by Gary Mintchell | Sep 18, 2024 | Commentary, News
Department of weird headlines—from today’s OPC Foundation news, “DCS Vendors Shift Toward OPC UA Over Classic.” There is some nuance. But it caused a double take.
From The Athletic newsletter, “NFL Playoff Predictor, updated projections.” It’s only the second week of the season. Predict? Supposedly Yogi Berra stated, “Predictions are difficult, especially about the future.” OK, I suppose if I were an NFL fan, this “news” would give me something to argue about with friends. I envision a sports bar, a beer, noise…
Last week I was in Phoenix for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society annual conference. Plenty of energy. A big change from my normal venues. More coming later. Mostly due to…
This week in Folsom, CA at the Ignition Community Conference. Even more energy. Ignition 8.3 is an exciting release. More later as I gather my thoughts through the fog of fall allergy season.
by Gary Mintchell | Aug 23, 2024 | Commentary, News
After many years of Automation Fair expos from Rockwell Automation, the 2024 edition from November 18-21 in Anaheim boasts a new look and feel. Registration is now open for what Rockwell Automation calls, “a vibrant convergence of innovation, learning, and networking opportunities for industrial operations and technology leaders worldwide.”
The Rockwell publicity team pulled out the old Thesaurus. The four-day agenda is meticulously curated with exclusive programming found nowhere else, featuring tailored sessions, tracks, tours, and experiences designed to inspire and empower attendees. From hands-on learning to executive forums, attendees will gain insights into overcoming production challenges, enhancing resilience, agility, and sustainability, and making a significant impact in their industries.
One reason that Automation Fair always had very high attendance was that distributors brought their best customers and prospects (I did that a few times). Customer attendance was free of charge. This year’s event is much more like the traditional customer conference of its competitors. That means more content and also a fee to attend. Check out the sessions. Good content and networking makes it all worthwhile.
Event Highlights:
- Daily Keynotes: A fan favorite! Prepare to be inspired by industry experts and thought leaders driving meaningful change. Hosted Monday-Wednesday and open to all attendees.
- Expo: Explore more than 120 interactive exhibits across a half-million square feet of the Expo floor, Discovery Theaters showcase new product launches, and Expo tours are available to maximize time on the Expo floor.
- Education: 450+ hours of advanced training, 400+ domain expert presenters and 275+ educational sessions. Experience hands-on labs for interactive training and participate in product and technology sessions focusing on cutting-edge use cases and demonstrations.
- Off-site Tours: Back by popular demand, off-site tours are a unique opportunity to get close to the action at local cutting-edge industrial facilities.
by Gary Mintchell | Aug 20, 2024 | Commentary, News
Here’s a good reason to carefully read what data purveyors and analysts give you. This is from Martin of Newsworthy Data. He’s a data scientist.
First off, this is negative in tone, which is thought to be newsworthy (unstated, but true).
2024 Tech Layoffs
He uses emotionally laden words…revealing the technology firms that have slashed the most jobs in 2024 so far.
And…record-breaking 263 thousand job losses last year, the global technology sector continues to face significant workforce reductions in 2024 and a total of 203,946 positions have been eliminated across more than 165 tech companies worldwide so far this year.
U.S.-based tech companies have been leading the global tech layoffs in 2024 so far, accounting for an astounding 115,257 job cuts, or 56.51% of the worldwide total.
OK, just where are the most tech jobs? Half seems within some sort of rational order.
Within the U.S., tech firms based in California and Texas have led in job cuts, impacting 48,055 and 35,066 employees, respectively, and accounting for over 70% of the nation’s total reductions.
In which states are tech firms concentrated? Oh, California and Texas. Duh.
Conversely, companies in Montana and Virginia have reported the fewest tech job cuts this year, with a combined total of just 90 positions slashed.
Oh, yes, that high tech bastion of Montana.
When you get statistics thrown at you especially in mass media (or social media), check carefully. The only real news here is that many tech companies were bloated and were forced to reduce workforce. He doesn’t address who was hiring to offset some or all of this.
by Gary Mintchell | Aug 16, 2024 | Commentary, News, Podcast
Podcast Audio and Video Posted
Many times in my career I have hired into a company during the initial surge of a market. Good jobs. Excitement. Opportunity to work on new things. Then the market matured or collapsed usually due to external forces such as technology changes or consumer behavior.
I hit recreation vehicles at a high point followed by high inflation and gasoline price surges. Then a consumer product company where Consumer Reports published a poorly researched article—but the external market also changed. Then PC peripherals. The latest was automation where a few of us started a magazine to cover it. The market was good for about 10 years. Then we went into brief cycles of IIoT, edge, networks, collaborative robots, IT companies looking at the manufacturing market.
This podcast began life in 2007 as Automation Minutes. I morphed it into Gary on Manufacturing to make it more general. That was more than 10 years ago. Must be time for another change.
That all is quite mature now.
Where do you think the offsetting new technologies or customer behavior will lead now? Or, is the market just going to begin to either consolidate further or split? What do you think?
by Gary Mintchell | Aug 15, 2024 | Commentary, News
I see Dr. Bob Kapheim several days a week at the community fitness center. He’s a professor in the science department at Judson University in suburban Chicago. A couple of weeks ago he told me his book had been published. The Lithium Rush Is On! Li. I ordered a copy from Bookshop.org and read it the last couple of days.
