May 19, 2017

A great soucre for custom electronics. Printed Circuit boards, Cables, Harnesses and box builds, Arc-tronics knows how to make great components for less with US quality. Since 1972, Arc-Tronics has been providing streamlined solutions for electronic manufacturing services in the industrial, medical, space and defense industries. They are experts in all aspects of production and assembly of printed circuit boards, cable and harnesses, box builds and more. All employees are trained to J-STD-001 standards. All assemblies are built to IPC 610 or 620 Class II or III standards depending on customer requirements. Their customers maintain ownership of custom engineering technology including patents. State-of-the-art equipment ensures the quality of products, from prototypes to production runs, manufactured to exact specifications. Arc-Tronics offers complete technical support on your projects. The in-depth experience of our engineering group is a critical asset for our customers. They are specialists in a broad range of applications, including advanced electronic system design and CAD printed circuit board layout. Their diverse capabilities and expertise assure the fast turnaround of pre-production units and engineering prototypes. Arc-Tronics, Inc. 1150 Pagni Drive Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 P:847.437.0211 F: 847.437.0181...

May 9, 2017

Featured on D2Pmagazine.com BURLINGTON, Mass.—Desktop Metal, an emerging startup with a mission to bring metal 3D printing to all design and manufacturing teams, recently announced a Series C investment of $45 million, led by GV (formerly Google Ventures), BMW i Ventures, and Lowe’s Ventures. Desktop Metal will use the funding to continue to develop its technology and scale production as the company prepares for its product launch later this year. The company has raised a total of $97 million in equity funding since its founding in October 2015, according to a press release from Desktop Metal. Previous investors include NEA, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Lux Capital, GE Ventures, Saudi Aramco, and 3D printing company Stratasys. Driven by invention, Desktop Metal is committed to accelerating the adoption of metal 3D printing in design and manufacturing through the creation of innovative technology that produces complex parts. “Just as plastic 3D printing paved the way for rapid prototyping, metal 3D printing will make a profound impact on the way companies both prototype and mass produce parts across all major industries,” said Ric Fulop, CEO and co-founder of Desktop Metal, in the release. “We are fortunate to have the backing of a leading group of strategic investors who support both our vision and our technology, and who are pivotal in propelling our company forward as we prepare for our product introduction in 2017.” Desktop Metal has amassed a world-class team of experts in the fields of materials science, engineering, and software, including 75 engineers. Leading the company is Fulop, who was the co-founder of A123 Systems and a general partner at North Bridge, an early investor in leading CAD and 3D printing companies, including MarkForged, OnShape, Proto Labs, and SolidWorks. The leadership team also comprises several MIT professors including Ely Sachs, an early pioneer of 3D printing and the inventor of binder jetting; Chris Schuh, chairman of MIT’s Materials Science and Engineering Department; and professors Yet Ming Chiang, an expert in materials science, and John Hart, who leads the mechano-synthesis lab. Also on the leadership team are Jonah Myerberg, a leader in materials engineering; Rick Chin, one of the early team members of SolidWorks and previously founder...

