Faraday Future Unveils First Production-Intent FF 91 EV Manufactured at its Hanford, Calif. Plant

Additive Manufacturing

Nexa3D | November 07, 2023

Nexa3D, an ultrafast 3D printing leader, has taken a substantial step in staking its leader position in the industrial additive manufacturing space by signing a LOI to acquire Essentium, a manufacturer of HSE 3D printers and materials, adopted for high requirement, precision applications in aerospace, defense, and military. With this acquisition, Nexa3D will add high-speed extrusion (HSE) to its current product portfolio. The acquisition would broaden capabilities, diversify revenues, and expand addressable markets for the fast-growing 3D printing company. Avi Reichental, Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Nexa3D, stated that they are looking forward to welcoming the Essentium team to Nexa3D’s family. The acquisition will be a testament to their unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of 3D printing technology. He continued that by joining forces with Essentium, they aim to create synergies to deliver unmatched value to their customers. Together, they will drive ultrafast additive manufacturing innovation and provide even more powerful solutions for manufacturers seeking to achieve their production goals. Essentium, known for its variety of materials portfolio, true independent dual extruders (IDEX) and award-winning high-speed extrusion 3D printers, has provided solutions for complex polymer production applications 5 to 15 times quicker than other competing extrusion technologies. Essentium’s commitment to reliability and innovation has made it a go-to choice for manufacturers worldwide. Nexa3D has rapidly emerged as a leader in the 3D printing space, delivering excellent production solutions for businesses across various sectors. Best known for its ultrafast 3D printers, from desktops to the factory floor, its technology has redefined the possibilities of 3D printing production, enabling unparalleled productivity, material flexibility, and accuracy. Adopted by around 1200 customers all over the world, its printers have become the go-to solution for high-throughput production applications. This acquisition is expected to close by the end of this year or as soon as practicable afterward. Both Essentium and Nexa3D are committed to ensure a smooth transition and for maintaining uninterrupted services to existing and prospective customers. About Nexa3D Nexa3D is committed to the sustainable digitization of supply chains, driven by its relentless pursuit of advancing additive manufacturing. The company engineers ultrafast polymer 3D printers, capable of delivering remarkable productivity gains, up to 20 times greater, to professionals and businesses of varying sizes. Innovative partnerships with renowned material suppliers, combined with an open materials platform, serve as the catalyst for unlocking the full potential of additively manufactured polymers, particularly in volume production. Nexa3D leverages automated software tools, employing process interplay algorithms that optimize the production cycle.

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Innovation

Vention | October 12, 2023

Vention, the Quebec-based manufacturing automation platform, secures a $15 million investment from the Fonds de solidarité FTQ to further democratize industrial automation and enhance manufacturing competitiveness. The investment from Fonds de solidarité FTQ supports Vention's mission to democratize industrial automation, improve plant efficiency, and stimulate manufacturing productivity through its integrated manufacturing automation platform (MAP). This investment demonstrates the commitment of Fonds de solidarité FTQ to advance Quebec's industrial capabilities, create high-value-added jobs, and stimulate economic growth by supporting the adoption of new technologies among SMEs in the manufacturing sector. Vention's integrated platform combines 3D design, code-free industrial programming, e-commerce logistics, and a library of modular automation components, allowing manufacturers to complete automation projects faster and at a reduced cost compared to traditional methods. Etienne Lacroix, CEO of Vention, remarked, Democratizing industrial automation is an ambitious goal, given the 180 dollar billion market. The Fonds de solidarité FTQ is an institution that has made an vital contribution to advancing the business sector in Quebec for over 30 years. We are delighted that, through this act of renewed confidence, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ is demonstrating its commitment to Quebec companies looking to automate their factories. We're also excited to welcome the Quebec manufacturers, including those supported by the Fonds, to help them better understand the little-known field of industrial automation and robotics. [Source: Cision PR Newswire] The Fonds de solidarité FTQ has actively contributed to the development and global competitiveness of Quebec companies for more than three decades. Its renewed investment in Vention demonstrates the Fonds' dedication to advancing Quebec's industrial capabilities, creating employment with high added value, and fostering economic growth. Through the investments of its partners, including the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, Vention continues to develop its MAP, the only completely integrated cloud platform in the world to offer complete automated solutions from design to deployment. About Vention Vention, headquartered in Montreal, Canada, caters to a diverse clientele of over 4,000 manufacturers worldwide. They have also established the Vention Experience Centre, offering complimentary training and workshops to local manufacturers. Vention stands as a key enabler for some of the most forward-thinking manufacturers, facilitating the automation of their production floors in just a matter of days. It achieves this through a democratized user experience underpinned by Vention's digital manufacturing automation platform. This platform empowers clients to conceptualize, automate, order, and deploy automated equipment directly from their web browsers.

