Modern construction techniques increasingly call for factory-assembled roof and flooring modules to minimize “on-site” building times and the need for skilled carpenters. Responding to this demand, Simpson Strong-Tie Co. (Pleasanton, CA) has developed a line of timber-to-timber and timber-to-masonry steel connectors.
The ongoing F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program is unprecedented not just in the complexity of the aircraft itself, but also in the complexity of its development program.
At its manufacturing facility in Fargo, ND, Case New Holland (Amsterdam, Netherlands) performs final assembly of its heavy-duty, articulated agricultural tractors. Weighing 60,000 pounds, the machines have long presented a material handling challenge as well as a challenge for safe, efficient assembly.
Believe it or not, cup holders were unheard of in automobiles 25 years ago. But not anymore. Americans are spending more and more time inside their cars, and the market is responding accordingly. Today, interiors are ground zero for automakers and suppliers.
Vision systems are excellent for guiding robots. However, for some applications, such as tightening bolts, a vision system is of little help, because the end-effector and tool are so close to the fastener they block the camera’s view.
To get bonded assemblies out the door as quickly as possible, researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center have developed a noninvasive system for monitoring the cure status of epoxies and other resins.
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