Appliance Assembly

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During a recent visit to this bright, open, state-of-the-art factory, I took a turn on the line assembling one of DEWALT’s hottest products, the 20-volt MAX XR three-speed cordless drill and screwdriver, which is powered by a brushless motor and a 5 amp-hour lithium-ion battery.

Plastics and polymer composites are essential to a wide range of safety and performance parts in cars today. In fact, the use of plastic and polymer composites in light vehicles has increased from less than 20 pounds per vehicle in 1960 to 334 pounds per car in 2015.

The popularity of cordless tools on the assembly line continues to grow. Battery-operated devices allow assemblers to more easily work on platforms or inside car interiors, tractor cabs, aircraft wings and other tight spaces.

If Ohio ever needs a catch phrase to promote its manufacturing success, “five out of eight is great” would be appropriate. The reason is because Ohio is home to five of Whirlpool Corp.’s eight U.S. assembly plants. Those five factories are located in the Ohio cities of Clyde, Findlay, Greenville, Marion and Ottawa.

Whether you’re choosing an assembly method for a newly developed product or reevaluating the effectiveness of a current assembly method in light of a change in product design, materials, or production mix, the thought process you’re undertaking is important.

From the food we eat to the products we use, quality is very important. In fact, the success of any company depends on the quality of the product or service it offers. For manufacturing companies, factors such as safety, efficiency and reliability all affect the quality of a product and ultimately influence overall customer satisfaction.

The door hinge is among the world’s most widely used devices. This common piece of hardware may seem simple, at first glance, but in fact, hinges offer a sophisticated range of functionality that design engineers can use to improve the operation of their assemblies.

Many important considerations in bolted joint development are often overlooked. While estimating the bolt tension achieved for a given tightening strategy is certainly a common focus, the effect of load on joint components is less fully discussed and understood.