS is what we do.

OTHER ARTICLES

ADAPTATION, BUSINESS CONTINUITY & COBOTS: PACKAGING AND PALLETIZING

Article | August 5, 2020

Packaging and palletizing involve some of the least ergonomic tasks in the supply chain, accounting for a significant number of repetitive strain and musculoskeletal disorders among workers. Lifting heavy loads and bending to pick up or wrap goods are not just non-ergonomic tasks that carry the risk of injury, they are also repetitive, which can lead to human error as attention spans decline. This combination of factors makes collaborative robots an ideal partner for packaging & palletizing processes.

Read More
3D Printing

Blockchain: Protect the Transmission of Data in 3D Printing and CNC Machining

Article | June 15, 2022

Blockchain is a distributed database system consisting of a series of data blocks generated by cryptographic methods. Each block contains the hash value of the previous block, which is connected to the current block by the original block to form a blockchain. It overlays (chains) encrypted data (blocks) in chronological order to produce permanent and irreversible records. Decentralization, independence, security, and other features characterize blockchain technology today, with decentralization being the most noticeable and vital attribute. Each node realizes information, self-verification, transfer, and management through distributed accounting and storage. Because of its encryption and security properties, it plays an important role in data file security in manufacturing. Blockchain — Assurance for CNC Machining Data As the potential of blockchain technology has grown in popularity, it has garnered the attention of various other industries, especially the machine shop industry. The computer numerical control (CNC) machining process is often used to machine critical parts for a variety of industries, from aerospace to medical. The process involves using computer-controlled machines to remove material from a workpiece to create the desired shape. Because CNC machining can be expensive and time-consuming, it's important to protect the data associated with the process. Blockchain technology can be used to protect CNC machining data in several ways. 1. Blockchain provides a secure, immutable ledger that can record all aspects of the machining process. This means that if any changes are made to the data, they can be easily tracked and traced. Furthermore, because blockchain is decentralized, it can provide an extra layer of security by distributing the data across a network of computers. This makes it much more difficult for hackers to tamper with the data. 2. Blockchain can help with the management and tracking of inventory. In the past, machine shops had to rely on paper-based tracking systems, which were often inefficient and prone to error. With blockchain, each inventory item can be assigned a unique digital identify that can be tracked throughout the supply chain. This would allow machine shops to have a more accurate and efficient way of tracking their inventory. 3. Blockchain can also help machine shops manage customer orders. In the past, machine shops have often had to deal with a lot of paperwork when it comes to processing customer orders. With blockchain, however, all this information can be stored on the ledger in a secure and tamper-proof way. This would make it much easier for machine shops to process customer orders and ultimately lead to improved customer satisfaction. Blockchain Promotes Distributed 3D Printing In theory, 3D printing is the perfect mode of production for distributed manufacturing. Digital files can be easily transferred, regardless of geographical restrictions, as long as there is a 3D printer, and it is equipped with the right material to print anywhere. But it is only a good vision, and there are still many problems in the real implementation. First, if the 3D printing model is downloaded by the user, there is a risk of being tampered with or forwarded at will; if the model is distributed to the service provider or manufacturer for remote printing, it is also possible to print more than authorized, which will lead to intellectual property theft. Designers have largely no control over how many designs can be printed after they are sold, which means they are often compelled to sell designs at higher prices, whether users plan to print one or thousands of them. The high price is also unfair to individual users who are using it solely for their own printing. Perhaps, we can solve the current problem with the help of Bitcoin's blockchain technology. The Blockchain of How to Perform 3D Printing 1. Protect 3D printed files by hashing algorithms. The encryption algorithm generates a fingerprint of a unique hash value for each file based on its contents. This is a sign that ensures the uniqueness of the file with a short message that is related to every byte of the file, and it is difficult to find the reverse rule. The blockchain does not store the file itself but a hash value that verifies its authenticity. Unless identical, no two files will have the same hash value; changing anything about the data will result in a different hash value. Through the improvement of this technology, the 3D print file is converted into a digital workpiece on the blockchain, and the unique fingerprint of each workpiece is used to verify its authenticity and uniqueness. 2. Protect access to data through encryption. After the first step, the encryption conversion of the 3D printed file has been realized, and then the access rights are marked and bound to the stored hash value of the file. When a 3D print file is shared, the recipient gets a token that allows access. The file cannot be decrypted without this token, ensuring that the 3D printable data is authenticated. With the methods mentioned above, we can effectively encrypt and protect the transferred model files, thus preventing the model from being downloaded and forwarded at will, because each step is recorded and required to be used through a specified token. However, if you want to further limit the number or number of prints of the model, you need the support of 3D printers. The Benefits of 3D Printing Using Blockchain The biggest advantage is the establishment of trust. The designer no longer has to worry about the illegal use of his design. Designers just need to concentrate on improving their skills to make a better model. Individual users can also choose different ways to print files, either by the number of times or by directly downloading the files, but now the price will be relatively lower, and the source of the model is transparent. Manufacturers can also choose to produce locally near their customers, which in turn reduces storage and transportation. On-demand production is also good for environmental protection and carbon neutralization. In addition to selling real goods, brand manufacturers can also sell printable documents to customers for replacement parts, customization, and accessories. This is all because their IP will be protected by the blockchain. Conclusion In short, the 3D printing blockchain will to a greater extent promote the use of 3D printing technology, while the blockchain will give 3D printing transactions in the form of "tokens". Think about the early days of Bitcoin and, in turn, look at the monetization of the 3D printing blockchain. Maybe one day, the usage time of our machines can also be sold online, and 3D printed documents can be traded in a variety of monetary ways.

