LOS ANGELES—The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $1.6 million contract to Machina Labs to advance and accelerate the development of the company’s robotic technology for manufacturing metal tooling for high-rate production of composites.
Last summer, Renault hit the start button on a new, highly automated line to assemble motors for electric vehicles at its historic factory in Cléon, France.
Since EV manufacturing is a relatively new industry, experienced assemblers are few and far between. Error-proofing technology is therefore critical to ensure quality and safety.
At its most basic, press-fit assembly is a simple process. An assembler loads parts into a fixture and actuates the press. After the machine has done its job, the worker unloads the assembly and the process starts all over again.
Welding plays a critical role in producing appliances, automobiles, construction equipment, ships, tractors, trailers, trucks and many other products. Unfortunately, there’s a severe shortage of welders, and the demand for skilled welding professionals is growing.
Robotic dispensing equipment is an ideal way to increase productivity, enhance quality and prevent rejects. However, these capabilities come at a cost that can’t always be justified.
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.