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Former SpaceX engineers are building a robotic factory for making steel parts
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- DeepHorus
Three former SpaceX engineers have traded rocket science for heavy industry, launching a startup called 1872 to build a robotic factory that automates steel part manufacturing. The company, which officially opened its doors on July 22 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its Factory One facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, aims to create a prototype plant capable of automating most steel fabrication for critical infrastructure components by 2027. Its first target product is steel skidsârectangular frames that serve as moveable foundations for modular buildingsâwith an eye toward supplying customers in the AI data center and small modular nuclear reactor sectors.
The founders, who previously worked on rocket engines at SpaceX, are applying aerospace-grade automation and artificial intelligence to a decidedly down-to-earth problem: a severe shortage of skilled welders and fabricators in the United States. Dan Summers, CEO of 1872, told Ars that the company is âbuilding towards autonomyâ but not dogmatically pursuing full autonomy. âWe may achieve 80 percent autonomous operations, and we may decide that it makes sense to stop there because thereâs just diminishing returns to go to full 100 percent,â he explained.
The push comes as industry groups warn that US construction and manufacturing face a widening labor gap. The American Welding Society estimates that the country will need 320,500 new welding professionals by 2029, driven by retirements from an aging workforce and soaring demand for welding in projects like semiconductor fabs, battery plants, and shipyards. Tightened immigration restrictions under the Trump administration have further squeezed the pool of available skilled labor, making automation a more urgent priority for heavy industry.
Summers framed the startupâs mission as a direct response to this demographic crunch. âThe problem that we are trying to solve is how do we build more things with a decreasing pool of skilled labor to do it with, and this is a good place to start in terms of implementing automation,â he said. By deploying AI-driven software and robots to handle welding and assembly, 1872 hopes to slash reliance on human craftsmen while maintaining quality and speed.
The initial focus on steel skids is strategic: these modular foundations are increasingly used for data centers and small nuclear reactors, both of which are set for explosive growth as AI adoption surges and energy demand rises. Early customers are already lined up, though the company has not disclosed names. The prototype factory in Cincinnati will serve as a testbed to refine the automated workflow, with a larger-scale rollout planned for the late 2020s.
Industry reaction has been cautiously optimistic, with manufacturing analysts noting that 1872âs approach mirrors a broader trend toward âlights-outâ factories that can operate with minimal human intervention. However, some experts caution that achieving even 80 percent autonomy in weldingâa task requiring fine motor skills and real-time judgmentâis a steep technical challenge. The success of 1872 could signal whether AI-driven fabrication is ready for prime time in heavy industry.
Looking ahead, 1872 plans to expand beyond skids into other steel components for infrastructure, potentially including structural frames for buildings and supports for energy installations. If the 2027 prototype meets its goals, the company hopes to license its automation platform to other manufacturers, spreading the technology across the construction supply chain. For now, the founders are betting that the future of American manufacturing lies not in more hands, but in smarter machinesâa bet that carries enormous implications for the nationâs ability to rebuild its industrial base.
