factory
Nov 11, 2024
construction review
What happens to the minerals or ore after being extracted in mines? The simple answer is that they go through a process to separate elements from ores. High Pressure Acid Leach, or HPAL is a procedure that extracts precious metals from mined solids.
At last, Indonesia is finally dipping its toes into this smelter technology to process nickel ore and turn it into mixed hydroxide precipitate. MHP is a precursor material for batteries of electric vehicles.
This HPAL Neo Energy construction project will introduce Indonesia to a High-Pressure Acid Leaching smelter that utilizes absolute renewable energy. The plant’s projected production capacity is 120,000 metric tons of MHP or mixed hydroxide precipitate for the province of Central Sulawesi per year.
High-Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) Neo Energy Project (Photo credits: https://indonesiaminer.com/)
This is part of the massive 16 strategic projects that include five nickel processing facilities in the province of Sulawesi, worth almost US$40 billion. It also includes the US$11.83 billion offshore gas project by Eni, an Italian energy group, in the Makassar Strait, which is in between the islands of Sulawesi and Borneo.
Former Indonesian President Joko Widodo had been pushing to leverage the country’s nickel production and reserves, which are the largest in the world, to attract investment from other countries. Foreign stakes will definitely boost Indonesia’s position in EV battery production’s supply chain globally.
Fortunately, the current president, Prabowo Subianto, who took over the position in October, has expressed his support for continuing the former’s goal.
On September 14, 2024, PT Anugrah Neo Energy Materials (ANEM) facilitated the groundbreaking ceremony of the Indonesia HPAL Project. No less than the Central Sulawesi Governor Rudy Mastura attended the event.
Groundbreaking of HPAL Neo Energy Project (Photo credits: https://neoenergy.co.id/)
The honorable official shared that the presence of the industrial area in Morowali is a giant leap forward for the region in terms of sustainable industrial development. He further added that such all-important momentum has a major impact on the region’s economy and industry as a nation.
Other notable guests in the ceremony include the following:
Minister Hatarto shared that the government will pour its support into the project by expediting any required permits, including those needed to secure financing and providing help with land clearing. He further added that the HPAL Smelter nickel processing could be a huge help to the government’s priority programs in the same energy and downstream industry, as well as food security.
Despite HPAL being a proven technology, Indonesia used to be on the fence about trying it before. This is because it requires a massive investment and an equally large media for debris disposal. In addition, most HPAL facilities in the world use coal, and the technology releases up to three times the amount of greenhouse gases compared to those emitted by other nickel production that utilizes high-grade sulfide deposits.
With the sure-shot progress that will unfold due to the highly anticipated HPAL facility, the governor is aware of everyone’s environmental concerns. He guarantees there is nothing to worry about. Every venture put out in the facility will be for the betterment and welfare of the area and the people in terms of sustainable energy, environment protection, and economic growth.
Owner/Investor: Anugrah Neo Energy Materials (Indonesia)
Strategic Partner: Gotion Indonesia Materials (China)
Facility Contractor: Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co. (China)
Project Name: High-Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) Neo Energy Project
Project Type: High-Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) plant
Location: Neo Energy Morowali Industrial Estate (NEMIE)
Value: IDR 636.9 Trillion or US$39.58 Billion (Overall total)
Construction Start: Q3 2024
Construction End: Q3 2026
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assembly magazine
Waaree Starts Solar Module Production At Us Assembly PlantBROOKSHIRE, TX—Waaree Solar Americas has begun production of photovoltaic modules at its new assembly plant here.
A subsidiary of Indian solar panel manufacturer Waaree Energies Ltd., Waaree Solar Americas has become the first Indian company to establish a photovoltaic module factory in the United States. Initially, the factory will have the capacity to produce enough solar panels each year to generate 1.6 gigawatts of electricity.
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Returning for its third year, The ASSEMBLY Show South is the premier event for assembly technology, featuring expert-led sessions, product demos, and valuable networking opportunities—all in the heart of Nashville’s thriving manufacturing hub.
For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.factory
02 April 2025
industry week
Business Sentiment Snapshot: Industry Worries Skyrocket Ahead Of Trump’S “Liberation Day” Tariff AnnouncementsDuring the first few months of his second term, President Donald Trump has pushed an extremely aggressive tariff policy, targeting U.S. allies and adversaries alike, a strategy that many in the business community have called erratic, as the president has continually delayed, reinstated, boosted and threatened various tariffs.
His most recent and bold proposition is sweeping reciprocal tariffs to be announced Wednesday, a day Trump has called “Liberation Day,” claiming on his Truth Social platform that other countries have been taking advantage of the U.S., and the tariff announcements will reshore manufacturing, making the country more independent.
Corporate concerns about tariffs have crept into many economic indicators in recent weeks. Business leaders have complained about a lack of certainty due to the rapid changes, saying the back-and-forth announcements have made long-term planning difficult.factory
02 April 2025
Battery News
Panasonic And Sumitomo To Launch Nickel Recycling ProjectPanasonic Energy and Sumitomo Metal Mining are planning a new process to recover nickel from lithium-ion battery production waste. The goal is to create a closed-loop economy in which recycled nickel is re-used in cathode materials for batteries. The process will initially be applied to production scrap from PanasonicĘĽs Osaka plant. Sumitomo Metal Mining will process the material at its facilities at the Niihama Nickel Refinery in Ehime Prefecture. The resulting nickel sulfate solution will be used as a raw material for new batteries.
The companies are focusing on so-called urban mining strategies, in which valuable materials are recovered from used products. According to Panasonic Energy, the process will help reduce carbon emissions and enable a 20-percent share of recycled cathode material in electric vehicle batteries by 2030. Expansion to other materials such as lithium and cobalt is planned after 2026.
Source:https://news.panasonic.com/global/press/en250331-3factory
02 April 2025
Battery News
Samsung Launches Production Of 46-Series Cylindrical CellsSamsung SDI has launched production of 46-series cylindrical cells. The 4695-type cells with a diameter of 46 millimeters and a height of 95 millimeters are manufactured at the Cheonan plant in South Korea, with module assembly taking place at the companyĘĽs Vietnamese site. The first shipment is said to go to a customer in the United States for micromobility applications. According to Samsung SDI, series production has started more than a year ahead of schedule.
The cells are based on a high-nickel cathode (NCA) and a specially developed silicon-carbon composite anode. The new cells have a tabless design in which the electrodes are connected to the current collector without conventional contact tabs. As a result, the company claims a 90-percent reduction in internal resistance and an increase in current carrying capacity. In March 2025, the 46-series cells were first presented at the InterBattery trade fair. In addition to the 4695 type, the product portfolio also includes variants with different lengths. According to Samsung SDI, talks are underway with car manufacturers regarding the use in electric vehicles.
Source:https://www.samsungsdi.com/sdi-now/sdi-news/4322.html?pageIndex=1&pagesize=15&idx=4322factory
01 April 2025
PV Magazine
Gstar’S Wafer Factory In Indonesia Gets Monocrystalline Growth FurnacesSingapore-headquartered solar manufacturer Gstar Solar has received the first batch of solar equipment for its new 3 GW wafer manufacturing facility in Indonesia.
