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Innovation Is Hot—Read All About It
Five recently published books explain how manufacturers can harness the power of innovation to compete successfully in today's flat world.
by Austin Weber
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Man-Machine Allocation
People are good at some things, and machines are better at others. It's important to distinguish between them when considering an automation project.
by Austin Weber
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Nanotechnology Transforms Lithium-ion Batteries
Researchers at Stanford University have developed a way to use silicon nanowires to improve the rechargeable battery technology used in cordless tools and other devices. The new technology produces 10 times the amount of electricity of existing lithium-ion batteries.
by Austin Weber
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Charging Technology Gets Smarter, Faster
Cordless tool manufacturers and their battery suppliers are focusing part of their R&D efforts on recharging technology. As a result, today's battery chargers are faster and smarter than ever.
by Austin Weber
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Medical Plastic Trends
Medical device manufacturers continue to consume more plastic than ever. ASSEMBLY recently asked two experts at a leading material supplier to comment on current market conditions.
by Austin Weber
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New Medical Plastic Is Inspired by Seashells
By mimicking the brick-and-mortar molecular structure found in seashells, researchers have created a new type of composite plastic that’s as strong as steel, but lighter and transparent. It could be used in microelectromechanical devices, microfluidics and biomedical sensors.
by Austin Weber
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How to Choose Task Lighting
Task lighting is supplemental lighting that is provided to assist in performing a localized task. Here are some tips on how to choose task lighting for assembly workstations.
by Austin Weber
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How Welding Has Changed Over 50 Years
This year marks the 50th anniversary of ASSEMBLY magazine. Since the publication debuted in the late 1950s, we have provided in-depth coverage of key trends, issues and challenges affecting the wide world of welding. Here's a look at how welding technology has changed over the last 5 decades.
by Austin Weber
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2007 Assembly Plant of the Year: The People Behind the Plant
More than 500 individuals work at the Schneider Electric/Square D plant in Lexington, KY. They assemble 2 million load centers and safety switches annually. More than 50 percent of the employees have been at the plant for 20 years or more. Click here to view a slideshow featuring some of the men and women who work on the line at the 2007 Assembly Plant of the Year.
by Austin Weber
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2007 Assembly Plant of the Year: Operators Play a Key Role
In addition to state-of-the-art assembly equipment, people also contribute to the success of the Schneider Electric/Square D Lexington plant. More than 50 percent of the workforce has been employed at the facility for 20 years or more.
by Austin Weber
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2007 Assembly Plant of the Year: A Vision of the Future
The Schneider Electric/Square D Lexington plant has been assembling residential load centers and safety switches since Dwight D. Eisenhower was president of the United States. But, a wide variety of production tools used today, such as vision systems, did not exist when the plant opened 50 years ago.
by Austin Weber
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Timeline: 50 Years of Economic Change and Manufacturing Progress
To celebrate ASSEMBLY magazine's golden anniversary, here's a year-by-year look at how things have changed, evolved and stayed the same over the last 50 years. The timeline focuses on engineering achievements, business trends and manufacturing milestones.
by Austin Weber
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Wire Makes the World Go Round: A Company Ahead of Its Time
For many years, Western Electric Co. (New York) was one of the largest wire processors in the world. The company boasted that it manufactured “43,000 varieties of telephone apparatus.” It invested heavily in state-of-the-art automated equipment to assemble complex wire harnesses used in telephone switching systems and other advanced telecommunications gear. Western Electric engineers also developed numerous time-saving innovations in-house, which ASSEMBLY frequently reported on.
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The Inside Story: Consumers Speak Out on Interiors
Researchers at Kelley Blue Book Co. (Irvine, CA) recently polled active car buyers on “overall cabin comfort.” They ranked the interior styling of vehicle brands based on headroom and legroom, as well as interior design throughout the cabin including “intelligent layout, quality materials, convenient compartments and superior ergonomics.”
Toyota Motor Corp. (Nagoya, Japan) topped the rankings in four of the seven vehicle categories: Minivan, non-luxury SUV, non-luxury sedan, and luxury sedan. General Motors Corp. (Detroit) took top honors in two categories: Trucks and luxury SUVs. Foreign automakers swept the top three spots in the convertibles and sports car, luxury sedan, and non-luxury sedan categories.
"Though some car reviewers have been critical of Toyota interiors, it is obvious they are a big hit with the public at large," says Jack Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst at Kelley Blue Book. "On the truck side, General Motors turned in a dominant showing in the face of strong challenges from Toyota and Nissan, each of whom would like to capture a larger share of the truck market."
Specifically, here’s how automakers scored in each of the 7 categories:
*Convertibles/Sports Cars—Mercedes-Benz; Porsche; Lexus.
*Trucks—GMC; Chevrolet; Cadillac.
*Minivans—Toyota; Honda; Dodge.
*Luxury SUVs—Cadillac; Lexus; BMW.
*Non-Luxury SUVs—Toyota; Chevrolet; Ford.
*Luxury Sedan—Lexus; Mercedes-Benz; Infiniti.
*Non-Luxury Sedan—Toyota; Volkswagen; Honda.
"While the average consumer has not had a chance to sit inside each vehicle among every brand, perceptions play a large role in determining a new vehicle shopper's consideration set," notes Rick Wainschel vice president, marketing and market research at Kelley Blue Book. "Understanding consumer perceptions and shifts in those perceptions through tracking and trending . . . allows manufacturers to better understand how to market and attract potential buyers based on their perceptions prior to purchase."
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The Inside Story: LEDs Shed New Light on Interiors
Mood lighting and ambience lighting are one of today’s hottest trends in automotive interiors. According to the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY), new light-emitting diode (LED) technology has led to a revolution in automotive lighting. It offers styling flexibility, energy efficiency, unlimited color options and high reliability.
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The Inside Story: Fasteners Hold Auto Interiors Together
Seats, instrument panels, floor consoles, trim and other automotive interior components are attached with a wide variety of fasteners. ASSEMBLY magazine recently asked Bob Gordon, central regional manager at PennEngineering (Danboro, PA), a leading supplier of fasteners, to share his thoughts and observations on the subject.
by Austin Weber
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The Inside Story: Modular Customization Is Future Focus
Traditionally, consumers have limited choices available when it comes to specifying interiors. For instance, most vehicles are equipped with either leather or cloth fabric seats. Instrument panels, floor consoles, headliners, door panels and trim typically come in beige, black, gray or white.
by Austin Weber
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Medical Robots Are Hotter Than Ever
More and more blood glucose monitors, inhalers, IV bags, orthopedic implants, pacemakers, stents, syringes and other products are produced with robots. Adept Technology Inc. (Livermore, CA) is a leading supplier of assembly robots for medical device applications. ASSEMBLY magazine recently asked Craig Tomita, director of the company’s medical products business, to share his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities currently affecting the market.
by Austin Weber
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