Read More
Future Of Manufacturing

The Factory of the Future

Article | December 2, 2021

The world of manufacturing is continuously evolving in the 21st century, and companies have to combat competition, altering consumer demands, and unexpected events to be able to deliver in today’s experience. Global connectivity, innovation, and disruption are all reshaping the manufacturing industry, but a world-class business platform can help companies transform operations digitally to keep up with an evermore digitized world. The factory of the future will allow manufacturers to enhance production through the convergence of information technology with factory operations, combining the effectiveness of the virtual world with the materiality of the physical world to lower costs, increase flexibility, and better meet customer expectations. The factory of the future functions on four dimensions: resource planning, manufacturing planning, planning and optimization, and manufacturing operations. Resource planning involves defining and simpulating the plant layout, flow, assets, and resources needed to efficiently develop products in a safe environment. Normal production change requests can be quickly validated by using 3D virtual experience twin technology. This technology could also quickly pivot operations to alternative products in the case of disruptive events. Manufacturing planning enriches the resource and product definition by defining and validating a process plan and creating work instructions that meet production goals. Digital visualization of resource and process changes can also help speed up time-to-production in any scenario no matter the location by leveraging the cloud. Planning and optimization of supply chains across planning horizons will help manufacturers gain visibility with planning and scheduling by having the ability to model, simulate, and optimize alternative supply and production plans to reduce disruptions. Lastly, manufacturing operations management can transform global production operations to attain and maintain operational excellence. Manufacturers can create, manage, and govern operational processes on a global scale while maintaining operational integrity to meet altering demands. For the factory of the future to come about successfully, there needs to be connected technology and shared data. Technology has to be adaptable with robotics and equipment that can be reconstructed to house changes and new products. An AI-powered product demand simulation is necessary to maintain agility and boost productivity. A versatile, cross-functional workforce with the ability to explicate data and function well in AR environments is also required along with smart factory technology such as wearable sensors and virtual prototypes. Through all this, the factory of the future can connect technologies across the product life cycle while optimizing the workforce and increasing sustainability. Although achieving the factory of the future has several benefits, creating a feasible factory of the future plan can be challenging. In 2018, only 12% of companies had a mature factory of the future plan. One of the main challenges that companies face is a lack of internal skills to devise digital solutions. However, this can be combated by carefully considering how you can utilize digital technologies to deliver improved performance, resiliency, and flexibility. It is easier to begin with small steps and to collaborate with a partner who could support your efforts to build toward your desired transformation goal. It is important to always be prepared by evaluating your next steps, industry trends, and progress metrics. It is also crucial to focus on the people, process, and technology you’re using to have a successful transformation journey. Manufacturing with the factory of the future can provide savings in a wide range of categories. For example, it can reduce virtual vehicles build time by 80%, increase on-time performance of industrial equipment by 45%, and reduce modular construction time of construction, cities, and territories by 70%. Leading the transformation of the manufacturing space towards the direction of the factory of the future will allow manufacturers to work smart and better meet the needs of the end consumers.

Read More

ACADEMIA 3D SCANNER, AN EDUCATIONAL SOLUTION FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS

Article | May 11, 2020

Creative Robotics (CR), a research unit within the University for Art and Design Linz, Austria, study robotics as an interface between the digital and the physical world. CR works with robotic arms and focus their research on new robot applications leading to flexible production and individualization rather than mass production and classic automation. Creative Robotics chooses to work primarily with small companies wishing to implement their existing process knowledge about robots.

Read More

ADAPTATION, BUSINESS CONTINUITY & COBOTS: PACKAGING AND PALLETIZING

Article | August 5, 2020

Packaging and palletizing involve some of the least ergonomic tasks in the supply chain, accounting for a significant number of repetitive strain and musculoskeletal disorders among workers. Lifting heavy loads and bending to pick up or wrap goods are not just non-ergonomic tasks that carry the risk of injury, they are also repetitive, which can lead to human error as attention spans decline. This combination of factors makes collaborative robots an ideal partner for packaging & palletizing processes.

