NUBURU, GE Additive Sign Joint Development Agreement

NUBURU, Inc. announced that it has signed a joint technology agreement with GE Additive, to explore the speed, accuracy, and commercial benefits of blue laser-based metal 3D printing.

“As we continue to advance our proprietary blue laser technology, we have further increased both power and brightness to open up new applications,” said Dr. Mark Zediker, CEO and co-founder of NUBURU. “We’ve achieved key performance milestones that open new possibilities for significant advances in metal 3D printing. Working with GE Additive, and their expertise in metal additive manufacturing, will allow us to rapidly optimize our innovative area printing approach. That will accelerate the further expansion of our pioneering blue laser into innovative metal 3D printing solutions which have the potential to change the landscape of military logistics; aerospace manufacturing; medical device fabrication, and beyond.”

“As an industry leader in metal 3D printing and having been on the leading edge of qualifying parts in regulated industries, we’re excited to evaluate NUBURU blue industrial laser technology and its benefits,” said Chris Schuppe, general manager, engineering & technology of GE Additive.

NUBURU’s novel approach to additive manufacturing is built on the foundation of blue light absorption by metals, a fundamental physical advantage that offers the highest efficiency laser-based melting for a wide range of industrially important metals. Combining the blue laser module with an innovative optical conditioning system, the NUBURU light engine is at the heart of the expected performance improvements. GE Additive will provide a powder bed system and expertise in the integration and characterization of this next generation prototype light engine, to quantify the performance improvements over existing technology.

This joint development agreement is in addition to an agreement with GE Additive to support NUBURU’s previously announced AFWERX Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract awarded to NUBURU in 2022.

For more information, visit www.nuburu.net or www.ge.com/additive.

America Makes Announces IMPACT

The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and America Makes have announced a new directed project call funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD (R&E)), and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) worth a total of $11.7M.

The objective of the “Improvements in Manufacturing Productivity via Additive Capabilities and Techno-Economic Analysis (IMPACT)” project call is to demonstrate productivity and yield benefits for casting and forging manufacturing via additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, execute techno-economic analysis for metal powder AM, and to bridge component sourcing gaps with AM parts for casting and forging applications. The project call is also seeking innovative solutions for robotic AM process planning for continuous fiber-reinforced composite structures.

AM is of significant interest to the U.S. manufacturing base as the technology enables shorter lead times, mass customization, energy reduction, complex shapes, and production of parts on demand providing benefits to both new acquisitions and legacy systems. “This project call addresses the needs of a broad cross-section of our nation’s supply chain including the casting and forging supply chain,” stated Brandon Ribic, Ph.D., America Makes technology director. “We are thrilled for the opportunity to deliver longer-term strategic investments to scaling AM technologies.”

America Makes strives to accelerate the development and deployment of innovative, cost-effective, energy-efficient AM and 3D printed (3DP) technologies to meet defense and/or commercial needs. The proposed projects should be applicable to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4-7 and Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) 4-7 at the onset of the proposed project.

The request for proposal (RFP) includes 10 topic areas of focus. The number of anticipated awards and maximum funding will vary depending on the topic area being addressed.

Deadline for lead proposer to complete fully executed membership agreement with America Makes:

• Topics 1-8 by Wednesday, June 14
• Topics 9-10 by Friday, June 23

Submission Deadline:

• Topics 1-8 by Wednesday, June 28 by 5 p.m. ET
• Topics 9-10 by Friday, July 7 by 5 p.m. ET

Anticipated Awards Announcement:

• Topics 1-8 by Friday, July 21
• Topics 9-10 by Friday, August 4

For full details and guidelines, visit https://www.americamakes.us

Previan Acquires Sensor Networks

Previan announced the acquisition of Sensor Networks, Inc. (SNI), a provider of sensing tools and technologies that enable the inspection and remote monitoring of safety-critical components with increased productivity. As a result of the transaction, SNI will officially become part of the Previan Group and will see its NDT solutions powered through the Eddyfi Technologies business unit.

