LUFKIN, TX—Lockheed Martin’s electronics assembly plant here has adopted the IPC-CFX standard for its surface-mount production lines, enabling the defense contractor to turn the facility into a smart factory.
For many automotive Tier 1 suppliers, tracking their inventory is sometimes as challenging as manufacturing the parts themselves. Westin, WI-based Precision Replacement Parts (PRP) can attest to this statement.
Like other transformative technologies, artificial intelligence presents manufacturers with unique challenges to overcome for successful implementation.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming a manufacturing and mainstream technological superstar - a rare achievement indeed. Consider some recent Internet stories highlighting AI's applicability to everyday life.
Industry 4.0 isn't anything new for the manufacturing engineers at Glidewell. The Newport, CA-based manufacturer of crowns, bridges and other dental products has been applying the concept since before it had a name.
Schneider Electric's factory in Lexington, KY, has been mass-producing electrical equipment for more than 60 years. But, the low-mix, high-volume assembly plant is not sitting back and living in the past. Instead, it has become a state-of-the-art showcase for the future of digital manufacturing.
Nobody's perfect. Even the best trained, most experienced assemblers can make mistakes on the line, especially in high-mix production environments. Fortunately, a variety of software products are available to help prevent assembly errors.