Read More
3D Printing

Blockchain: Protect the Transmission of Data in 3D Printing and CNC Machining

Article | June 15, 2022

Blockchain is a distributed database system consisting of a series of data blocks generated by cryptographic methods. Each block contains the hash value of the previous block, which is connected to the current block by the original block to form a blockchain. It overlays (chains) encrypted data (blocks) in chronological order to produce permanent and irreversible records. Decentralization, independence, security, and other features characterize blockchain technology today, with decentralization being the most noticeable and vital attribute. Each node realizes information, self-verification, transfer, and management through distributed accounting and storage. Because of its encryption and security properties, it plays an important role in data file security in manufacturing. Blockchain — Assurance for CNC Machining Data As the potential of blockchain technology has grown in popularity, it has garnered the attention of various other industries, especially the machine shop industry. The computer numerical control (CNC) machining process is often used to machine critical parts for a variety of industries, from aerospace to medical. The process involves using computer-controlled machines to remove material from a workpiece to create the desired shape. Because CNC machining can be expensive and time-consuming, it's important to protect the data associated with the process. Blockchain technology can be used to protect CNC machining data in several ways. 1. Blockchain provides a secure, immutable ledger that can record all aspects of the machining process. This means that if any changes are made to the data, they can be easily tracked and traced. Furthermore, because blockchain is decentralized, it can provide an extra layer of security by distributing the data across a network of computers. This makes it much more difficult for hackers to tamper with the data. 2. Blockchain can help with the management and tracking of inventory. In the past, machine shops had to rely on paper-based tracking systems, which were often inefficient and prone to error. With blockchain, each inventory item can be assigned a unique digital identify that can be tracked throughout the supply chain. This would allow machine shops to have a more accurate and efficient way of tracking their inventory. 3. Blockchain can also help machine shops manage customer orders. In the past, machine shops have often had to deal with a lot of paperwork when it comes to processing customer orders. With blockchain, however, all this information can be stored on the ledger in a secure and tamper-proof way. This would make it much easier for machine shops to process customer orders and ultimately lead to improved customer satisfaction. Blockchain Promotes Distributed 3D Printing In theory, 3D printing is the perfect mode of production for distributed manufacturing. Digital files can be easily transferred, regardless of geographical restrictions, as long as there is a 3D printer, and it is equipped with the right material to print anywhere. But it is only a good vision, and there are still many problems in the real implementation. First, if the 3D printing model is downloaded by the user, there is a risk of being tampered with or forwarded at will; if the model is distributed to the service provider or manufacturer for remote printing, it is also possible to print more than authorized, which will lead to intellectual property theft. Designers have largely no control over how many designs can be printed after they are sold, which means they are often compelled to sell designs at higher prices, whether users plan to print one or thousands of them. The high price is also unfair to individual users who are using it solely for their own printing. Perhaps, we can solve the current problem with the help of Bitcoin's blockchain technology. The Blockchain of How to Perform 3D Printing 1. Protect 3D printed files by hashing algorithms. The encryption algorithm generates a fingerprint of a unique hash value for each file based on its contents. This is a sign that ensures the uniqueness of the file with a short message that is related to every byte of the file, and it is difficult to find the reverse rule. The blockchain does not store the file itself but a hash value that verifies its authenticity. Unless identical, no two files will have the same hash value; changing anything about the data will result in a different hash value. Through the improvement of this technology, the 3D print file is converted into a digital workpiece on the blockchain, and the unique fingerprint of each workpiece is used to verify its authenticity and uniqueness. 2. Protect access to data through encryption. After the first step, the encryption conversion of the 3D printed file has been realized, and then the access rights are marked and bound to the stored hash value of the file. When a 3D print file is shared, the recipient gets a token that allows access. The file cannot be decrypted without this token, ensuring that the 3D printable data is authenticated. With the methods mentioned above, we can effectively encrypt and protect the transferred model files, thus preventing the model from being downloaded and forwarded at will, because each step is recorded and required to be used through a specified token. However, if you want to further limit the number or number of prints of the model, you need the support of 3D printers. The Benefits of 3D Printing Using Blockchain The biggest advantage is the establishment of trust. The designer no longer has to worry about the illegal use of his design. Designers just need to concentrate on improving their skills to make a better model. Individual users can also choose different ways to print files, either by the number of times or by directly downloading the files, but now the price will be relatively lower, and the source of the model is transparent. Manufacturers can also choose to produce locally near their customers, which in turn reduces storage and transportation. On-demand production is also good for environmental protection and carbon neutralization. In addition to selling real goods, brand manufacturers can also sell printable documents to customers for replacement parts, customization, and accessories. This is all because their IP will be protected by the blockchain. Conclusion In short, the 3D printing blockchain will to a greater extent promote the use of 3D printing technology, while the blockchain will give 3D printing transactions in the form of "tokens". Think about the early days of Bitcoin and, in turn, look at the monetization of the 3D printing blockchain. Maybe one day, the usage time of our machines can also be sold online, and 3D printed documents can be traded in a variety of monetary ways.

