Episode 160: Robotic blacksmiths - Edward Mehr
Edward Mehr, Co-Founder and CEO of Machina Labs, explains how their RoboCraftsman system uses AI-driven robotics to perform flexible, on-demand metal forming for aerospace, defense, and automotive industries. He details the transition from traditional, rigid factories to portable, software-defined 'data center' style manufacturing that eliminates economies of scale constraints. Mehr discusses the technical challenges of sheet metal springback and how the company bridges the simulation-to-reality gap by combining physics-based models with real-world data capture. He also highlights their work with NASA and the Air Force to rapidly repair legacy systems, and a partnership with Toyota to enable mass-customized vehicle bodies.