The 2020 October Assembly features our cover story: 2020 Assembly Plant of the Year - There's No Looking Back at Murakami, plus much more. Check it out today!
Every motorist uses rearview mirrors whenever they get behind the wheel. In fact, most people look at them every few seconds as they drive. However, few ever give those ubiquitous devices much thought.
When it comes to assembling wire harnesses, humans still do it better than automation. That's why wire processing remains a largely manual process. However, it also poses a number of ergonomic issues and concerns, including the risk of back, finger, neck, shoulder and wrist injuries.
Can the length of a wire harness routed in a wind turbine tower 394 feet tall and connected to a control cabinet in a nacelle be precisely determined by a computer? Yes, it can.
One of the main goals of an artist is to help others see things in a different light and use them in a new way. Manufacturers often provide a similar benefit to their equipment suppliers.
Conventional automobiles contain 20 to 50 pounds of copper. Electric vehicles, in contrast, contain about 180 pounds of copper, and 27 million of them are expected on the road by 2027.
In Europe, the electric bicycle market is booming. For every bike on the road, one in three is an e-bike. The United States is starting to see more e-bikes on the market and currently has more than 350,000 in circulation.
Bolted joints are widely used to assemble components. That is not surprising, since they are cost effective while being relatively easy to assemble and disassemble.
Sales of electric vehicles (EVs), particularly plug-in hybrids and full battery electrics, are growing faster than expected, according to a study released earlier this year by the Boston Consulting Group.
On July 1, 1930, 200 metal trimmers and polishers at GM’s Fisher Body No.1 (Fisher One) in Flint, MI, laid down their tools and stormed off the job, hollering for others to follow.
There is no doubt that little things can make a big difference in electronics manufacturing. For example, using out-of-spec micro screws and bolts on commercial smart phones can wreak havoc on their assembly quality and performance reliability.
Drilling rivet holes in composite materials has been a challenge for many years. Traditionally, using standard tools has resulted in rapid tool wear and material damage, including integrity, surface quality and delamination.
A construction equipment manufacturer needed a way to feed a family of large, heavy castings. The castings range in weight from a few ounces up to a few pounds and come in many geometric shapes.
After sitting idle for weeks or even months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. assembly plants have finally restarted production, albeit with the occasional hiccup.
Growing sustainability and resilience concerns brought about by trade war uncertainty and the COVID-19 pandemic have companies looking for ways to mitigate risk and increase agility.