https://www.assemblymag.com/rss/2655 en-us sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) Suppliers of assembly technology are optimistic about 2026.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/99692 Mon, 08 Dec 2025 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/99692-us-manufacturers-make-big-plans-in-2025 webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) John Deere Davenport Works has recently implemented productivity enhancing tools such as 5G connectivity, artificial intelligence, data analytics and digital twins.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/99571 Wed, 01 Oct 2025 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/99571-2025-assembly-plant-of-the-year-deere-leaps-ahead-with-5g-connectivity sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) With the election in the rearview mirror, assemblers are poised to invest in their operations again.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98930 Wed, 04 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98930-2024-capital-spending-survey-spending-levels-off webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) The 2024 Assembly Plant of the Year uses digital tools and advanced manufacturing technology to mass-produce dishwashers.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98788 Tue, 01 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98788-ge-appliances-uses-advanced-automation-to-dish-out-productivity webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) Both Ford facilities have undergone major transformations since they received the award, due to the evolving nature of the auto industry and changing consumer demand.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98407 Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98407-update-report-2012-and-2018-assembly-plant-of-the-year-ford-motor-co webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) Only one white goods manufacturer has ever received the Assembly Plant of the Year award: GE Appliances’ refrigerator factory in Decatur, AL.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98418 Thu, 21 Mar 2024 01:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98418-update-report-2019-assembly-plant-of-the-year-ge-appliances webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) AGCO Corp’s assembly plant in Jackson, MN, has gone green.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98406 Wed, 20 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98406-update-report-2017-assembly-plant-of-the-year-agco-corp webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) More than a decade ago, Northrop Grumman adopted production technology from the auto industry and unveiled an automated assembly line to mass-produce fuselages for the F-35 jet fighter.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98409 Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98409-update-report-2013-assembly-plant-of-the-year-northrop-grumman-corp webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) The mainframe computers and enterprise systems produced at IBM’s operation in Poughkeepsie, NY are the backbone of cloud computing, e-commerce, online banking, social media and other attributes of the digital age that most people take for granted.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98402 Thu, 14 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98402-2008-assembly-plant-of-the-year-ibm-corp webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) Schneider Electric’s facility in Lexington, KY, holds the distinction of being named both the Assembly Plant of the Year and a Lighthouse factory.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98396 Tue, 12 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98396-2007-assembly-plant-of-year-schneider-electric webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) Kenworth Truck Co. recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. The company has been a pillar of manufacturing activity in the Seattle area since 1923, operating out of a series of four different local factories, including its current flagship plant in Renton.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98382 Tue, 05 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98382-2004-assembly-plant-of-the-year-kenworth-truck-co webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) Here’s a brief look at the diverse facilities that have received the Assembly Plant of the Year award.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98378 Fri, 01 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98378-assembly-plant-of-the-year-award-timeline In this ebook, we look back at past winners, discover how the plants have further improved, and learn their plans for the future.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98346 Thu, 22 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98346-assembly-plants-of-the-year-looking-back-moving-forward webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) ASSEMBLY is seeking nominations for its 2024 Assembly Plant of the Year award.