Read More
Future Of Manufacturing

The Factory of the Future

Article | December 2, 2021

The world of manufacturing is continuously evolving in the 21st century, and companies have to combat competition, altering consumer demands, and unexpected events to be able to deliver in today’s experience. Global connectivity, innovation, and disruption are all reshaping the manufacturing industry, but a world-class business platform can help companies transform operations digitally to keep up with an evermore digitized world. The factory of the future will allow manufacturers to enhance production through the convergence of information technology with factory operations, combining the effectiveness of the virtual world with the materiality of the physical world to lower costs, increase flexibility, and better meet customer expectations. The factory of the future functions on four dimensions: resource planning, manufacturing planning, planning and optimization, and manufacturing operations. Resource planning involves defining and simpulating the plant layout, flow, assets, and resources needed to efficiently develop products in a safe environment. Normal production change requests can be quickly validated by using 3D virtual experience twin technology. This technology could also quickly pivot operations to alternative products in the case of disruptive events. Manufacturing planning enriches the resource and product definition by defining and validating a process plan and creating work instructions that meet production goals. Digital visualization of resource and process changes can also help speed up time-to-production in any scenario no matter the location by leveraging the cloud. Planning and optimization of supply chains across planning horizons will help manufacturers gain visibility with planning and scheduling by having the ability to model, simulate, and optimize alternative supply and production plans to reduce disruptions. Lastly, manufacturing operations management can transform global production operations to attain and maintain operational excellence. Manufacturers can create, manage, and govern operational processes on a global scale while maintaining operational integrity to meet altering demands. For the factory of the future to come about successfully, there needs to be connected technology and shared data. Technology has to be adaptable with robotics and equipment that can be reconstructed to house changes and new products. An AI-powered product demand simulation is necessary to maintain agility and boost productivity. A versatile, cross-functional workforce with the ability to explicate data and function well in AR environments is also required along with smart factory technology such as wearable sensors and virtual prototypes. Through all this, the factory of the future can connect technologies across the product life cycle while optimizing the workforce and increasing sustainability. Although achieving the factory of the future has several benefits, creating a feasible factory of the future plan can be challenging. In 2018, only 12% of companies had a mature factory of the future plan. One of the main challenges that companies face is a lack of internal skills to devise digital solutions. However, this can be combated by carefully considering how you can utilize digital technologies to deliver improved performance, resiliency, and flexibility. It is easier to begin with small steps and to collaborate with a partner who could support your efforts to build toward your desired transformation goal. It is important to always be prepared by evaluating your next steps, industry trends, and progress metrics. It is also crucial to focus on the people, process, and technology you’re using to have a successful transformation journey. Manufacturing with the factory of the future can provide savings in a wide range of categories. For example, it can reduce virtual vehicles build time by 80%, increase on-time performance of industrial equipment by 45%, and reduce modular construction time of construction, cities, and territories by 70%. Leading the transformation of the manufacturing space towards the direction of the factory of the future will allow manufacturers to work smart and better meet the needs of the end consumers.

Read More

ACADEMIA 3D SCANNER, AN EDUCATIONAL SOLUTION FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS

Article | May 11, 2020

Creative Robotics (CR), a research unit within the University for Art and Design Linz, Austria, study robotics as an interface between the digital and the physical world. CR works with robotic arms and focus their research on new robot applications leading to flexible production and individualization rather than mass production and classic automation. Creative Robotics chooses to work primarily with small companies wishing to implement their existing process knowledge about robots.

Read More
MORE ARTICLE

Spotlight

Aro Metal Stamping

We MANUFACTURE… Bus bars, bus bar assemblies, lead frames, heatsinks, shields, covers, clips, springs, brackets, retainers, fences, insert molded components, terminals, lighting components, refrigeration components, corner braces, antennas, mounting plates, fuse clips, and solenoid components to name a few, but CUSTOM PARTS is what we do.

Related News

Manufacturing Technology

MaxLinear Launches Product Design Kit for Active Electrical Cables Using Keystone PAM4 DSP