Specifically, all of SNI’s people and technologies will be added to Eddyfi Technologies' portfolio. Eddyfi Technologies will be responsible for promoting the Sensor Networks’ brand in major industries where it is well established, including energy, power generation, aerospace, defense, rail, and manufacturing. Within Eddyfi Technologies, SNI’s conventional and phased array ultrasonics probes, permanently installed UT corrosion monitoring systems and remote visual inspection (RVI) instruments will be added to the solutions range and complement the offering of high-performance NDT technologies.

"Sensor Networks is a fantastic addition to Previan. There is a great fit between us, as we both value innovation and technological leadership and base it on strong customer intimacy and intricate knowledge of the challenges that plague infrastructure and critical assets worldwide. We are obviously excited to add the SNI solutions to our Eddyfi Technologies unit. Additionally, the high-end SNI expertise to Previan and the potential it should also add to NDT Global was a huge driver in this transaction. NDTG is the technology expert in the in-line inspection (ILI) space. Enhancements to the UT, PAUT, and ART sensing capabilities will further improve NDTG’s overall solutions. All in all, I firmly believe that Previan is the perfect homebase for SNI’s next phase of life," says Martin Theriault, founder, CEO and chairman of Previan.

Pierre-Hugues Allard, president of Eddyfi Technologies, says, "The addition of Sensor Networks is great news that will benefit our respective customers. Leveraging the best UT and PAUT probes, combined with our advanced and renowned instruments and software, without depending on third-party suppliers, will lead to solutions tailored to exact need of our clients. I already expect that new ideas, aimed at better identifying defects and provide integrity assessments will emerge from the synergies created in the coming months, as adding UT sensors to our portfolio will allow us to seize many new opportunities and to fast-track the development of the next solutions that we will introduce to the industry.”

Jeff Anderson, president & GM of Sensor Networks, says, "We are very proud to join the Previan family! We have found the right partners to propel us to the next stage. Our footprint is very solid in North America, and we have risen up to challenges faced by major customers. Within Eddyfi Technologies, we will have all the network and the team needed to fuel our growth. Furthermore, this transaction is directly in line with what our co-founders, Jim Barshinger and Bruce Pellegrino, had in mind when they channeled leadership and innovation and modernized the way corrosion-monitoring products were made, a decade ago. We are sensing that spirit within Previan and Eddyfi Technologies, and it suits us!”

Founded in 2014, Sensor Networks Inc. provides the tools to solve critical asset management challenges. Through reliable technology and high-quality data, they enable safer, more cost-effective operations using standard and customized ultrasonic transducers, remote visual tooling, and remote non-intrusive corrosion monitoring in various applications in the petrochemical, energy, power generation and aerospace industries. The company employs some 100 people, headquartered in State College, PA, with satellite offices in Houston, Hong Kong, and Osaka.

CDPQ and Novacap, long-time investors in Previan, participate in this transaction.

For more information, visit www.eddyfitechnologies.com, www.previan.com, www.sensornetworksinc.com, and www.ndt-global.com.

Pethes Honored as 2023 Inspector of the Year from ASQ’s Inspection Division

The ASQ Inspection Division has selected Benchmark Electronics, Inc. Incoming Inspection Quality Technician, Szilvia Pethes, as the 2023 Chuck Carter International Inspector of the Year. Pethes was presented her award and duly acknowledged during the Inspection Division’s bi-annual business meeting on Saturday, May 6, 2023, in Philadelphia, PA, in conjunction with ASQ’s World Conference on Quality and Improvement.

Pethes has worked at the Benchmark facility located in Brasov, Romania since 2013. She was recently promoted to Junior Quality Engineer. Pethes’ first responsibility is to schedule and coordinate work associated with incoming material inspection. She makes certain that all Incoming inspectors are well trained with regards to acceptance criteria for each commodity required to be inspected. She is responsible for ensuring all relevant measurement instruments are calibrated and available for operator use.