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98324 Mon, 12 Feb 2024 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98324-assembly-plant-of-the-year-award-call-for-nominations sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) Despite inflation concerns and lingering supply chain issues, manufacturers are investing in their assembly operations.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98172 Mon, 04 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98172-2023-capital-spending-survey-assemblers-continue-to-invest webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) Automation and sustainability combine to produce high-quality instruments in El Cajon, CA.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98037 Wed, 27 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/98037-hand-craftsmanship-meets-high-tech-at-taylor-guitars sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) U.S. manufacturers have faced significant headwinds this year: supply chain problems, a skilled labor shortage, inflation, and the war in Ukraine. And yet despite these issues—or perhaps, because of them—manufacturers continued to invest in people, plants and equipment.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97486 Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97486-capital-spending-survey-2022-assemblers-continue-to-invest To automate an assembly task that requires two hands, engineers have two options: one robot equipped with a tool changer or two robots. Now, there may soon a third option. We have developed a single end-of-arm tool that can simultaneously hold a part, such as a dowel or a long screw, in place and install it at the same time.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97485 Tue, 29 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97485-screwdriving-gripper-mimics-two-handed-assembly asb1122FOTF-screw0.jpg Photo courtesy EvilWata, Creatas Video+ / Getty Images Plus asb1122FOTF-screw1.jpg Researchers have developed a robot end-effector that can pick up a screw, hold it in place, and drive it. Photo courtesy Korea Institute of Industrial Technology asb1122FOTF-screw2.jpg The screwdriving part of the end-effector is designed to apply consistent contact force without a force sensor, using a flexible link structure. Photo courtesy Korea Institute of Industrial Technology asb1122FOTF-screw3.jpg To test their robotic screwdriving end-effector, the researchers devised a robotic cell to assemble a wooden chair. The cell is equipped with three cobots. Two cobots, equipped with standard grippers, hold parts of the chair in place while the third cobot, equipped with the screwdriving end-effector, installs screws. Photo courtesy Korea Institute of Industrial Technology asb1122FOTF-screw4.jpg Insertion is a five-step process: determine the position and size of the screw or dowel using machine vision; grip the part; align the part with the driver bit or the insertion tip; align the part with the hole; and drive the screw or push in the dowel.  Photo courtesy Korea Institute of Industrial Technology asb1122FOTF-screw5.jpg A flexible link is mounted on both sides of the screwdriving finger. Its shape makes it a compliant element. The flexible link allows the driver to maintain contact force without a precise force controller. Photo courtesy Korea Institute of Industrial Technology Composite structures in airplanes are often thin-walled and lightweight, resulting in significant compliance. This presents a challenge for handling and assembly.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97481 Tue, 29 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97481-autonomous-mobile-manipulators-for-aerospace-assembly asb1122FOTF-manip1.jpg This assembly jig for the A350 XWB wing cover is an example of how aerospace manufacturers assemble compliant structures. Photo courtesy Braunschweig Technical University asb1122FOTF-manip2.jpg The researchers developed a unique approach for assembling wing flaps using an AMR and a lightweight assembly jig that compensates for deformation. Photo courtesy Braunschweig Technical University asb1122FOTF-manip3.jpg This rendering shows the flap with supports and a mock-up of the airplane’s rear spar. Photo courtesy Braunschweig Technical University asb1122FOTF-manip4.jpg The researchers chose the Stewart parallel kinematic design for its light weight and ability to move with six degrees of freedom. The unit’s electric actuators are controlled by an exernal PLC. Photo courtesy Braunschweig Technical University asb1122FOTF-manip5.jpg This photo shows an early version of the researchers’ end-effector. Subsequent versions were stiffer and stronger. Photo courtesy Braunschweig Technical University asb1122FOTF-manip6.jpg The mobile robot holds the flap in assembly position. Photo courtesy Braunschweig