Notes.
Lot of stuff this week. One note: I'm behind on personal email, and that's likely to continue for the next week or two at least. If I owe you a reply, it's nothing personal!
Wayfinding & Strategy.
- Tesla put an offer in to purchase SolarCity with $2.8B of stock. I recommend reading Horace Dediu on whether Elon Musk is "asking the right question" first. Then check out the MIT Tech Review on the technical risk that Tesla is taking on with their new battery plant. Then Seeking Alpha on (appropriately) the increased risk of bankruptcy that SolarCity's $900M worth of convertible notes will bring to Tesla. I'm excited about these two companies officially joining forces, but agree that "no brainer" is a mischaracterization.
- Some interesting details about ANSYS's acquisition of SpaceClaim.
- The Fusion 360 public product roadmap is pretty impressive - both in terms of features and in terms of transparency.
- China could get 26% of its power from wind by 2030.
Making & Manufacturing.
- I was interviewed! By AdditiveManufacturing.com, on the usual stuff :)
- I think Automated Dynamics might make all of the multi-axis composite layup equipment (and design software!) that I've ever wished for. SO much cooler than MarkForged.
- Boston Dynamics released some videos of a new dog/giraffe robot. It's small, electric, and bites.
- Rolls Royce's crazy concept self driving car.
- LA is getting a "Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute."
- A pretty cool little rotary engine.
Distribution & Logistics.
- On Austin after Uber/Lyft. Worth noting: An increase in DUI arrests is not the same thing as an increase in drunk driving.
- Port Canavaral might start chaging SpaceX a $15k wharfage fee for every booster that comes back from sea landings.
- The new Paris Metro map.
- A company called Magazino is making distribution center robots with some advantages over Amazon's (Kivas).
- One of Tesla's cofounders is making hybrid electric garbage trucks.
Inspection & Testing.
- My EBM titanium seatposts failed after ~75,000 fatigue cycles.
Tangents.
- On Lebron James' heroic arc.
- Weighing the benefits and costs of artificial intelligence, robots and the gig economy.
Credit to Brad for sending links this week. If you see something, send something :)
And.
The NYTimes' thorough, critical, and appropriately interactive
piece on the new Panama Canal.
Love, Spencer.
p.s. - We should be better friends. Send me a note - coffee's on me :)
