IEN Radio

Eric Sorensen
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  • Updated Semiweekly

Radio for manufacturing and engineering professionals. New industrial products, news and technical articles.

  1. 15h ago

    LISTEN: Figure Trained Its Humanoid Robots to Jump Into Molten Steel

    When Figure, a company developing humanoid robots, needed ideas for disposing of its previous generation, an elegant solution came from a somewhat unlikely source. The company said that with its fleet of Figure 03 bots growing, it no longer had the time and space to support Figure 02. But it couldn’t just throw out the humanoids and risk someone getting their hands on all types of proprietary technology, and disassembling the Figure 02 bots would take too much time. So, the company asked the internet how to give them a proper sendoff, and the Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, suggested that it just melt them. Figure connected with a foundry in Finland that was OK with incinerating the humanoids along with their lithium ion batteries. Then it began training the robots by having them jump off a building onto an airbag. When liquification day arrived, Figure had just six melts, each with a 20-minute window, to get all of its humanoid robots into the 75-ton electric arc furnace. The company said that “despite the extreme heat and electromagnetic fields, the robots ran their AI policies seamlessly, even as camera equipment and other electronics failed in [the] environment.” The resulting footage of humanoid robots backflipping, swan diving and being lowered into molten steel, Terminator 2 style, is pretty incredible. And the company promised that no AI was used; it’s all real. The melted bots were formed into bars and shipped back into the states where they can be turned into commemorative artifacts. But the best tribute to F.02 is how Figure found such a cool way to hasta la vista those babies.

    LISTEN: Figure Trained Its Humanoid Robots to Jump Into Molten Steel

  2. 2d ago

    LISTEN: Ford Factory Hires Hawk to Fight Off Pigeons

    When the pigeons started getting a little too familiar at one Ford factory, plant managers turned to another bird for help. Ford’s 12 million-square-foot facility in Hermosillo, Mexico employs more than 4,000 workers and builds more than 300,000 pickup trucks and SUVs every year. It also used to have a serious pigeon infestation issue. According to the Wall Street Journal, the stout-bodied birds would wait outside the doors before the factory opened. Once inside, they would get in the way of light beams and equipment, poop on vehicles and generally pose a health risk. The plant tried blasting bird sounds and hanging predator replicas to scare away the birds. But nothing worked until the facility hired a hawk named “El Charro.” “El Charro” typically works three hour shifts, patrolling the facility and finding pigeon gathering grounds so workers can later come in and clear out nests. The hawk’s diligence, including more than 300 flights and more than 1,000 hours, has produced results. The facility has seen an about 80% reduction in evidence of bird activity. “El Charro” and the falconer who works with the hawk have not just successfully chased off the pigeons; they’ve also become local celebrities, with many of the plant workers asking for photos together with the bird. As the report points out, this type of nuisance-bird mitigation has become increasingly popular across several industries including airports, landfills and wineries looking to keep birds from snacking on their fruit. #Manufacturing #Ford #Automotive #Factory #Hawk #Falconry #PestControl #ManufacturingNews #AutomotiveManufacturing #Mexico #Hermosillo #Industrial #FactoryLife #Engineering #ManufacturingNow

    LISTEN: Ford Factory Hires Hawk to Fight Off Pigeons

  3. 4d ago

    LISTEN: New Drone Falls From Sky Like Maple Seed, Then Sails Like a Boat

    Researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have created a new biomimetic autonomous drone. Released from the air, the Albatross falls like a maple seed, lands on the water and then rights itself to sail autonomously by harvesting wind energy. These drones could one day monitor environmental conditions for weeks at a time. After all, remote waters are difficult to monitor, and it can take a while for boats to get there, so why not seed it with autonomous drones from the sky. At first, the name seems odd. Albatross is a loose, at-best acronym that stands for Airborne Lander with Buoyant AuToROtating Sailing Sensor. Right. But then you see the less-than-graceful landing of the albatross, and maybe they were just having a little fun with it. The albatross has rigid wingsails that slow its fall through the air, then power it across the water. During the descent, the wings passively autorotate like a maple seed, slowing and stabilizing the drone before it reaches the water. Once it's in the water, those wings become sails, using the wind to move the robot. The albatross also has a fish-tail-inspired rudder that also works as a secondary propulsion mechanism. It can steer and generate thrust, which is important when the wind dies down. The system is pretty simple, using just three actuators and three navigation sensors. Similar systems have six to eight actuators and a lot more sensors. In recent tests, the Albatross was dropped from about 500 feet, successfully descended in stable autorotation and landed on the water with low impact. It then righted itself without help and sailed off on its own, navigating autonomously between set waypoints and reaching a peak sailing speed of just under 1 km/h (about 0.62 mph). But hey, it operated for about three hours while recording environmental measurements, like humidity, heat and wind direction, but the idea is to add underwater sensors and sonar, as well as larger energy-storage systems. This test also took place in a controlled, sheltered environment. In the future, the drone could be used for environmental monitoring, climate change research, search and rescue, and maritime security. But for now, the proof of concept will need further development if it's going to stand up to stronger winds, currents, waves and the Kraken. #Manufacturing #Robotics #Drone #Drones #AutonomousSystems #Engineering #Biomimicry #Technology #MarineTechnology #EnvironmentalMonitoring #SUTD #Innovation #Research #AI #ManufacturingNow

