Top Five Tweets of the Week: Robotics Growing in Popularity and the Future of Manufacturing in 3D

Wow! Did the week fly by just as fast for you as it did for us? Well, in case you missed the latest and greatest in news shared on Twitter, here's our top five favorite posts from this week — from robotics making one of the hottest trends in 2013 to a Q&A with one of our very own. Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

1. 3D Printing and the Future of Manufacturing via IndustryWeek: Years back, it took a tremendous amount of capital investment and time to train to become a graphic designer. Within the last decade, however, advances in digital printing and software have made the design trade more ubiquitous and accessible than ever before. Now, a similar shift is occurring within the manufacturing field: "Today, almost anyone can become a manufacturer or contribute to the manufacturing process," explains this infographic.

Credit: Forbes

2. Robotics is One of the Hottest Trends of 2013 via Forbes: Robotics are fast tracking up the ladder of importance in everyday lives. Self-driving cars, robotic surgery and robotic exoskeletons for soldiers are indeed serious stuff. Even toymakers like Lego are moving from the ranks of hobbyists to make a huge difference in people’s lives. Case in point is the partnership between FIRST LEGO League (FLL), Trophy Computers & Robotics, and SAP in South Africa.

3. Q&A with Texas Regional Sales Manager Chris Haltom via BWC: Chris joined the Bishop-Wisecarver team at the beginning of the year, bringing with him a wealth of enthusiasm!

4. Manufacturers Seek to Engage Kids via @JELDWEN on Twitter: Get chalk and draw on this doodle-ready magnetic chalkboard door! Window and door manufacturer Jeldwen explores ways to involve kids in their products, creating functional yet fun products that both adults and their fun-loving families can enjoy!

5. Some Innovation Experts Say that the U.S. is Ahead of China Despite Lost Manufacturing via Washington Monthly: The Manufacturing Institute estimates, for instance, that raw production costs in China skyrocketed 132 percent from 2003 to 2011, including Chinese wages, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports more than doubled from 2003 to 2008 –from $0.62 an hour to $1.36! Meanwhile, American production costs have fallen.