Austin has been senior editor for ASSEMBLY Magazine since September 1999. He has more than 21 years of b-to-b publishing experience and has written about a wide variety of manufacturing and engineering topics. Austin is a graduate of the University of Michigan.
Lifting heavy or bulky objects, such as
parts bins and subassemblies, is one of the most hazardous tasks facing
assemblers on the plant floor. Fortunately, a wide variety of scissor lifts,
tilt tables and other ergonomic devices can improve productivity and minimize
the risk of back injury.
The human eye is a delicate organism that’s difficult to copy. But, a team of engineers at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois hope to mimic the eye in a new type of camera lens they are developing. They have created an array of silicon detectors and electronics that can be conformed to a curved surface.
Engineers at the University of Washington have combined a flexible, biologically safe contact lens with an imprinted electronic circuit. The device contains an electronic circuit, as well as red light-emitting diodes for a display.
Believe it or not, the bionic eye is more fact than fiction. A device called Argus II is currently being developed by engineers at five U.S. Department of Energy laboratories and four universities. The high-density microelectronic-tissue hybrid device aims to restore sight to people blinded by diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.
Cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, presbyopia, diabetic retinopathy, posterior uveitis and other vision-related conditions make ophthalmology one of the most dynamic market segments in the medical device industry. An aging population, proposed federal healthcare reform and an increasing number of elective surgeries is creating a huge demand for diagnostic instruments, surgical equipment, lasers, intraocular lens implants, shunts, artificial retinas and other products.
According to the 2009 ASSEMBLY State of the Profession survey, budget cutbacks, time constraints and global competition will continue to create big challenges for manufacturers during the next five months. But, things should be less stressful than they were during the first half of 2009. A recent study conducted by Mercer LLC also indicates that deep workforce, pay and benefit cuts will moderate during the next five months.
Are layoffs really the best answer to a sluggish economy? “No,” according to the CEO of a small company who believes it's not about who’s “essential” and who’s “expendable.”
Many workers are being hit by large losses to their retirement funds. At the same time, a significant number of older workers are planning to delay their retirement. In fact, 60 percent of respondents to ASSEMBLY Magazine’s 2009 State of the Profession survey have changed their retirement plans because of the economy.
Next week marks the 40th anniversary of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Looking back on this amazing feat of engineering four decades later provides plenty of opportunity to grasp its significance and appreciate its impact on manufacturing.