Technical University asb1122FOTF-manip7.jpg A Kuka KMR Quantec 150 is the base of the AIMM. It consists of a six-axis robot mounted on a mobile platform. As a unit, it can carry a maximum dynamic payload of 150 kilograms. Photo courtesy Kuka asb1122FOTF-manip8.jpg Aircraft assemblers typically use stiff, steel jigs to maintain the geometry of the parts with a high level of precision. Photo courtesy Airbus The current paradigm of car manufacturing, which provides a variety of models, colors and options, is called mass customization. However, mass customization is now transforming into mass individualization. In mass individualization, products are uniquely catered to consumers’ desires. For example, some car buyers may want to replace ordinary car seats with luxury brands, such as Louis Vuitton, to differentiate themselves.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97480 Mon, 28 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97480-conveyor-less-micro-factories-for-urban-car-production asb1122FOTF-nocon1.jpg A sensor skid, temporarily attached under an EV, can guide the vehicle through the assembly process based on local sensing and communication with a high-level fleet management system. Photo courtesy General Motors Co. asb1122FOTF-nocon2.jpg An ergonomic positioning device could be actuated by one or more wheels of the vehicle without a need for external power. It would consist of two rollers, a belt and a passive motion device. When a wheel of the vehicle is interlocked between the two rollers, the wheel can drive the belt, actuating a passive motion device, which moves the vehicle up or down. Photo courtesy General Motors Co. asb1122FOTF-nocon3.jpg Using an autonomous mobile robot to transport vehicles on the assembly line—or using the vehicle itself—gives OEMs more flexibility in factory layout. Photo courtesy General Motors Co. asb1122FOTF-nocon4.jpg GM already uses automated guided vehicles to transport large subassemblies on the line. Photo courtesy General Motors Co. asb1122FOTF-nocon5.jpg GM uses autonomous forklifts to store and retrieve parts at its factory in Grand Rapids, MI. Photo courtesy General Motors Co. asb1122FOTF-nocon6.jpg E.GO Mobile’s assembly plant in Aachen, Germany maximizes the advantages of urban infrastructure without violating the environmental standards of the residential area. Photo courtesy e.GO Mobile sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) Rotor blades, guide vanes and other components for jet engines are made from costly materials and machined to precise tolerances. Such components are typically made in batches, due to the time involved in setting up machine centers. The process also requires a fair number of people to tend the machines and assist in changeover.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97466 Wed, 23 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97466-smart-factories-here-and-now asb1122FOTF-factories1.jpg At its assembly plant in Munich, Germany, MTU Aero Engines has developed an automated production process that can operate autonomously for 66 hours. Photo courtesy MTU Aero Engines asb1122FOTF-factories2.jpg Continental is investing $4.9 million to build a new highly automated production line for industrial hoses at its factory in Korbach, Germany. Photo courtesy Continental AG asb1122FOTF-factories3.jpg Amgen is building a $365 million smart factory in New Albany, OH. Photo courtesy Amgen Inc. asb1122FOTF-factories4.jpg To improve competitiveness, sustainability and health, electronics assembler Flex implemented a variety of Industry 4.0 initiatives, such as a supply chain control tower and IIoT-enabled recycling of electronic waste. Photo courtesy Flex Ltd. asb1122FOTF-factories5.jpg Powered by 100 percent green electricity, Arçelik’s appliance assembly plant in Ulmi, Romania, has deployed a variety of technologies to address sustainability. Photo courtesy Arçelik asb1122FOTF-factories6.jpg After deploying AI, IIoT and flexible automation, CATL’s battery assembly plant increased line speed by 17 percent and reduced yield loss by 14 percent. Photo courtesy Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. asb1122FOTF-factories7.jpg Haier’s appliance assembly plant in Qingdao, China, has leveraged big data, digital twin and advanced visual inspection technology to accelerate R&D, upgrade manufacturing processes and improve logistics scheduling. Photo courtesy Haier Home Appliance http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97459 Thu, 17 Nov 2022 09:38:00 -0500 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97459-factory-of-the-future-volume-4-on-the-leading-edge webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) Brose Tuscaloosa Inc., Vance, AL, is the recipient of the the 2022 Assembly Plant of the Year Award.