Fighting COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare industry faced a large-scale personal protective equipment (PPE) shortage, which put frontline workers at risk of infection. Seeing this struggle, Ontario-based integrator and tool builder Harbour Technologies pivoted their business to include a new title — PPE manufacturer. Harbour Technologies designed a robotic cell to swiftly manufacture FDA-approved isolation…

Yesterday, President Biden announced that employers with 100 or more employees will need to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require unvaccinated workers to produce a negative COVID test result on a weekly basis. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is developing an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to implement the requirement and detail…

According to the latest report by Global Market Insights, the market valuation of aerospace and defense C-class parts will cross the U.S. $15.8-billion mark by 2027. Commercial and military activities are significantly increasing in the aircraft industry, supporting the market growth during the forecasted timeframe. The aerospace and defense C-class parts market size was valued at…

Although it’s tough to imagine the pandemic offering benefits of any kind, COVID-19 has correlated to growth for the electronic adhesives sector. The growth trend is due to the greater demand for electronic components and devices to boost contactless interaction and to use remote information technologies. According to JEITA — the global electronics, which is…

3M and Pandemic Action Network are not only collaborating on programs to stem the spread of COVID-19 but have also committed to working together to help prepare for future pandemics. 3M has led a comprehensive global response to country-specific needs during the pandemic. For example, it partnered with Ford last year to help meet a…

Global materials science company, Avery Dennison, has partnered with manufacturer and developer, Global Safety First to bring a new, adhesive-based, certified mask technology to the healthcare market. This innovative N95 face mask uses a strapless design that provides a complete, airtight perimeter seal, offering full security and protection. Thanks to medical-grade, skin-friendly adhesives, the mask…

In a difficult environment, Germany’s igus is featuring more innovations than last year — from an integrated robot drive to a ball bearing with 21 times the previous service life. The company has increased the pace of innovation despite the pandemic: high investments in digitalization, logistics and remote consulting increased online sales by 30% in 2020…

In recognition of its significant contribution to the greater Hartland area, and in particular its support for local and national businesses producing personal protective equipment (PPE) products in the fight against COVID-19, Dorner was the recipient of the 2020 Manufacturer of the Year award bestowed by the Hartland (Wisconsin) Chamber of Commerce. This award is…

Combating the Covid-19 pandemic is at the top of the global agenda. Providing vaccines to populations around the globe means providing around 8 billion doses – with only one for every person in the world. In addition to the availability of the vaccine, a decisive factor in the race against time is the disposability of…

Contact infections with viruses, fungi, and bacteria were already a problem even before the pandemic — and now JW Winco is expanding its Sanline range of antibacterial products. Bacteria with high resistance to common antibiotic therapies have been on the rise for years, especially in hospitals. These infections can become a serious problem even outside…

Plex Systems, a cloud-delivered smart manufacturer, announced the results of its sixth annual study, the State of Smart Manufacturing. This year’s study, which was conducted in collaboration with Hanover Research, highlights how manufacturers use smart technology to tackle today’s challenges and drive measurable ROI, and are positioned to take advantage of future opportunities. The findings…

Companies Join Forces to Solve Ventilator Issue Cygnus Manufacturing Company (“CMC”) is a leading manufacturer and supplier of high precision products and components for the medical device, transportation, energy, and aerospace industries. CMC provides full- service manufacturing from prototype through production. As an FDA compliant and ISO 13485 medical devices certified manufacturer, a leading US ventilator company approached…

As part of an ever-growing line of coatings and protective sealants, Everbrite Coatings recently released its newest product, CrobialCoat. CrobialCoat provides a durable, clear coating with long-lasting product protection on most surfaces from rust, salt damage, tarnish, corrosion, and oxidation. It also has built-in Antimicrobial technology that’s specifically designed for highly polished or matte metals,…

APM Hexseal has been designing and manufacturing quality sealing solutions in New Jersey for more than 70 years. Over the decades, the company has developed deep roots in its community and has recently supported several local organizations. This was particularly beneficial due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted the lives of everyone and presents…

Despite the pandemic of 2020, additive manufacturing service providers are reporting a range of successes. For example, Shapeways, reports it has produced more than 20 million parts using 10 different printing technologies and 90 different materials and finishes. More than a million customers have worked with Shapeways to produce products from personal protective equipment (PPE) […]

Teschler on Topic Leland Teschler • Executive Editor [email protected] On Twitter @ DW_LeeTeschler The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers got some notoriety from its research activities when it retracted more than 7,300 abstracts, most from authors in China. It turned out that most of the retractions stemmed from numerous technical conferences in Asia that…

When a patient is infected with SARS-CoV-2, intensive care physicians need pictures of the patient’s lungs quickly. Mobile X-ray devices are the most effective medical equipment for diagnostic purposes. To make time-critical work with these high-tech aids fast, safe, and uncomplicated, one international manufacturer relies on gas springs from ACE Stoßdämpfer GmbH. The central Chinese…

It’s no secret that partnerships mean a lot in answering a client’s needs. Among the various ways, ARaymond chooses to make partnerships successful is through resident engineers. Kevin Wendelken, an ARaymond resident engineer at a large OEM’s Engineering Centre in the UK for nearly 20 years, knows how to make a difference from “inside the…

In the early Spring of 2020, the phone calls and emails started streaming into the mechanical engineering department of the University of Wisconsin — Madison: “We don’t have enough ventilators. Can you design something else?” Then a couple of weeks later, “Okay, we have enough ventilators; now we need personal protection equipment (PPE), face shields,…

After reviewing over 400 entries, judges of the face mask X-prize picked a team of students from Arizona State University as the winner of the $500,000 top award. The ASU team, dubbed Luminosity Lab, came up with a mask design that includes a bifurcated filtration chamber that directs hot expelled breaths away from the wearer’s…

Every day, industries across the world face unique and interlinking challenges as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. For the automotive industry, it’s a complex picture in which there are both hurdles and opportunities. Eric Pallarés, Chief Technology Officer at BCN3D, considers the impact of this tumultuous year on the automotive industry and how additive […]

Tadiran, a manufacturer of lithium batteries, offers bobbin-type lithium thionyl chloride (LiSOCl2) batteries that have been specially modified for use in the cold chain, enabling wireless sensors to continuously monitor the transport of foods, medicines, vaccines, and tissue specimens that are frozen or packed in dry ice. Bobbin-type LiSOCl2 batteries feature a non-aqueous electrolyte that…

In its current report, “Smart Sensors Market – Growth, Trends, Forecasts (2020 – 2025),” Mordor Intelligence, a market research firm,  includes information regarding the direct impact of COVID-19 as well as the indirect impact from other industries on the sensor market. Taking this into account, the report forecasts that the smart sensors market will grow […]

Toyolac’s lower molding temperatures and lower pressure requirements compared to other resin materials is proving to help increase production capacity and turnaround time for Covid-19 related medical components. With operating cylinder temperatures ranging from 210°C to 260°C, Toyolac provides smoother resin flow, increased cycle times with decreased part flash. This enhanced flowability provides increased part…

Nearly a year ago, the Power Transmission Distributor’s Association chose its theme for the 2020 Industry summit held late last week — “Adapt. Transform. Launch.” A prescient slogan if ever there was one. Now, ten months and a thousand years into 2020, election anxiety, geopolitical instability, and the resurgence of COVID-19 has everyone looking for…