The shipment includes monocrystalline growth furnaces and control systems, which will support an annual output of 3 GW of monocrystalline silicon rods and 3 GW of silicon wafers. The facility is in the Greenland International Industrial Center (GIIC), 55 km southeast of Jakarta.
The monocrystalline growth furnaces included in the shipment employ the Czochralski (CZ) crystal growth method and are equipped with fully automated control systems.
The systems allow accurate management of temperature gradients, pulling speed, and rotation speed during the crystal growth process, to ensure the silicon crystals are grown with low dislocation densities and high consistency, meeting the industry’s quality standards.
The plant’s emphasis on digital and intelligent manufacturing will focus on producing monocrystalline silicon rods and large-size silicon wafers, such as 182 mm and 210 mm formats aiming to produce larger, thinner, and finer silicon wafers and higher-quality, more efficient products.
Gstar will deploy a total of 120 monocrystalline silicon growth furnaces and other advanced equipment in stages to the Indonesian facility and is expected to commence trial production in May 2025.
Gstar operates a 3 GW solar cell factory in Thailand and 7 GW aluminum frame and module factories in Laos, all fully operational. A module factory in the Philippines remains in the equipment installation and commissioning phase.
Indonesia is projected to add 350 GW to 550 GW of solar power capacity by 2050, with Gstar’s facility playing a pivotal role in this expansion, offering essential materials for photovoltaic cell production and job creation.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.powerplant
01 April 2025
News Project
Waaree Energies Opens India’S Largest Solar Cell Factory In Gujarat.US-based investment management firm Vanguard has announced plans to establish a Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Hyderabad as part of its global expansion strategy.
Managing assets worth $10 trillion and serving over 50 million investors worldwide, Vanguard will officially inaugurate its Hyderabad office later this year. The new facility is expected to employ 2,300 professionals over the next four years.
The decision was finalized following a meeting between a Vanguard delegation, led by CEO Salim Ramji, and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, along with top state officials.
Vanguard executives stated that the company will immediately begin recruiting engineers specializing in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and mobile engineering for its Hyderabad operations.
“Vanguard’s office in India marks a significant milestone in its global expansion, building on a decade of collaboration with third-party partners. This move will allow the company to directly access talent and enhance its technology workforce globally,” a Telangana government statement said on Monday.
The Hyderabad GCC is set to become an innovation hub, supporting Vanguard’s IT mission, AI strategy, data analytics capabilities, and mobile-first initiatives, further strengthening the firm’s technological edge.water
01 April 2025
industry week
Cybersecurity Blind Spots Put Manufacturers At Risk As They ModernizeAmerica's industrial backbone is at risk as manufacturers rush toward modernization without fully grasping the dangers. The problem lies in the fundamental mismatch between old and new. Industrial control systems (ICS) and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) networks were built as isolated systems, never meant to connect to the internet. Yet today's drive for digital transformation is forcing these systems online, creating a precarious balance between efficiency and security.
We're already seeing the consequences of this balancing act. Recently, a Fortune 500 global manufacturer faced a potentially catastrophic vulnerability. In an effort to modernize its production facilities, the company integrated its SCADA network with cloud-based analytics and remote monitoring solutions. But in the process, multiple SCADA endpoints were accidentally left exposed to the public internet. Without strong authentication controls or segmentation, these systems became attractive targets for attackers.
The implications were critical and far-reaching. Unauthenticated access to SCADA systems meant attackers could potentially manipulate industrial processes, leading to production downtime.
Since these systems control physical machinery, any breach could create safety hazards, putting workers at risk and potentially damaging valuable assets. The integrity of critical telemetry data was also at stake – unauthorized access could allow attackers to alter parameters, resulting in faulty production output.
Beyond operational concerns, many industries mandate strict cybersecurity controls for ICS/SCADA through standards like NIST 800-82 and IEC 62443, meaning any security lapses could result in significant fines and reputational damage.
This is a wake-up call for an industry racing toward digital transformation without fully understanding the risks. The manufacturing sector's embrace of cloud computing and remote monitoring might boost efficiency, but it's also creating vulnerabilities in systems that were never designed to be connected to the outside world.
Think about this: The industrial control systems running our factories today were built for an era when physical security was enough—when a locked door and a security guard could keep your assets safe. Now, in our rush to modernize, we're connecting these same systems to the internet, often through poorly secured cloud solutions and remote access tools.
In the case I mentioned, attackers could have potentially seized control of factory equipment, endangering workers, halting production, or worse—and the company had no idea it was exposed. Traditional security tools missed these vulnerabilities entirely because they weren't designed to spot them.
It's a blind spot that's becoming all too common in manufacturing, where the lines between operational technology and information technology are increasingly blurred.
Despite implementing standard security measures like vulnerability scanners and network monitoring, organizations frequently remain blind to their actual exposure. Consider the case of several major manufacturers whose internet-facing OT assets were discovered during routine external scans. These weren't small oversights—they included exposed programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human machine interfaces (HMIs), and even remote terminal units (RTUs) directly controlling industrial processes. Their internal security teams had no idea these systems were accessible from the public internet.
Why do these blind spots persist? The root cause often lies in how industrial networks evolve. A vendor might install a cellular modem for remote maintenance, or an engineer might set up a temporary VPN for remote monitoring that becomes permanent. Traditional security tools miss these exposures because they operate on outdated assumptions—they scan known networks, check registered assets and monitor documented systems. But in today's manufacturing environments, where shadow OT and unmanaged connections proliferate, this inside-out approach can leave dangerous gaps.
Manufacturers need to fundamentally rethink how they monitor and protect their industrial systems. The traditional "inside-out" security approach, which relies on internal network scans and predefined asset lists, is no longer sufficient. Instead, an "outside-in" approach examines a manufacturer’s infrastructure from an attacker's perspective.
This outside-in approach has already proven effective in real-world scenarios. One major manufacturer recently used outside-in reconnaissance to survey its externally exposed systems using OSINT- (open-source intelligence) techniques hackers would deploy to find the best pathways into their organization. This exercise identified multiple internet-facing industrial systems that their traditional security tools had missed, including exposed SCADA endpoints controlling critical production processes, industrial protocol converters providing remote access and human machine interfaces (HMIs) with default credentials still enabled.
Here’s what to do:
Examine external exposures first. Since over 80% of breaches involve external actors, start by identifying what's visible from the internet. Look for any internet-facing industrial assets, including controllers, HMIs, protocol converters and remote access solutions.
Cast a wide discovery net. Don't limit security assessments to known assets or networks. Scan across all business units, subsidiaries and acquisitions to find "shadow OT"—industrial systems connected to the internet without security team awareness.
Test thoroughly. Conduct comprehensive security testing of all exposed assets, not just those deemed critical. This should include checking for default credentials, unpatched vulnerabilities, and insecure configurations specific to industrial systems.
Evaluate impact, not just technical severity. When prioritizing which vulnerabilities to address, consider business impact factors like operational dependencies, safety implications and regulatory requirements specific to industrial environments.
Integrate findings broadly. Ensure that discovered exposures are communicated to all relevant stakeholders—from security teams to operations personnel to executive leadership—to drive coordinated remediation efforts.
