Most manufacturers are keen on automating production, so long as it can be done cost-effectively. This goal applies as well to KEEN Inc., a Portland, OR-based company that makes outdoor and lifestyle footwear.

MARNE, MI—Metal fabrication shop DeWys Manufacturing Inc. has developed a robotic cell that automatically installs up to eight self-clinching fasteners in sheet metal.

CHICAGO—Advanced industrial robots could power a new wave of productivity growth in many industries and lead to changes of up to 5 percentage points in the cost competitiveness of major export economies relative to the United States, according to new research by The Boston Consulting Group.

Standardization is a key concept behind lean manufacturing. It allows assemblers to reduce variation, increase consistency, cut costs and improve productivity by following a prescribed set of work instructions.