2022
September
CMU and Pittsburgh benefit from Build Back Better grant
US Economic Development Administration
Carnegie Mellon University and the Pittsburgh region will share the benefits of a $62.7 million Build Back Better grant to upskill workers and expand the equitable adoption and commercialization of robotics, AI, and automation in SWPA.
June
Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette emphasizes MFI's impact on the region's manufacturing
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In an article about Nexii Building Solutions considering Pittsburgh as a new potential location, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette emphasizes the impact that the Manufacturing Futures Institute, as well as Mill 19, has had on the region's manufacturing.
Wolf featured on additive manufacturing
Velo 3D
MFI/NextManufacturing’s Sandra DeVincent Wolf spoke about the unique benefits of additive manufacturing versus traditional manufacturing on the new episode of the @Velo3D podcast, #LaserFocused.
April
Pistorius in NYT on materials for knives
The New York Times
MSE’s Chris Pistorius was mentioned by The New York Times about the environmental impact of a stainless steel knife. Researchers that made a knife from hardened wood claimed its environmental impact would be less than that of a metal knife. However, a typical knife uses less than a pound of stainless steel, according to Pistorius, a co-director at the Center for Iron and Steelmaking Research at Carnegie Mellon University. He said a steel knife’s climate impact was tiny, and its ability to be recycled was a major advantage.
Zhang elected to USACM Executive Council
USACM
MechE’s Jessica Zhang was elected to the office of Secretary-Treasurer of the U.S. Association for Computational Mechanics (USACM) Executive Council. The Secretary-Treasurer serves for two years and then rotates to the office of Vice-President for two years and then President for two years. It is a six-year commitment to be involved as an officer of USACM, the largest association in computational mechanics in the US.
Holm awarded AIME honorary membership
CMU Materials Science and Engineering
MSE’s Elizabeth Holm received an Honorary Membership in the American Institute of Mining Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) for her outstanding service to The Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society and distinguished scientific achievements in computational materials science and engineering. AIME Honorary Membership is one of the highest honors that the Institute can bestow on an individual. She shares this decoration with Andrew Carnegie, who was recognized by AIME in 1905 after his retirement. “I feel a special connection to this because Andrew Carnegie was a foresighted philanthropist,” explained Holm. “In the early 1900s, Andrew Carnegie could never have imagined me in this role. As a woman in metallurgy, as a professor at his school, and as an AIME officer. I think that it’s just really cool how far we’ve come but how this connection remains.”
March
Fuchs to testify before Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee
US Senate
EPP’s Erica Fuchs will testify Tuesday, April 22 at 10 a.m. ET before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs in a hearing titled “Building a Resilient Economy: Shoring Up Supply.”
Feinberg quoted on future of 3D bioprinting
Politico
BME/MSE’s Adam Feinberg was quoted in the latest edition of POLITICO’s Future Pulse newsletter, on the benefits of 3D printing organs and future considerations for the industry. “If we get this to work, it fundamentally changes medicine as we know it … especially if we can do it in a way that is even remotely cost-effective,” said Adam Feinberg, who co-founded 3D bioprinting company FluidForm. “We’re talking about a technology that can rebuild different parts of the body as needed.”
Akinci quoted on infrastructure
Pittsburgh Business Times
CEE’s Burcu Akinci was quoted by the Pittsburgh Business Times on the importance of bridge maintenance after Pittsburgh’s Fern Hollow Bridge collapse. Experts say what’s really missing in infrastructure packages is a comprehensive strategy to fund and carry out bridge inspections and repairs. “We’ve got to think of bridges like cars,” said Akinci. “Cars need maintenance regularly. Bridges will need maintenance, as will all of our infrastructure systems.”
February
Whitefoot quoted on electric vehicle industry
Detroit Free Press
EPP/MechE’s Kate Whitefoot was quoted by the Detroit Free Press on competition in the electric vehicle industry. Whitefoot said the top-selling EVs in the future will depend on how the batteries perform. So the companies that design and make the best batteries, win. “If you want to come in, like a Tesla, you have to know both sides of the business: How to make a great battery and also how to build vehicles. It’s not enough to do just one of those sides,” Whitefoot said. “Those companies that can build on expertise in both manufacturing and batteries will have a competitive edge.”
January
Majidi mentioned on satellite robots
SpaceRef.com
MechE’s Carmel Majidi was mentioned by SpaceRef.com about a CMU-headed consortium selected by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to pioneer research into robotic inspection, maintenance, and manufacturing of satellites and other structures while in orbit. CMU’s efforts will be led by Choset and Matt Travers, co-directors of the Robotics Institute’s Biorobotics Lab; and Majidi, who specializes in soft robotics. CMU will collaborate with researchers at the University of New Mexico, Texas A&M, and Northrop Grumman Corporation.
Zhao quoted on digital twins
Time Magazine
MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted by Time Magazine on digital twins, an exact digital re-creation of an object or environment. Zhao has been working with carmakers to use digital twins to improve the safety of self-driving vehicles. “Real-world testing is too expensive and sometimes not even effective,” Zhao says.
2021
November
MFI research on robotics mentioned
ATI Industrial Automation
Research by MFI’s Changliu Liu on using robots for weld-bead removal was featured on ATI Industrial Automation’s website. The team designed a fully-automated, active compliance system that was able to successfully locate, measure, and remove the weld bead from the tube’s interior and verify process completion. Material removal operations are quintessential to a variety of industries and range from very light finishing to heavy gate removal.
Wolf gives an introduction to 3D printing talk at Carnegie Science Center
Sandra DeVincent Wolf, executive director of the Next Manufacturing Center and Manufacturing Futures Institute, conducted a program on metal additive manufacturing at the Carnegie Science Center on November 1, 2021. Metal additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is of great interest to nearly all industries that work with metals. The introduction to AM covered how it works and what it can do. Examples of actual metal 3D printed parts that are in use were shared, along with a look at the research that is driving the future of this technology.