MaxLinear | February 02, 2024

MaxLinear, Inc. a leading provider of high-speed interconnect ICs enabling data center, metro, and wireless transport networks, announced the availability of a comprehensive product design kit (PDK) to optimize performance and accelerate the time to market for high-speed Active Electrical Cables (AEC) using MaxLinear’s 5nm PAM4 DSP, Keystone. The PDK is a cost-cutting and time-saving tool for cable manufacturers who want to quickly integrate Keystone into their active electrical cables. MaxLinear’s Keystone PAM4 DSP offers a significant power advantage in AEC applications, which is increasingly becoming a critical factor for hyperscale data centers. The use of 5nm CMOS technology enables designers and manufacturers to build high-speed cables that meet the need for low power, highly integrated, high performance interconnect solutions that will drive the next generation of hyperscale cloud networks. Manufacturers taking advantage of MaxLinear’s PDK to optimize cable designs using Keystone PAM4 DSP will gain a distinct advantage over competitor solutions when trying to maximize reach and minimize power consumption. The PDK makes Keystone easy to integrate with strong applications support, multiple tools to optimize and monitor performance, and reference designs (SW and HW) to accelerate integration. Sophisticated software allows for quick design optimization for the lowest possible power consumption and maximizing cable reach. Cable designers can constantly monitor performance, route signals from any port to any port, and take advantage of hitless firmware upgrades. “MaxLinear is focused on providing not only industry-leading interconnect technologies but also a comprehensive suite of tools to support our manufacturing and design partners,” said Drew Guckenberger, Vice President of High Speed Interconnect at MaxLinear. “Our development kit for our Keystone products provides them with a path to take products to market more quickly and more cost-effectively.” Active electrical cables (AECs) are revolutionizing data center connections. Unlike passive cables, they actively boost signals, allowing for longer distances (up to 7 meters for 400G), higher bandwidth, and thinner, lighter cables. This makes them ideal for high-speed applications like top-of-rack connections (connecting switches to servers within the same rack); direct digital control (enabling flexible interconnectivity within racks and across rows); and breakout solutions (splitting high-speed connections into multiple lower-speed channels). The high-speed interconnect market – which includes active optical cables, active electrical cables, direct attach copper cables, and others – is expected to grow to $17.1B by 2028, up from $10.7B in 2021 according to a market forecast report from The Insight Partners. The Keystone Family The Keystone 5nm DSP family caters to 400G and 800G applications, featuring a groundbreaking 106.25Gbps host side electrical I/O, aligning with the line side interface rate. Available variants support single-mode optics (EML and SiPh), multimode optics and Active Electrical Cables (AECs), offering comprehensive solutions with companion TIAs. Host side interfaces cover ethernet rates of 25G, 50G, and 100G per lane over C2M, MR, and LR host channels. The line side interfaces, tailored for 100G/λ DR, FR, and LR applications, also support these rates. These devices boast extensive DSP functionality, encompassing line-side transmitter DPD, TX FIR, receiver FFE, and DFE. With exceptional performance and signal integrity, these DSPs occupy a compact footprint (12mm x 13mm), ideal for next-gen module form-factors like QSFP-DD800 and OSFP800. Additionally, they are available as Known Good Die (KGD) for denser applications, such as OSFP-XD. About MaxLinear, Inc. MaxLinear, Inc. is a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog, digital, and mixed-signal integrated circuits for access and connectivity, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multimarket applications. MaxLinear is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. MaxLinear, the MaxLinear logo, any other MaxLinear trademarks are all property of MaxLinear, Inc. or one of MaxLinear's subsidiaries in the U.S.A. and other countries. All rights reserved.

Read More

Smart Factory

PsiQuantum, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Mitsubishi Chemical Announce Partnership to Design Energy-Efficient Materials on PsiQuantum’s

PsiQuantum | January 30, 2024

PsiQuantum and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group announced that they are beginning work with Mitsubishi Chemical Group on a joint project to simulate excited states of photochromic molecules which have widespread industrial and residential potential applications such as the development of smart windows, energy-efficient data storage, solar energy storage and solar cells, and other photoswitching use cases. Qlimate, a PsiQuantum-led initiative that includes MUFG as a partner, focuses on using fault-tolerant quantum computing to crack the most challenging computational problems and accelerate the development of scalable breakthroughs across climate technologies, including more energy-efficient materials. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) is committed to supporting the world’s transition to a sustainable future, and to encourage industry access to the most promising breakthrough technologies. By pioneering PsiQuantum’s Qlimate solutions with industry leader Mitsubishi Chemical, MUFG is at the forefront of quantum computing for sustainability. This joint project will determine whether high-accuracy estimates of excited state properties are feasible on early-generation fault-tolerant quantum computers, specifically focusing on diarylethenes used for energy-efficient photoswitching applications. The project will allow Mitsubishi Chemical to gain early insights into how and when fault-tolerant quantum computing can be deployed in support of critical, scalable, sustainable materials. Because predicting the optical properties of materials requires complex analysis of excited states, standard algorithmic techniques for simulating these molecules (such as the Density Functional Theory, or DFT) often produce qualitatively incorrect results. The project will bring together Mitsubishi Chemical’s deep experience of computational chemistry and PsiQuantum’s leading expertise in fault-tolerant quantum computing to push the boundaries of approaching the complex physics in these systems and pave the way to developing new, more powerful energy-efficient photonic materials. Philipp Ernst, Head of Solutions at PsiQuantum, said: “PsiQuantum has dedicated teams who identify, describe and solve complex problem sets with best-in-class quantum algorithms. These are designed specifically to run on fault-tolerant quantum computers and will tackle previously-impossible computational challenges. This partnership will leverage our team’s unique know-how and Mitsubishi Chemical’s expertise in photochromic materials. We are grateful for MUFG’s visionary support in our mission to deploy high-impact quantum computing solutions to fight climate change.” Suguru Azegami, Managing Director, Sustainable Business Division, MUFG said: “We are excited to partner with PsiQuantum and Mitsubishi Chemical on our journey to explore possibilities of quantum computing technologies to solve the imminent global challenge. PsiQuantum’s vision to develop the first utility scale quantum computer before the end of the decade has inspired us, which led our initiative to participate in the Qlimate partnership as the first and sole member from Japan. Mitsubishi Chemical is leading efforts to use the cutting-edge technology to develop next generation materials and we are honored to support the company as its long term financial partner.” Qi Gao, Senior Chief Scientist, Mitsubishi Chemical said: “We are pleased to be part of the partnership and are grateful for MUFG’s support. Mitsubishi Chemical’s over 40 years background in computational chemistry and PsiQuantum’s domain specific knowledge for quantum control is a great fit with the collaboration effort of improving calculation accuracy on quantum device. We hope the partnership will accelerate the innovation of revolutionizing computational studies in chemistry and materials science.” About PsiQuantum PsiQuantum is a private company, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California. The company’s only mission is to build and deploy the world’s first useful, large-scale quantum computer. Many teams around the world today have demonstrated prototype quantum computing systems, but it is widely accepted that much larger systems are necessary in order to unlock transformational applications across drug discovery, climate technologies, finance, transportation, security & defense and beyond. PsiQuantum’s photonic approach enables rapid scaling via direct leverage of high-volume semiconductor manufacturing and cryogenic infrastructure. The company is partnered with the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University and Sci-Tech Daresbury in the United Kingdom. About Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) is one of the world’s leading financial groups. Headquartered in Tokyo and with over 360 years of history, MUFG has a global network with approximately 2,000 locations in more than 50 countries. The Group has about 160,000 employees and offers services including commercial banking, trust banking, securities, credit cards, consumer finance, asset management, and leasing. The Group aims to “be the world’s most trusted financial group” through close collaboration among our operating companies and flexibly respond to all of the financial needs of our customers, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world. MUFG’s shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York stock exchanges. About the Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation (TSE: 4188) is a specialty materials group with an unwavering commitment to lead with innovative solutions to achieve KAITEKI, the well-being of people and the planet. We bring deep expertise and material science leadership in core market segments such as mobility, digital, medical and food. In this way, we enable industry transformation, technology breakthroughs, and longer, more fruitful lives for us all. Together, around 70,000 employees worldwide provide advanced chemistry-based solutions to deliver the core elements of our slogan — “Science. Value. Life.”

