Many Methods Are Stuck in 20th Century Fabrication Paradigms
Modern manufacturing systems largely rely on paradigms developed in the last century where large machines produce components smaller than themselves. This approach is increasingly limited by scaling challenges and cost inefficiencies. To meet future demands, we need to reimagine manufacturing by developing universal robotic construction systems and low-capital, high-energy manufacturing solutions that leverage emerging technologies such as advanced robotics, precision machining, and renewable energy integration. These innovations could, for example, dramatically lower the cost of machining high-performance materials like titanium or enable widespread automation in sectors like desalination.
Foundational Capabilities (4)
Build the robots that build the robots.
The current paradigm of all automated manufacturing is for machines (from robot arms to presses) to make things smaller than themselves. This quickly runs into scaling limits etc.
Electrochemical machining (ECM) creates complex shapes with high precision, but is costly. Lower cost ECM could make machined titanium as cheap as aluminum.