ANN ARBOR, MI—A total of 6,895 robots valued at approximately $435.1 million were ordered from North American companies during the first quarter of 2015. That’s an increase of 16 percent in units and 29 percent in dollars compared with the same period in 2014. Both orders and shipments in the opening quarter beat the previous record for the first quarter last set in 2013.

Curing adhesives with heat can reduce cycle times and boost throughput.

A new technology combines the advantages of adhesives and threaded fasteners for assembling composite materials.

Engineers have many options for joining identical or similar materials. To join, say, a steel part to another steel part, engineers can use screws, rivets, welds, adhesives, clinches or press-fits.

ROCKY HILL, CT—Novelis, a manufacturer of automotive aluminum sheet, and Henkel Adhesive Technologies have agreed to collaborate on the development of advanced bonding technologies for aluminum in high-volume vehicles.

Rivets, screws and other joining processes play a key role behind the new F-150.

SANFORD, FL—Hernon Manufacturing, a supplier of adhesives, sealants and dispensing equipment, will begin construction next month on a new building expansion. When complete, the new building will be 160 percent of the size of the current facility.

More than 20 suppliers of equipment for dispensing and curing adhesives exhibited at The ASSEMBLY Show last fall. Here is a small sample of the new technologies to be found on the show floor.

It may not be as “sexy” as a robot or a high-speed automated assembly system, but one of the most interesting new products introduced at the show last fall was actually an adhesive.

DETROIT—The Aluminum Association has published a free, comprehensive manual that details the range of joining technologies for assembling aluminum parts in automotive applications.