Supply Chain
Anyone who has cracked their smartphone screen or had a rapid oil change knows that sometimes the OEM isn’t the most affordable or convenient service option. Consumer flexibility, paired with lower-cost, high-quality options, is logical, whether it’s in the consumer market or in healthcare.…
According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, trade with our three largest partners—Canada, China, and Mexico—accounted for more than $1.32 trillion in imports and $0.82 trillion in exports in calendar year 2024. This represented 40% of the total trade between the…
In metamaterials design, the name of the game has long been “stronger is better.”
Metamaterials are synthetic materials with microscopic structures that give the overall material exceptional properties. A huge focus has been in designing metamaterials that are stronger and stiffer…
When Jonaaron Jones started his master’s degree at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (UT), his mentor invited him to visit the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, or MDF, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). “I saw a metal 3D-printed part for the first time,” says Jones. “I knew I was…
The Chinese character for crisis means “danger” and “opportunity,” and tariffs have created a supply chain crisis throughout the United States. Paul Roberts of the Seattle Times reports that fewer ships are arriving in Seattle: “Fewer ships coming into the U.S. means companies can’t get…
A common lithium salt has revealed new possibilities for manufacturing cheaper, longer-lasting battery materials.
The discovery centers on sublimation, a commonly known process whereby, under the right conditions, a solid turns directly into a vapor. Sublimation is what creates…
