NEWS • PROFILES • EDITORIALS

By Mark Jones I was bored as I waited for my “torch” — something that this food truck called its sandwiches — and so random thoughts came and went. This torch name seemed to be an unnecessary gimmick. Fumes directed my next thoughts: fumes from portable generators. Each food truck in the line of food…

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) predicts that 114,800 new jobs will be created in the U.S. semiconductor industry by 2030. However, it expects more than half of those jobs to go unfilled. Of the 67,000 vacancies, nearly 27,300 are pegged for engineers at the bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. levels — and that’s just for one…

Motion Industries, Inc., a distributor of maintenance, repair, and operation replacement parts, and a provider of industrial technology solutions, signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire the net operating assets of Thompson Industrial Supply, Inc. The transaction is expected to close at the end of February 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. Family-owned and operated…

If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately (and even if you don’t pay that much attention at all), you’ve probably noticed that there sure seem to be a lot of stories about food recalls and alerts in the United States. I’ve certainly noticed. Every day that I visit a major news website, there…

IDS Imaging focuses on simplifying technology for users. The company adopts consumer innovations early and adapts them for industrial use. IDS plans to launch several new products this year. The machine vision industry faced challenges in 2024, with a forecasted 10% decline in sales in Germany. This trend is expected to continue in 2025 due…

The 2025 training schedule from Fastener Training Institute (FTI) is now available. Additional classes will be announced throughout the year. “We’ve put together a very comprehensive training schedule for 2025 with more in the works,” said Jo Morris, Managing Director for FTI. “We truly have something for everyone.” 2025 in-person training classes are planned coast-to-coast,…

The industrial battery market is experiencing a transformational shift as more industries aim for sustainability and efficiency. With non-automotive electric vehicles demonstrating significant and continued growth, the demand for advanced battery technology is more pronounced than ever. That’s why we are looking in-depth at the most promising sectors and the trends driving their growth. Warehouse…

The 2025 Board of Directors and Manufacturer Council of the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) have officially begun their leadership terms. Bill Shepard, vice president, BDI (Cleveland, OH) steps into the role of president of the Association. A volunteer with PTDA since 2010, Shepard has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2018.…

27,300 engineers are missing from the future The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) predicts that 114,800 new jobs will be created in the U.S. semiconductor industry by 2030. However, it expects more than half of those jobs to go unfilled. Of the 67,000 vacancies, nearly 27,300 are pegged for engineers at the bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D.…

The MD&M West 2025 event has been showcasing innovative technologies, automated solutions, precision motion control systems, advanced materials, and more solutions for worldwide manufacturers. If you haven’t already followed Executive Editor Lisa Eitel on LinkedIn, you’ll want to keep tabs on her posts and look out for her full post-event coverage report. Today is the…

Motion Industries, a distributor of maintenance, repair, and operation replacement parts and a provider of industrial technology solutions, has signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire the net operating assets of Maguire Bearing Company, an industrial distributor based in Hawaii. Subject to customary closing conditions, the transaction is expected to close at the end of…

Honeywell recently released its next generation of battery safety sensors to improve safety in lithium-ion battery applications. The Battery Safety Electrolyte Sensor (BES) is designed specifically for on-road applications, and the Battery Safety Electrolyte Detector (BES LITE) is designed for sealed portable lithium-ion battery packs in non-automotive applications. In light of the ongoing energy transition,…

By Mark Jones As I passed the horse and buggy, I noticed a buggy whip in the driver’s hand. While buggy whips are the standard analogy for obsolete technology, here I was confronted with one currently in use. Any technology doomed to be replaced will, at some point, be compared with buggy whips. Yet, buggy…

By Mark Jones I’m sure detailed questions about fuel consumption from a passenger aren’t common, but the pilots on flights 2030 and 1114 humored me. My ticket showed the emissions allotted to my seat, something I noticed for the first time. The numbers were lower than I anticipated, so I wanted to check the math.…

I’ve lived in my home for 20 years now, and a lot accumulated and cluttered the living space over that time. So much so that it periodically requires a full purge of possessions. When that happens, the industrial-strength dumpster rolls onto the driveway, and I start cleaning house. Once done, it’s like a weight has…

Vertex Wireless has announced a new strategic collaboration with Samsung and Pepperl+Fuchs. This collaboration aims to improve industrial mobile communications by introducing intrinsically safe mobile devices designed for hazardous environments. As part of this partnership, Vertex Wireless will leverage Samsung’s mobile technology and Pepperl+Fuchs’ expertise in intrinsically safe design to provide mobile devices that meet safety standards for…

What a year we’ve had! As 2024 nears to a close, the Design World team looks back on all the changes and innovations throughout the past months. Automation, connectivity, electrification, sustainability, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence have been hot topics, unsurprisingly. Here’s a look at some of the top news and stories our editorial team…

By Mark Jones Mistakes happen. But small mistakes create big impacts when perpetrated by enormous companies. The largest IT meltdown ever occurred because a small mistake took down 8.5 million computers. Scale made it a big problem, just like a recent ice cream issue. The pictures of airport concourses with bright blue screens on kiosks…

To mark its 60th anniversary, igus has launched its innovative and environmentally friendly bicycle, the igus:bike, on a world tour, underscoring its commitment to sustainability. Made from recycled plastics, the bike will travel through 16 countries for a year, signaling a new form of urban mobility while demonstrating the success of a circular plastics economy.…

DigiKey, a global commerce distributor offering technical components and automation products, has announced it has expanded its product portfolio through a worldwide distribution partnership with MediaTek, the world’s fifth-largest fabless semiconductor company. MediaTek develops tightly integrated, power-efficient systems-on-chip (SoC) for embedded systems, mobile devices, home entertainment, network and connectivity, automated driving, and IoT. “MediaTek is…

By significantly expanding data interoperability between their offerings, Siemens and Eplan will improve the efficiency of customers’ engineering and production processes in machine and line building. The automated interaction between Siemens’ Teamcenter X software, TIA Portal, Eplan Electric P8, and Eplan Pro Panel makes engineering information available right in Eplan and vice versa. Customers will…

In Cognitive Market Research’s recently published 7th edition of Home Smart Sensors Market Report 2024, the report’s author says the global home smart sensors market will witness significant growth soon. In addition to sensors for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and lighting systems, sensors for safety and security are specifically addressed in the […]

Motion Industries, a distributor of maintenance, repair, and operation replacement parts and a premier provider of industrial technology solutions, signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire the operating assets of International Conveyor and Rubber (ICR), a U.S.-based company. Subject to customary closing conditions, the transaction is expected to close at the end of December 2024.…

Motion signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire the operating assets of U.S.-based International Conveyor and Rubber (ICR). The transaction is expected to close at the end of December 2024, subject to customary closing conditions. ICR services commercial and industrial customers in the eastern U.S. Headquartered in Blairsville, Pennsylvania, the company has seven locations, offering…

It’s the holidays again, and with all the commotion and stressors of the season, few things go out the window faster for me than moderation: the food, the presents, the social engagements — it’s festivities: full-throttle. Admittedly, I can be a bit much. So, it should be no surprise that it is with that same…