Read More

Additive Manufacturing

Teledyne Relays Unveils Innovative Multi-Function Timer Series

Teledyne Relays, Inc. | January 29, 2024

Teledyne Relays, a leading provider of cutting-edge relay solutions, introduces its new Multi-Function Timer product series, showcasing the company's commitment to delivering advanced, reliable, and versatile solutions for the industrial automation sector. Teledyne Relays Multi-Function Timer MFT series is a state-of-the-art solution designed for a wide variety of applications that demand precise timing control. The user-friendly design features three potentiometers for easy selection of timing functions and ranges, while the LEDs provide at-a-glance feedback of timing and relay status. The MFT series also features 7 selectable timing functions for a wide variety of applications Timing ranges from 0.1 seconds up to 100 hours Compact 17.5mm housing preserves valuable panel space Supply Voltages: 24VDC & 24-240VAC OR 12-240VAC/DC 5A SPDT output relay Engineered with the needs of electrical engineers, panel builders, and automation engineers in mind, these timers find application in various industries, including but not limited to Industrial Automation Manufacturing Process Control Systems HVAC and Refrigeration Agriculture and Irrigation Power Distribution “With the new Multi-Function Timer series, Teledyne Relays continues to lead in providing reliable and versatile solutions for industrial automation, ensuring precise timing control,” said Michael Palakian, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at Teledyne Relays. The Multi-Function Timer series from Teledyne Relays ensures precise timing control, offering unparalleled reliability across diverse applications and is available for ordering from Teledyne Relays or an authorized distributor. About Teledyne Relays Teledyne Relays is a world leader in high-performance coaxial switches, electromechanical, and solid-state relays, offering a wide range of solutions for various applications in the aerospace and defense, telecommunications, test and measurement, and industrial markets. With over 60 years of experience, Teledyne Relay has established a reputation for quality, reliability, and customer service excellence. About Teledyne Defense Electronics Serving Defense, Space and Commercial sectors worldwide, Teledyne Defense Electronics offers a comprehensive portfolio of highly engineered solutions that meet your most demanding requirements in the harshest environments. Manufacturing both custom and off-the-shelf product offerings, our diverse product lines meet emerging needs for key applications for avionics, energetics, electronic warfare, missiles, radar, satcom, space and test and measurement.

Read More

Manufacturing Technology

MaxLinear Launches Product Design Kit for Active Electrical Cables Using Keystone PAM4 DSP

