Based in Gutersloh, Germany, the Miele Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of commercial and residential appliances. However, it didn't start out that way. Founded in 1899 by Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkann, the company initially made cream separators for the dairy industry. Over the years, the company has manufactured butter churns, hand carts, bicycles and even automobiles.
In October 2016, nearly 200 countries, with the strong support of the HVACR industry and other stakeholders, came to a landmark agreement in Kigali, Rwanda, to bring about a global phase down of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants (HFCs).
The need for high-quality medical devices by doctors, patients and medical facilities is great. Because the need is also global, makers of such products are able to contract with the best wire-harness and cable-assembly manufacturers regardless of where they're located.
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is more than just the latest manufacturing fad. It promises to transform the way that many types of products are designed, assembled and serviced.
Speed, power and durability are key characteristics of industrial robots. These robots are typically used in applications such as welding or in lifting heavy components for vehicle assembly. Yet despite advanced calibration methods, the positional accuracy of industrial robots has been inadequate for certain tasks. This is now changing thanks in part to highly accurate, output-side encoders from Heidenhain and AMO.
Manufacturers of complex machinery can learn a great deal about product quality and cost by participating in a dedicated teardown process. Almost any product large or small,from appliances to agricultural equipment to medical devices to electrical equipment, can be the focus of a teardown.
Capturing and controlling reliable production line data is the great mystery underlying the fulfillment of the promise of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Beyond storage solutions, the data that’s available on machines hasn’t been communicated correctly with business systems. Accepted solutions for data exchange create organizational conflicts and security issues that raise difficult barriers.
Every parent or healthcare worker knows that a fever is a sure sign of an infection. Similarly, an elevated temperature in a roller bearing is a sure sign that it’s about to fail. Just as thermometers are vital instruments in homes, clinics and hospitals, infrared thermal imaging systems have become a critical tool for maintenance and quality assurance personnel at assembly plants and other industrial facilities.
Hot-melt adhesives are used in a wide range of applications. They seal cardboard cartons; bond veneer to plywood; attach appliqué to fabric; and secure carpeting in automotive interiors.
Little things not only mean a lot, they can also explain a lot. Consider a spent blind-rivet mandrel, which is only 1 to 2 inches in length, but has tiny markings that provide a wealth of information to veteran rivet-tool-supplier salespeople like Michelle Donath at Yamazen Inc.