Heads up! The future is robotic, especially when it comes to Industry 4.0. Not the chatty Star Wars type robot or the antagonistic HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey, but smart machines doing repetitive, precision or dangerous work – operated remotely by human voice command, touchscreen or joystick. The next generation of skilled workers, in fact, may be technicians who program and manage robotic equipment to undertake difficult or routine tasks, transforming manufacturing and other sectors.

Conditions in space can be hostile. There’s orbiting satellite and rocket debris, radiation from the sun, solar flares and extremes in temperature – not to mention the unknowns of extraterrestrial travel. Is it any wonder astronauts go through such intensive mission training to prepare for any eventuality?

The finishing materials for aircraft components, missiles, spacecraft and satellites are mission-critical in aerospace operations. Without that fine, protective coating, millions of dollars’ worth of technology might never get off the ground.

While most everyone has witnessed the spectacle of a rocket launch – at least on video, if not in person – have you considered the bone-jarring forces propelling that space vehicle?

Polyurethane and polymers – you can’t see them, but you should be happy that they are in everything from the cars we drive to the furniture we sit on – and even in the refrigerators that keep our food fresh. All have polyurethane in their actual material or use it to insulate and protect our food and houses.

Ted Messmer knows, more than most, the importance of having safe and reliable equipment when operating in severe conditions. He flew attack helicopter missions for the U.S. Army for seven years – two in Korea.

Hands down, one of the most pressing issues of the new decade is climate change. When a 17-year-old activist has the world’s attention – and sparred successfully on the subject with President Trump – you know it’s no longer business as usual.

The things we learn from our fathers can impact our lives in unimaginable ways. Dad’s advice can help us chart incredible careers, become corporate leaders or compete at the pinnacle of human endurance.

Old MacDonald had a farm. And on this farm he had a globally positioned autonomous tractor.

Batteries have become completely integrated in our lives. One could say we live in a cordless culture! We use them to power everything from children’s toys to household tools, from portable speakers to vehicles of all sorts. Nearly every bit of technology that we use when we are on the go relies on them.

When it comes to manufacturing for the aerospace industry, precision work and producing expert quality parts and sub-assemblies are just the starting point. But, when you are recognized with 5 Star Certification by an industry leader like Bombardier, you know that you are among the best of the best in your field.

When a service company has someone in the office taking calls on Christmas Eve, that’s a plus. And when the company can get a team to work over the Christmas holiday to make an important repair – that’s going above and beyond. Paul Crawford, CEO of NorthPoint Technical Services, tells the story.

What does a student dorm in San Diego, a 15-storey office building in Charlotte and a Habitat for Humanity housing project in Dallas have in common?

AIM Aerospace is changing the way airplanes are being built. With its R&D in thermoplastics and investments in the latest automation technology, the skies are looking very blue.

Seventy years ago, Lutco Inc. was a metal stamping company that helped the war effort. Now, it is a sophisticated manufacturer of semi-precision bearings and assemblies in fast-growth industries like air cargo transport.

Red Dot Corporation is focused on bringing comfort to people whose office happens to be a vehicle. The company been leading the mobile HVAC industry for 55 years.

RAMPF engineers have developed an intelligent machine bed with cooling lines and sensors to prevent production malfunctions. They’ve also helped Reebok make running shoes from 3D drawings with a specialized liquid dispensing technology. Yes, the factory of the future has arrived.

New technology and digitalization has meant infinitely smaller components and significant changes to electronics manufacturing. To master the market, Pinnacle Technology has been quick to capitalize on new developments and build its long-standing customer base.