IEN Radio

Hosted by Eric Sorensen

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1152

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Oct 2026

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

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October 14, 20262 min

NOW: Rivian Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts: EV Maker Deploys Ghostbusters Themed Software Update

EV maker Rivian decided they wanted to have some fun with their customers this Halloween and - when that’s the case - who you gonna call? Apparently Sony Pictures - where a collaboration with the studio, says Rivian, will “bring the Ghostbusters universe to all Rivian vehicles.” Delivered last week via an over-the-air software update, Rivian is transforming its vehicles into “ghost-hunting machines,” enabling drivers to turn on “Halloween Mode” for a fun experience involving lights, sounds and some “unexpected surprises.” Rivian designed a dedicated app for this Halloween-inspired theme and stresses that it should be switched on while the vehicle is in Park in order to activate the features. One of these is dubbed “Trick or Treat Mode” and Rivian says it takes over your driver and rear displays, “the Ghostbusters theme song starts playing, and the exterior lights and sound effects switch over to match.” A module featuring games allows you to pop Mini-Pufts marshmallow men or engage in a scavenger hunt to unlock new animations and audio. Part of this campaign will also include marketing featuring the one-and-only Bill Murray who played Dr. Peter Venkman in the original film, as well as a real-life Rivian version of the Ectomobile. Referred to as the Ecto-R1, Rivian said the build’s goal was “honoring the 1984 classic while staying true to the Rivian design language.” The result was 22” Aero wheels, red graphic sweeps across the body and a No-Ghost logo on the doors and hood. Rivian said that it included “every functional accessory including the sirens, spotlights, radar dish, and side tanks,” and redesigned the rack structure. The automaker added that the vintage emergency lights were sourced and restored, but besides that “the custom frame and every accessory housing were fabricated in-house by [its] Special Projects team.” While Rivian’s decision to cross streams into Ghost hunting is unique, you’ve got to admit - it’s also fun. Why not dress up your vehicle for Halloween and take advantage of Rivian’s end-to-end, vertically integrated hardware and software architecture, technology that enables the automaker to “seamlessly push creative, real-time experiences straight to the vehicle” – slime not included. #Rivian #Ghostbusters #EV #ElectricVehicles #Automotive #AutomotiveTechnology #OverTheAirUpdates #SoftwareUpdates #VehicleSoftware #VehicleDesign #SpecialProjects #Halloween #Ecto1 #Ectomobile #SonyPictures #BillMurray #Innovation #Manufacturing #ManufacturingNow #AutomotiveManufacturing

October 13, 20262 min

LISTEN: Invisible Tattoo Ink Can Be Switched On and Off with Bright Light

Engineers from the University of Colorado Boulder have designed invisible multicolored tattoo inks that can be switched on and off with different kinds of light. The ideological version of this technology would allow individuals to hide their tattoos during important business meetings—and not for any other reason ever. The inks, known as "PhotoTat," are made from dyes and a plexiglass-like material used in dermal fillers—the gel-like substance injected beneath the skin to smooth out wrinkles and plump up the kisser. Dr. Carson Bruns, a nanotechnologist from the University of Colorado Boulder, and lead author of a new study, published in “Matter & Light.” said, “Tattooing is a very ancient technology that remains mostly untapped as a platform for today's technologies." PhotoTat is made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) which forms small spheres that look like glass. The little balls are filled with a range of color-changing dyes. Normally, these dyes are invisible to the human eye. But when you shine an ultraviolet light on them, they change color in seconds—turning blue, magenta or yellow. The colors fade over several hours, but you can also switch them off faster by exposing them to a bright LED light. Next, the researchers hope to improve the design and one day make them available at parlors around the world. That includes making sure they are safe for other humans. However, like many an aspiring tattoo artist, Bruns has tried the inks on himself in a fish scale pattern on his leg, that can be turned red, orange or blue. Bruns calls them his "magical mermaid scales.” PhotoTats could also have practical applications, like on cancer patients to help doctors guide the radiation beams. Current markers carry both a mental and physical weight. This research was supported by funding from HYPRSKN, the National Science Foundation, and the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Bruns is the CSO HYPRSKN, which is based in New York, already markets Microscopic Adapto-Generative Intradermal Colorant or M.A.G.I.C. Ink as the “world's first on-demand rewritable, erasable and reprogrammable tattoo ink.” So you too can one day use intradermal science to get your very own magical mermaid scales or make your forearm a doodlepad. #PhotoTat #TattooTechnology #SmartMaterials #MaterialScience #Nanotechnology #UniversityOfColoradoBoulder #Innovation #Engineering #BiomedicalEngineering #MedicalTechnology #CancerResearch #RadiationTherapy #WearableTechnology #AdvancedMaterials #Science #Manufacturing #ManufacturingNow #ResearchAndDevelopment #TechInnovation #FutureTechnology

October 13, 202613 min

LISTEN: Gen Z in Manufacturing: I Don’t Want to Do the Same Thing for the Next 20 Years

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 Rayyan Shafqat, a 15-year-old student at Brooklyn Technical High School. Shafqat recently designed an Arduino-based carbon monoxide detection system that automatically shuts off boilers when it reaches dangerous levels. Using a low-cost semiconductor sensor, the prototype continuously monitors carbon monoxide, validates dangerous readings and triggers a solenoid valve to cut fuel to the boiler. Out of 422 proposals nationwide, Shafqat’s design won first place at the 2026 Quality of Life Innovations Ceremony, awarded by Working in Support of Education (W!SE). In this episode, Shafqat discusses: (1:11) How young people approach problem solving (4:06) If Gen Z want to be taught or teach themselves (7:44) Why Gen Z likes to keep their options open (10:58) The qualities of a company that will stand out to young workers Please 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.

