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Automated manufacturing operations are finely tuned ecosystems in which all components must function in complete harmony. Grippers used to pick and place, orient and hold components or end products at various points along the production chain are key to this process.

Historically, auto shows have provided fantasies about speed (as in fast cars) and size (as in huge trucks). That was the case with the first day of the North American International Show. Speed highlights included a 700-horsepower Mustang and the return of Toyota Motor Corp.’s Supra sports car. For size, FCA US unveiled the newest version of its Ram Heavy Duty pickup.

On Jan. 3, the Institute for Supply Management released its monthly manufacturing index. It had a noticeable drop, to 54.1% in December from 59.3% the month before. That meant manufacturing was still expanding, but at a slower rate.

Dearborn, MI-based Ford said Nov. 8 it acquired Spin (San Francisco) a “scooter-sharing company that provides customers an alternative for first- and last-mile transportation.” Spin currently operates in 13 U.S. cities. A Spin scooter costs $1 to rent and 15 cents a minute, according to Ford.

The word superstar is overused. It wasn’t in the case of Carlos Ghosn. Over two decades Ghosn saved Nissan Motor Co. from bankruptcy and forged an alliance between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. That run ended abruptly today amid Japanese news reports Ghosn, Nissan’s chairman, had been arrested.

The low temperature intrinsic to solid-state printing processes allows manufacturers to weld layers of dissimilar metals without fear of metallurgical incompatibility issues.

Most manufacturers have relied on third-party vendors to make parts that are then incorporated into the final product. From automakers sourcing stereos and aircraft makers contracting for jet engines to a small bakery ordering plastic bags or a woodshop buying nails, producers of all types have supplemented their internal capabilities through a painstakingly developed supply chain of external vendors.

In manufacturing, the internet is getting quite a bit of attention lately—and for good reason. The Internet is bringing our industry to new frontiers, to the promised land called smart manufacturing.

I just returned from IMTS in Chicago and my first thought was, “where will I be able to rack up all those bonus steps I got last week?” On the easiest day, I walked 7.9 miles, and I topped 10 miles on two other days. It’s easy to understand why.

Additive manufacturing’s (AM) benefits have long been known to the aerospace industry. Industry leaders, like Boeing, Airbus and GE, have led the charge in using the technology for production parts. They’ve figured out how to increase efficiency and enable on-demand production, while saving money, by incorporating AM into their production process.