Articles by Austin Weber

Additive manufacturing is a popular alternative to traditional plastic injection molding, metal casting and metal stamping, because it enables engineers to consolidate parts and produce components in complex shapes.

Today, gas stations are a ubiquitous part of the urban landscape. They are found at numerous intersections and off-ramps. But, once upon a time, service stations were few and far between. As a result, one of the biggest fears of early motorists was running out of gas while on a long-distance road trip.

"Are we there yet?" is an age-old question that back-seat passengers have been asking for decades. Automotive engineers on the lightweighting journey are faced with a similar quandary.

Over the past 120 years, the automotive industry has experienced several transformative paradigm shifts that have dramatically changed the process of mass-producing cars and light trucks.

The "D" word has become one of the hottest trends in the manufacturing world. State-of-the-art sensors attached to assembly tools and production equipment are capable of collecting a constant stream of data.

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.

Traditionally, aircraft manufacturers have been reluctant to adopt robots and other types of automation. One of the main challenges is that large plane parts come with relatively high geometry deviations, so robots need sensor guidance.

For decades, the University of Michigan has been at the forefront of robotics engineering. That's why Ford Motor Co. recently partnered with the school to build a new robotics research facility on campus.

The bicycle industry has emerged as one of the few beneficiaries of the coronavirus pandemic, as people search for ways to stay active, entertain children and commute to work. By some estimates, bicycle sales nationwide surged by 50 percent last year.