Screwdriving and Riveting Assembly

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TUVE, Sweden—Every time an assembler uses an electric fastening tool at the Volvo Group truck factory here, the data from the operation is logged and stored. Engineers are now using that data to increase quality.

Traditionally, airplane manufacturing has been difficult to automate, due to factors such as tight tolerances and stringent quality demands. However, a new breed of robots enhanced with artificial intelligence technology promises to change that scenario.

According to ASSEMBLY’s annual Capital Equipment Spending Survey, sales of fastening tools should increase in 2024.

ELMHURST, IL—Global sales of cordless power tools are expected to increase from $12.5 billion in 2022 to more than $16.9 billion in 2027, representing a compound annual growth rate of 4.5 percent, according to market research firm Technavio.

Nominees include AI software, a fast and precise robot, and a smart workbench for error-proof assembly.

If fastening tools are on your shopping list, then The ASSEMBLY Show South is the place to be! Here’s a taste of what’s on the floor.

The new TOBI drive recess enables screwdrivers to retain fasteners without the need for magnetics or vacuum.

In addition to the standard direct-drive mode, each tool configuration can be independently programmed to use one of the three available ETS modes.

To increase efficiency and improve safety, OnRobot employs its own automation products on its assembly lines.

PORTLAND, OR— Until the invention of the Phillips screw, American assembly lines, craftsmen, and consumers used regular, slotted-head screws. But that design was problematic for three reasons: it was difficult to align the driver with the screw aperture; the driver tended to slip from the open ends; and the slot required a closely matching bit. The cruciform drive addressed those problems.