A typical Porsche sports car contains more than 2,000 individual wires. If laid end to end, the wiring would stretch 2 to 3 kilometers. Designing such a complex wiring system would be challenge enough, but at Porsche, almost no harness design in series production matches another one.
U.S. automakers are wrestling with the challenge of reducing vehicle weight to meet the 2025 CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) mandate, which requires new cars and trucks to achieve 55 miles per gallon. Meeting that challenge will require the latest advances in materials and fastening methods.
Designing a modern diesel engine presents many challenges for engineers. One of the biggest is making sure that each engine component is properly sealed during operation.
Originally developed for joining aluminum, friction stir welding is now being applied to other materials, including steel, copper, titanium and even nylon.
When it comes to jewelry, copper is definitely less valuable than gold or silver. In the world of assembly, however, copper is much more in demand. Its uses range from electrical conductors in wire, to solar-cell foundations, to sheet metal products for commercial and residential applications.
Size definitely matters when it comes to processing wire. Small wire (26 AWG or higher), for example, presents different challenges than large wire. This is especially true regarding crimping.
Product versatility is just as important to suppliers as it is to manufacturers. A product that can be used in multiple applications and industries is one with wide market appeal.
We’ve all heard the adage that the three most important things in real estate are location, location, location. When it comes to product labeling and advertising, particularly “made-in-the-USA” claims, the three most important considerations are substantiation, substantiation, substantiation.
Disposable or reusable? Consumers face that choice many times each day. Should we buy a bottle of water for the gym or fill a thermos at home? Should we eat dinner on paper plates or use the dishes? Which to choose depends on many factors, including convenience, cost and the environment.
In his August 2017 editorial, “Tariff Debate Pits Producers Against Consumers,” chief editor John Sprovieri clearly posed the dilemma of low-priced Chinese steel imports, which have severely impacted the U.S. steel industry.