Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1538540
AUGUST 2025 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 51 Andreas Schat z cantly less time, and condition-based maintenance has reduced unplanned downtime. These outcomes demonstrate the benefits of linking proven equip- ment technology with intelligent data systems. Flexible to Evolving Needs Both Uniplate PLBCu6 and DFS are modular, allow- ing configurations to be adapted to different pro- duction setups. Optional controls for pH, conduc- tivity, and consumption monitoring can be added, and batch automation can be enhanced through barcode-driven processes. This flexibility allows manufacturers to evolve their systems as new requirements and sustainability standards emerge. Conclusion The integration of Uniplate PLBCu6 with the Dig- ital Factory Suite shows how PCB manufacturing can move toward greater precision, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. By combining reliable metallization technology with intelligent, data-driven oversight, produc- tion lines can meet rising complex- ity demands while reducing waste and energy use. This approach provides manu- facturers with a practical pathway to consistent, scalable, and sustainable PCB production. PCB007 Giovanni Obino is senior director of Industrial Digital Solutions Equipment, and Andreas Schatz is global product manager of Electronics Equipment at MKS' Atotech. Today's robots are stuck. Their bodies are usually closed systems that can neither grow, self- repair nor adapt to their environment. Now, scientists at Columbia University have developed robots that can physically "grow," "heal," and improve themselves by integrating mate- rial from their environment or from other robots. Described in a new study published in Science Advances, this new process, called "Robot Metabo- lism," enables machines to absorb and reuse parts from other robots or their surroundings. This new paradigm is demonstrated on the Truss Link: a robotic magnet stick inspired by the Geo- mag toy. A Truss Link is a simple, bar-shaped mod- ule equipped with free-form magnetic connectors that can expand, contract, and connect with other modules at various angles, enabling them to form in- creasingly complex structures. The researchers showed how individual Truss Links self-assembled into two-dimensional shapes that could then morph into three-dimensional robots. These robots further improved themselves by inte- grating new parts, effectively "growing" into more capable machines. For example, a 3D tetrahedron- shaped robot integrated an additional link that it could use like a walking stick to increase its downhill speed by more than 66.5%. Researchers envision future robot ecologies where machines independently maintain them- selves, growing and adapting to unforeseen tasks and environments. "Robot Metabolism provides a digital interface to the physical world and allows AI to not only advance cognitively, but physically—creating an entirely new dimension of autonomy," says Wyder. "Initially, systems capable of Robot Metabolism will be used in specialized applications such as disaster recovery or space exploration. Ultimately, it opens up the potential for a world where AI can build physi- cal structures or robots just as it today writes or re- arranges the words in your email." Source: Columbia University Robots That Grow by Consuming Other Robots