The Atlantic has a great article on a new development in manufacturing. They profile a new development in start-ups called Maker Works in Ann Arbor, Michigan where they combine high-tech with manufacturing.

Opened in May of this year, Maker Works  consists of 11,000 square feet of workshop rooms and thrilling collections of heavy machines, including a 3-D printer, laser cutter, metal lathe, circuit engraver, spot welder, and a Shopbot.

Maker Works is home to many start-ups, including Sight Machine:

They’re at the forefront of trying to renovate manufacturing, dragging it into the Internet age, and at the same time, they’re applying new mobile technology to the heavy industries that still power most of the economy that isn’t a banking, insurance, or real estate play.

This is an interesting twist on the manufacturing narrative. One of the issues with integrating these new, high-tech ideas into manufacturing is the culture surrounding tech start-ups. CEO Jon Sobel, however, has an idea of what to do:

That’s “totally solvable,” Sobel maintains, but only by having people on his team who are “fluent” in both cultures. “A lot of our time is spent on explaining, showing, telling and convincing,” he said.

This isn’t any different from any other start-up process, but it is different in the world of manufacturing. Sight Machine, as well as other high-tech manufacturing developments, are worth keeping an eye on.

Eagle Technologies Group is an industry leader in the design and installation of factory automation systems worldwide.