Top 10 innovative companies 2021

#1 SIO2 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Applied an impossibly thin layer of glass to vials to deliver COVID-19 vaccines

Used plasma technology to create a microscopic layer of medical-grade glass inside plastic vials. Advantage: plastic is light, durable, and quick to produce, while the glass layer keeps the vial airtight. From 10 million vials a year to 10 million vials a month - achieving a scale in 90 days that would take glass companies 18 to 24 months.

#2 INSTRUMENTAL

Paired cameras on manufacturing lines with AI

Resulted in instantly detecting problems in physical products. The company estimates that on average, Discover AI reduces “regrettable scrap” by 40%. The platform also allows designers to evaluate products and detect defects remotely, cutting down the need for engineers and designers to evaluate products in person and speeding up resolution times.

#3 GANTRI

For manufacturing custom lighting on demand at its massive 3D printing farm

Released a line of beautiful floor, wall, and table lamps made in partnership with design firm Ammunition. The seamless, 3D-printed lights were lauded for their chic design and affordability—but the project also demonstrated why Gantri is poised to shake up the lighting industry. The company opened a massive factory in San Leandro, California, with 1,500 3D printers (more than any other single location in the world). The farm will allow independent designers to print lamps in complex shapes (including cylinders, spheres, and asymmetrical designs) on demand.

#4 ARRIS COMPOSITES

For inventing Additive Molding

A process for mass producing high-strength, lightweight composite materials quickly, cheaply, and sustainably. Additive Molding technology combines additive manufacturing (aka 3D printing) with molding techniques to make parts that are stronger, lighter, and cheaper than metal.

#5 CARBON

For optimizing COVID-19 nasal swabs using digital design techniques and 3D printing

The highly intricate swabs were put through clinical studies with experts at institutions including Stanford Medicine and Harvard teaching hospitals, and were deemed effective—and applauded by patients and healthcare workers for their comfort and ease of use.

#6 OKEANOS

For swapping out plastic for abundant and eco-friendly calcium carbonate in packaging

Made From Stone updates environmentally taxing single-use packaging by mixing in calcium carbonate, a naturally abundant, renewable resource. The pellets of finely ground stone can be integrated into most existing packaging manufacturers’ production lines, and Okeanos’s latest iteration can replace 50% to 80% of the plastic in packaging with calcium carbonate. The company estimates that increasing the amount of calcium carbonate in wrappers, chips bags, and other throwaway staples reduces degradation times from hundreds of years to months.

#7 FORD MOTOR CO.

For revving up PPE and ventilator production with its assembly know-how

Revved up its assembly lines to design and manufacturing essential PPE including masks and ventilators (which the company designed in-house in just one day after tapping its air-conditioning experts). By Thanksgiving, the company had made 87 million masks, 50,000 ventilators, and 20 million face shields. The company has pledged to reinvest all PPE profits back into COVID-19 products and distribution, and is still accepting requests for mask and PPE donations.

#8 SENDCUTSEND

For cutting metal affordably, on demand

Opened up the world of metal cutting and fabrication to hobbyists and small scale entrepreneurs. Cloud-based manufacturing company that provides design software and cuts metal and aerospace materials on demand. In 2020, the company revamped its software for faster processing and better project tracking, increasing order accuracy to 99.4% and reducing manufacturing time to just 58 minutes per product, on average. The company estimates that revenue more than quintupled in 2020.

#9 VELO3D

For 3D printing metal for aerospace, aviation, semiconductors, and more

Continued to innovate in the burgeoning space. Known for providing printers to SpaceX, Velo3D released Sapphire, the tallest metal laser-powder printer on the market. The company also worked with Honeywell Aerospace to qualify the printers to manufacture parts for aircraft, and began working with Lam Research to print semiconductors.

#10 LOCKDOWEL

For simplifying furniture assembly with a slide-and-lock system

Specialized in slide-to-lock and snap-lock fasteners for wood furniture, which make assembly as easy as clicking two latches into place—a system that’s estimated to reduce assembly cost and time by 60%. In 2020, the company rolled out two more specialized fasteners, and signed on a major U.S. office furniture manufacturer.

FOR MORE BACKGROUND VISIT: https://www.fastcompany.com/90600241/manufacturing-most-innovative-companies-2021