Believe it or not, cup holders were unheard of in automobiles 25 years ago. But not anymore. Americans are spending more and more time inside their cars, and the market is responding accordingly. Today, interiors are ground zero for automakers and suppliers.
Most people who purchase a BMW X3 have no idea that it's not built by the company from Munich, Germany, that claims to provide "the ultimate driving machine." The $36,000 sport utility vehicle is actually assembled by Magna Steyr, a contract manufacturer that builds cars for several other automakers, including DaimlerChrysler (Auburn Hills, MI) and General Motors Corp. (Detroit).
Joining dissimilar materials has long posed a challenge for design engineers. However, by combining different technologies such as adhesive bonding and mechanical fasteners, manufacturers can create strong, rigid assemblies.
Whether applying a bead of adhesive to automotive glass or gasketing material to an appliance door, six-axis robots can dramatically improve the quality of the operation.
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