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The Today in Manufacturing Podcast is brought to you by the editors from Manufacturing.net and Industrial Equipment News (IEN).
In each episode, we discuss the five biggest stories in manufacturing, and the implications they have on the industry moving forward. This week:
What Takes Years and Costs $20K? A San Francisco Trash Can - @2:51
Six trash cans will hit San Francisco's streets this summer. The city hired a local industrial firm to custom-design a $20,000 trash can. On top of that, they made two other prototypes that cost taxpayers $19,000 and $11,000 each.
1 Dead, 9 Injured After Autonomous Test Car Veers Into Traffic - @15:01
On Tuesday, an autonomous steering test car veered into oncoming traffic in Germany.
3M Could Face 'Bankruptcy' Over Defective Earplugs - @24:58
3M could be on the hook for damages from more than 230,000 lawsuits still pending.
Court Sides with Mfg Worker Who Called in Sick via Facebook - @34:07
Kasey Roberts was fired from his job at Gestamp West Virginia, a metal stamping factory that supplies the auto industry. Roberts missed several weeks of work after an emergency appendectomy turned into an infection.
EV Battery Factory on 'Life Support' - @46:26
Britishvolt was founded three years ago. The company wants to build a “Gigaplant” in the northeast of England to make batteries for the domestic automotive industry.
In Case You Missed It
Company Charged in Worker Death After Repeated Injuries - @56:11
On Monday, the Department of Justice announced criminal charges against ABC Polymer for the willful violations of OSHA standards.
Business Giving $55M in Bonuses to Frontline Workers - @1:01:40
Home improvement chain Lowe’s announced it will spend $55 million on bonuses for its frontline hourly employees. This comes as manufacturers lose workers to retail and warehouse.
Duke Energy Tests F-150 Lightning as a Power Grid Backup - @1:05:57
Duke Energy is looking at new ways customers may one day be able to use two-way charging from electric vehicles to power their own homes during outages and help support the power grid.
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