Austin Weber

"Happy Days Are Here Again” was a popular song back in the 1930s. Assemblers in many industries have been singing an updated version of the tune lately, because the new golden age of American manufacturing has begun.

Oakland University is located a few minutes away from Chrysler’s corporate headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI. So, it’s appropriate that the school is home to the Fastening and Joining Research Institute (FAJRI), the only facility of its kind in the world.

The auto industry has a long history of borrowing ideas from the aerospace sector, ranging from aerodynamic styling to lightweight materials. The latest adoption is head-up display (HUD) technology, which was originally developed for fighter jets.

While World War II was fought on numerous battlefields and beaches in Europe and the South Pacific, it was won on the assembly lines of America’s factories.

Assemblers in many different industries depend on all sorts of pneumatic, DC electric and battery powered tools for a wide variety of fastening applications. Unfortunately, the devices are also the source of countless ergonomic headaches for manufacturing engineers.

Small gas engines are the lifeblood of the outdoor power equipment industry. They run all sorts of commercial and consumer devices, ranging from lawnmowers and generators to power washers and portable welders.

Aluminum will play a growing role in the automotive industry in the years ahead. In fact, aluminum use in vehicles is projected to double by 2025, as automakers continue to roll out a wide variety of lighter weight models.

Many experts tout fuel cells as one of the cleanest forms of green energy, because the devices reduce CO2 emissions and provide greater energy efficiency than combustion engines.

Being green and sustainable is trendy in all industries today. Unfortunately, many different definitions and concepts exist, which can be confusing to small- and medium-sized companies.

The recent slew of recalls in the auto industry is disturbing. What happened to all those Sig Sigma and lean manufacturing initiatives that are supposed to error-proof assembly?