2020 April

Small Robots Play a Big Role in Automation

Compact tabletop machines are becoming more popular with manufacturers

April 2, 2020

In basketball, the most flexible player is often the smallest person on the team. Small robots play a similar role in manufacturing.

Threaded Fasteners for Plastics Assembly

Here are some tips, tricks and suggestions for using threaded fasteners to assemble plastic parts

John Sprovieri

April 7, 2020

With so many ways to formulate plastic to get just the right combination of color, texture, strength and durability, it’s easy to forget how the parts will be assembled. However, if the parts will be assembled with screws, overlooking such parameters as thread style, driver speed and boss design could spell disaster on the assembly line.

New Process Welds Clear Plastic Parts

Clear polymer materials can be successfully bonded with a new process that combines simultaneous through-transmission infrared laser welding with precision ultrasonic spray deposition technology

Tom Hoover

April 6, 2020

Laser welding of plastic parts creates precise, high-quality, particulate-free joints for medical devices, consumer products and other assemblies. However, for the process to work, the laser light must pass through the top part to be absorbed by the bottom part. Welding a clear plastic part to another clear plastic part was not possible.

Alternatives to Pallet-Transfer Conveyors

Need to linearly index parts and subassemblies with accuracy and repeatability? Consider precision-link conveyors and walking beams

Jim Camillo

April 3, 2020

There are many way ways to linearly move an object from point A to point B on an assembly line. But, not all of them are designed to optimize speed, accuracy and repeatability while performing the task.

A Bright Idea for Feeding Lightbulbs and Other Delicate Parts

John Sprovieri

April 7, 2020

Consumers spend some $1 billion to buy 2 billion lightbulbs each year in the U.S. That’s more than 6 million every day. High-speed automated assembly is the only way to meet that kind of volume.

Five Things: Robotics

John Sprovieri

April 6, 2020

Ford Motor Co. has begun testing a human-like robot, called Digit, with two arms and two legs for loading and unloading delivery vans.

Pandemic Disrupts U.S. Manufacturing

At best, the pandemic has been an inconvenience. At worst, it has led to part shortages and plant shutdowns

John Sprovieri

April 2, 2020

How quickly things change. On March 1, I was one of 15,000 people watching the Chicago Cubs play a spring training game at a ballpark in Mesa, AZ. It was warm and sunny, the beer was cold, and I had not a care in the world.