Weird Ford Patent; Amphibious Car Demand; Tool & Die Strike | Today in Manufacturing Ep. 189

Also on the podcast, Three Mile Island to reopen, 3D-printed shark pipes, Anduril and Microsoft partner on soldier headsets, Flexiv's fish filleting robot and the world's first at-scale indoor vertical berry farm.

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The Today in Manufacturing Podcast is brought to you by the editors of Manufacturing.net and Industrial Equipment News (IEN).

This week's episode is brought to you by Sikich. Supply chain challenges, like inventory shortages and late deliveries from suppliers, have exposed weaknesses - shrinking profits for 93% of companies in the past five years. We are at a turning point, businesses can modernize their supply chain management, or scramble to survive when something goes wrong. Download 7 Key Areas for Modernizing Distribution to unlock seven key areas of supply chain management that enterprises can leverage to retain their market share and stay ahead of disruptions. Download it now.

Every week, we cover the five biggest stories in manufacturing, and the implications they have on the industry moving forward. This week:

3D-Printed Shark Pipes Beat Out Tesla Valves in One Direction Flow - @3:36

Researchers from the University of Washington wanted to improve the pipe. So, the team turned to shark intestines.

Three Mile Island Could Soon Reopen to Power Microsoft Data Centers - @14:05

The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant will live again.

UAW Workers Near Strike at Ford Factory - @24:11

Last week, the UAW announced that workers at Ford's River Rouge Complex tool and die unit in Dearborn, Michigan, would strike starting today if they didn't resolve local contract issues.

Proposed Bill in Brazil Would Require Automakers to Sell Amphibious Cars - @33:32

A lawmaker in Brazil has proposed a bill that would require the country’s auto industry to sell amphibious cars.

Ford Patent Could Protect You from Accidentally Smuggling Drugs - @44:06

Motor1 recently spotted a new patent filed by Ford for a "unknown cargo detection and evidence collection system" that can use a vehicle’s cameras and sensors to prevent the driver from becoming a “blind mule.”

In Case You Missed It

The World's First At-Scale Indoor Vertical Berry Farm - @53:50

The facility will create a year-round local supply of Driscoll's strawberries.

Andruril, Microsoft Partner to Help Soldiers See Realtime Threats - @1:00:24

These headsets will warn soldiers of autonomously-detected airborne threats, enhancing survivability in complex, contested environments.

Flexiv's Robot Fish Fillet Shaping Solution Automates Cod Production - @1:05:11

Flexiv this week announced a fully automated line that deploys the company's Rizon 4 adaptive robot as well as a combination of computer vision and force-control to identify and shape breaded fish fillets.

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