The typical load center is a plain metal box that most people never think about unless their television or computer suddenly stops working. Hundreds of them are assembled every day at Schneider Electric/Square D Lexington, the recipient of the 2007 Assembly Plant of the Year award presented by ASSEMBLY magazine.
During the 1950s, there was a boom in new assembly plant construction in the United States. Today, many of those plants are still going strong. In fact, several of them were finalists for the 2007 Assembly Plant of the Year award.
To celebrate ASSEMBLY magazine's golden anniversary, here's a year-by-year look at how things have changed, evolved and stayed the same over the last 50 years. The timeline focuses on engineering achievements, business trends and manufacturing milestones.
This month marks ASSEMBLY magazine’s 50th anniversary. To celebrate that event, here are some predictions for the future. Share your own comments . . . and don’t forget to check back here in 50 years.
During the last 50 years, ASSEMBLY magazine has witnessed numerous events, trends and issues that have dramatically changed the face of American manufacturing. To celebrate ASSEMBLY's golden anniversary, we have identified 10 mega trends that, for better or worse, have shaped today's manufacturing landscape and will continue to shape the future.
Chrysler LLC scored a coup today when it snatched Jim Press from the top position at Toyota Motor North America Inc. It's the latest in a recent string of announcements aimed at beefing up Detroit's No. 3 automaker. Will Chrysler once again become a formidable player or is it's new investment bank owner, Cerberus Capital Management, just trying to sweeten the pot for an eventual spinoff?
ASSEMBLY has been keeping engineers up to speed on the latest conveyor technology since it debuted. Fifty years ago, most conveyors consisted of belts, chains and rollers. Modular conveyors, skillet conveyors, self-propelled conveyors, automated guided vehicles and other material handling technology commonly found on plant floors today did not exist.
The consumer goods industry is under growing pressure to reduce waste and adopt environmentallly friendly packaging. New paper and plastic materials offer sustainable solutions, but also create new challenges.
Investing in automation requires a major commitment of time, money and other valuable resources. Unfortunately, end users often repeat the same mistakes with automation, because of time constraints and budget concerns.