Why do we care about Lithium? Well, you can read the book, but in a word—batteries. You have Lithium Ion batteries all around you. Got a mobile phone? There’s one. I have an electric vehicle. There’s a big one.
Bob’s book is not long, but it is a comprehensive look at lithium. Where it resides in the ground. How it’s mined. Which countries stand to get a windfall in cash. What companies are mining.
If you have even the slightest curiosity about this metal important to our culture, check out the book. (My links are to Bookshop.org. They support local booksellers. The links are also not affiliate links where I would make a few dimes if you click.)
Doing my own due diligence, I asked ChatGPT for some of the latest on batteries. I received this.
Recent advancements in battery research are pushing the boundaries of energy storage and have the potential to significantly impact industries such as electric vehicles (EVs), consumer electronics, and even aviation.
1. **Solid-State Batteries**: Solid-state batteries are one of the most promising developments. These batteries use solid electrolytes instead of the liquid ones found in traditional lithium-ion batteries, which allows them to charge faster, last longer, and operate more safely. Recent innovations in this field include improvements in electrolyte composition and AI-driven material design, which could reduce costs and improve the performance of EVs. Companies like Volkswagen and Toyota are leading the charge, with commercial production expected by 2025.
2. **Cobalt-Free Batteries**: Researchers are also making strides in developing cobalt-free batteries. Cobalt, widely used in lithium-ion batteries, poses ethical and environmental challenges due to its scarcity and the conditions under which it is mined. MIT researchers have developed an organic battery that uses a material called TAQ, which could match the performance of traditional cobalt batteries while being more sustainable and cheaper to produce. This innovation could help reduce the reliance on cobalt in EV batteries.
3. **Anode-Free Sodium Batteries**: Another significant breakthrough comes from the development of anode-free sodium all-solid-state batteries. These batteries are not only less expensive but also faster to charge and more environmentally friendly than traditional lithium-ion batteries. This technology could open up new possibilities for large-scale energy storage, particularly in grid applications where cost and safety are paramount.
These advancements suggest a future where batteries are not only more efficient and powerful but also more sustainable, making them crucial for the transition to a greener economy.
by Gary Mintchell | Aug 13, 2024 | Commentary, News, Sustainability
I bought and EV about a year ago, so I have a special interest in what’s happening in the lithium and lithium battery markets. A guy who comes to our community fitness center almost as often as I do has written a book on lithium. More on that later.
Let’s combine an interest in lithium battery technology and manufacturing with a market analysis by the research firm I’ve found to have the best methodology, Interact Analysis. Research Associate Renee Ju has written about her latest report, “Li-ion Battery and Manufacturing Equipment”, that provides a deep analysis of the current battery recycling market.
Interact Analysis’ upcoming report “Li-ion Battery and Manufacturing Equipment” , and this insight explores some of the key themes in the report.
Manufacturers that establish recycling businesses come from across the battery industry chain, including upstream raw mineral and material suppliers, midstream battery manufacturers, vehicle OEMs and businesses specializing in battery recycling. In China, there are fewer large-scale companies that specialize in lithium battery recycling and currently companies with battery recycling plants tend to be manufacturers from elsewhere in the lithium battery industry chain. In contrast, in other major country markets the li-ion battery recycling market is dominated by large-scale recycling manufacturers that specialize in recycling businesses, such as Li-cycle. Other companies in the lithium battery industry chain predominantly participate in the battery recycling market through collaboration with recycling companies.
Aside from signing cooperative research agreements, cooperation on battery recycling among companies in the lithium battery industry chain usually takes the form of signing supply agreements. These can be divided into directional supply and establishing a closed-loop recycling ecosystem. Directional supply involves OEMs and battery manufacturers supplying scrap batteries or scrap materials to recycling companies, and recycling companies supplying recycled materials obtained from processing scrap batteries to raw material manufacturers.
In contrast, some companies collaborate with the aim of establishing a closed-loop recycling ecosystem. If we take the collaboration announced by GEM in February 2023 with Mercedes-Benz China, CATL, and Brunp as an example: Mercedes-Benz China’s retired waste batteries will be processed by GEM and Brunp, with the recycled key raw materials such as nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium supplied to CATL’s supply chain and used to produce new batteries for Mercedes-Benz. The cooperation in battery recycling between upstream and downstream companies in the lithium battery industry chain not only meets environmental protection requirements but also maximizes battery value and reduces battery production costs.
Some companies whose main operations are not directly related to batteries are also exploring the market for battery recycling, such as sanitation companies and other recycling enterprises (including those specializing in metal recycling and solid waste recycling). Typically, these companies run the battery recycling businesses through collaboration with lithium battery-related companies, with the recycling business supplying the products of their recycling plants to raw material manufacturers for further application in the lithium battery industry and for use in other industries. For example, the recycled nickel, cobalt, and tungsten powders can be utilized in the production of hard alloys, rather than being directly used in the production of lithium battery-related products.
With the rapid expansion of lithium battery capacity and the imminent wave of retired power batteries, recycling has become a safe, environmentally friendly, and economical way to dispose of scrap batteries and raw materials. As relevant policies and regulations are continuously improved and implemented by different countries, the battery recycling market is entering a new stage of professionalization and scale, with market opportunities continuously emerging. As a restructuring of the industry ecosystem takes place, optimizing resource allocation, strengthening technological research and development, accelerating upstream and downstream collaboration, and promoting the integration of the industrial chain may become the keys to success.
