Local Motors Olli
Composites
A process for the viable commercial production of 3D printed cars has arrived. Local Motors created Olli, the first 3D-printed low-speed driverless minibus, in 2016. To date, Olli vehicles have been constructed and deployed to roughly a dozen campus settings such as business parks, hospitals and universities. Olli has about 90 percent fewer parts...
Nufabrx
Fabrics
An entirely new category of wearable technology, HealthWear, is on retail shelves near you. It includes products such as wool socks that relieve pain and prevent shin splints, and spandex elbow compression sleeves that dispense medicine. The breakthrough technology was developed by Nufabrx in partnership with AFFOA, the DoD-sponsored Manufacturing...
Lab Grown Ligaments
Biomanufacturing
A torn or damaged anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee is a serious injury suffered across many sports and physical activities. Many surgical repairs for tears of the ACL use a tendon — most commonly the patellar tendon — in place of the ACL (a ligament). This mismatch in tissue types creates a system that is not designed to perform in the...
Rapid Charging  EV Station
Power Electronics
Imagine an electric vehicle charging experience that is just as accessible and convenient as gas fueling. It’s almost here. Researchers have used silicon carbide (SiC) technology to produce rapid charging EV stations that are 60 percent faster and one-tenth of the size of current versions, significantly lowering the barrier to entry for charging...
IndustryWeek COVID-19 MFG USA
Additive Manufacturing, Biomanufacturing, COVID-19, Digital Manufacturing
The COVID-19 pandemic created a ripple effect for U.S. manufacturers that revealed not only a lack of redundancy in the supply chain but also a lack of transparency. As the pandemic took hold, worldwide demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) dramatically increased and many material and product costs skyrocketed. It quickly became apparent...