At UP.Summit 2025, Machina Labs CEO and Co-Founder Ed Mehr shared a bold vision for the next era of manufacturing, one that is powered by AI, robotics, and material science.
For over a century, factories have relied on rigid tooling and long lead times. Machina Labs is changing that. Our RoboCraftsman platform forms complex metal structures without the need for dies or molds, enabling parts to transition from digital design to production faster than ever before.
In this talk, Ed introduces Machina Labs' vision for the Elastic Factory — a new manufacturing model that is:
• Agile: Adapts instantly to design changes.
• Portable: Deployable anywhere — from R&D labs to forward operating bases.
• Flexible: Capable of forming, scanning, trimming, and assembling without tooling.
Manufacturing Meets Mobility
During the event, Machina Labs also announced a new partnership with Toyota, showcasing the flexibility and design freedom enabled by RoboCraftsman.
Together, Machina Labs and Toyota unveiled customized tailgates for Toyota’s hydrogen-powered H2 Tundra, produced without tooling and powered by the same clean energy that fuels the truck. The collaboration highlights how AI and robotics can reshape automotive manufacturing — creating a faster, cleaner, and more expressive future for mobility.
Why It Matters
Traditional manufacturing has been frozen in time since the Industrial Age. The world needs a faster, more adaptive way to build — one that supports rapid innovation in aerospace, defense, automotive, and sustainable energy.
With RoboCraftsman and our RoboForming technology, we eliminate the bottlenecks of traditional tooling and accelerate innovation across aerospace, defense, and mobility. With Machina Labs' Elastic Factory, we unlock the ability to build anything, anywhere, with speed, precision, and creative freedom.