Some argue that digital transformation's benefits outweigh its risks in manufacturing—and they're right, but only if we prioritize security. While the incident I described had a fortunate outcome with vulnerabilities discovered and fixed preemptively, we may not be so lucky as the attack surface continues to expand.
Modernization in manufacturing is inevitable, but its success hinges on addressing cybersecurity not just as an IT concern, but as a fundamental operational risk requiring leadership attention. The time to act is now, securing these newly connected systems before attackers exploit them and we learn these lessons the hard way.factory
01 April 2025
aviation week network factory
50 New Routes Launching In April 2025Airlines around the world are launching a wave of new long-haul routes in April, with carriers expanding into underserved markets, tapping into diaspora demand and leveraging next-generation aircraft to connect secondary cities.
Aer Lingus is set to begin flights between Dublin and Nashville, Tennessee, on April 12, the Irish flag carrier’s first route operated by its new Airbus A321XLR. The long-range narrowbody enables Aer Lingus to serve thinner transatlantic routes more efficiently, with plans already in place to add a Dublin-Indianapolis service using the same aircraft in May.
The Dublin-Nashville market saw around 26,000 two-way passengers in 2024, according to Sabre Market Intelligence, making it the fifth-largest unserved U.S. city pair from Dublin. Nashville will become the third European destination served from its airport, joining London Heathrow, served by British Airways, and Reykjavik Keflavik, which Icelandair will begin serving on April 10.
In North America, Air Canada will this month launch its first-ever service to the Philippines, beginning 3X-weekly flights between Vancouver and Manila on April 2 using Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The frequency will rise to four per week in May. The route represents Air Canada’s 12th Asia-Pacific destination from Vancouver and its entry into the largest previously unserved Asian market in its network. The move capitalizes on strong ties between the two countries, including a Filipino-Canadian community of more than 900,000.
From East Asia, Asiana Airlines is expanding its European footprint with the addition of Prague. The new route from Seoul Incheon launches on April 1 with A350-900s, adding the Czech capital to a European network that already includes Barcelona, Frankfurt, Istanbul, London, Paris and Rome. The airline says the route will help lay the foundations for deeper connectivity into Central and Eastern Europe.
Elsewhere, LATAM Airlines Group is returning to Europe from Brazil’s northeast later this month. On April 7, the airline will launch weekly 787 flights between Fortaleza and Lisbon, marking its first direct service between the region and Europe since 2009. The route puts LATAM in competition with TAP Air Portugal, which operates daily service on the same sector, and adds to Fortaleza’s limited nonstop European links, which currently include Air France’s 5X-weekly flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Other new long-haul services launching in April include French Bee’s route from Paris-Orly to Montreal-Trudeau on April 30. The carrier will offer four weekly Airbus A350 flights, increasing to five during the peak summer travel period from early July through the end of August.factory
01 April 2025
industry week
Us Manufacturing Shrinks In March On Uncertain Tariff PictureU.S. manufacturing activity contracted again in March, snapping a two-month expansion as firms contended with uncertainty over tariffs, according to survey data published Tuesday.
Traders are nervously preparing for sweeping reciprocal tariffs on April 2, which U.S. President Donald Trump has dubbed "liberation day," without providing much detail on the levies that are set to be imposed.
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) manufacturing index slipped to 49.0% last month, a 1.3 percentage point fall from February.
This was below the market consensus estimate of 49.8%, according to Briefing.com, and less than the 50-point mark separating expansion from contraction.
"U.S. manufacturing activity slipped into contraction after expanding only marginally in February," ISM Survey Chief Timothy Fiore said in a statement. "The expansion in both February and January followed 26 consecutive months of contraction."
"Demand and production retreated and destaffing continued, as panelists' companies responded to demand confusion," he added, noting that price growth had accelerated "due to tariffs."
Tariffs had also caused a backlog in new order placement, supplier delivery slowdowns and manufacturing inventory growth, he said.
Some of the firms who responded to the survey flagged trade uncertainty as a key concern.
One respondent in the computer and electronics sector noted that customers were "pulling in orders due to anxiety about continued tariffs and pricing pressures."
Business conditions are "deteriorating at a fast pace," noted another in the machinery sector, adding: "Tariffs and economic uncertainty are making the current business environment challenging."
All rights reserved ©2025 Agence France-Pressefactory
01 April 2025
manufacturing net
Dow Wants To Power Texas Manufacturing Complex With New Nuclear Reactors Instead Of Natural GasDow, a major producer of chemicals and plastics, wants to use next-generation nuclear reactors for clean power and steam at a Texas manufacturing complex instead of natural gas.
Dow's subsidiary, Long Mott Energy, applied Monday to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a construction permit. It said the project with X-energy, an advanced nuclear reactor and fuel company, would nearly eliminate the emissions associated with power and steam generation at its plant in Seadrift, Texas, avoiding roughly 500,000 metric tons of planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions annually.
If built and operated as planned, it would be the first U.S. commercial advanced nuclear power plant for an industrial site, according to the NRC.
For many, nuclear power is emerging as an answer to meet a soaring demand for electricity nationwide, driven by the expansion of data centers and artificial intelligence, manufacturing and electrification, and to stave off the worst effects of a warming planet. However, there are safety and security concerns, the Union of Concerned Scientists cautions. The question of how to store hazardous nuclear waste in the U.S. is unresolved, too.
Dow wants four of X-energy's advanced small modular reactors, the Xe-100. Combined, those could supply up to 320 megawatts of electricity or 800 megawatts of thermal power. X-energy CEO J. Clay Sell said the project would demonstrate how new nuclear technology can meet the massive growth in electricity demand.
The Seadrift manufacturing complex, at about 4,700 acres, has eight production plants owned by Dow and one owned by Braskem. There, Dow makes plastics for a variety of uses including food and beverage packaging and wire and cable insulation, as well as glycols for antifreeze, polyester fabrics and bottles, and oxide derivatives for health and beauty products.
Edward Stones, the business vice president of energy and climate at Dow, said submitting the permit application is an important next step in expanding access to safe, clean, reliable, cost-competitive nuclear energy in the United States. The project is supported by the Department of Energy’s Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program.
The NRC expects the review to take three years or less. If a permit is issued, construction could begin at the end of this decade so the reactors would be ready early in the 2030s, as the natural gas-fired equipment is retired.
A total of four applicants have asked the NRC for construction permits for advanced nuclear reactors. The NRC issued a permit to Abilene Christian University for a research reactor and to Kairos Power for one reactor and two reactor test versions of that company's design. It's reviewing an application by Bill Gates and his energy company, TerraPower, to build an advanced reactor in Wyoming.
X-energy is also collaborating with Amazon to bring more than 5 gigawatts of new nuclear power projects online across the United States by 2039, beginning in Washington state. Amazon and other tech giants have committed to using renewable energy to meet the surging demand from data centers and artificial intelligence and address climate change.factory
01 April 2025manufacturing net
Data Suggests Trade War Is Hurting ManufacturersNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are falling Tuesday following weaker-than-expected reports on the economy. Uncertainty is also still high about just what President Donald Trump will announce about tariffs on his "Liberation Day" coming Wednesday.
The S&P 500 was down 0.8% in morning trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 459 points, or 1.1%, as of 10:15 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.6% lower.
