For decades, manufacturers have outsourced fabrication of components to smaller companies that specialize in certain processes and technologies. But finding those manufacturing partners has required pushing out product specs to many potential vendors, then vetting their capabilities and their bids to find the right match, a process that often takes weeks or months. ORDERFOX is revolutionizing this process by enabling buyers to post specs for a given component as a 3D model using the Forge cloud-based platform. CNC shops around the world can then search for appropriate projects and submit a bid... READ MORE >

New design processes and advanced materials are rapidly finding a place in transportation. From cars and trains to planes and spacecraft, these innovations are helping to create vehicles that are lighter, faster, stronger, and more efficient. But don’t forget about the boats. Specifically, a new racing vessel being developed by the US Olympic Sailing team. Redshift recently profiled the development process for their latest craft, a variation on a Moth Class boat, or “hydrofoiling dinghy.” READ MORE >

March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize and honor the women that have blazed a trail in the decades and centuries past. We think it’s also a great time to recognize and honor women who are helping to shape the future of making today, especially those in the AU community. After all, while women comprise only 9% of the workforce in construction (3% on the construction site itself), 13% in engineering, 25% in architecture, and 29% in manufacturing, signs are trending toward greater equity. And with the persistent shortage of skilled labor in construction, it’s more important than ever... READ MORE >

Intelligent robotics. Augmented, virtual, and mixed reality. Artificial intelligence and machine learning. Cloud computing. IoT. Additive manufacturing and new subtractive techniques. These are just a few of the technologies that are creating new possibilities in manufacturing today—a movement that many refer to as Industry 4.0. They have the potential to make factories more agile and responsive, more efficient, and more intelligent. READ MORE >

In terms of what we build, we’ve been advancing for centuries. From the grandest cathedrals of the Middle Ages to the supertall skyscrapers of the modern era, our structures have soared with our ambitions. In terms of how we build, though, change has come much more slowly. Even as we’ve developed bigger and more sophisticated machines to help us do the work, we’ve still generally built our structures brick by brick and beam by beam. READ MORE >