NVIDIA, Boeing & Unilever: Top Manufacturing News This Week
16 March
ABB Robotics has announced it will integrate NVIDIA Omniverse libraries into RobotStudio, its software programming, design and simulation suite for industrial robotics.
The partnership enables manufacturers to deploy physical AI in real-world robotics applications through accurate digital simulation and synthetic data generation.
Marc Segura, President of ABB Robotics, explains: "Using NVIDIA accelerated computing and simulation technologies, we have removed the last barriers to making industrial and physical AI a reality at a global scale by closing the sim-to-real gap."
The partnership focuses on connecting RobotStudio with the simulation power of NVIDIA Omniverse libraries, which provide a platform for physically accurate simulation.
19 March
An AI tool developed by Boeing can quickly validate part numbers so inspectors can easily confirm the correct components are installed on aeroplanes.
Boeing engineers developed the solution to streamline quality inspectors’ work and improve accuracy.
According to McKinsey, AI is expected to herald a new age of efficiency in operations, in manufacturing and supply chain alone, it could reduce expenses by up to half a trillion dollars.
To avoid manual entry of long serial numbers, inspectors of Boeing's aircraft are now able to photograph part information with a handheld device.
AI then extracts and logs the data into the aircraft readiness log (ARL).
20 March
Unilever is considering a potential sale of its foods assets, which include Marmite, Horlicks and Knorr.
The multinational consumer goods company, based in the UK, is in talks with US business McCormick & Company about the potential sale.
Unilever has confirmed that it has received an inbound offer for its Foods business and is in discussions with McCormick about the matter.
This follows its 2025 demerger of The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which Unilever says made it a more focused company.
16 March
The Cadillac Formula 1 Team has entered its inaugural season having received final approval to join the grid as F1’s 11th team.
While General Motors (GM) has been manufacturing cars since 1908, the American team faces new challenges in this fast-paced and tightly regulated sport.
Nick Schaut, Design Engineer at GM Motorsports, explains: “We are operating in a space that has a lot of restraints and constrictions”
GM engineers have worked early mornings and late nights to get the car completed ahead of its debut this season.
16 March
Between 2005 and 2022, L’Oréal Groupe reduced the water consumption of its plants and distribution centres by 54%.
In 2024, more than half of the water used in its industrial processes came from recycled and reused water.
L’Oréal’s Waterloop factory concept only uses mains water for human consumption and production high-quality water as a raw material.
This means that water needed for utilities, like cleaning equipment and steam production, is recycled or reused in a loop on site.
Executives
Marc Segura
President Robotics Division
Nicholas Schaut
Computational Fluid Dynamics Engineer
