U.S. Bans Foreign Humanoid and Mobile Robot Imports

The FCC announced a ban on new imports of foreign-made mobile robots—humanoids and quadrupeds—plus foreign-made power inverters, citing national security and supply chain risks. Stationary robots and models already sold in the U.S. are exempt. China, source of 90% of global humanoid robot shipments last year, faces the biggest impact; the U.S. was its top export market. Since foreign humanoids serve mainly as low-cost R&D platforms rather than industrial tools in the U.S., the ban could slow domestic robotics research and physical AI development, potentially hampering efforts to reshore manufacturing.

The Bottom Line: R&D and automation engineers using humanoids for physical AI development face a loss of access to new models, with no clear domestic alternative at equivalent price points.

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This Week in Manufacturing Technology

Robotic Laminography Reveals Microscopic Impact Damage in CFRP Sandwich Panels 🔗 — CompositesWorld

Omni NDE's robotic computed laminography system captured individual carbon fiber breakage, crushed aluminum honeycomb cells and delamination in CFRP sandwich panels at 12-micron resolution, operating at 50-150 kVp — low enough for standard facilities rather than concrete vaults.

Connection: Volumetric X-ray laminography at sub-millimeter resolution on large structures, without the shielded vault requirement of dense-metal CT, gives inspectors a previously unavailable pathway for informed accept/reject decisions.

KUKA Deploys AI Orchestration Platform for Automakers 🔗 — The Robot Report

KUKA AG deployed its Automation Management Platform at the KUKA Toledo Production Operations facility in Ohio, connecting 285 robots and more than 60,000 devices in a plant that produces more than 300 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicle bodies per day.

Connection: For automation engineers in automotive and high-volume discrete manufacturing, KTPO represents a first at-scale deployment of an open AI orchestration layer on top of an existing installed base — rather than a rip-and-replace or greenfield build. The platform's stated ability to reduce changeover times and integrate customer AI models into a shared production context layer is the design pattern to watch.

Threat Actors Are Locking Operators Out of Internet-Exposed PLCs 🔗 — CISA

CISA reported a significant increase in threat actors targeting PLCs in the water sector, with attackers modifying passwords to lock out operators and changing IP addresses, resulting in boil water notices and sustained manual operations.

Connection: The attack method — locking operators out of their own PLCs by changing passwords and IP addresses — applies to any facility with internet-exposed OT, not just water utilities. OT engineers at any process-intensive plant running networked PLCs should audit external connections, including cellular modems installed by vendors, which CISA says are frequently undocumented in attack surface scans.

The Connected Team

Fractional CFOs: A Secret Weapon

“

I would define my CFO as the single best asset I've ever purchased at Reata. The numbers behind it are incredible. I've bought million-dollar machines and all kinds of other things, but it's the single best asset that's ever been added, and it keeps paying every year.

— Grady Cope, President and CEO | Reata Engineering & Machine Works

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