2019 November

What’s New With Manual Torque Tools

Today’s manual torque wrenches and screwdrivers collect more data and transfer it wirelessly, providing greater assurance that each threaded fastener is accurately tightened

Jim Camillo

November 4, 2019

Whenever the 1920s are discussed in documentaries, they are first referred to as roaring and then as depressing. Too often, too little attention is paid to what happened in between these two extremes.

Linear Motor Transport Systems

Linear motors enable pallets to be accelerated, moved and positioned independently of one another

John Sprovieri

November 7, 2019

A leading medical device manufacturer in North America had a problem: how to expand production without increasing its manufacturing footprint.

The Three R’s of Analog Position Sensing: Repeatability, Resolution and Response

When specifying a linear position sensor, remember the three R’s

John Matlack

November 8, 2019

Those of us old enough to remember the "good old days" recall that grade school focused on learning the three R's: reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic. In the world of sensors, there are also three R's: repeatability, resolution and response.

Auto Industry Drives New Vision Technology

Bin picking and parts inspection applications address quality concerns

Austin Weber

November 6, 2019

The automotive industry experienced a record number of vehicle recalls in 2018, and this year's tally isn't far behind. Many of those issues have been caused by electronics or software glitches.

IoT Boosts Productivity at Bosch Assembly Plant

Bosch Rexroth’s assembly plant in Bethlehem, PA, is a proving ground for Industry 4.0 technology

Rodney Rusk

November 5, 2019

As one of the world's leading manufacturing companies, Bosch strives to be both a lead provider and a lead user of Industry 4.0 technologies. Worldwide, the company has more than 70 Internet of Things (IoT) projects running in a variety of industries and applications.

Colorado develops grid-storage battery technology

Austin Weber

November 14, 2019

Engineers around the world are scrambling to create next-generation batteries that are energy-efficient and easy to mass produce. One promising candidate is aqueous flow battery technology being developed at the University of Colorado.

Epoxy Joins Implantable Devices—and Protects Patients

Jim Camillo

November 13, 2019

One of the most challenging applications for an epoxy compound is bonding a fully implantable medical device.

Vision System Automatically Inspects Aerospace Connector Pins

Jim Camillo

November 12, 2019

Many machine vision projects start with one goal: significantly improve upon the accuracy and repeatability of human inspectors.

3D-Printed Engine Gets Ready for Racing

Jim Camillo

November 11, 2019

Although 3D printing is a relatively quick process, creating a final prototype or a production-ready product with the technology can take months or even years.

Combustion Test System is Well-Suited for Engine Prototypes

Jim Camillo

November 8, 2019

As a leading developer of engines and drivetrain systems, Suter Industries Ltd. understands the importance and benefit of accurate, working prototypes.

Electric vehicle makers rethink assembly processes

Austin Weber

November 6, 2019

One of the main issues in the recent strike against General Motors revolved around the increasing electrification of automobiles. The shift to electric- and hybrid-powered vehicles is expected to radically alter the shape of the auto industry in the decade ahead. It will also change the look of assembly lines.

Agile automation system assembles automotive inverters

The flexible system can produce three variants of the product

John Sprovieri

November 5, 2019

The automotive industry is at the threshold of a disruption not seen since the Brass Era of the 1900s. Electric vehicles, connectivity, mobility-as-a-service, and autonomous vehicles promise to change the future of transportation in the same way that the "horseless carriage" did a century ago.

Tariffs Have Moved Some Production From China, but not to the US

John Sprovieri

November 4, 2019

Recently, I received an e-mail from a U.S. electrical products company warning me that, on Oct. 15, the tariff on power supplies and power cords imported to the U.S. from China would increase from 25 percent to 30 percent.

If you have an assembly application and need to build parts, chances are, you will need parts feeding. From bowl feeders to vibratory feeders, there are many solutions available today. Figuring out which one to go with can be daunting. With nearly 4 decades of automation experience, Epson Robots has the expertise to walk you through the process and explain the various feeder types available in the market.

Assembly Magazine

Cover Story

What’s New With Manual Torque Tools

Features

Linear Motor Transport Systems

The Three R’s of Analog Position Sensing: Repeatability, Resolution and Response

Auto Industry Drives New Vision Technology

IoT Boosts Productivity at Bosch Assembly Plant

Columns

Colorado develops grid-storage battery technology

Epoxy Joins Implantable Devices—and Protects Patients

Vision System Automatically Inspects Aerospace Connector Pins

3D-Printed Engine Gets Ready for Racing

Combustion Test System is Well-Suited for Engine Prototypes

Electric vehicle makers rethink assembly processes

Agile automation system assembles automotive inverters

Tariffs Have Moved Some Production From China, but not to the US

Assembly Magazine

2019 November