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Click here for news, trends and assembly technologies specific to the aerospace, automotive, appliance and medical device industries.

ASSEMBLY Capital Spending Report 2019: Manufacturers Continue to Invest in Technology

In September, Toyota announced that it will invest $391 million in its truck assembly plant in San Antonio. Hyundai announced that it is investing nearly $300 million in its factory in Montgomery, AL. Brake manufacturer Bendix Spicer began construction on a $65 million expansion of its assembly plant Bowling Green, KY. And, automotive supplier Hirotec Group said it will invest $48 million to build a new assembly plant in Fayetteville, TN.

2019 Assembly Plant of the Year: Refrigerator Production Heats Up at GE Appliances

Refrigerators are one of the only appliances found in nearly every type of home, whether it's an apartment in suburban Atlanta, a high-rise condominium in downtown Chicago, a beach house in Hawaii or a trailer in Texas. The humble refrigerator is also the hardest working household appliance. Day and night, it's constantly running to keep all types of food and beverages cool, fresh or frozen.

State of the Profession 2018: Smart Factories Demand Smarter Engineers

Increasing demand for smart devices and embedded intelligence is driving manufacturers in a variety of industries to invest in new production tools and technologies. Additive manufacturing, advanced sensors, augmented reality, cloud-based computing, collaborative robots and digital twins are just a few of the many trends transforming factory floors today.

Aerospace Assembly

Articles about assembly technologies and trends in the aerospace industry.

Appliance Assembly

Articles about assembly technologies and trends in the appliance industry.

Automotive Assembly

Articles about assembly technologies and trends in the automotive industry.

Medical Devices Assembly

Articles about assembly technologies and trends in the medical device industry.

DFMA Assembly

Articles about how to design products for efficient manufacture and assembly.

Green Manufacturing Assembly

Articles about energy-efficiency, landfill-free manufacturing and other green topics.

Lean Manufacturing Assembly

Articles about how to eliminate waste and continuously improve your assembly operation.

Machinery Assembly

Articles about assembly technologies and trends in the machinery industry.

Electronics Assembly

Articles about assembly technologies and trends in the electronics industry.

ARTICLES

CAD Platform Quickens Development of Blood-Collection Device

Jim Camillo

December 12, 2019

Product designers at Switzerland-based Loop Medical know that many people fear being pricked with a needle. That's why they’re hard at work testing a prototype needle-free, blood-collection device that allows for diagnostic tests at a hospital, lab, doctor's office, workplace or home.

Fastening systems help Rhenus reboot an axle assembly line

Jim Camillo

December 11, 2019

As the speed of innovation in the automotive industry quickens, assemblers at Rhenus SML in Genk, Belgium, do all they can to keep pace. Rhenus workers painfully learned the importance of this five years ago when Ford Motor Co. shut down its Genk plant, which sat adjacent to Rhenus's facility.

Airbus harnesses automation to boost fuselage production

Austin Weber

December 10, 2019

Automated assembly lines have been the backbone of the automotive industry for decades. Robots are widely used to rivet and weld car bodies. But, in the aerospace sector, automation is more elusive when it comes to building fuselages and wings for commercial aircraft.

U.S. manufacturing: The greener choice

Offshoring has negatively affected the environment

Harry Moser

December 5, 2019

U.S. consumers are increasingly concerned about how their buying habits affect the environment. In fact, a recent Nielsen study found that 48 percent of U.S. consumers would change their buying habits to reduce environmental impacts.

Eliminating the Seven Deadly Wastes

Manufacturers should evaluate processes to reduce hidden causes of waste

Brian Neuwirth

December 4, 2019

Waste, in lean terms, is any activity that does not add value to the product while costing a manufacturer money and resources. From active losses to missed opportunities, these wastes are so common in manufacturing operations that they are often overlooked.

Right-to-repair law could affect product design

John Sprovieri

December 3, 2019

It's a safe bet that many of you will soon find shiny new electronic gadgets under your Christmas trees this month.

Epoxy Joins Implantable Devices—and Protects Patients

Jim Camillo

November 13, 2019

One of the most challenging applications for an epoxy compound is bonding a fully implantable medical device.

Vision System Automatically Inspects Aerospace Connector Pins

Jim Camillo

November 12, 2019

Many machine vision projects start with one goal: significantly improve upon the accuracy and repeatability of human inspectors.

3D-Printed Engine Gets Ready for Racing

Jim Camillo

November 11, 2019

Although 3D printing is a relatively quick process, creating a final prototype or a production-ready product with the technology can take months or even years.

Auto Industry Drives New Vision Technology

Bin picking and parts inspection applications address quality concerns

Austin Weber

November 6, 2019

The automotive industry experienced a record number of vehicle recalls in 2018, and this year's tally isn't far behind. Many of those issues have been caused by electronics or software glitches.

IMAGE GALLERIES

Some Boeing Aircraft Designs Were Never Built

Some Boeing aircraft never made it beyond the drawing board. But, their sleek lines inspired generations. In fact, some old designs still look futuristic today.

Boeing Played a Key Role in Winning World War II

During World War II, Boeing’s factories produced a staggering number of aircraft, ranging from B-17 Flying Fortress bombers to P-51 Mustang fighters. Thousands of men and women on the homefront kept the assembly lines humming day and night.

Boeing Has Made More Than Airplanes in the Past 100 Years

Not all products built in Boeing’s factories have flown through the air. In addition to planes, the company has also made boats, trains, and many more items.

Early Advertising Sold the Glamour and Safety of Aviation

Back in the days when most people still traveled by ocean liner or train, the public had to be convinced that air travel was safe, enjoyable and glamorous. For decades, Boeing and Douglas promoted products such as the Stratocruiser, DC-6 and 707 with ads in various business, consumer and travel magazines.

EVENTS

Industry

5/18/20 to 5/20/20

Charlotte Convention Center

Charlotte, NC

United States

Fastener Fair USA

Fastener Fair USA, North America's fastest-growing exposition for the fastener industry, will hold its third annual trade show and conference in May in Charlotte, NC, a major manufacturing hub. The event for the entire fastener supply chain runs May 18-20, 2020 at the Charlotte Convention Center. Read More

We’re starting another new year but your business challenges--like labor shortages, ergonomic risks and product quality--aren’t going away. You may have been thinking about implementing collaborative robots for some time. Make 2020 the year you turn a new leaf and get on board with cobots!

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ASSEMBLY Capital Spending Report 2019: Manufacturers Continue to Invest in Technology

2019 Assembly Plant of the Year: Refrigerator Production Heats Up at GE Appliances

State of the Profession 2018: Smart Factories Demand Smarter Engineers

Topics

Aerospace Assembly

Appliance Assembly

Automotive Assembly

Medical Devices Assembly

DFMA Assembly

Green Manufacturing Assembly

Lean Manufacturing Assembly

Machinery Assembly