Just when you think there's nothing new under the sun with a particular technology, a company will invariably put a new spin on things. A good example is the new Torque Press 520 from Schmidt Technology.

Since 1985, Staufermatic Maschinenbau GmbH has made a name for itself worldwide in two specialties. One is designing and manufacturing special-purpose machinery for assembly, riveting, drilling, leak testing, safety and press-fitting.

In manufacturing, ironclad formulas for success are hard to come by. This is especially relevant for press-fit assembly, a process whereby one part is inserted tightly into a hole in another part with a single quick stroke (1 to 2 seconds).

Large lithium-ion battery packs are composed of multiple individual cells, each of which contains a pair of compacted lithium-ion powder pellets separated by a collector plate.

When an assembly press supplier meets with a manufacturer to discuss its next purchase, both parties focus on one question: Which type and model of press is best for the current application? Mike Brieschke, vice president of sales at Aries Engineering Corp., recalls how two such meetings in 2006 with automotive OEMs led the supplier to ask itself another question: Which type of press is best for the future of assembly?

Engineers at a major manufacturer of portable electronic devices had a problem. They needed to rivet a small, thin electrical contact to the device’s charger subassembly, but how could they head the tiny rivets—0.02 to 0.03 inch in diameter—without crushing the assembly?

To increase productivity, manufacturers are continually looking for new ways to automate their assembly processes.