DETROIT — U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette recently announced $139 million in federal funding for 55 projects across the country that will support new and innovative advanced vehicle technologies.

DEARBORN, MI — In a unique pilot program, Ford Motor Co. is deploying four-legged robots into tough-to-reach areas within the company's Van Dyke Transmission Plant to collect data that can be used to retool plants, thereby saving Ford engineers time and money.

JACKSONVILLE, FL — A West Virginia-based plastics manufacturer, Flying W Plastics, will invest $8 million in a new facility here and create 28 new jobs.

ADELPHI, MD — U.S. Army researchers have discovered a way to monitor the performance of 3D printed parts, which tend to have imperfections that affect performance in ways that traditionally machined parts do not.

BIRMINGHAM, UK — In a new report, researchers at the University of Birmingham say that manufacturers must redesign and reform their global supply chains or global production networks if they want to survive and prosper in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WASHINGTON — Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) has introduced legislation that would establish an independent federal institute—the National Institute of Manufacturing (NIM)—to serve as a hub for federal manufacturing programs.

BATTLE CREEK, MI—A worker at DENSO’s auto parts assembly plant here died last week from COVID-19. An additional 17 other employees across the company’s five Michigan factories have tested positive.

WARTON, UK—BAE Systems will open a new assembly plant at its manufacturing complex here that will apply cobots, virtual and augmented reality, and other advanced technologies to the assembly of military aircraft.

LOUISVILLE, KY—GE Appliances, a Haier company, is investing $62 million to expand production at its Appliance Park manufacturing complex here. The investment is expected to create 260 new jobs as each of the three major assembly plants at the 750-acre complex ramp up to produce more washers, dryers, dishwashers and refrigerators.