Pethes has knowledge of standard measurement techniques using common mechanical and electronic gages such as: calipers, pin gages, electronic tweezers, ring gages, color palette etc. As a requirement for Incoming Inspection, she is certified to IPC-A-600 requirements to understand and use acceptability requirements for Printed Board inspection, Pethes has demonstrated the utmost professionalism and integrity. Her loyalty, her work and steadfast commitment to improve has made her the key person within the Quality Engineering department. She has distinguished herself above others with her attention to details, she knows all of the instruments from the Incoming Inspection area, she is their trainer on quality-related topics in the ERP System (Infor LN) and she is always willing to help during any internal or external audits to demonstrate the conformance of Benchmark Brasov, Romania’s Incoming Inspection process by providing relevant evidence from the system as requested.

The Inspection Division has offered the Inspector of the Year Award since 1974. For a list of the previous award recipients, an award application, or additional information about the ASQ Inspection Division and the award visit https://my.asq.org/communities/files/folder/158/217.

Reshoring Rides EV Battery Wave, Taking Aim for Another All-Time High

Reshoring + FDI manufacturing job announcements are continuing to outpace recent records, adding 101,500 jobs in 2023 Q1. Top takeaways:

• 2023 Q1 reshoring + FDI jobs announced are up 11% from 2022.
• If the current rate continues, reshoring and FDI will total over 400,000 jobs in 2023.
• Electrical Equipment remains the top industry due to continuing large investments in EV batteries. The industry moved from 42% of total jobs announced in 2022 to 47% in 2023 Q1.

Supply chain gaps and the need for greater self-sufficiency set the stage for the current upward trend in reshoring. The risks of a Taiwan-China conflict or China voluntarily decoupling are focusing those concerns. Destabilizing geo-political and climate forces have brought to light our vulnerabilities and the need to address them. The White House responded with the Inflation Reduction Act, Chips Act and Infrastructure Bill, offering some direction and financial security to the companies and industries intent on filling the gaps. These government actions are necessary in the short run but are not sufficient since they do not improve the U.S.’ uncompetitive cost structure. A true industrial policy would level the cost playing field via comprehensive actions such as massive skilled workforce investments, a 25% lower USD and retention of immediate expensing of capital investments.

“The current actions and momentum are a great start. A true industrial policy would accelerate the trend and increase U.S. manufacturing by 40%, 5 million jobs. Reshoring will reduce the trade and budget deficits and make the U.S. safer, more self-reliant and resilient,” said Harry Moser, founder and president of the Reshoring Initiative.

For more information, visit www.reshorenow.org.

North America Robot Orders Soften After Record 2022

North American companies ordered fewer robots in the first quarter of 2023 than for the same period last year. According to the latest report from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), companies ordered 9,168 units valued at $597 million in Q1 2023, a 21% drop in total units and a 10% drop in value over the same quarter in 2022, which was the third-best quarter on record for North America.

Automotive customers accounted for 68% of all robot orders in Q1, with 5,659 robots purchased. During Q1, non-automotive orders in consumer goods, semiconductor & electronics, plastics & rubber, life sciences/pharmaceutical/biomedical, metals, and others purchased 3,519 robots, down 42% over Q1 2022.

“While inflation and a slowing US economy may have taken a slight toll on robot orders overall, automotive companies continue to accelerate their purchases as they make the transition to manufacturing electric vehicles,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. “Non-automotive companies are typically newer to automation and may be waiting to invest more until they’ve tested recent deployments or see the economy begin to recover.”

Despite the state of the U.S. economy, labor shortages, led by the manufacturing industry, remain the key driver in the growth of automation. As a result, more manufacturers continue to turn to automation, especially to handle the “dull, dirty and dangerous” tasks unattractive to human workers. 

“In addition to labor shortages, we’re seeing many U.S. manufacturers bring more tasks back to North America as international labor costs continue to climb,” said Alex Shikany, vice president of membership and business intelligence. “Many find that the best way to bring manufacturing back quickly is to automate.”

For more information, visit https://www.automate.org/.

AMUG Members Elect Four to Board of Directors

The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) announced the election of four individuals to its Board of Directors. Heather Natal, Jordan Weston, Thomas Sorovetz, and Tim Bell will serve as secretary, director of education & conference, director of event & hospitality, and director of sponsors & exhibitors, respectively.

Weston, Sorovetz, and Bell were re-elected for second terms as directors in a vote of confidence. Natal will serve on the AMUG Board for the first time as an officer, filling the void left by Leslie Frost, who opted not to run for a third term as secretary.

