Austin Weber

In the near future, energy harvesting and inductive power transfer technology may replace electrical wires, power cords and batteries in a wide variety of applications.

Traditionally, robots rely on lots of cabling and connectors. However, continuous the auto industry is developing wireless sensors that are quick, reliable, secure and able to resist interference from existing systems.

In the future, the “smartest" form of assembly may be no assembly at all. That’s the goal of additive layer manufacturing.

The Integrated Design and Engineering Environment system analyzes the functional requirements of a product and identifies appropriate materials at an early stage of the development process.

Several new technologies may transform manufacturing, such as graphene, programmable magnets and Super Velcro.

Evolving technology, such as carbon nanotubes, fiber optics and printed electrical systems, may provide the backbone of future electrical distribution systems in cars, trucks, locomotives, aircraft and other vehicles.

Today, just about every square inch of a typical automobile is crammed full of electronic components. Microprocessors, sensors, connectors and other increasingly smaller and more robust devices are inside doors, under seats, behind dashboards, inside tires and under hoods.

If your company assembles a product that people may want to collect in future decades, consider holding onto old paper work instructions.

In his recent State of the Union address, President Obama challenged Americans to be more innovative. That means developing new materials, new products and new production processes. To tackle that challenge, manufacturing engineers must harness the power of “smart assembly” tools and systems.

Batteries take up valuable space, add weight and provide limited robustness. In the future, many manufacturers will replace batteries with energy harvesting technology-a cost-effective process of converting freely available energy into electricity.