2021 May

Repurposing Leak Test Equipment for Electric Vehicles

Existing machinery can be repurposed for new leak testing applications, saving thousands of dollars.

May 4, 2021

Automakers and component suppliers can save time and money by repurposing existing leak testing equipment for EV applications.

Mobile Workstations for Flexible Assembly

Wheeled workbenches can work wonders on flexible assembly lines.

Austin Weber

May 17, 2021

The first wheeled suitcases appeared 50 years ago. Before 1970, luggage was lugged and shoved through airport terminals around the world. By adding casters, the humble invention transformed travel and eventually led to the carry-on bag trend.

Access Control With RFID

Chris Randle

May 19, 2021

RFID technology can help manufacturers control access to critical hardware and software. What's the best way to ensure product quality and production uptime in industrial automation? Make sure that only trained and authorized people can access the programmable controllers.

Assembly Presses: Pins and Dowels

Fastening pins and alignment dowels can be easily press-fit into metal or plastic to quicken and optimize part assembly.

Jim Camillo

May 13, 2021

In the classic game Pin the Tail on the Donkey, players use a push pin to attach the tail to the donkey. On a metal or plastic toy donkey, however, a push pin would be unable to hold the tail in place, especially if it needs to move in some way. A better choice for this application is a solid metal dowel pin.

CAM Software Produces High-Quality CNC Parts

Jim Camillo

May 11, 2021

Today's medical devices often feature a number of complex, high-value-added parts. Device manufacturers carefully design these parts before having them molded, machined or assembled.

New Friction Welding Process Requires Less Force

John Sprovieri

May 19, 2021

To join two aluminum parts, you could, in theory, place one atop the other and wait 100 years. The two will eventually form a solid-state bond. Metals naturally want to join with each other.

Clemson R&D Effort Focuses on Electric Vehicle Batteries

Austin Weber

May 19, 2021

Engineers at Clemson University are developing next-generation batteries that charge faster, last longer and can be scaled to fit a variety of vehicle classes. The Clemson Nanomaterials Institute (CNI) is working on the project with Atlis Motor Vehicles Inc.

Chain-Link Monitoring System Prevents Unplanned Downtime

Jim Camillo

May 19, 2021

Chain drives are essential to automotive manufacturing. These drives are typically used to transport automotive frames down kilometer-long production lines.

Automakers Grapple With Semiconductor Shortage

A global shortage of semiconductors continues to adversely affect U.S. automakers.

John Sprovieri

May 4, 2021

On March 26, Stellantis announced that it would temporarily close five North American assembly plants starting April 5. The affected plants are in Illinois, Michigan, Mexico and Canada. At press time, the plants were expected to be closed through mid-April.

Machine Automates Assembly of Insulin Pens

Syntegon’s assembly system employs a variety of automation components from Festo.

John Sprovieri

May 6, 2021

Diabetes is on the rise worldwide. Some 10 million people are diagnosed with the disease every year. That unfortunate statistic has led to increased demand for insulin pens. These medical devices are used by diabetics to inject insulin.

Feeding System Handles Delicate Parts for Swiss Watches

John Sprovieri

May 6, 2021

A simple mechanical watch contains roughly 130 components. More complex watches contain hundreds of parts. A top-of-the-line model can have well over 1,000 parts.

Five Things: Robot End-Effectors

May 6, 2021

MyAppCafé is a fully automated robotic barista. The machine is the brainchild of caterer and entrepreneur Michael Stille of Karlsruhe, Germany, who envisioned a fully automated system for vending coffee at catered events and trade shows.

Laser Marking Enhances Appeal of Precision Gears

Jim Camillo

May 11, 2021

Diversification not only offers benefits when investing. It also provides a way for manufacturers to better serve their current customers and attract new ones.

On Demand Learn how manufacturers are bridging the gap between the shop floor and ERP systems to gain real-time visibility, streamline operations, and kick-start digital transformation—without waiting years.

Sponsored by:

On Demand In this presentation, Dr. Herman Tang shares practical insights from his industry experience and research on buffer management in manufacturing operations.

Assembly eMagazine

Cover Story

Repurposing Leak Test Equipment for Electric Vehicles

Features

Mobile Workstations for Flexible Assembly

Access Control With RFID

Assembly Presses: Pins and Dowels

Columns

CAM Software Produces High-Quality CNC Parts

New Friction Welding Process Requires Less Force

Clemson R&D Effort Focuses on Electric Vehicle Batteries

Chain-Link Monitoring System Prevents Unplanned Downtime

Automakers Grapple With Semiconductor Shortage

Machine Automates Assembly of Insulin Pens

Feeding System Handles Delicate Parts for Swiss Watches

Five Things: Robot End-Effectors

Laser Marking Enhances Appeal of Precision Gears

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