Treasury yields also sank after a report said U.S. manufacturing activity contracted last month, breaking a two-month streak of growth. A separate report said U.S. employers were advertising slightly fewer job openings at the end of February than economists expected.
Companies are saying they're already feeling effects from Trump's trade war, even with the main event potentially coming on Wednesday, when the president will announce a new sweeping set of tariffs.
"Customers are pulling in orders due to anxiety about continued tariffs and pricing pressures," one computer and electronic products company told the Institute for Supply Management in its monthly manufacturers' survey.
"Starting to see slower-than-normal sales in Canada, and concerns of Canadians boycotting U.S. products could become a reality," said a manufacturer in the food, beverage and tobacco products industry.
Wall Street has been particularly shaky recently, and momentum has been swinging not just day to day but also hour to hour because of uncertainty about what Trump will do with tariffs — and by how much they will worsen inflation and grind down growth for economies.
The economy is still growing, to be sure, and the job market has remained relatively solid even with February's slightly weaker-than-expected job openings.
But one of the fears hitting the market is that even if Trump on Wednesday announces less-punishing tariffs than feared, the stop-and-start rollout of his trade strategy may by itself cause U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending, which would damage the economy. Trump has pushed for tariffs in part to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States from other countries.
All the nervousness in the market has helped push the price of gold to records, and it rose again to briefly top $3,175 per ounce during Tuesday morning. That's up from less than $2,700 at the start of the year.
On Wall Street, Johnson & Johnson dropped 4.9% after a U.S. bankruptcy court judge denied the company's settlement plan related to baby powder containing talc. It's the third time the company's attempt to resolve the baby powder settlement through bankruptcy has been rejected by courts.
Airline stocks continued their descent on worries that customers feeling nervous about the economy and global trade won't fly as much. Delta Air Lines lost 6.1%, and United Airlines gave up 6.1%.
On the winning side of Wall Street was PVH, which jumped 16.6%. The company behind the Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also said it plans to send $500 billion to shareholders this year through purchases of its own stock.
In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia to recover some of their sharp drops from the day before.
In Europe, Germany's DAX returned 1%, and France's CAC 40 rose 0.6% after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the world's biggest trade bloc would not cower to U.S. trade demands.
"Europe holds a lot of cards, from trade to technology to the size of our market. But this strength is also built on our readiness to take firm counter measures if necessary," von der Leyen said. "All instruments are on the table."
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 held steady as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was imploring Trump not to impose higher auto tariffs on Japan, a longtime U.S. ally. A central bank survey found a worsening in business sentiment among big manufacturers.
In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.13% from 4.23% late Monday and from roughly 4.80% in January. That's a significant move for the bond market, and yields have been falling with worries about a potentially slowing U.S. economy.factory
01 April 2025manufacturing net
Trump Dubs April 2 'Liberation Day' For His TariffsNEW YORK (AP) — As the trade wars launched by U.S. President Donald Trump continue to escalate, all eyes are on Wednesday.
Trump has repeatedly called April 2 "Liberation Day," with promises to roll out a set of tariffs, or taxes on imports from other countries, that he says will free the U.S. from a reliance on foreign goods. To do this, Trump has said he'll impose "reciprocal" tariffs to match the duties that other countries charge on U.S. products.
But a lot remains unknown about how these levies will actually be implemented. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that Trump would unveil his plans to place reciprocal tariffs on nearly all American trading partners on Wednesday, but maintained that the details are up to the president to announce.
Since taking office just months ago, Trump has proven to be aggressive with tariff threats, all while creating a sense of whiplash through on-again, off-again trade actions. And it's possible that we'll see more delays or confusion this week.
Trump has argued that tariffs protect U.S. industries from unfair foreign competition, raise money for the federal government and provide leverage to demand concessions from other countries. But economists stress that broad tariffs at the rates suggested by Trump could backfire.
Tariffs typically trickle down to the consumer through higher prices — and businesses worldwide also have a lot to lose if their costs rise and their sales fall. Import taxes already in effect, coupled with uncertainty around future trade actions and possible retaliations, have already roiled financial markets and lowered consumer confidence while enveloping many with questions that could delay hiring and investment.
Here's what you need to know.
Details around Trump's plans remain uncertain. Reciprocal tariffs could take the form of product-by-product duties, for example, or broader "averages" imposed across all goods from each country — or perhaps something else entirely. The rates could reflect what other countries charge as well as their value added taxes and subsidies to domestic companies.
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro told "Fox News Sunday" that the tariffs could raise $600 billion annually, which would imply an average rate of 20%.
Trump has talked about taxing the European Union, South Korea, Brazil and India, among other countries, through these levies. On Monday, Leavitt said Trump had been presented with several proposals by his advisers. She added that the president would make a final decision, but right now was not contemplating any country-wide exemptions from the tariffs.
Previously-delayed import taxes could take effect very soon. Trump's month-long delay for many goods from Canada and Mexico, for example, is set to elapse in early April. Earlier this month, Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social that the extension granted for Mexican imports covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement runs through April 2. But further confirmation around a specific date has not been issued since.
Trump has said he will place a 25% tariff on all imports from any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela, which includes the U.S. itself, starting Wednesday — in addition to imposing new tariffs on the South American country.
His 25% tariffs on auto imports will start being collected Thursday, with taxes on fully-imported cars kicking off at midnight. The tariffs are set to expand to applicable auto parts in the following weeks, through May 3.
The White House says it expects to raise $100 billion in revenue annually from these new duties, but economists stress this trade action will upend the auto industry's global supply chain and lead to higher prices for consumers.
Trump imposed a 10% tariff on all Chinese imports beginning Feb. 4, a levy he later doubled to 20% from March 4 onward. And China has hit back with retaliatory tariffs covering a range of U.S. goods, including a 15% tariff on coal and liquefied natural gas products and 10% tariff on crude oil from the U.S. that took effect Feb 10. China also imposed tariffs of up to 15% on key U.S. farm exports starting March 10.
Trump's expanded steel and aluminum tariffs went into effect earlier this month, too. Both metals are now taxed at 25% across the board — with Trump's order to remove steel exemptions and raise aluminum's levy from his previously-imposed 2018 import taxes taking effect March 12.
Canada and Mexico, America's two largest trading partners, have also faced steep tariffs. Earlier this month, Trump implemented a partial, month-long delay of his 25% tariffs on both countries — delaying taxes for auto-related imports as well as goods that comply with the 2020 US-Mexico-Canada Agreement until early April.
But other imports are still levied, as well as a lower 10% duty on potash and Canadian energy products. In response to these tariffs, as well as the new steel and aluminum import taxes, Canada has rolled out a series of counter measures amounting to billions of dollars on U.S. goods. Mexico, meanwhile, has yet to formally impose new levies — signaling it may still hope to de-escalate the trade war, although the country previously promised retaliation to Trump's actions.
Even more tariffs from Trump are likely, with the president also threatening import taxes on products like copper, lumber, pharmaceutical drugs and computer chips.
And many countries have promised retaliatory measures — if not already imposed them, like Canada. Trump has said he won't negotiate with other countries on Wednesday's tariffs until after they're imposed, though he has said his 25% taxes on auto imports would be permanent.
