Manufacturing Minute: Ford’s Latest Project Is A Car-Simulating Baby Crib

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In this episode, self-diagnosing industrial equipment and Ford debuts a crib that simulates night-time drives. This is your Manufacturing Minute.

Ford’s Car-Simulating Cradle

When you think Ford, I’m willing to bet you don’t think baby products. Well, it turns out that the Big 3 automaker has developed a cot called the Max Motor Dreams. The idea behind this high-tech crib is that it will simulate a night-time drive which (for many parents) is the only way to help soothe and calm their baby to sleep.

According to Ford, the Max Motors Dreams perfectly mimics a nocturnal car ride with everything from the motion, engine noise and eve the street lighting used to in those late-night drives. Ford’s crib is controlled by a smartphone app that enables it to record and reproduce all the comforting movements and senses the child needs to fall asleep.

Currently, Ford’s high-tech crib is just a one-off pilot project, but after apparently receiving numerous inquiries, it’s considering putting the cot into full-scale production.

What do you think of Ford’s latest venture?

Tweet me your thoughts @MnetNews or leave your comments in the section below.


Self-Diagnosing Industrial Equipment

Today's industrial machinery allows manufacturers to produce complex components more efficiently than ever before, but problems could still result in lost production or even in defective parts.

A team of German engineers hopes to combat those issues with a system that essentially enables machines to conduct continuous check-ups of themselves -- and automatically notify operators of a potential problem before it becomes obvious.

Researchers from Saarland University noted that equipment often behaves differently -- vibrating, overheating or making different noises -- long before it actually fails.

Their study outfitted machines with sensors that were able to interact with existing process sensors and with each other.

The sensor network continuously collects data from the machinery and compares it to the signal patterns of machines operating normally.

The system is able to detect even the slightest changes in machinery operations and allow manufacturers to take action to address any issues.

The team eventually hopes to tailor the system to meet individual companies' needs.

They plan to demonstrate the technology at the Hannover Messe industrial showcase later this month and test the system in cooperation with German industrial giants Bosch Rexroth and Festo.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Could this be the end of factory downtime?

Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

That’s all the time we have for today, but tune in every Tuesday and Thursday for your next Manufacturing Minute.