ASSEMBLY magazine is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, we are publishing a series of articles examining the past, present and future of various assembly technologies.
I’ve been thinking a lot about lasers lately. First, I recently attended a materials joining conference sponsored by the Edison Welding Institute (EWI, Columbus, OH), where many of the presentations focused on laser technology. Then, the other day, I read an obituary in the newspaper for Theodore Maiman, the inventor of the laser.
Wire harnesses are used in everything from sports cars to washing machines and business jets to video arcade games. But, assembling them can be a daunting task. Choosing the right wire harness boards and fixtures can improve productivity.
Ultrasonic welding is a cost-effective, widely used process for assembling plastic automotive parts, consumer goods and medical devices. However, joint design and location are very important in ultrasonic welding, as is good dimensional control of the parts. Without good part design, manufacturing engineers may end up with numerous headaches.
ASSEMBLY magazine is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, we are publishing a series of articles examining the past, present and future of various assembly technologies.
Many people believe that the golden age of American manufacturing is long past. They claim the good old days vanished some time in the late 20th century. However, I believe we are entering a new golden era.
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.
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.