Articles by Austin Weber

Santa’s helpers depend on adhesives, screws and ultrasonic welding.

Weight issues are not something that’s common with U.S. Army soldiers. The military organization prides itself on running a lean, mean fighting machine. But, even so, the Army is on a weight-loss program when it comes to vehicles, artillery, ordnance, helmets, electronic gear and other devices.

Wichita, KS, calls itself the Air Capital of the World. The city has a long, proud heritage of aerospace manufacturing.

The 2nd annual Manufacturing Day was held nationwide last Friday. Hundreds of manufacturers opened their doors to students to give them a glimpse into the world of 21st century production processes.

What will factories look like 100 years from now when the bicentennial of the moving assembly line is celebrated? Will people still be involved in the production process?

When the moving assembly line debuted at Ford’s Highland Park factory 100 years ago, the world was becoming a smaller place, thanks to canals, flying machines, road maps and highways.

According to many experts, 3D printing promises to revolutionize the way numerous products are designed and mass-produced.

For decades, automotive engineers have looked to the aerospace industry for new ideas. Back in the 1930s and 1950s, Detroit was inspired by the sleek designs of innovative airplanes such as the Northrop Alpha and the Grumman F4F Wildcat.

This month marks the official celebration of the world’s first moving assembly line. On Oct. 7, 1913, 140 assemblers stationed along a 150-foot chassis line at a Ford Motor Co. plant just north of Detroit stood in place as the work came to them.

The late Eiji Toyoda was a giant in the world of lean manufacturing and quality control.