Manufacturers that use adhesives and sealants to assemble their products know how critical it is for these materials to be dispensed with accuracy and repeatability.

Large companies and small towns are sometimes a perfect fit. The most well-known example of this is Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which is the world’s largest retailer but is headquartered in tiny Bentonville, AR.

At some point during a philosophy 101 class, college students learn about Aristotle’s belief that the best way to understand something is to break it down to the smallest components. For an increasing number of manufacturers and integrators, however, the best way to assemble a product is to use a machine built with modular automation components that quickly and easily fit together.

In the nautical disaster movie, “The Perfect Storm,” three weather fronts converge off the coast of New England to create one of the fiercest storms in U.S. history. A similar convergence is occurring in the manufacturing world today. It’s called Industry 4.0 and it promises to transform the way that engineers design and build products over the next two decades.

Just a few decades ago, the typical American or European driver would never have believed that China, a communist country, would one day be the world’s largest car producer (by volume).

Cell phones, tablets, GPS devices and other mobile electronics are smaller, thinner, lighter and more powerful than ever. Wireless Internet connections, RFID and Bluetooth have become essential features of these devices, necessitating highly complex transmission mechanisms.

High-efficiency ballscrews are ideal for precise, high-speed linear positioning. However, back-driving can be an issue, especially if the ballscrew is in a vertical position. If the ballscrew is not held properly, the load could drop quickly and cause damage to the payload, machine and workers.

Robots are used in many large hospitals to deliver supplies and assist doctors with delicate surgical procedures. In the future, robotic surgery will become the routine rather than the exception.

Walk into any modern assembly and packaging facility, and the conveyor systems may very well resemble roller coasters at an amusement park—going up steep inclines, moving down drops, and twisting and turning around equipment and machinery as they transfer product from one area of the plant to another.