Medical Devices Assembly

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WASHINGTON—U.S. factories expanded last month at the fastest pace since June 2011. The Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday that its manufacturing index rose to 55.7 in August from 55.4 in July. That topped the index’s 12-month average of 52.

ATLANTA—Researchers at the Georgia Tech are studying remoras—a fish that attaches itself to sharks—to develop a reversible adhesive for medical and industrial applications.

The latest generation of pressure-sensitive adhesives and converted materials offer great potential for product improvement. They hold the key to better product performance, greater manufacturing efficiencies, better staff utilization, and ultimately across-the-board cost reduction.

In business since 1969, C&A Tool Engineering Inc. is a contract manufacturer of engineered components. The company makes implants, instrumentation and tools for the medical, aeronautical, defense, transportation and other industries at its 700,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Churubusco, IN.

SCHAUMBURG, IL—Sunstar Americas Inc., a manufacturer of oral health care products, is building a new manufacturing facility here that could employ 400 people.

NEW YORK—The domestic economic outlook among U.S. manufacturers is at its highest level in five quarters, according to the PWC Manufacturing Barometer survey. The majority of manufacturing executives surveyed expect revenue growth in 2013.

CARLSBAD, CA—Systems integrator Automation GT has built a multistation automated assembly system to make syringes. Designed for use in a Class 10,000 clean room, the system includes robots, vision systems and dispensing equipment.

IOWA CITY, IA—Automation enables the Oral-B assembly plant here to produce 1 million toothbrushes daily.

WASHINGTON—The purchasing managers index for manufacturing rose to 50.9 in June, up 1.9 points from May. According to the Institute for Supply Management, a PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion, while one below reflects contraction.

In The Great Gatsby, the central character is captivated by a green navigational beacon off in the distance that gives him eternal hope. Although Jay Gatsby wasn’t thinking about assembly lines, manufacturing has a similar green light and assemblers are equally optimistic these days.