Special Edition: Factory of the Future

Automated Assembly in the Age of Industry 4.0

The IIoT is changing how systems integrators are designing automated assembly systems

John Sprovieri

May 15, 2020

A high-speed, multistation automated assembly system can produce tens of thousands of products per day.

Fastening, Pressing and Industry 4.0

Engineers can do more with force and torque data than simply make “good” or “not good” decisions about assemblies

John Sprovieri

May 15, 2020

Just as the Rose Bowl is the "granddaddy" of college football bowl games, torque and angle might well be the granddaddies of manufacturing data collection. Assemblers have been monitoring their fastening processes for decades, but those efforts have reached a new level in the era of Industry 4.0.

Five Ways Augmented Intelligence Is Saving Manufacturers

ERP and MES software give assemblers up-to-the-moment insights into their supply chains, production capacity and product quality

Louis Columbus

May 15, 2020

Let's not sugarcoat this. The world's manufacturing base is at war with COVID-19 and its destructive, disruptive effects on everything from supply chains to daily production levels and, ultimately, the health of everyone. Getting ahead of this curve will require a much more aggressive approach to using data.

Cybersecurity for Today’s Assembly Plant

As assembly plants become more connected to both suppliers and customers, cybersecurity is becoming more important

John Sprovieri

May 15, 2020

On May 12, 2017, hackers launched a "ransomware" cyberattack that would eventually infect 300,000 machines in 150 countries over a three-day period.

Five Digital Transformation Failures and How to Avoid Them

Up to 70 percent of digital transformations fail: Don’t be one of them

Mark Reisig

May 15, 2020

Technology innovations for products and services are advancing rapidly. But manufacturers increasingly find their product development systems are unable to support what it takes to bring these innovations to market.

Blockchain in the Factory of the Future

Manufacturers are challenged with securely sharing data inside and outside the factory. Blockchain could solve that problem

Daniel Küpper

May 15, 2020

Like the rest of the world, the factory is rapidly becoming more interconnected. In the factory of the future, data sharing occurs across a complex network of machines, parts, products and value chain participants, including machinery providers and logistics companies. As a result, today, more than ever, manufacturers face the challenge of securely sharing data within and outside the factory walls.

Computers and Tablets on the Assembly Line

The tablet computer you use to watch cat videos on the couch won’t cut it on the assembly line

Max Moallen

May 15, 2020

Those of us who have been long-time football fans recall years ago seeing coaching staff treading the sidelines holding clipboards with sheets of paper flapping in the breeze. As players came back to the bench, the coaches would scribble out plays or flip through play sheets to diagnose what just happened out on the field.

Industry 4.0 for the Small Shop

Advanced technology tools are no longer just for the big guys

Austin Weber

May 15, 2020

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0 are transforming the world of manufacturing. The two terms are relatively interchangeable and basically mean the same thing: Manufacturers using internet-enabled technologies to improve their business strategies and outcomes.

Updating Legacy Equipment for Industry 4.0

Many types of older assembly equipment can be IIoT-enabled quickly, easily and cost-effectively

Jim Camillo

May 15, 2020

"Out with the old, in with the new" is a catchy idiom. But, it can also be costly advice, especially for a manufacturer. Replacing its numerous older machines can cost anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.

Robotics in the Age of Industry 4.0

Artificial intelligence and data analytics will make robots more productive

Austin Weber

May 15, 2020

Robots are an important piece of the Industry 4.0 puzzle. Tomorrow's smart factories will depend on new types of machines, such as collaborative and mobile devices that are interconnected. Artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and data analytics will also make industrial robots more reliable than ever.

Welding in the Age of Industry 4.0

IIoT technologies offer several ways to improve the quality of manual, robotic and automated welding

Jim Camillo

May 15, 2020

Sir Humphry Davy did more than just invent electric welding in 1800 when he created electric arcs between two carbon electrodes using batteries. He set a precedent for welding innovation that continues to this day.

Edge Computing for Today’s Assembly Plant

Used within the IIoT, edge computing offers benefits that range from reducing network latency and plant accidents, to achieving predictive maintenance and maximizing uptime

Jim Camillo

May 15, 2020

Maybe the greatest benefit of a new technology is its lack of historical baggage, thereby enabling industry professionals to approach it with an open mind and a clean slate. Edge computing currently enjoys this status in manufacturing.

5G Will Drive Tomorrow’s Connected Assembly Lines

Next-generation wireless technology is transforming production processes

Austin Weber

May 15, 2020

The fifth generation of wireless technology is quickly emerging. It will greatly expand the broadband capabilities of mobile networks and provide advanced wireless service for a wide variety of applications ranging from cell phones to assembly lines.

Assemblers See Promise—and Challenges—in IIoT

Our exclusive new survey reveals assemblers’ usage, plans and expectations for the Industrial Internet of Things

John Sprovieri

May 15, 2020

When you hear the phrase, "Industrial Internet of Things," what do you think of first? When we asked subscribers to ASSEMBLY and Quality magazines that question earlier this year, the answers were all over the map.

Industry 4.0 will drive next surge in productivity

John Sprovieri

May 15, 2020

Productivity growth in manufacturing is stuck. Despite improvements in equipment, software and management approaches, annual labor productivity growth in the U.S. was around 0.7 percent between 2007 and 2018.

This webinar will provide industrial controls engineers insightful and actionable information on how to best design control panels for modern manufacturing environments. The thought-leadership style of the content will offer a credible viewpoint on how to transform plant floors and machine designs for an era of rapidly increasing data capture.

The ASSEMBLY Show focuses exclusively on assembly technology equipment and products. Attendees have the opportunity to uncover new resources, experience equipment hands-on, evaluate the latest technologies and products, and connect face-to-face with industry experts.

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