Radio frequency identification technology helps manufacturers follow their products throughout the assembly process.

Parts fixtures don't actually do anything, like weld a joint, yet they're the first part of an automated assembly system that gets made. They represent a small part of the overall system cost, but if they fail, even the best-designed machine will produce junk. In truth, "start with the part," the axiom of automated assembly, could easily be "start with the fixtures.

Orbital and radial forming haven't changed much mechanically since they were invented in 1962. But, that's not to say the two technologies haven't changed at all. Over the past few years, both have benefited significantly from the same sensing technologies that have given assemblers so much control over ultrasonic welding, press-fitting and other force-dependent processes.

"Lean manufacturing" means different things to different people. To the ruthless, it means "lay off workers and get more from who's left." But to others, lean manufacturing is a strategy for delivering high-quality products quickly and cost-effectively. To get the real story, we spoke with Tom Greenwood, Ph.D., director of the University of Tennessee's Lean Enterprise Forum.

You might call it the "science of splat."

Green manufacturing processes are not just a way to protect the environment. They can be a competitive weapon, says Arpad Horvath, Ph.D., director of the Consortium on Green Design and Manufacturing at the University of California at Berkeley.

Tooling a vibratory feeder bowl is truly a black art. Indeed, two bowl makers working side-by-side on bowls for the same part may devise two completely different solutions. In this article, feeder bowl manufacturers describe a few tricks of the trade, and offer tips on how assemblers can facilitate the bowl-making process.

Tony Giammarinaro has seen a few interesting arrangements in his time as a sales representative with Atlantic Industrial Technologies (Islandia, NY), a distributor for Bosch Automation Products (Buchanan, MI).

I bought a new car in March, a red 2001 Ford Escape with a six-cylinder engine and four-wheel drive.

Compared with die-cut or molded solid gaskets, liquid gaskets have many design advantages. This article reviews the applications for these materials and tells how best to dispense them.