    LISTEN: New Drone Falls From Sky Like Maple Seed, Then Sails Like a Boat

  4. 5d ago

    LISTEN: GM Joint Venture Retooling Tennessee Plant for ‘World-First’ Battery Production

    Ultium Cells, the joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, announced plans to retool its Spring Hill, Tenn. facility to manufacture prismatic lithium manganese-rich (LMR) battery cells for future GM electric vehicles. The companies anticipate construction and upgrades will begin this year, with completion scheduled for 2028. The project also intends to create 500 jobs. Ultium Cells expects the investment to make the Spring Hill site the first global manufacturer to mass produce prismatic LMR battery cells. According to the joint venture, the technology offers 33% higher energy density than lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry at a comparable price. The combined investment for the LMR program and the production of LFP cells for energy storage systems at Spring Hill, which began in June 2026, looks to reach $1 billion by 2030. General Motors said high-nickel batteries will continue to provide the longest range in its portfolio. However, adding LMR will enable Ultium Cells to tailor battery technology to various vehicle needs and applications. GM and LG Energy Solution announced Ultium Cells in 2019. The joint venture’s other facility, located in Warren, Ohio, began production in August 2022 and makes large-format, pouch-style battery cells using advanced nickel cobalt manganese aluminum (NCMA) chemistry.  The Spring Hill facility started production in February 2024. The site produces battery cells with multiple chemistries, including LFP, for GM’s Ultium Platform EVs, which are manufactured at the adjacent assembly plant.  #Manufacturing #EV #ElectricVehicles #Batteries #BatteryManufacturing #LithiumBattery #BatteryTechnology #GeneralMotors #GM #LGEnergySolution #UltiumCells #Tennessee #SpringHill #AdvancedManufacturing #ManufacturingNow

    LISTEN: GM Joint Venture Retooling Tennessee Plant for ‘World-First’ Battery Production

  5. 5d ago

    LISTEN: It Took At Least 16 Fire Departments and 2 Million Gallons of Water to Put Out Plastics Plant Blaze in Michigan

    On Friday afternoon, a massive industrial fire erupted at the East Jordan Plastics Factory in South Haven, Michigan. The blaze started at 3:47 pm and firefighters remained on the scene until the site was finally cleared around 6:00 am Saturday. A giant column of smoke could be seen for more than 40 miles, and at least 16 different fire departments used about 2 million gallons of water to contain the fire. ​Founded in 1947, East Jordan Plastics makes sustainable commercial horticultural growing containers widely used by large-scale, controlled-environment cultivation operations, including commercial greenhouses and cannabis cultivation. The business has been in the same family for more than three generations. ​In a statement, the company said, "We experienced a substantial fire at our East Jordan Plastics facility in South Haven, Michigan. Our team quickly evacuated the facility, and no injuries have been reported." It is working with local authorities and emergency responders to determine a cause. ​The plastics company makes recyclable plant trays, growing pots and plant containers. It also runs a large-scale industrial recycling unit that processes some 20 million pounds of used horticultural plastics annually, including polystyrene, polypropylene and high-density polyethylene.   ​East Jordan Plastics operates recycling facilities at a 150,000-square-foot facility in South Haven as well as a 260,000-square-foot plant in Lyons, Georgia. Those materials supply container manufacturing operations in East Jordan, Beaverton, South Haven and Lyons. #Manufacturing #IndustrialFire #FactoryFire #Firefighters #Plastics #PlasticsManufacturing #Recycling #IndustrialSafety #WorkplaceSafety #Michigan #SouthHaven #Horticulture #Greenhouse #ManufacturingNews #ManufacturingNow