Separately, the AMUG Board appointed Robin Van Bragt as treasurer, which is also an officer position. After serving in that position for ten years, Vince Anewenter decided to step down. However, he will continue to support the board as the immediate past treasurer.

These newly elected and appointed individuals have been actively involved in AMUG and the AMUG Conference for many years and in many capacities. Each has also received AMUG's coveted DINO Award, which recognizes selfless service to AMUG, its members, and the additive manufacturing community.

Mark Abshire, AMUG president, said, "I look forward to working with our 2023-2024 Board of Directors. I welcome our newest board members, Robin Van Bragt (Treasurer) and Heather Natal (Secretary). I also congratulate Jordan Weston (Director of Education and Conference), Tom Sorovetz (Director of Event and Hospitality), and Tim Bell (Director of Sponsors and Exhibitors) on their re-elections."

The multi-year terms for these positions will commence on July 1, 2023. The balance of the board includes four elected positions and one appointed position, each with one year remaining in their terms, as well as the past president and immediate past treasurer.

The 2023- 2024 AMUG Board members are:

Officers

• President: Mark Abshire, Retired
• Vice President: Shannon VanDeren, Layered Manufacturing and Consulting
• Treasurer: Robin Van Bragt, Eagle Design & Technology, Inc.
• Secretary: Heather Natal, GoEngineer

Directors

• Director at Large: Gary Rabinovitz, Reebok International
• Director of Education & Conference: Jordan Weston, Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE)
• Director of Events and Hospitality: Thomas Sorovetz. T. A. Sorovetz, LLC
• Director of Membership: to be appointed
• Director of Sponsors & Exhibitors: Tim Bell, MELD Manufacturing Corporation

Ex Officio

• Past President: Carl Dekker, Met-L-Flo
• Immediate Past Treasurer: Vince Anewenter, Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE)

Following the AMUG Conference, Jason Dickman resigned as director of membership, citing time commitments as chairman and CTO of ClassIQmfg.com. Per the AMUG Bylaws, the board will appoint an individual to serve the remainder of Dickman's term. Abshire said, "I would like to thank Jason Dickman for his service this past year as director of membership."

The board's primary responsibilities will include building the program for the 2024 conference, soliciting support from businesses in the additive manufacturing industry, and overseeing the event's day-to-day activities. The five-day conference will feature hands-on workshops, instructional sessions, technical presentations, AMUGexpo, and an off-site dinner. The 2024 AMUG Conference will be held in Chicago March 10 - 14.

For more information, visit www.amug.com.

AEIS Earns ASNT’s EBC Audit Program Accreditation

Atlas Evaluation & Inspection Services (AEIS), providing testing, inspection, and certification for infrastructure projects, has earned The American Society for Nondestructive Testing’s Employer-Based Certification (EBC) Audit Program accreditation, which provides accreditation to organizations that have established internal certification programs for nondestructive testing (NDT) personnel. According to the company, AEIS represents the only company in the northeast US to gain this accreditation.

“We are proud to have earned The American Society for Nondestructive Testing’s Employer-Based Certification (EBC) Audit Program accreditation,” stated Mr. Goel. “This important accreditation provides the industry with a tool to recognize a company that can lead and maintain an employer-based certification program.”

The program involves a rigorous auditing process that assesses the company's certification program against ASNT's SNT-TC-1A recommended practice for NDT personnel qualification and certification. The audit is conducted by ASNT-approved auditors who review the company's procedures and practices, training materials, testing and evaluation methods, and documentation.

“We are pleased to award AEIS the EBC Audit Program accreditation,” stated Brian Frye, NDT technical specialist and quality manager at The American Society for Nondestructive Testing. “Companies who hold this accreditation have effectively implemented and maintained an employer-based certification program.”

This accreditation demonstrates to clients, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders that the company has a well-established and rigorous certification program for its NDT personnel. The accreditation ensures that NDT personnel are properly trained and qualified, which helps to prevent accidents, reduce costs, and improve project quality.

For more information, visit www.aeis.com.