For several months in 2009, appliance manufacturer Whirlpool Corp. faced a unique production challenge regarding its refrigerators. The appliances were passing the helium leak test but failing the refrigerant leak test, which was performed manually in-line by operators using sniffer probes.
Porous Media Corp. designs and manufactures high-efficiency filter media, membranes and advanced technologies that separate liquids, solids and gases. Earlier this year, Porous Media needed to help on of its clients efficiently transport precoated blood filters through a forced hot air drying chamber, resulting in complete drying of the liquid coating.
At its manufacturing plant in Ajka, Hungary, Schwa-Medico GmbH Transformatorenbau & Industrieprodukte makes four types of electronic transformers specially designed for photovoltaic converters. The transformers, in turn, are sent to a plant in Germany, where they are installed in inverters and integrated into photovoltaic systems.
Dyesol is a world leader in the development of Dye Solar Cell technology, which produces electricity in a process that uses the principles of nanotechnology and photosynthesis. Presently, the Dyesol group is focused on commercializing this technology worldwide to help solar cell manufacturers develop their own products, implement low-cost mass production systems and improve cell performance.
In summer 2010, Aston Martin faced an aggressive development schedule for its AMR-One race car, which it planned to enter in the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) beginning in March 2011. Plastic prototypes needed to be created quickly and on-site throughout Aston Martin’s design and build schedule, which was less than six months, from autumn 2010 to the end of February 2011.
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) is celebrating its centennial this month. The company has a long history of plant floor innovation and cutting-edge manufacturing.