Appliance Assembly

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Advancements in polymers in recent years are expanding the capacities of cooking appliances. Lightweight, tough plastics are catching up to the dishwasher durability and surface integrity of glass, but are consumers ready to pay more for it?

Vibration welding uses heat generated by friction at the interface of two thermoplastic parts to produce melting in the interfacial area. The molten materials flow together under pressure and bond, forming a weld upon cooling.

Bothered by lingering economic uncertainty, assemblers are taking a wait-and-see attitude toward capital equipment investment next year.

Whirlpool’s assembly lines have produced  a diverse array of products that aren't found in kitchens or laundry rooms, such as air rifles, toys, threshing machines, lawnmowers and automobiles.

To stay competitive in the 1990s, Whirlpool Corp. became an early adopter of lean manufacturing principles.

When Lou and Emory Upton started building electric motor-driven wringer washing machines 100 years ago, the world was a different place. Electrical appliances were considered to be luxury items.

Small investments in protective covers and tools can spare assemblers the cost of repairing accidental damage to finished goods.

What do metal water tanks, pickup trucks and RV chassis have in common? They’re all assembled in state-of-the-art facilities that were finalists for the 2011 Assembly Plant of the Year award.

The Assembly Top 50 devoted $110.6 billion to capital expenditures in 2010. That’s 9 percent more than they spent in 2009, but it’s 21 percent less than they spent in 2008. Only 15 of the Top 50 spent more on property, plants and equipment in 2010 than they spent in 2008.