Featured Image

AMT Tech Report: Issue #342

Feb 28, 2025

“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.”

– Epictetus


This is a published version of the AMT Tech Report newsletter. You can sign up to get the Tech Report in your inbox here.


1. Apple's Big Bite

Apple will invest $500 billion in boosting U.S. manufacturing through initiatives focusing on funding, AI, R&D, a Detroit academy, manufacturing plants, and more. A new Texas factory and Houston server facility will aid domestic microelectronics, but can Apple solve the talent crisis? While Apple rarely misses, concerns remain – The Wall Street Journal notes this aligns with expected spending and that one factory won’t reverse offshoring trends. The question: Can Apple make people want careers in manufacturing?

Read full article.


2. FANUC’s Playing 4D Chess

This week, FANUC launched Tech Transfer, a free, browser-based video platform for teaching robot programming and troubleshooting. Instead of lowering prices (and, subsequently, capability and quality), FANUC is removing the knowledge barrier, ensuring more people can confidently use their robots. By making learning accessible, they create future customers and solidify their dominance as the industrial robot standard.

Read full article.


3. Microsoft’s Quantum Leap

Microsoft is claiming a quantum computing breakthrough with its Majorana 1 chip, which uses a topological superconductor and could scale to a million qubits. Quantum computing promises advances in encryption, drug discovery, and manufacturing. It could revolutionize the industry with faster simulations, optimized supply chains, and enhanced energy efficiency while driving AI-powered predictive maintenance and automation.

Read full article.


4. Lifelong Learning

The Technical University of Munich and Nanjing University developed Legion, a reinforcement learning framework that enables robots to learn continuously, like humans. Using Bayesian non-parametric models, Legion dynamically adapts to new tasks without predefined clusters, preventing knowledge loss. It integrates language models for instruction-understanding and flexible skill recombination. This could improve robots in homes, industries, and dynamic environments.

Read full article.


5. Text-to-CAD

Movie time! Sort of. In this episode of “Powerful Websites You Should Know!,” Matty McTech tries out zoo.dev/text-to-cad, where users are prompted to describe what they want to build, and the site will spit out some code. You should give it a shot – it’s pretty cool. Nope, I don’t know how accurate or even legitimate it is, but playing around with it looks worthwhile. And yes, I did cringe at the way he said “flange.” He actually said a totally different word and even mispronounced that one. You’ve been warned.

Watch reel.


To get the latest tech developments delivered directly to your inbox, subscribe to the weekly Tech Report here.

To hear the latest in additive manufacturing, material removal, automation, and digital manufacturing, subscribe to the AMT Tech Trends podcast here.

PicturePicture
Author
Stephen LaMarca
Senior Technology Analyst
Recent technology News
This industry event explores AI’s role in defense, ethics, and innovation, highlighting the recombination of existing technology while raising vital questions about its future impact and use. 
As experienced service technicians retire, manufacturers risk losing critical knowledge. In a recent AMT webinar sponsored by findIQ, attendees learned how one company captures their hard-won knowledge and passes it on using model-based AI.
Atoms for development. Birdie bots and smash hits. Metal moves. Open source. Double edged. Pantogroph poetry.
AI, digital twin, and leading through the chaos. Digital fabrication. Pulling the plug on AI. AM forensics with AI. Measured to matter.
Being nice has a price. Strange symmetries, stronger metals. No plan to ban. Manufacturing Technology Series EAST is right around the corner. Spin off and gear up!
Similar News
undefined
Technology
By Stephen LaMarca | Jul 23, 2025

This industry event explores AI’s role in defense, ethics, and innovation, highlighting the recombination of existing technology while raising vital questions about its future impact and use. 

4 min
undefined
Smartforce
By Catherine “Cat” Ross | Jul 23, 2025

From anniversaries and milestones to leadership moves and partnerships, get updates from Trumpf, Allied Machine, ProShop ERP, Autodesk, Okuma, United Grinding, Tsugami America, Schneeberger, Muratec USA, ANCA, Weldon Solutions, and Mid Atlantic Machinery.

5 min
undefined
Smartforce
By Catherine “Cat” Ross | Apr 16, 2025

Lumafield gets top startup nod. REGO-FIX opens new Center for Machining Excellence. Stratasys partners with aerospace giants. America Makes and SwRI launch AM-focused defense initiatives. Leadership updates and other news from Mazak, Starrett, and more.

5 min