“If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.”
– John Steinbeck
1. A Ban-Aid for U.S. Automakers
The White House is proposing a ban on parts from China and Russia in “connected” USDM vehicles. If passed, any vehicle meant for the U.S. market that’s more smartphone than car (i.e., most modern vehicles) can’t have any parts of Chinese or Russian origin. Awesome! Most smartphones are made in China, and the tech that integrates one into a car’s infotainment system is probably also from China. So, why am I giddy? Because I may soon be able to buy a purely mechanical and analog vehicle – the way it was meant to be!
2. AM and the EAR
To bolster national security, new export controls were introduced to the Export Administration Regulations on advanced tech like metal 3D printers, cryocooling, and quantum computing. The Department of Commerce claimed this wouldn’t happen, but they didn’t know what additive manufacturing could do. The new rules limit exports to countries like China and Russia while easing restrictions for allies. Affected industries must now obtain licenses for exports, and businesses are urged to update compliance programs.
3. 3D Printing in Space Is EZ
The Pentagon will award $280 million in CHIPS Act grants to fund microelectronics So, astronauts printed the first metal part on the International Space Station. I don’t have to elaborate on how impressive this is. But it is worth talking about why this is important. Volatile and remote locations are increasingly demanding faster replacement parts. The military wants forward operating bases to be more self-sufficient, which includes integrating manufacturing processes. Space is the next frontier to manufacturing at the point of use. Space!
4. Boar's Head Gets Carved
This hits home for me. The Boar’s Head meat plant in Jarrett, Virginia, is closing. Growing up, my dad’s company would occasionally hold work trips for their employees and their employees’ families. One of the venues was the Boar’s Head Inn. Sadly, anybody from the Empire State or anyone who appreciates a good sangwitch knows that Boar’s Head is a cold-cut cornerstone. Or at least it used to be. With the plant’s closure comes increased economic pressure on a region already struggling. Cutting corners can be costly.
5. Computed Tomography, Private Eye
From Russ Waddell, AMT contractor and r/manufacturing lurker: “Exceptionally detailed investigation into a mostly trivial question leads to Lumafield scanning Papermate Flair felt tip pens, which were an AMT office supply staple for many years back in the age of paper.”
6. 3D Printed Cans
Movie time! Despite limited recognition in the United States, Switzerland’s B&T is a major player in the global defense industry and known for producing suppressors for European arms companies like H&K. Firearm suppressors are among the coolest things to additively manufacture, alongside heat exchangers and (coolest of all) the Czinger 21C hypercar. 3D printing suppressors opens the door to more complex geometries and a superior design – and Inconel, the perfect material for silencers, is easy(-ish) to print!
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