May 1, 2017

SME Silicon Valley Chapter Conference: “21st Century Manufacturing – Advanced Technology Trends in Silicon Valley”  In Conjunction with the Design-2-Part Show April 21, 2017 – The SME Silicon Valley Chapter 98 will present a one-day conference, “21st Century Manufacturing – Advanced Technology Trends in Silicon Valley.” The 12th annual technical conference will be held on Thursday, May 25, 2017 from 8:30 am to 6 pm at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Attendees will explore manufacturing trends in the Bay Area throughout a wide range of industries. They will hear presentations from government representatives and industry leaders. There will also be equipment demonstrations from sponsors and opportunities for career development with a Career Fair. Highlights include: City Programs Promoting Manufacturing IoT in the Industrial Environment BioMedical Disruption in the Valley Robotics/Automation in Manufacturing This conference is presented by the SME Silicon Valley, in collaboration with the North Bay and Sacramento Chapters and also in collaboration with the student chapters from San Jose State University, Laney College, and De Anza College. The event will be held in conjunction with the Northern California Design-2-Part Show, the largest show in the region to focus exclusively on contract manufacturing services. The show will run May 24-25 also at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The 2017 show will feature nearly 200 of the finest American contract manufacturing companies exhibiting design-through-manufacturing services covering more than 300 product categories.   SME Conference Program Highlights Welcome – Kyle MacLeod  Opening Keynote – Nat Mani, CEO, Bestronics Presentation: Industrial Automation and IoT – John Dulchinos, VP Global Automation, Jabil Manufacturing in My City – Mayor John Marchand, City of Livermore, Mayor Lily Mei, City of Fremont Afternoon Welcome – Kevin Gregerson Biomedical Trends of the 21st Century and Why Silicon Valley is the Place to Be – Gregory Theyel, Director, Biomedical Manufacturing Network Benefits of Robotics in Manufacturing  State-of-the-Art Manufacturing Processes and how they will Affect Manufacturing in the Valley over the Next 5 Years: Noreen King, President and CEO, Evolve Manufacturing Technologies Inc. Practical Industry 4.0 Deployment – Joel Falcone, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer – Excelitas  Closing Keynote – Dr. Malcolm J. Thompson, Executive Director, NEXTFLEX  Reception and Career Fair    The conference is open...

Apr 28, 2017

“Sandia’s Solar Glitter Moves Closer to Market with New Licensing Agreement” Featured on Design-2-Part Magazine ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —An Albuquerque company founded by a Sandia National Laboratories scientist-turned-entrepreneur has received a license for a “home-grown” technology that could revolutionize the way solar energy is collected and used. The licensing agreement between mPower Technology Inc. and Sandia was signed Jan. 23. The agreement covers microsystems enabled photovoltaics (MEPV), according to a press release from Sandia. “This is an important milestone,” said Murat Okandan, founder and chief executive officer of mPower, in the press release. “It is an extremely exciting time in the solar industry with the upcoming critical, rapid change in the worldwide energy infrastructure. A lot of things are coming together and we’re excited to be part of it.” MEPV uses micro-design and micro-fabrication techniques to make miniature solar cells, also known as “solar glitter.” Dragon SCALEs are small, lightweight, flexible solar cells that fit into and power devices or sensors of any shape or size, including wearable ones. The high-efficiency cells can be integrated into satellites and drones, biomedical and consumer electronics, and can be folded like paper for easy transport. Dragon SCALEs also make possible new shapes and materials and faster, cheaper installation of solar energy systems on buildings, said Okandan. The product offers higher voltage, greater reliability, and lower energy costs than standard silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells, he added. “The key limitation to silicon is that if you bend and flex it, it will crack and shatter,” Okandan said. “Our technology makes it virtually unbreakable, while keeping all the benefits of high efficiency, high reliability silicon PV. It allows us to integrate PV in ways that weren’t possible before, such as in flexible materials, and deploy it faster in lighter-weight, larger-area modules.” Okandan said standard silicon PV operates with low voltage and high current at the cell and module level, which requires more silver or copper and adds cost. MEPV allows high-voltage and low-current configurations with less metal in the system and meshes well with integrated power electronics. “These are basic benefits that apply fundamentally to large-scale solar deployment,” Okandan said. “And the same technology provides key advantages in satellites, drones, and portable...

Apr 20, 2017

Since 1920, Mercury has been a leader in the Contract Manufacturing world. Whether it’s the fabrication of a simple metal cabinet, or a complex, highly engineered business product requiring assembly of plastic, metal, and electronic components, we do it all. For over 85 years Mercury has been a privately held corporation. We take pride in the fact we are different than public companies. Our business culture, sense of community, sense of pride, and ethics are based on those same family values we were founded upon. Because we are privately held, we take a different approach to doing business. Get to know us and you will see what a difference Mercury makes. Mercury enjoys a rich history with roots deep into the early days of aviation. After surviving two World Wars and Depression, Mercury has built itself into the reputable company it is today. Mercury is with you every step of the way. From concept to full- scale production, we provide the tools you need to get your product to market....