In most assemblies that are joined with threaded fasteners, the cost of the fasteners is not as important as the cost of installing them. Automation is one way to control that cost—but only if assemblers think ahead.
Remember the classic illustration about human evolution in elementary school? A silhouette of an ape on all fours gradually transitions to a modern human walking upright.
Based in Northbrook, IL, Concep Machine Co. has been designing and building custom automated assembly systems for the medical device manufacturing industry since 1967.
At the end of 2020, the Renault assembly plant in Flins, France, embarked on a new path to focus on the circular economy. The automaker set a goal of buying less, extracting value from existing products, and creating a new industrial model centered on sustainability.
Missiles are the premier weapon of modern warfare. According to consulting firm Polaris Market Research, global sales of rockets and missiles are expected to increase from $58.3 billion in 2021 to $73.8 billion in 2026, growing at a cumulative annual rate of 4.8 percent.
Atypical car contains some 30,000 parts, including fasteners, from dozens of suppliers. All these components must arrive at an OEM’s assembly plant in the right sequence at the exact moment that they’re needed. It’s a massive undertaking.
Transportation—moving parts or assemblies from place to place in a factory—is one of the seven wastes specified in the principles of lean manufacturing. Transportation does not add value.