Initiating movement of a standard bicycle can sometimes be challenging, such as when peddling up steep hills. Initiating movement of an electric bicycle, on the other hand, has always been much easier. The rider either pedal-assists the motor or activates it with a throttle.

SWAINSBORO, GA—Nordson Corp.’s assembly plant here has been named Georgia’s midsize manufacturer of the year.

EVANSVILLE, IN—Systems integrator Evana Automation recently delivered a lean, 21-step assembly and test system to American Axle & Manufacturing Inc.

ROCKY HILL, CT—Henkel Corp. has unveiled the Interactive Loctite Medical Device Adhesive Selector Guide, an online resource providing direct links between 48 medical device adhesives and supporting technical documents such as materials safety data sheets and technical data sheets.

Worldwide, sales of smart phones and tablet computers have skyrocketed. A report by Credit Suisse predicts annual sales of smart phones will cross the 1 billion mark in 2014, driven by the launch of lower-end handsets and increasing demand from China. Tablet computers are also experiencing rapid growth. Forrester Research projects sales of tablet computers to grow from 56 million in 2011 to 375 million in 2017, a compound annual growth rate of 46 percent.

Fabricating and testing optical components is a very detailed process. It begins by grinding a spherical glass blank using ring tools to create a semifinished lens. Next, the lens’ rough surface is rotated and rubbed against a tool having the desired surface shape.

Premixed, ready-to-drink, functional beverages are certainly convenient, but that convenience comes with some trade-offs.

Configuring adhesive dispensing equipment with a robot to apply the material correctly on every product can improve delivery and save production costs.

Tabletop dispensing robots are an efficient way to increase both output and quality in assembly processes where fluids like adhesives, lubricants, and silicones must be applied in controlled, repeatable amounts.

TOKYO—Researchers at Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology have developed an organic material that can be liquefied or hardened by shining different types of light on it. The result is an adhesive that can be used over and over again.

AeroDef Manufacturing is the leading exposition and technical conference for the aerospace and defense manufacturing industry.