Missing Tool Flies for 300 Hours; Celebrity Tequila Stolen; Stanley's Tariff Hit | Today in Manufacturing Ep. 197

Also on the podcast, hackers steal MLB player's Lamborghini, local government won't help 4,000 trapped miners, AI hears battery fires before they start, GE Aero and NASA partner on contrails and homeland security release AI framework.

Editor's note: Download and listen to the audio version below and click here to subscribe to the Today in Manufacturing podcast.

The Today in Manufacturing Podcast is brought to you by the editors of Manufacturing.net and Industrial Equipment News (IEN).

This week's episode is brought to you by Orkin. Do you feel like pests keep finding creative new ways into your facility? You’re not imagining it. Even if you are careful about managing pests, these crafty creatures are always looking for holes in your defenses. So, download "Exclusion Basics: Your First Line of Defense Against Pests" a new guide that gives you the best exclusion practices to keep pests outside your facility. If you’re unfamiliar, exclusion refers to repairing, sealing off and shutting down common pest entry points. Download this new guide now and check out the six signs you might need exclusion services.

Every week, we cover the five biggest stories in manufacturing, and the implications they have on the industry moving forward. This week:

Celebrity Tequila Stolen in Wild $1 Million Heist - @3:20

Thieves targeted a major Santo Spirits shipment as it crossed the border into the United States. The tequila company is co-owned by celebrity chef Guy Fieri and musician Sammy Hagar.

Local Government Won't Help 4,000 Illegal Miners Trapped in Closed Mine - @16:43

Some 4,000 illegal miners are trapped inside a closed South African mine, and the government has no plans to help, including denying access to food, water and other basic supplies.

Hackers Steal MLB Player's Lamborghini By Rerouting Delivery - @26:04

Last month, former Chicago Cub and current Colorado Rockies third baseman Kris Bryant was sitting at his home in Las Vegas eagerly awaiting the delivery of his $300,000 Lamborghini Huracan, but it never came.

Stanley Black and Decker Expects $200M Hit from Tariff Hikes - @38:20

Stanley Black & Decker is preparing to take a big hit from likely tariff hikes under the next presidential administration.

Commercial Jet Flies Nearly 300 Hours with Tool Stuck in its Engine - @54:07

A report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau details an Airbus A380 that, starting December 7, 2023, flew 34 cycles with a tool in its engine after maintenance engineers forgot it.

In Case You Missed It

AI Taught to Hear Battery Fires Before They Start - @1:09:59

Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new method that uses artificial intelligence to determine when a lithium-ion battery could catch fire.

GE Aerospace and NASA Partner on Flight Tests to Accelerate Contrail Understanding - @1:16:21

The testing provides insights for development of new aircraft engines.

Homeland Security Releases Framework or AI in Critical Infrastructure - @1:20:48

AI could play a critical role in the power grid, water system, and other pieces of critical infrastructure.

Please make sure to like, subscribe and share the podcast. You could also help us out a lot by giving the podcast a positive review. Finally, to email the podcast, you can reach any of us at David, Jeff or Anna [at] ien.com, with “Email the Podcast” in the subject line.

More