Automakers spend a lot of time focusing on noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). That’s because many consumers demand vehicles that are as quiet as possible.
Increasing demand for smart devices and embedded intelligence is driving manufacturers in a variety of industries to invest in new production tools and technologies. Additive manufacturing, advanced sensors, augmented reality, cloud-based computing, collaborative robots and digital twins are just a few of the many trends transforming factory floors today.
Taken literally, the terms "accurate dispensing" and "dispensing with accuracy" are not interchangeable. In practice, however, manufacturers and their machine operators know that the words describe the same desired result: Dispensing an exact amount of material, at a specified location, on a repeatable basis
Aerospace manufacturing continues to soar. For example, through March 31, Boeing's commercial aircraft division had a backlog of 5,835 orders, while rival Airbus had a backlog of 7,189 jets.
Additive manufacturing is no longer just for prototyping. More and more, the technology is being used to make production-ready parts. That's forcing engineers to begin thinking about joint designs and assembly processes.
Engineers at BMW are working with the Self-Assembly Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to develop printed inflatable materials that self-transform, adapt and morph from one state to another.
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Energy recently launched a $3 million prize to revitalize domestic solar panel manufacturing. The program will support entrepreneurs as they develop transformative ideas into concepts and then into early-stage prototypes ready for industry testing.
Engineers at Audi AG are using full-color, multimaterial additive manufacturing to produce plastic parts. The technology will help reduce prototyping lead times by up to 50 percent.
A little positive feedback at work can go a long way toward improving assemblers' long-term mental health and well-being. Engineers at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the European Factory2Fit research consortium are studying the effects of work performance.