October 12, 20262 min

LISTEN: Elderly Couple Sues Automaker, Says Plant Drove Them from Their Home

When Volkswagen-backed Scout Motors announced in 2023 that it would be building a sprawling factory in Richland County, South Carolina, reaction for the community was largely positive. The goal for the 110,000 square-foot-plant was to produce 200,000 vehicles per year and employ 4,000 workers. But more recently, the supporters of this project have declined by at least two. An elderly couple who lives adjacent to the factory project in Blythewood have filed a lawsuit claiming construction on the property drove them from their home of 40 years. William and Barbara Shives – aged 92 and 84 respectively - are suing Scout and have named three trades companies as co-defendants due to their involvement in the construction and oversight of the project. According to reports, the suit identifies a series of issues that allegedly stemmed from the work. The Shives say the project – which allegedly featured persistent dust, noise and vibration – “damaged their septic system, washed out their driveway, and repeatedly tossed rubble onto their property” and that “the last thing [they] ever expected was to be run out of town.” Scout has so far denied responsibility. According to an Oct 2 legal filing from Scout, reported by Columbia news source The State , “The damages alleged by [The Shives,] if any, were due solely to the actions of [subcontractors] and were not caused by any act or omission,” by Scout. If the allegations are proven, the company believes it would be due to contractor negligence and they would be responsible for the damages – not Scout. Robert Goings, the Shives’ attorney, pointed to a “blame game” saying “nobody has tried to make it right for the Shives.” The State says that, while this was the first suit filed by a neighbor of the project, it wasn’t the first issue. According to the report, state officials determined last year that “sediment-filled stormwater had been allowed to run off the site and into the surrounding environment,” which resulted in a fine against Richland County of $1 million. The Shives have long been considered pillars of their community, reports say. Attorney Goings told The State they are being "uprooted from their property” and are “reluctantly being forced to file this case because they are being given no other alternative.” #ScoutMotors #AutomotiveManufacturing #Manufacturing #ManufacturingNow #FactoryConstruction #Construction #IndustrialDevelopment #SouthCarolina #Blythewood #PropertyDamage #EnvironmentalCompliance #AutomotiveIndustry #Infrastructure #CommunityImpact #IndustrialNews #ManufacturingIndustry #LegalNews #SupplyChain

October 8, 20261 min

LISTEN: Philadelphia Cargo Heist: Beef Pallets Stolen as Driver Slept

Investigators in Northeast Philadelphia responded to the scene of an alleged cargo theft this week. A truck driver from Wisconsin reported that he had driven his rig to Pennsylvania before settling down for the night to rest in a parking area. At 3:45 am, the driver awoke to his cab shaking and discovered that three individuals had broken the vehicle’s seal and begun loading pallets of meat into awaiting vehicles. The suspects fled after being spotted, but not before they’d grabbed about five pallets of meat with an estimated value of $40,000. According to local ABC affiliate Channel 6 Action News , police believe the thieves may be part of a larger group with a history of these types of crimes. In 2024, four men were arrested as part of a coordinated effort law enforcement dubbed “ Operation Beef Bandit .” The suspects were accused of using bolt cutters to break into parked trailers across Pennsylvania and New Jersey and stealing “high-value goods” such as meat, seafood and alcohol. Food & beverage products have long been targeted by thieves , though beef is - of course - having something of a moment right now.

October 7, 20262 min

LISTEN: EV Maker Emphasizes 'Commitment' to U.S. Market Despite Cratering Sales

The name VinFast might ring a bell - not because you’ve likely seen its auto badge out on the road, but because the company has made some headlines over the past few years. This Vietnam-based EV maker, in 2022, pledged to build a $2 billion factory in Chatham County, North Carolina. The goal of this plant was to open in 2026 and produce 150,000 VinFast vehicles each year, a task they said would employ 7,500 workers. Since then, the plant project has amounted to little more than a pile of dirt. In May, after building permits had lapsed, North Carolina’s attorney general Jeff Jackson revealed that the state was suing VinFast over the unbuilt factory, with the goal of reclaiming both its investment in clearing the plot and the land itself. For its part, VinFast said that the factory would be there, now just not until 2028. Oh, and those 7,500 jobs? Let’s call it 1,400 now. Still, VinFast said the state’s lawsuit was premature, even accusing North Carolina of “failure to cooperate.” Since then, VinFast has continued to emphasize its commitment to North America. #VinFast #EV #ElectricVehicles #EVManufacturing #Automotive #AutomotiveManufacturing #Manufacturing #ManufacturingNow #NorthCarolina #USManufacturing #ElectricCars #AutoIndustry #Factory #SupplyChain #IndustrialNews #CarNews #EVIndustry #Reshoring

October 6, 20262 min

LISTEN: Powdered Eggshells Used to Make High-Quality Metal

Researchers from North Carolina State University are using powdered eggshells to make high-quality magnesium alloys that could be used in an array of automotive, aerospace and biomedical applications. And while Americans consume roughly 275 million eggs every single day, we certainly have a substantial waste stream to work with. The researchers believe the eggshells could help create a low-cost, more sustainable alternative to conventional calcium materials made from mined ore in energy-intensive processes. Calcium materials, like calcium carbonate and calcium oxide, are used in a wide variety of applications.. Eggshells are 95% calcium carbonate, and the process the researchers use converts it into calcium oxide and nascent calcium. #Manufacturing #MaterialsScience #AdvancedMaterials #Eggshells #Recycling #Upcycling #Magnesium #MagnesiumAlloy #SustainableManufacturing #AutomotiveManufacturing #Aerospace #BiomedicalEngineering #Engineering #Innovation #ManufacturingNow

October 5, 20262 min

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.

October 3, 20261 min

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

October 1, 20263 min

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