鈥淚f you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck.鈥�
鈥� John Steinbeck
1. A Ban-Aid for U.S. Automakers
The White House is proposing a ban on parts from China and Russia in 鈥渃onnected鈥� USDM vehicles. If passed, any vehicle meant for the U.S. market that鈥檚 more smartphone than car (i.e., most modern vehicles) can鈥檛 have any parts of Chinese or Russian origin. Awesome! Most smartphones are made in China, and the tech that integrates one into a car鈥檚 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 鈥� 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鈥檛 happen, but they didn鈥檛 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.
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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鈥檛 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鈥檚 Head meat plant in Jarrett, Virginia, is closing. Growing up, my dad鈥檚 company would occasionally hold work trips for their employees and their employees鈥� families. One of the venues was the Boar鈥檚 Head Inn. Sadly, anybody from the Empire State or anyone who appreciates a good sangwitch knows that Boar鈥檚 Head is a cold-cut cornerstone. Or at least it used to be. With the plant鈥檚 closure comes increased economic pressure on a region already struggling. Cutting corners can be costly.
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From Russ Waddell, AMT contractor and r/manufacturing lurker: 鈥淓xceptionally 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.鈥�
6. 3D Printed Cans
Movie time! Despite limited recognition in the United States, Switzerland鈥檚 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 鈥� and Inconel, the perfect material for silencers, is easy(-ish) to print!
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