In response to Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs, the European Union announced measures on U.S. goods worth some 26 billion euros ($28 billion) — to target steel and aluminum products, but also American beef, poultry, bourbon, motorcycles, peanut butter and jeans. The 27-member bloc had intended to roll out this retaliatory trade action in two phases, on Tuesday and April 13, but later said it will delay it until mid-April, without giving a specific date.
We'll potentially see more retaliatory announcements this week, particularly if Trump confirms more details of sweeping reciprocal tariffs on Wednesday.factory
01 April 2025manufacturing net
Machine 3D Prints Food That Simultaneously CooksHong Kong University of Science and Technology researchers have developed a 3D printing food solution that combines the use of graphene heaters and starch-based printing material with generative AI, all in a single 3D printer.
Traditional 3D printing food technologies typically require postprocessing steps that lead to imperfect shapes, use unappealing ingredients or even face microbial contamination. Using graphene heaters surrounding the extrusion head, the researchers cook the food as it is printed at a constant, controlled temperature. By heating the material as it is printed, the foods keep their intended quality and shape.
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Supported by a generative algorithm that uses Python scripts, the 3D printer can create intricate food patterns on the fly. The AI food design text-to-print tech uses generative AI and Python scripts to create unique food printing patterns. The user puts in a prompt, such as "gingerbread man cookie, black and white image, vector style" and the 3D printer builds the design and the pathways -- though if you look at the before and after, the team still has a little design work to do.Â
For the future, the team looks to refine the technology, including the ability to preserve heat-sensitive vitamins. The researchers would also like to make the starch more digestible.
Future work will also focus on real-world applications, including consumer buy-in through sensory evaluations getting feedback from children and even hospital caretakers.
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WEBVTTX-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:000:00.239 --> 00:05.420Hong Kong University of Science and Technologyresearchers have developed a 3D printing food00:05.420 --> 00:10.680solution that combines the use of grapheneheaters and starch-based printing material with00:10.680 --> 00:16.520generative AI, all in a single 3D printer.Traditional 3D printing food technologies00:16.520 --> 00:18.799typically require post-processing steps.00:19.075 --> 00:24.514That lead to imperfect shapes, use unappealingingredients, or even face microbial00:24.514 --> 00:27.434contamination.Using graphene heaters surrounding the00:27.434 --> 00:31.034extrusion head.The researchers cook the food as it is printed00:31.034 --> 00:32.865at a constant controlled temperature.00:33.075 --> 00:37.674By heating the material as it is printed, thefoods keep their intended quality and shape.00:37.950 --> 00:41.810Supported by a generative algorithm that usesPython scripts,00:41.970 --> 00:45.259the 3D printer can create intricate foodpatterns on the fly.00:45.459 --> 00:51.060AI food design text to print tech that usesgenerative AI and Python scripts to create00:51.060 --> 00:55.779unique food printing patterns.The user puts in a prompt such as gingerbread00:55.779 --> 01:01.180man cookie, black and white image, vector style,and the 3D printer builds the design and the01:01.180 --> 01:04.110pathways.Though if you look at the before and after.01:04.169 --> 01:07.389The team still has a little design work to dofor the future,01:07.480 --> 01:11.720the team looks to refine the technology,including the ability to preserve heat01:11.720 --> 01:15.440sensitive vitamins.The researchers would also like to make the01:15.440 --> 01:19.559starch more digestible.Future work will also focus on real world01:19.559 --> 01:24.500applications, including consumer buy-in,through sensory evaluations getting feedback01:24.500 --> 01:28.419from children or even hospital caretakers.I'm Devon Verbsky,01:28.519 --> 01:30.239and this is your manufacturing now.factory
01 April 2025manufacturing net
U.S. Businesses Look For Ways To Offset TariffsNEW YORK (AP) — Gadgets sold without batteries. Toys sold in slimmed-down boxes or no packaging at all. More household goods that shoppers need to assemble themselves.
These are some of the ways consumer product companies are retooling their wares to reduce costs and avoid raising prices as President Donald Trump levies new import taxes on key trading partners as well as some materials used by American manufacturers.
The economic environment in which the president has imposed, threatened and occasionally postponed repeated rounds of tariffs is more precarious than during his first term. U.S. consumers are feeling tapped out after several years of inflation. Businesses say tariffs add to their expenses and eat into their profits, but they are wary of losing sales if they try to pass all of the increase on to customers.
Instead, some companies are exploring cost-cutting options, both ones that consumers likely would notice in time — remember "shrinkflation?" — and ones that exist too far down the supply chain for them to see. The changes may help minimize price increases yet won't be enough in every case to offset them completely.
These are some of the strategies retailers and brands have in mind:
After putting an extra 20% tariff on all goods from China, as well as a 25% tariff on imported steel, aluminum and automobiles, Trump said he would announce on Wednesday the targets of "reciprocal tariffs" that mirror the taxes all other nations apply to certain U.S. exports.
He argues the tariffs will spur domestic manufacturing, among other goals.
Also on the horizon: twice-delayed tariffs on most goods from Canada and Mexico, and duties on copper, lumber and pharmaceutical drugs.
Kimberly Kirkendall, president of supply-chain consulting firm International Resource Development, has told clients — U.S. makers of shelving, home goods and food products — that given all the uncertainty, this is not the time for long-term moves like seeking factories outside of China.
She encouraged them to focus on the short term, particularly the need to scrutinize product lines from every angle for possible savings.
"You've got to collaborate and work together with your suppliers in this situation to be able to bring costs down," Kirkendall said.
Sourcing concerns are not only a worry for big companies that rely on Chinese manufacturers. Sasha Iglehart, founder of a small online clothing company called Shirt Story, has a collection of upcycled men's shirts that sell for around $235. She said she typically gets her vintage buttons from an Austrian supplier and knows Trump has talked about taxing goods from the European Union.
"I will continue to look for local vendors and collectors here in the States as back up," said Iglehart, whose company is based in Connecticut.
For many companies, evaluating which components or details they can remove from their products or replace with less expensive ones is the go-to move for absorbing the potential financial hit from tariffs.
Los Angeles-based toy company Abacus Brands Inc., which designs science kits and other educational toys, has most of its products made in China. By using slightly thinner paper in an 80-page project book that comes with two of its kits, the company expects to avert a $10 retail price increase, President Steve Rad said.
"Three or 4 cents here," Rad said. "Seven or 6 cents there. Two more pennies over there. All of a sudden, you've made up the difference."
Aurora World Inc., known for its plush pets and toy vehicles, is looking at using fewer paint colors as a way to counteract tariff costs, according to Gabe Higa, managing director of the California company's toy division. All of Aurora World's toys come from factories in China.
"This is something that makes it a little bit simpler so that there's less manual labor involved or less material cost," Higa said. "(It) doesn't have a lot of incremental value so it's easy to take away."
The company still may have to raise prices as long as the new tariffs are in effect, he said.
Tweaking or reducing product packaging is another area where importers may cut back and carries the advantage of possibly appealing to eco-conscious customers.
