Austin Weber

This time of the year, many homeowners in the Midwest and Northeast start covering their barbecue grills, patio furniture, rosebushes and swimming pools. The type of cover they choose can make a big difference in how those objects survive cold winter temperatures and heavy snow.

Construction equipment, farm tractors and other off-highway machines need more than just diesel engines, big tires and metal tracks to operate. They require hydraulic mechanisms to steer, raise booms, open buckets or tilt blades.

Multistation automated assembly systems are a wonder to behold. A well-designed system can mass-produce hundreds of assemblies per minute with minimal human intervention.

Most people never think about the electrical grid when they turn on their TV, charge their smartphone or surf the Internet. But, without it, none of those things would work.

Manufacturing today is leaner and greener than ever. Many engineers are focusing on lightweight materials and sustainable production initiatives. In addition, additive manufacturing is transforming how a wide variety of products are designed and assembled.