FrED Factory at the 5 Years Anniversary of Smart Factory, Tec de Monterrey

Our founder and MIT PhD Student, Russel Bradley, presented at the 5 Years Anniversary of Smart Factory at Tec de Monterrey.

About the Talk 

This talk will delve into the development and impact of the Fiber Extrusion Device (FrED), a cutting-edge desktop fiber extrusion system designed for hands-on learning in smart manufacturing. Initially developed for advanced classroom activities, FrED has evolved to meet the growing demand for remote learning, thanks to a collaboration with Tec de Monterrey in Mexico. This partnership led to the creation of a low-cost variant, enabling broader access to this innovative educational tool. The presentation will cover the design, development, and mass production of the low-cost FrED, highlighting the advanced electronics system and the design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA) process. Additionally, the talk will showcase the ongoing digital transformation at the FrED Factory, which serves as both a production facility and an educational space for MIT students, featuring use cases in Machine Monitoring & Analytics, Smart Assembly Stations, and Digital Inventory Management. This session will also explore the educational initiatives that have flourished around the FrED ecosystem, both at MIT and with Tec de Monterrey, over the past academic year.