Basic Fun CEO Jay Foreman, whose company markets classic toys like Tonka trucks, Lincoln Logs and Care Bears, said he is presenting retailers with three different packaging options and asking them to decide which ones they prefer for the trucks and some other products that will be in stores next spring.
The first is the current packaging, which consists of a box with a big open window that lets customers see what's inside. The second option: no box, just a tray attached to the bottom of toys to hold them in place on shelves. The third: unwrapped but affixed with a simple paper price tag that features brand information.
The second-tier packaging would reduce the toy company's cost per item by $1.25, and the package-free version would yield savings of $1.75, Foreman said. Both would diminish the appeal of the products and would not come close to canceling out the tariff on goods made in China, Foreman said.
He said he would make pricing decisions later this week after Trump provides details about his planned reciprocal tariffs.
To further reduce its production costs, Abacus Brands is thinking of switching from plastic to cardboard for the package inserts that keep toy parts in place. Cardboard trays cost 7 cents per unit compared to 30 cents for the plastic version, according to Rad.
The change requires finding a new factory to make the inserts, a move that did not make financial sense before now, he said. The various tariff-related modifications should be effective for fall and holiday deliveries to stores, Rad said.
"The compromises we're making are things that do not matter to the consumer," he said.
Steve Rad, CEO of toy maker Abacus Brands Inc., shows a newly improved matte box (left) that will replace its black plastic mold packaging insert (right) with an improved cardboard material to help offset the costs of future tariffs.AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes
Shoppers will likely have to assemble more of their products at home as companies look to reduce shipping costs, according to Kirkendall of International Resource Development.
One of her clients manufactures self-watering planters that are made in China. The product is undergoing a redesign so it can be shipped as separate nesting components instead of fully assembled.
Companies also are reevaluating the pieces of their products that are essential or extra. Chris Bajda, managing partner at online wedding gift retailer Groomsday, said accessories like batteries and decorative gift boxes may end up in the latter category.
"We now carefully assess what's truly necessary and avoid including items that don't serve a functional purpose for the customer," Bajda said.
Reducing the size or weight of products without lowering prices proliferated as a business practice from 2021 through 2024 as companies grappled with rising costs for ingredients, packaging, labor and transportation.
Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate and former assistant attorney general in Massachusetts, suspects the makers of consumer goods will embrace shrinkflation again to hide costs given the blast of new tariffs. The additional import tax on Canadian soft lumber, for example, might show up in smaller toilet paper rolls, he said.
"Shrinkflation has been a little quiet" in the last few months, Dworksy said. "But I would expect to see both price increases and product shrinkage."factory
01 April 2025manufacturing net
How Mesh Networks Get The Most Out Of Predictive MaintenanceIf you’re a developer in manufacturing, agriculture, oil and gas or any other industry using predictive maintenance, you know that some of the biggest challenges include getting timely and consistent — and the right — data from an amalgam of sensors and connectivity solutions spread across your facilities. When uptime is critical and asset availability is crucial, predictive maintenance can make all the difference.
Consider this scenario: Thousands of sensors in your facilities create a flood of vibration and acoustic data from your key systems 24/7. Your job is to make sure your assets and infrastructure integrate so that you have one “source of truth” for watching operational insights and alerts. As the business grows, it’s time to scale, and you’re tasked with managing increasing complexities around frequencies, certifications and power requirements across geographies. Now it’s time to think about mesh networking.
If you’re not taking advantage of mesh networking technologies for predictive maintenance applications, you’re missing one of the most scalable, robust and efficient architectures available today.
Mesh networks offer enormous benefits that make setting up and scaling device networks seamless and simple. Mesh networking optimizes bandwidth allocation, extending range capabilities as data hops from node to node. Mesh networks such as Zigbee and DigiMesh® also “self-heal,” meaning they can create alternate paths when a node fails or connectivity drops. Finally, mesh networks are scalable, power efficient, secure and simple to manage.
According to IoT Analytics, 95% of companies using predictive maintenance reported a positive return on investment. That’s because unplanned downtime can cost some $125,000 per hour for a midsized business. Just one correct prediction can pay for the entire investment.
To drive the actionable insights and automation that support predictive maintenance requires intelligence at the edge, and mesh networking is an excellent methodology for OEMs building applications that require accurate data from across the network.
Going from raw data to predictive maintenance sounds simple, and mesh technologies such as Zigbee and DigiMesh work well for capturing this data. And extremely low-power devices incorporating these technologies enable OEMs to build scalable networks for a range of industries. However, keep in mind that developers still need to create software and analytics dashboards to decide when vibration data might show an emerging issue.Â
ISO standards can help you differentiate between a bearing failure and a loose mounting. For example, ISO 13373 (condition monitoring and diagnostics of machines – vibration condition monitoring) is one of several standards relevant to industrial applications. ISO 13373 outlines procedures for setting alarm limits, trending vibration data, and performing diagnostics to identify the root cause of machine issues, such as bearing defects or imbalance. By using these standards, you can implement an effective condition monitoring program to predict failures in equipment such as bearings and mounts before they cause downtime.
When it comes to building a mesh network, the size and scale will depend on the amount of data you send and how often you send it. However, a better way to decide on the size of your network is to understand the bandwidth necessary. Mesh networks can easily scale from a handful to hundreds of nodes, but if you’re transmitting lots of raw data over lots of devices, you can reduce the number of nodes and then separate them with network IDs and a single gateway. But if your sensors don’t send much data, you could scale to hundreds of nodes on a single gateway. In other words, mesh networks provide flexibility to design networks with different gateway and node configurations so you don’t have too many bandwidth-hogging devices clustered together.
Developers working with mesh networks for predictive maintenance can really benefit from IoT development kits. Because they’re relatively inexpensive and come with all the hardware, they can simplify the design and provisioning processes. In fact, running tests through different protocols available with a development kit can even help you quickly decide which setup works best for your application before making a big investment.
Zigbee is a popular open standard mesh networking protocol specifically designed for low-data rate, low-power applications. It offers interoperability between vendors and supplies robust security features. Proprietary third-party solutions built on top of the Zigbee protocol provide embedded solutions to make implementation easier for developers and integrators. DigiMesh offers a similar protocol, but is designed for fully battery-powered operation in the field, with simpler design and deployment. There are 900 MHz, 868 MHz, and 2.4 GHz frequency options that allow DigiMesh to run worldwide.Â
These products often simplify network set-up, enhanced security features and longer ranges. Best of all, some of these third-party devices integrate with remote management software that makes deploying and troubleshooting seamless.
Quinn Jones, Senior Product Manager, Digi InternationalMesh networks are revolutionizing IoT applications in industries such as agriculture, oil and gas and manufacturing — especially through insights-driven predictive maintenance. These industries can’t afford even short outages, which can affect everything from customer satisfaction to the company’s bottom line. These scalable networks make it easy to add nodes as your needs grow. With one or more gateways integrated into the mesh network solution, these networks enable “over the air” updates to the firmware of deployed devices, as well as Bluetooth for configuration in the field , and provide reliable coverage.
Finally, developers responsible for keeping these systems operational can tap into mesh networking to enable intelligent, real-time predictive maintenance monitoring through intuitive dashboard interfaces. When you’re ready to set up your mesh network for predictive maintenance, select a wireless partner that is technology-agnostic, so you get an objective perspective on which technology best fits your needs for today and tomorrow.