MaxLinear | February 02, 2024

MaxLinear, Inc. a leading provider of high-speed interconnect ICs enabling data center, metro, and wireless transport networks, announced the availability of a comprehensive product design kit (PDK) to optimize performance and accelerate the time to market for high-speed Active Electrical Cables (AEC) using MaxLinear’s 5nm PAM4 DSP, Keystone. The PDK is a cost-cutting and time-saving tool for cable manufacturers who want to quickly integrate Keystone into their active electrical cables. MaxLinear’s Keystone PAM4 DSP offers a significant power advantage in AEC applications, which is increasingly becoming a critical factor for hyperscale data centers. The use of 5nm CMOS technology enables designers and manufacturers to build high-speed cables that meet the need for low power, highly integrated, high performance interconnect solutions that will drive the next generation of hyperscale cloud networks. Manufacturers taking advantage of MaxLinear’s PDK to optimize cable designs using Keystone PAM4 DSP will gain a distinct advantage over competitor solutions when trying to maximize reach and minimize power consumption. The PDK makes Keystone easy to integrate with strong applications support, multiple tools to optimize and monitor performance, and reference designs (SW and HW) to accelerate integration. Sophisticated software allows for quick design optimization for the lowest possible power consumption and maximizing cable reach. Cable designers can constantly monitor performance, route signals from any port to any port, and take advantage of hitless firmware upgrades. “MaxLinear is focused on providing not only industry-leading interconnect technologies but also a comprehensive suite of tools to support our manufacturing and design partners,” said Drew Guckenberger, Vice President of High Speed Interconnect at MaxLinear. “Our development kit for our Keystone products provides them with a path to take products to market more quickly and more cost-effectively.” Active electrical cables (AECs) are revolutionizing data center connections. Unlike passive cables, they actively boost signals, allowing for longer distances (up to 7 meters for 400G), higher bandwidth, and thinner, lighter cables. This makes them ideal for high-speed applications like top-of-rack connections (connecting switches to servers within the same rack); direct digital control (enabling flexible interconnectivity within racks and across rows); and breakout solutions (splitting high-speed connections into multiple lower-speed channels). The high-speed interconnect market – which includes active optical cables, active electrical cables, direct attach copper cables, and others – is expected to grow to $17.1B by 2028, up from $10.7B in 2021 according to a market forecast report from The Insight Partners. The Keystone Family The Keystone 5nm DSP family caters to 400G and 800G applications, featuring a groundbreaking 106.25Gbps host side electrical I/O, aligning with the line side interface rate. Available variants support single-mode optics (EML and SiPh), multimode optics and Active Electrical Cables (AECs), offering comprehensive solutions with companion TIAs. Host side interfaces cover ethernet rates of 25G, 50G, and 100G per lane over C2M, MR, and LR host channels. The line side interfaces, tailored for 100G/λ DR, FR, and LR applications, also support these rates. These devices boast extensive DSP functionality, encompassing line-side transmitter DPD, TX FIR, receiver FFE, and DFE. With exceptional performance and signal integrity, these DSPs occupy a compact footprint (12mm x 13mm), ideal for next-gen module form-factors like QSFP-DD800 and OSFP800. Additionally, they are available as Known Good Die (KGD) for denser applications, such as OSFP-XD. About MaxLinear, Inc. MaxLinear, Inc. is a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog, digital, and mixed-signal integrated circuits for access and connectivity, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multimarket applications. MaxLinear is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. MaxLinear, the MaxLinear logo, any other MaxLinear trademarks are all property of MaxLinear, Inc. or one of MaxLinear's subsidiaries in the U.S.A. and other countries. All rights reserved.

Read More

Smart Factory

PsiQuantum, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Mitsubishi Chemical Announce Partnership to Design Energy-Efficient Materials on PsiQuantum’s

