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This Week in Manufacturing

While self-driving passenger cars may steal the headlines, it can be easy to forget the larger uses of autonomous technology. This week’s feature company has made a global effort to bring that autonomous technology to major industries. Let’s dive in!

Our feature company is AutonomousStuff out of Morton, Illinois. They have focused their capabilities on the broad impacts of autonomous vehicles in mining and agriculture. Partnering with international companies has helped AutonomousStuff refine its capabilities and reach new markets.

This week’s headlines continue our technology theme with indoor ag, automation in battery manufacturing, underwater robots, and more!

Our first podcast this week, The Manufacturing Executive, showcases the heart of AI and automation in manufacturing. The second podcast, Advanced Manufacturing Now, focuses on challenges and solutions in the manufacturing industry, particularly the impact of an aging workforce and the importance of automation.

Finally, in this week’s Social Video, we take a look at autonomous agriculture vehicles in action, while our Fun Fact looks toward the autonomous sector’s growth potential.

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⚙ Manufacturing Headlines

• BrightFarms has long-term prospects for indoor ag [FoodNavigator-USA]

• New NV Battery Factory Showcases Futuristic Collaboration [Manufacturing.net]

• Autonomous vehicle technology out of Illinois [CompanyWeek]

• How GM is creating jobs by investing in manufacturing [Automotive World]

• Nauticus Robotics working with Leidos on underwater robots [The Robot Report]

• Practical AI to Industrialize Additive Manufacturing [3D Print.com]

AEROSPACE & DEFENSE

♨️ AutonomousStuff

Core Autonomy Segment Manager Lee Baldwin sees mining and ag as ripe markets for autonomous vehicles.

AutonomousStuff is headquartered in Illinois but increasingly partners with international clients; as evidenced by their 2018 acquisition by Sweden-based Hexagon. AutonomousStuff expanded in 2023 to develop off-road autonomy applications like asset transportation for the mining and agriculture industries.

Building on a legacy of drive-by-wire, sensor, and perception systems expertise, AutonomouStuff delivers production-grade solutions that create full-site autonomy to empower an autonomous and sustainable future.

Upshot: "Our heritage has been reverse-engineering vehicles for some time, so using that knowledge we’ve got on passenger vehicles to do it on other machines is invaluable.”

FROM THE FEED

📱Self-driving tractors: farming easier, greener

 🤨 Did You Know?

By 2030, the number of autonomous vehicles worldwide is expected to reach

125,660 units

^{Source: Market.US News}

🎧 Podcasts Worth A Listen

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