BERLIN–Volkswagen has started building its ID.3 electric vehicle, but is bracing for a major production disruption from a shortage of semiconductors.

SUZHOU, China–Dreame Technology has begun production of ultra-high-speed smart vacuum motors at its facility here. The motors, which can reach 150,000 rpm, will be used in a cordless vacuum model expected to be released in March 2021.

PITEA, Sweden—The research institute RISE is building a facility here that will focus on testing sustainable composite manufacturing. Its key piece of equipment is an AP&T servohydraulic press.

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN—A team of Purdue University mechanical engineers has created the first comprehensive open-source annotated database of 3D mechanical parts to help researchers apply machine learning to those parts in actual machines.

JONESBORO, AR—Camfil Air Pollution Control, manufacturer of industrial dust, fume and mist collection systems, recently announced plans to construct a new manufacturing plant here to replace its previous building that was destroyed by a tornado in March. Target completion date is early 2022.

NEW YORK—A new Study from Thomas and Women in Manufacturing shows that one in three manufacturing professionals and one in four manufacturing leaders are women. The medical-healthcare sector has the highest female-identifying employee presence at 54 percent.

DETROIT—General Motors Corp. recently announced that it will spend $27 billion on all-electric and autonomous vehicles through 2025, an increase of $7 billion, or 35 percent, from initial plans announced in March.

BOXBOROUGH, MA—German contract manufacturer Vibalogics GmbH is investing $150 million and hiring 100 people for a facility here to help Big Pharma develop a COVID-19 vaccine. The company plans to open the site by the second half of 2021.

LONDON–On January 1, 2021, new regulations by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in the UK will require medical devices of all classes to be registered with the agency. These regulations may impact the number of approved medical devices in the future.

BEVERLY, MA–Freudenberg Medical has completed construction of a new medical manufacturing facility here that will produce devices and components in medical- and implant-grade silicones, and high-performance plastics.