PsiQuantum | January 30, 2024

PsiQuantum and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group announced that they are beginning work with Mitsubishi Chemical Group on a joint project to simulate excited states of photochromic molecules which have widespread industrial and residential potential applications such as the development of smart windows, energy-efficient data storage, solar energy storage and solar cells, and other photoswitching use cases. Qlimate, a PsiQuantum-led initiative that includes MUFG as a partner, focuses on using fault-tolerant quantum computing to crack the most challenging computational problems and accelerate the development of scalable breakthroughs across climate technologies, including more energy-efficient materials. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) is committed to supporting the world’s transition to a sustainable future, and to encourage industry access to the most promising breakthrough technologies. By pioneering PsiQuantum’s Qlimate solutions with industry leader Mitsubishi Chemical, MUFG is at the forefront of quantum computing for sustainability. This joint project will determine whether high-accuracy estimates of excited state properties are feasible on early-generation fault-tolerant quantum computers, specifically focusing on diarylethenes used for energy-efficient photoswitching applications. The project will allow Mitsubishi Chemical to gain early insights into how and when fault-tolerant quantum computing can be deployed in support of critical, scalable, sustainable materials. Because predicting the optical properties of materials requires complex analysis of excited states, standard algorithmic techniques for simulating these molecules (such as the Density Functional Theory, or DFT) often produce qualitatively incorrect results. The project will bring together Mitsubishi Chemical’s deep experience of computational chemistry and PsiQuantum’s leading expertise in fault-tolerant quantum computing to push the boundaries of approaching the complex physics in these systems and pave the way to developing new, more powerful energy-efficient photonic materials. Philipp Ernst, Head of Solutions at PsiQuantum, said: “PsiQuantum has dedicated teams who identify, describe and solve complex problem sets with best-in-class quantum algorithms. These are designed specifically to run on fault-tolerant quantum computers and will tackle previously-impossible computational challenges. This partnership will leverage our team’s unique know-how and Mitsubishi Chemical’s expertise in photochromic materials. We are grateful for MUFG’s visionary support in our mission to deploy high-impact quantum computing solutions to fight climate change.” Suguru Azegami, Managing Director, Sustainable Business Division, MUFG said: “We are excited to partner with PsiQuantum and Mitsubishi Chemical on our journey to explore possibilities of quantum computing technologies to solve the imminent global challenge. PsiQuantum’s vision to develop the first utility scale quantum computer before the end of the decade has inspired us, which led our initiative to participate in the Qlimate partnership as the first and sole member from Japan. Mitsubishi Chemical is leading efforts to use the cutting-edge technology to develop next generation materials and we are honored to support the company as its long term financial partner.” Qi Gao, Senior Chief Scientist, Mitsubishi Chemical said: “We are pleased to be part of the partnership and are grateful for MUFG’s support. Mitsubishi Chemical’s over 40 years background in computational chemistry and PsiQuantum’s domain specific knowledge for quantum control is a great fit with the collaboration effort of improving calculation accuracy on quantum device. We hope the partnership will accelerate the innovation of revolutionizing computational studies in chemistry and materials science.” About PsiQuantum PsiQuantum is a private company, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California. The company’s only mission is to build and deploy the world’s first useful, large-scale quantum computer. Many teams around the world today have demonstrated prototype quantum computing systems, but it is widely accepted that much larger systems are necessary in order to unlock transformational applications across drug discovery, climate technologies, finance, transportation, security & defense and beyond. PsiQuantum’s photonic approach enables rapid scaling via direct leverage of high-volume semiconductor manufacturing and cryogenic infrastructure. The company is partnered with the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University and Sci-Tech Daresbury in the United Kingdom. About Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) is one of the world’s leading financial groups. Headquartered in Tokyo and with over 360 years of history, MUFG has a global network with approximately 2,000 locations in more than 50 countries. The Group has about 160,000 employees and offers services including commercial banking, trust banking, securities, credit cards, consumer finance, asset management, and leasing. The Group aims to “be the world’s most trusted financial group” through close collaboration among our operating companies and flexibly respond to all of the financial needs of our customers, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world. MUFG’s shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York stock exchanges. About the Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation (TSE: 4188) is a specialty materials group with an unwavering commitment to lead with innovative solutions to achieve KAITEKI, the well-being of people and the planet. We bring deep expertise and material science leadership in core market segments such as mobility, digital, medical and food. In this way, we enable industry transformation, technology breakthroughs, and longer, more fruitful lives for us all. Together, around 70,000 employees worldwide provide advanced chemistry-based solutions to deliver the core elements of our slogan — “Science. Value. Life.”

Read More

Additive Manufacturing

Teledyne Relays Unveils Innovative Multi-Function Timer Series

Teledyne Relays, Inc. | January 29, 2024

Teledyne Relays, a leading provider of cutting-edge relay solutions, introduces its new Multi-Function Timer product series, showcasing the company's commitment to delivering advanced, reliable, and versatile solutions for the industrial automation sector. Teledyne Relays Multi-Function Timer MFT series is a state-of-the-art solution designed for a wide variety of applications that demand precise timing control. The user-friendly design features three potentiometers for easy selection of timing functions and ranges, while the LEDs provide at-a-glance feedback of timing and relay status. The MFT series also features 7 selectable timing functions for a wide variety of applications Timing ranges from 0.1 seconds up to 100 hours Compact 17.5mm housing preserves valuable panel space Supply Voltages: 24VDC & 24-240VAC OR 12-240VAC/DC 5A SPDT output relay Engineered with the needs of electrical engineers, panel builders, and automation engineers in mind, these timers find application in various industries, including but not limited to Industrial Automation Manufacturing Process Control Systems HVAC and Refrigeration Agriculture and Irrigation Power Distribution “With the new Multi-Function Timer series, Teledyne Relays continues to lead in providing reliable and versatile solutions for industrial automation, ensuring precise timing control,” said Michael Palakian, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at Teledyne Relays. The Multi-Function Timer series from Teledyne Relays ensures precise timing control, offering unparalleled reliability across diverse applications and is available for ordering from Teledyne Relays or an authorized distributor. About Teledyne Relays Teledyne Relays is a world leader in high-performance coaxial switches, electromechanical, and solid-state relays, offering a wide range of solutions for various applications in the aerospace and defense, telecommunications, test and measurement, and industrial markets. With over 60 years of experience, Teledyne Relay has established a reputation for quality, reliability, and customer service excellence. About Teledyne Defense Electronics Serving Defense, Space and Commercial sectors worldwide, Teledyne Defense Electronics offers a comprehensive portfolio of highly engineered solutions that meet your most demanding requirements in the harshest environments. Manufacturing both custom and off-the-shelf product offerings, our diverse product lines meet emerging needs for key applications for avionics, energetics, electronic warfare, missiles, radar, satcom, space and test and measurement.

Read More

Events