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97364 Thu, 06 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97364-2022-assembly-plant-of-the-year-continuous-improvement-culture-thrives-at-brose asb1022poy6.jpg Brose Tuscaloosa operates 12 final assembly lines. Photo courtesy Brose Tuscaloosa Inc. http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97288 Fri, 26 Aug 2022 10:38:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97288-factory-of-the-future-volume-3-it-ot-and-data-flow-in-the-factory-of-the-future webera@bnpmedia.com (Austin Weber) As assembly plants become more digitally connected to both suppliers and customers, the potential threat posed by cyberattacks will only get worse. Cyberthreats to manufacturers are real, and the consequences can be devastating.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97287 Fri, 26 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97287-cybersecurity-for-the-factory-of-the-future cybersecurity.jpg Animation courtesy KanawatTH, Creatas Video+ / Getty Images Plus cs1.jpg Cyberthreats to manufacturers are real, and the consequences can be devastating. Photo courtesy IBM Corp. cs2.jpg Large and small manufacturers must take steps to protect their assembly lines from cyberattacks. Photo courtesy Brose cs3.jpg Upstream or downstream cyberattacks thousands of miles away can shut down an entire factory. Photo courtesy General Motors cs4.jpg Manufacturers are particularly vulnerable to ransomware attacks. Photo courtesy BSH Hausgerate GmbH cs5.jpg Rapid adoption of Industry 4.0 technology has increased the vulnerability of manufacturers. Photo courtesy Airbus cs6.jpg Cybersecurity initiatives must involve information technology and operational technology teams. Photo courtesy IBM Corp. cs7.jpg Earlier this year, Toyota was forced to suspend operations at 14 plants in Japan after a key supplier was hit with a ransomware attack. Photo courtesy Toyota Motor Corp. cs8.jpg The IEC 62443 standard provides a thorough set of cybersecurity recommendations for defending industrial networks. Photo courtesy DAF Trucks cs9.jpg Phishing is one of the top infection vectors for manufacturers. Illustration courtesy IBM Corp. cs10.jpg Industry 4.0 technology provides cybercriminals with more vantage points for attacks and leaves assembly lines more vulnerable than ever. Photo courtesy KUKA Robot cs11.jpg One of the top cybersecurity challenges facing many manufacturers is bridging the IT vs. OT divide. Photo courtesy GE Appliances cs12.jpg Robotic systems and processes are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks. Photo courtesy Stellantis camilloj@bnpmedia.com (Jim Camillo) Assembly technology is wonderful, but it is not perfect. In some way, each technological process has a downside.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97281 Tue, 23 Aug 2022 12:05:41 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97281-connectivity-for-the-factory-of-the-future connectivity.jpg Photo courtesy PI North America asb0822FOTF-Connect1.jpg The use of single-pair Ethernet for the Industrial Ethernet has been on the rise for several years. Photo courtesy Lapp North America asb0822FOTF-Connect2.jpg Profinet provides deterministic data exchange and standardized data access for all connected devices in a factory. Graphic courtesy PI North America asb0822FOTF-Connect3.jpg IO-Link allows for data exchange between devices connected to a master. Photo courtesy Baumer Ltd. asb0822FOTF-Connect4.jpg CC-Link IE incorporates multiple communications in a deterministic manner across multiple devices. Graphic courtesy CC-Link Partner Association asb0822FOTF-Connect5.jpg OPC UA is a cross-platform, open-source standard that helps automation devices communicate with higher-level control and management systems. Graphic courtesy www.tipteh.com sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) If the factory of the future will run on data, new types of hardware will be needed to collect, route, process and display it. That means more than just new PLCs, but gateways, edge computers, tablets and other hardware.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97280 Thu, 18 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97280-computer-hardware-for-industry-40 hardware.jpg Animation courtesy gorodenkoff, Creatas Video+ / Getty Images Plus asb0822EB-hardware1.jpg EdgeXConnect is an off-the-shelf, 100 percent configurable no-code OPC UA server for Linux and Windows platforms that manufacturers can use to quickly expose edge device data to other systems. Photo courtesy Beeond Inc. asb0822EB-hardware2.jpg The IIoTA gateway appliance includes an integrated database server. It can be configured to operate entirely as a stand-alone device; no enterprise network is required. Photo courtesy elliTek asb0822EB-hardware3.jpg The Scalance WUM766-1 industrial client module is the first such device to meet the Wi-Fi 6 standard, enabling reliable and high-performance wireless connectivity. Photo courtesy Siemens asb0822EB-hardware4.jpg With an MQTT protocol gateway, engineers can easily move industrial device data to cloud applications, such as AWS IoT Core, IT or enterprise systems. Photo courtesy Real Time Automation asb0822EB-hardware5.jpg Designed to address the high-throughput requirements of dense industrial applications, the ARS-7235-5E-AC wireless access point supports a net data rate of up to 867 megabits per second. Photo courtesy Antaira Technologies sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) To get an idea of the importance of sensors to the factory of the future, head to upstate New York to General Electric’s sprawling assembly plant in Schenectady, NY, where the company makes sodium-nickel batteries for cell-phone towers and other applications.