SOUTHFIELD, MI—The automotive assembly line of the future will be more flexible, more capable of handling new materials, and make greater of the mobile technology, says Martin Kinsella, director of advanced materials and process technologies for systems integrator Comau Inc.
STANFORD, CA—Researchers at Stanford University have increased the efficiency of a low-grade silicon solar cell by applying relatively cheap crystalline material, perovskite, on top of it.
SEATTLE—Boeing and the University of Washington are taking their collaboration to greater heights with a new campus research center where doctoral engineering students, UW professors and Boeing engineers will work side by side on projects focused on automating aircraft assembly processes.
WASHINGTON—The U.S. economy is expected to expand 3.1 percent in 2015, according to the National Association for Business Economics. It would be the first year of 3 percent growth since 2005.
CLEVELAND—Four North American assembly plants are among the six factories named as Industry Week magazine’s “Best Plants.” The six factories are Boston Scientific (Maple Grove, MN); Cessna Mexico (Chihuahua, Mexico); L.B. Foster Rail Technologies Corp. (Vancouver, BC); General Cable Corp. (Marion, IN); The Raymond Corp. (Greene, NY); and T&S Brass and Bronze Works (Travelers Rest, SC).
SUMNER, WA—GKN Aerospace will build a new assembly plant here, after winning a contract to build winglets for Boeing’s forthcoming 737 MAX. The facility will open in late 2015 and employ approximately 75 people at full production.
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