Jet engine development represents one of engineering's toughest challenges, requiring extraordinary performance at low cost while operating near technological limits. Modern engines must achieve high efficiency, reliability, and safety across diverse conditions, with development costs reaching billions and taking decades to yield returns. The complexity and precision required in both design and manufacturing means only a handful of companies worldwide can successfully produce commercial jet engines.
Carlos Slim has terminated collaboration with Elon Musk's Starlink following controversial accusations, redirecting $22 billion investment to Chinese and European companies. The decision came after Musk posted unsubstantiated claims about Slim's alleged criminal connections, resulting in a $7 billion loss for Musk and reduced US commercial presence in Latin America.
A Y Combinator-backed startup, Optifye.ai, has developed an AI surveillance system that monitors factory workers' movements and productivity through computer vision. The system, created by Duke University students from manufacturing families, allows supervisors to track worker efficiency in real-time and confront underperforming employees directly. The technology raises concerns about worker privacy and workplace conditions, similar to existing surveillance systems in remote work and Amazon warehouses.
Apple announced plans to create 20,000 new US jobs and invest $500 billion domestically over four years, including AI server production in Texas. The announcement follows a meeting between CEO Tim Cook and President Trump amid ongoing concerns about Chinese tariffs.
BYD has produced its first solid-state battery cells on a pilot line in 2024, with mass demonstration expected around 2027 and large-scale production after 2030. The company is focusing on sulphide electrolytes for solid-state cells, aiming to achieve cost parity with current NCM cells at scale. BYD plans to use these batteries primarily in high-end models while maintaining LFP cells for other vehicle segments.
Acer CEO announces 10% price increase on laptops in the US starting March 2025 due to Trump's tariffs, with the company's high-end gaming laptops potentially costing up to $4,178. The Consumer Technology Association warns that these tariffs could cost US customers $143 billion collectively, while offering minimal benefits to US industry.
The Trump administration's proposal for 'reciprocal' tariffs based on perceived unfair trade practices, including the EU's VAT system, reflects a misunderstanding of how value-added taxes work. The real competitiveness issues stem from flaws in the US federal and state tax systems, particularly the problematic design of state sales taxes that create tax pyramiding.
An extensive exploration reveals how the 135-year-old Gorton font, originally designed for lens engravings in the UK, became ubiquitous in industrial and technical applications worldwide, particularly in Manhattan's urban landscape, despite its unconventional design and lack of formal recognition in typography history.
TSMC executives are set to negotiate with the U.S. government over three potential cooperation options, including setting up an advanced packaging factory and potentially partnering with Intel Foundry Services. The proposed arrangements could significantly impact TSMC's operations and relationships with existing partners, while raising concerns about balancing U.S. interests with shareholder value.
Noel Dempsey has spent 30 years salvaging industrial machinery from closed vocational schools across America, highlighting the decline of technical education since the 1980s. The story underscores a critical shortage of skilled manufacturing workers and the urgent need to revitalize career and technical education in the United States. Senator Tim Kaine and other leaders are pushing for increased funding to recruit CTE instructors and rebuild America's manufacturing capabilities.