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Lean Manufacturing

California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC) | September 11, 2023

California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC) has played a pivotal role in boosting the business of control solutions provider George T. Hall by delivering Lean, Quality, and Information Technology services. This collaboration has transformed George T. Hall's operations, leading to increased productivity, certifications, and substantial cost savings. CMTC's collaboration with George T. Hall resulted in several significant outcomes. George T. Hall expanded its workforce, doubling service demand and estimated increased sales of $1.5 million, along with cost savings exceeding $2.5 million. Capital investments of $1.9 million were made to enhance products, equipment, information systems, software, training, and other resources. The need for operational enhancements drove the partnership between CMTC and George T. Hall, overcoming pandemic-related setbacks and strategic growth during a challenging business environment. George T. Hall, founded in 1932, started as a small distributor and has evolved into a full-service control solutions provider. The company operates in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, renewable energy, mining, and wastewater, serving clients across California and beyond. George T. Hall initially faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing a slowdown in its business growth. Recognizing the need for strategic improvements, the company engaged with CMTC in June 2020. The key areas of focus included Lean and continuous improvement, quality management systems, and the implementation of a new ERP system, Acumatica. Implementing Acumatica ERP system replaced multiple disparate systems, improving productivity and visibility. The company achieved ISO 9001 certification and was recognized as one of 2023's Best Places to Work in Orange County. These efforts aimed to streamline processes, enhance productivity, and provide unified access to critical information. George T. Hall's transformative journey, facilitated by CMTC's services, underscores the value of strategic improvements in business operations. The company's achievements, including certifications, workforce expansion, increased sales, and cost savings, reflect the positive impact of these enhancements on its overall performance and competitiveness. About CMTC California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to delivering technical support, workforce development, and consulting expertise to small and medium-sized manufacturers across California. CMTC's operations are conducted through various cooperative arrangements with both federal and state government entities, most notably with the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a department within the Commerce sector, specifically for the State of California.

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PR Newswire | October 20, 2023

Nulogy, a leading provider of supply chain collaboration solutions, and Formic, a leading robotics company accelerating the adoption of automation across American manufacturing, today announced a strategic partnership to jointly strengthen the world's manufacturing supply chains through their respective SaaS (Software as a Service) and RaaS (Robotics as a Service) product offerings. Together, Nulogy and Formic will empower customers to implement value-driven digital shop floor solutions with speed, agility, and flexibility – without requiring outsized capital investment. As manufacturers and their supply chain partners continue to grapple with labor shortages, intense competition, and shifting customer demands, many businesses are turning to technology for a competitive advantage in cost, efficiency, and customer service. "Manufacturing cannot survive without automation, whether it's automated data flow or physical automation on the production floor," says Misa Ilkhechi, Formic co-founder and VP of Sales. "At Formic, we're focused on finding ways to make it ten times faster, easier, and cheaper to deploy a robot and increase productivity. We are excited to work with Nulogy, whose real-time data visibility and dynamic collaboration will add time to value for our customers." This partnership between Nulogy and Formic will present contract logistics providers, contract packagers, contract manufacturers, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands with a cohesive suite of automation capabilities—including shop floor data and workflow automation through Nulogy's cloud-based platform and physical production floor automation through Formic's array of accessible robotics solutions. "Manufacturers and packagers in today's consumer market can no longer afford to ignore the agility and competitive edge that data automation offers," says Jason Tham, CEO and co-founder of Nulogy. "The shop floor efficiencies gained by Formic's robotics technology combined with Nulogy's collaborative platform present a powerful, scalable solution for companies to operate with greater efficiency, accuracy, and flexibility." Formic's Robotics as a Service Leveraging world-class engineering expertise, on-site customer support, and monitoring technology, Formic's RaaS offering delivers full-functioning robotic solutions to customers who pay as low as $8/hour for usage. Formic programs, installs, and maintains all its systems at its own cost, which means manufacturers receive unlimited, 24/7 service and do not pay anything until and unless their operational output meets performance guarantees. Nulogy's Multi-Enterprise Platform Nulogy is the only purpose-built multi-enterprise collaboration platform for supplier networks and digitally enables FMCG companies and their external supplier networks to collaborate seamlessly on a centralized, data-driven, AI-enabled platform. Nulogy's solutions run within the supply networks of global FMCG leaders such as L'Oréal, Colgate-Palmolive, and Church & Dwight, as well as hundreds of supplier sites around the world. About Nulogy Nulogy, a leading supplier of digital supply chain solutions, enables fast-moving consumer goods companies and their supplier communities to collaborate on a multi-enterprise platform in order to deliver with excellence to an ever-changing consumer market. Nulogy's cloud-based platform optimizes upstream supply ecosystems composed of brand manufacturers, contract manufacturers and packagers, third party logistics providers, raw material and packaging suppliers to accelerate supply chain responsiveness and collaborate at the speed of today's market. About Formic Founded in 2020, Formic is accelerating the adoption of automation across small to mid-sized U.S. manufacturers and boosting productivity by removing the risk, complexity, upfront capital, and expertise that typically exist as barriers to onboarding this technology. The company's "Robotics-as-a-Service" model delivers customized robots at a low hourly rate, with guaranteed uptime. With a full-service offering that includes everything from planning and deployment to maintenance and upgrades, Formic is creating an innovative and accessible competitive advantage for small and mid-sized factories to ensure they stay relevant and thrive in any economy.

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