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97266 Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97266-sensors-for-industry-40 asb0822EB-sensor1.jpg Vibration and temperature sensors detect potential problems on motors, fans, pumps and any machine with rotating motion or vibration. Photo courtesy Banner Engineering asb0822EB-sensor2.jpg One way to connect sensors and collect data from them is with a fieldbus module equipped with an integrated IO-Link master. Photo courtesy Pepperl+Fuchs asb0822EB-sensor3.jpg The O3R edge device can connect to up to six 3D cameras and numerous other sensors for neural networks and other AI applications. Photo courtesy IFM Efector Inc. asb0822EB-sensor4.jpg An automated assembly plant might contain thousands of sensors. In the factory of the future, many of them will be connected to the internet. Photo courtesy Pepperl+Fuchs asb0822EB-sensor5.jpg Not all sensor applications require IIoT connectivity. The key is whether engineers can benefit from analysis of the cumulative data or if quick and early notification of a potential problem is important. Photo courtesy Pepperl+Fuchs sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) You can’t accuse Volkswagen’s Dirk Voigt of having his head in the clouds—he’ll take it as a compliment. The head of digital production at VW, Voigt and a team of manufacturing and IT pros are developing an industrial cloud computing system to amalgamate production data from more than 120 factories. The objective: greater efficiency and lower costs.

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97141 Thu, 30 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97141-vw-and-the-cloud asb0622FOTF-1.jpg At VW’s commercial vehicle assembly plant in Hannover, Germany, an app amalgamates production data clearly and transparently in one system.Photo courtesy Volkswagen asb0622FOTF-2.jpg Eventually, all of the VW Group’s factories will connect to the company’s Digital Production Platform, which will standardize and simplify exchange of data across systems and plants.Photo courtesy Volkswagen asb0622FOTF-3.jpg Volkswagen expects that its cloud project will increase the productivity of its plants by 30 percent from 2016 to 2025.Photo courtesy Volkswagen asb0622FOTF-4.jpg VW developed its industrial cloud in collaboration with Amazon Web Services.Photo courtesy Volkswagen asb0622FOTF-5.jpg VW’s cloud is not restricted to the company’s own production sites. In 2020, the carmaker opened the cloud up to partners from engineering and technology suppliers.Photo courtesy Volkswagen asb0622FOTF-6.jpg Volkswagen plans to invest $7.1 billion in North America over the next five years to boost its electric vehicle product portfolio, regional R&D, and manufacturing capabilities.Photo courtesy Volkswagen sprovierij@bnpmedia.com (John Sprovieri) Automotive OEMs love to show off their automated body-in-white assembly lines. Commercials invariably feature dozens of six-axis robots producing showers of sparks in choreographed routines. 

]]> http://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97140 Wed, 29 Jun 2022 14:00:00 -0400 https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/97140-smart-manufacturing-at-audi asb0622FOTF-audi1.jpg Audi engineers are using artificial intelligence to control the quality of spot welds in high-volume productionPhoto courtesy Audi asb0622FOTF-audi2.jpg Audi is developing inspection software to visually detect defects in stamped metal parts with the help of artificial intelligence.Photo courtesy Audi asb0622FOTF-audi3.jpg A cobot installs an air bag into a steering wheel assembly. Ordinarily, a high-frequency fieldbus would be needed to connect a light curtain to a robot controller. Now, however, 5G can enable the same task to be done wirelessly.Photo courtesy Audi asb0622FOTF-audi4.jpg At Audi’s Neckarsulm factory, additive manufacturing being used to quickly make custom jigs and fixtures from plastic.Photo courtesy Audi asb0622FOTF-audi5.jpg Audi’s Ingolstadt factory is the company’s center of excellence for additive manufacturing with metal. Photo courtesy Audi asb0622FOTF-audi6.jpg Audi’s maintenance staff can access an app that contains a knowledge database with around 5,000 pages on materials science and recommended actions. Photo courtesy Audi