Quinn Jones is a product manager at Digi International who has helped pioneer RF module adoption for IoT since 2011. During his more than 20 years at Digi, Jones has covered a broad portfolio, including the Digi XBee Ecosystem, system-on-modules and cellular modems. His expertise lies in helping customers navigate through different wireless topologies ranging from simple point-to-point networks to complex mesh networks using a variety of technologies including Zigbee, Wi-Fi, 900 MHz, and cellular.factory
01 April 2025manufacturing net
Boomers And Genx Business Leaders Are Making A Big MistakeI am a GenX myself, and I am absolutely flummoxed about how many of my peer group business leaders are poo-pooing Gen Zs.
One gave me this response when we were talking about how difficult it is to attract new talent.
"Give me a 35 to 45-year-old worker any day. They want to come to work, and I don’t need to remind them to stay off their phones and they stick around."
Another one was bellyaching about how the good old days are over.
"I wish it was 30 years ago. All people wanted was a paycheck and I could focus on getting work into the business.”
"They are so entitled and need constant coddling."
Ugh. How foolish this position is.
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I have been blessed to interview a lot of potential employees. I am so impressed with Gen Z and millennials. They interview us as much as we want to interview them. They want to know if they will be working for a pump-and-dump company where only money counts.
Purpose is super important to them. It trumps over just making money. Will they be allowed to make a difference on the job and in general? Will there be training?
It took decades to build the company and there is a lot of job knowledge.
Did anyone record this so a new team member can quickly deliver quality work? Will there be possibility to grow their careers? How quickly will this be achievable?
How easy is it to get information? Is there an open-door policy? Are there mentorships or is the manager coming around frequently to speak and support each team members? Does the output and quality of work count of just timeliness?
How do the employees interact with each other during the interview? Is there tension? Are there toxic vibes? Why is the front lobby stuck in the 1980s theme?
Why couldn’t the company be found on the internet or the website was clunky and stuck in the 1990s? How many bad reviews are out on social media and job seeker platforms?
I could go on with this list.Â
Gen Z may totally skip and ghost you, or they will come and not stay when they get the notion that they are being viewed as a simple means for the business to make money. I have experienced some quitting a job without having secured another one. Just because a manager refused to listen to their concerns and repeated requests for training and support.
Meanwhile, the older folks knuckle down and work harder, later and longer before they finally retire. It’s a double whammy for the aging business leaders who, themselves, may think about retirement and getting out of their business altogether.
On average it takes around two to three younger workers to do the job of such GenX and Boomer workers. Only the later generations are okay with a totally screwed up work-life balance, knuckle down, come in early, stay late and figure stuff out on the fly because there is nobody else who would work like this.Â
I have found Gen Z team members to be incredibly talented. I vividly recall my one engineer to be able to look at two screens, work in an ERP on one, AutoCAD on the other, answer the phone and still listen to a podcast with one earbud.
They are so creative and want to help however they can. One summer intern who had become a full-time team member after college was the single reason why we suddenly had half a dozen of such young talent working for us. All because this one person told his many friends about how cool our workplace was. Once they were in, they found exactly what they had been told they would find at work.
Within a very short period of time, we had a vibrant and diverse workforce. Stuff got figured out, and information was freely shared. Information hoarding was abhorred as it was no longer equated to job security. When employees grew their competencies, the company grew as well and customer’s needs were better served.
It does not take a genius to figure this out.Â
Think about it, this young talent comes loaded with fresh knowledge from school and post-secondary education. They know and embrace technology like no other generation before.
Why on Earth would you not want this talent to show up at your doorstep? Why would you not spend some time to intentionally plan a career roadmap for everyone? With this planning comes also more financial planning stability. That’s not bad for businesses to have, is it?Â
Point is simply that I have found Gen Z be very interested in the big picture. They want to be included in it. They may not know how that all comes together, but they will embrace it if it is there and it makes sense.
How is this any different for any other generation? It is not.
That is why it is so important for businesses to map out career paths. Make sure that there is a stellar interviewing and onboarding process. It is super important to demonstrate authenticity and transparency. Frequent communication is today’s gold standard.
That takes true leadership to be this way. But the rewards are totally worth it.
To the GenX and Boomer readers, I highly recommend being self-reflective. Maybe it’s you and not them who need to change. You are missing out on a great talent pool.Â
chadwickoptical.com
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01 April 2025manufacturing net
Nasa'S Newly Returned Astronauts Say They Would Fly On Boeing'S Starliner Capsule AgainCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s celebrity astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams said Monday that they hold themselves partly responsible for what went wrong on their space sprint-turned-marathon and would fly on Boeing's Starliner again.
SpaceX recently ferried the duo home after more than nine months at the International Space Station, filling in for Boeing that returned to Earth without them last year.
In their first news conference since coming home, the pair said they were taken aback by all the interest and insisted they were only doing their job and putting the mission ahead of themselves and even their families.
Wilmore didn't shy from accepting some of the blame for Boeing's bungled test flight.
“I’ll start and point the finger and I’ll blame me. I could have asked some questions and the answers to those questions could have turned the tide,” he told reporters. “All the way up and down the chain. We all are responsible. We all own this.”
Both astronauts said they would strap into Starliner again. “Because we're going to rectify all the issues that we encountered. We're going to fix them. We're going to make it work,” Wilmore said, adding he'd go back up “in a heartbeat.”
Williams noted that Starliner has “a lot of capability” and she wants to see it succeed. “We're all in,” she said.
The two will meet with Boeing leadership on Wednesday to provide a rundown on the flight and its problems.
“It's not for pointing fingers,” Wilmore said. “It's just to make the path clearer going forward.”
The longtime astronauts and retired Navy captains ended up spending 286 days in space — 278 days more than planned when they blasted off on Boeing’s first astronaut flight on June 5. The test pilots had to intervene in order for the Starliner capsule to reach the space station, as thrusters failed and helium leaked.
Their space station stay kept getting extended as engineers debated how to proceed. NASA finally judged Starliner too dangerous to bring Wilmore and Williams back and transferred them to SpaceX. But the launch of their replacements got stalled, stretching their mission beyond nine months.
President Donald Trump urged SpaceX’s Elon Musk to hurry things up, adding politics to the stuck astronauts’ ordeal. The dragged-out drama finally ended two weeks ago with a flawless splashdown by SpaceX off the Florida Panhandle.
“It’s great being back home after being up there,” Williams told The Associated Press in an interview. She waited until she was steadier on her feet before reuniting with her two Labrador retrievers the day after splashdown. "Pure joy.”
Wilmore already has a to-do list. His wife wants to replace all the shrubs in their yard before summer. “So I’ve got to get my body ready to dig holes,” he told the AP.
NASA said engineers still do not understand why Starliner’s thrusters malfunctioned; more tests are planned through the summer. If engineers can figure out the thruster and leak issues, “Starliner is ready to go," Wilmore said.
The space agency may require another test flight — with cargo — before allowing astronauts to climb aboard. That redo could come by year's end.