    LISTEN: It Took At Least 16 Fire Departments and 2 Million Gallons of Water to Put Out Plastics Plant Blaze in Michigan

  6. 6d ago

    LISTEN: Gen Z in Manufacturing: The Young Worker's Psychological Tug-of-War

    Welcome to another episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing, a podcast that asks young people about their journeys in manufacturing, how they intend to influence the industry and what they are looking for from an employer. For this episode, I welcome Nick Knotts, a 25-year-old graduate research assistant for Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center at the Colorado School of Mines. Knotts studied industrial and systems engineering in college after discovering a distaste for CAD modeling. His professional experience includes quality engineering, industrial engineering and metallurgy for Lawton Standard Co. Knotts is also a recipient of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation’s 2026 Rising Star in Manufacturing Award. In this episode, Knotts discusses: (1:00) Why Gen Z is comfortable with an uncertain future(5:00) How young people wrestle with their ideal situation and reality(10:54) Chasing an undefined role and self-taught skills(14:18) How to keep a young worker’s brain working instead of tuning out(17:08) The evolution of work-life balance and how Gen Z views itPlease make sure to like and share this episode of Gen Z in Manufacturing. To view previous episodes, visit manufacturing.net. If you are a member of Gen Z and would like to discuss your experience in the manufacturing industry, please get in touch with me, Nolan Beilstein, at nolan@ien.com.

    LISTEN: Gen Z in Manufacturing: The Young Worker's Psychological Tug-of-War

  7. Sep 28

    LISTEN: Workers Hospitalized After Chemical Leak at Purina Dog Food Plant

    A recent situation at a Purina plant in Flagstaff, Arizona resulted in a visit from the local Fire Department. Responders were called to an active chemical leak at the plant, which produces hundreds of thousands of tons of dog food annually for brands like Alpo, Beneful and Pro Plan. According to reports, the factory team came upon a chemical spill of approximately 10 gallons and evacuated its boiler room. Upon evaluation, the hazmat team determined that two chemicals that “don’t go together” were combined in a chemical distribution system. The result was corrosion to the line, which led to the spill. The leak was fixed, though several employees reportedly took themselves to the hospital to be checked out because they felt ill. Ultimately, no serious injuries were reported. Powder Bulk & Solids reported that a Purina representative spoke to “safeguards and protocols in place,” saying the team was able to adhere to those guidelines in order to address the situation. The representative added that “The plant is now reviewing the cause of the spill and taking action to help prevent this from happening again.”  The Flagstaff Purina plant was the site of a much more severe accident back in 2014. At the time, workers were operating welding equipment in a grain elevator when the dust exploded, severely burning two contractors and injuring two others.

    LISTEN: Workers Hospitalized After Chemical Leak at Purina Dog Food Plant

  8. Sep 25

    LISTEN: Iowa Cooperative to Build the World’s Largest Honey Bottling Plant

    The new facility will consolidate its current locations in Iowa and California. A century-old Iowa honey producer has broken ground on what it says will eventually be the largest honey bottling plant in the world. The Sioux Honey Association Co-op held a ceremony Tuesday to officially start construction on a 440,000-square-foot facility in Sioux City. The $130 million project, KTIV-TV reported, would consolidate Sioux Honey’s current operations in Sioux City and Southern California into a single location; officials expect the plant to eventually create nearly 40 jobs in the area, according to KSCJ-AM. The plant on Sioux City’s far south side will feature a raw material warehouse, processing equipment and five bottling lines. Sioux Honey President and CEO Kevin Hueser told KTIV that the plant will make its current lineup of Sue Bee brand honey and sauce products, as well as provide additional innovation capabilities. The cooperative expects to begin production in the spring of 2028. Sioux Honey dates back to a group of five Northwest Iowa beekeepers in 1921; today, it includes more than 150 beekeepers across the country. #Manufacturing #Honey #FoodManufacturing #Iowa #SiouxCity #FoodProcessing #Factory #ManufacturingJobs #SupplyChain #Agriculture #Beekeeping #FoodIndustry #AmericanManufacturing #ManufacturingNow

    LISTEN: Iowa Cooperative to Build the World’s Largest Honey Bottling Plant
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About

Radio for manufacturing and engineering professionals. New industrial products, news and technical articles.

Information

  • Creator
    Eric Sorensen
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 IEN Radio
  • Show Website
    IEN Radio