In the face of union membership that continues to decline, labor leaders
are desperate to get EFCA passed so that union organizers can see which
individual workers are voting against union representation.
The term metal foam is self-evident as a description; less obvious is the reason for making it. As the name suggests, metal foam is metal material that has been created with a porous, cellular structure, making it sort of a metallic sponge. The point of making such a material is to provide designers with the characteristic benefits of metal, such as strength, rigidity, thermal conductivity, and electromagnetic shielding, with the uncharacteristic benefits of lighter weight and increased surface area.
According to most forecasts, 2009 is shaping up to be one of the most difficult years that manufacturers have faced in the last seven decades. To survive and thrive in this challenging economy, engineers must renew their efforts to reduce production costs, increase productivity, shorten time to market and improve product quality. Here are some practical tips and suggestions from leading experts.
Flexible assembly lines allow companies to react quickly to shifting customer demands and short product life cycles. As markets increasingly become less predictable, flexibility will become even more critical to manufacturers.
Rotary indexing dials are ideal for automated assembly of small products with a few parts. However, if the product has more than eight components, a rotary indexing dial can become unwieldy. There’s simply not enough real estate around the dial for all the stations.
The goal of analyzing this data is to identify variation in the fastening process before faulty joints can be assembled. One way to do that is with statistical control charts called X-bar and R charts.
Rotary indexing dials have been a mainstay of automation systems for decades. They are simple, inexpensive, precise, reliable and durable. What’s more, they can assemble a lot of product in a relatively small footprint and with a minimal number of fixtures.
Environmental initiatives are very much within the reach of even small manufacturers. In fact, even with the big boys, it’s often the little things that make the real difference.
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