Despite Starliner’s rocky road, NASA officials said they stand behind the decision made years ago to have two competing U.S. companies providing taxi service to and from the space station. But time is running out: The space station is set to be abandoned in five years and replaced in orbit by privately operated labs.factory
01 April 2025manufacturing net
As War Draws Men To Fight, Ukraine'S Women Take Tough New Jobs In Machinery, MinesDNIPROPETROVSK REGION, Ukraine (AP) — Kateryna Koliadiuk was curious. The 19-year-old Ukrainian agronomy student spotted an ad seeking women to enroll in a tractor driving course and decided to try. But the industrial vehicle was huge and complex, and she wasn't sure she could operate it.
"In the beginning I was so scared. In the beginning I couldn't do this," she said. She now drives with authority, her manicured fingers resting at the wheel.
From driving tractors to working in coal mines, Ukrainian women are taking jobs once reserved for men, who are being drafted to the front lines in the war with Russia. Women have also signed up to join the armed forces at a higher rate.
Koliadiuk said her family was shocked. "We were told that women should be in the kitchen, at home with children. That is why to go and study such equipment was so scary," she said. "But then we took care of ourselves."
It's part of a crucial government effort to grow an economy devastated by three years of war and address labor shortages created by the mobilization, according to the economy ministry, which leads training programs in construction, agriculture and transport geared toward women.
"Ukrainian women are under a lot of pressure because their men are on the front line," Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in an interview with The Associated Press. "When the man is mobilized, the woman is mobilized with him as well."
Businesses want to hire again after the initial economic shock of Russia's full-scale invasion, but the labor force has shrunk. About 5 million Ukrainians left the country and are abroad, the minister said, and another million are serving in the armed forces. That's a lot considering about 9 million Ukrainians are currently employed, she added.
Svyrydenko is Ukraine's first female economy minister and a symbol of the rise of women in the labor force because of the war.
Before, women were mostly employed in education and health care, social protection and government service, she said. Now there's demand in the industrial and military areas.
"It is the mindset of both women and employers that is changing," she said. "Employers are ready to take women on the job more often, and women are ready to diversify their skills."
In coal mines in Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland, women are now hired to operate machinery to keep production going. There and elsewhere, men still dominate jobs that require heavy physical labor.
Former accountant Iryna Ostanko, 37, was looking for a new job and decided to become an elevator operator at a mine in the Dnipropetrovsk region. She was inspired by her husband, who has worked at the mine for 15 years. He supported her decision.
"Before, in this place underground, there were no women at all," she said. "Women appeared here after the start of the full-scale invasion when a lot of men left to defend our country."
Ostanko had never descended to the mine's depths of 260 meters (yards). Her training involved one month of theory and another of hands-on training.
"War is making changes, always making changes," said Viktor Kuznetsov, the mine's head engineer.
He said the lack of qualified personnel is the main challenge, as many male workers left to join the fight. He has hired over 100 women since Russia's full-scale invasion, a drastic change.
Without them, the mine could not function, he said.
In Kyiv region, Yulia Skitchko watched new female trainees operate excavators, her high-heeled black leather boots caked in mud.
She is the head of Alef Stroy, a construction machinery rental service. For years, she had dreamed of hiring more women. The war gave her that chance, and U.S. funding gave her the ability to train female hires. They have trained 45 women so far.
"We were told that we are crazy people, this is not possible. Women? Excavator? They will never do this," she said. "These days, our first women who graduated from this course already have jobs and started working on building construction sites."
Modern building equipment is easier to operate, she said, and the idea that women can't do it is a gender stereotype.
"This war has changed our women mentally, and they want to contribute to Ukraine's rebuilding," Skitchko said. "We need to give them an opportunity to learn."
___
Associated Press journalist Volodymyr Yurchuk contributed to this report.factory
01 April 2025manufacturing net
Tokyo Gas Purchases Chevron'S Texas Gas Assets For $525 MillionTOKYO (AP) — TG Natural Resources, owned by Tokyo Gas Co. and Castleton Commodities International, is acquiring a 70% stake in the East Texas gas assets of Chevron U.S.A. Inc., a subsidiary of Chevron Corp., for $525 million.
The move, announced Tuesday, marks Tokyo Gas’ expansion of its U.S. business at a time when President Donald Trump is seeking to boost U.S. gas exports.
Tokyo Gas denies the move is in response to Trump’s policies — the investment was being studied long before he came to office — but an investment of this scale in the U.S. is expected to be seen favorably by the Trump administration.
TGNR is a major gas producer in East Texas, jointly owned by TG East Texas Resources LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Gas America, and CCI U.S. Asset Holdings.
Of the purchase amount, $75 million will be paid in cash and $450 million used as capital to fund the Haynesville development in Texas.
The shale gas produced on the site is for the U.S. market for now, but exporting it in the form of liquefied natural gas to Japan is an option for the future, according to Tokyo Gas.
Tokyo Gas is Japan’s largest provider of city-area gas, primarily serving the Tokyo area. Besides Texas, it also has operations in the U.S. in the Louisiana area.
“We are excited to partner with a world-class company like Chevron on this transaction. There is considerable operational overlap between the Chevron acreage and the legacy TGNR acreage, which will allow TGNR to realize synergies of over $170 million during the development of the asset,” TGNR Chief Executive Craig Jarchow said in a statement.
Resource-poor Japan imports almost all its energy, and its main sources for gas are now Australia and the U.S.factory
01 April 2025manufacturing net
Japan'S Ishiba Says He Will Push For U.S. Auto Tariffs ExemptionTOKYO (AP) — Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tuesday his government is making last ditch efforts to get U.S. President Donald Trump to exclude his country from an increase in auto tariffs due to take effect from Wednesday.
Ishiba told reporters he is willing to fly to Washington to negotiate directly with Trump. The U.S. will begin collecting 25% tariffs on auto imports on Thursday, with taxes on fully-imported cars kicking in at midnight, U.S. time. The tariffs are set to expand to applicable auto parts in weeks to come.
So far, Japan has not managed to win exemptions from the tariffs hitlist despite its status as the biggest U.S. ally in Asia. Japan has stepped up cooperation with other countries that also are being affected. Japanese Trade Ninister Yoji Muto flew to Seoul to meet with his counterparts from South Korea and China and agreed to promote a free and fair trade and investment, saying Trump's trade policies are fueling protectionism.
The higher tariffs are a worry for Japan and major automakers like Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. Their exports to the United States are a major driver for the Japanese economy. A quarterly survey by the Bank of Japan released Tuesday showed business sentiment among large manufacturers worsened in the past quarter for the first time in a year.
"I don't mind going to Washington, if necessary," Ishiba said.
He said officials from all related ministries, including foreign, trade and finance, are working "day and night," to negotiate with their U.S. counterparts to resolve the issue. "When I see the overall picture and judge that it is appropriate for me to go, I must do so without hesitation, he said.
If the tariffs are imposed, he said the government will do what it must to minimize their impact on Japanese industries and jobs.
As short-term measures, the government plans to set up 1,000 consultation windows across the country to respond to concerns of small to medium-size auto parts makers and other manufacturers that would be affected by the U.S. tariff increase.
In case of damage to actual businesses, the government will do its utmost to support cash-strapped business owners, Ishiba said.factory
01 April 2025