Assembly articles from April 2003

Assembly archives from April 2003

Slides and beads. (Editorial).
April 1, 2003... Every so often, it's refreshing to step back from heavyweight issues like tort reform and the perils of offshore manufacturing, and look at something lighter but still interesting to us technical folks. And so we turn to retro math. Those of us...

A guide to linear guides. (X-Y-Z).
April 1, 2003... Engineers have a bewildering array of choices for linear guides. Does the application require round rails or profile rails? Should the sliders ride on plain bearings or ball bearings? There are many variables to consider when specifying...

Piezoelectric feeders handle sensitive parts. (Assembly Innovations).
April 1, 2003... In some ways, vibratory feeders have been a victim of their own success. The technology has worked so well, for so long, that few innovative ideas have been introduced. Until now. Sanki Co. (Nagoya, Japan) has developed vibratory feeders...

New standards in high-performance vision. (DVT).
April 1, 2003... Legend 520 The most affordable machine vision sensor in the industry utilizes CMOS imaging technology for complete machine vision inspections, barcode reading and OCR. Ethernet-ready and value priced. Legend 540 Real-time machine...

Reader responds to February X-Y-Z. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... In the X-Y-L column in the February issue, "Cups Handle Variety of Parts," the reference to cup cleats should have pointed out their main benefits as: * Providing cup stability. * Providing a frictional surface to resist shear and...

John Deere Toy tractor among most memorable Toys. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... MOLINE, IL -- The Toy Industry Association issued its "Century of Toys List" as part of the industry's celebration of the 100th anniversary of the American International Toy Fair, an international toy show. And the die-cast John Deere tractor,...

North American Robot orders increase. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... ANN ARBOR, MI -- North American manufacturing companies ordered 10,573 robots valued at $811 million from North American robotics suppliers in 2002. This is an increase of 6 percent in units and 5 percent in revenue from 2001, according to new...

Companies are not familiar with lean manufacturing. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... DEARBORN, MI -- Only one in four small to midsized manufacturers in the Northeast are pursuing lean manufacturing, according to a survey by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. About half of the respondents said they were either not...

Test fixture companies join forces. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... MAPLE GROVE, MN -- Circuit Check Inc. has acquired Southwest Test Inc. (Richardson, TX). Circuit Check provides customized test fixtures for printed circuit boards and electronic devices. Southwest Test manufactures test fixtures and...

U.S. Market for safeguarding equipment to recover. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... NATICK, MA -- A report from Venture Development Corp. states that with the introduction of programmable safety controls and safety buses, more integration of safeguarding equipment with overall machine controls is expected. Also, major control...

John Deere and Bombardier ally for product development. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... MOLINE, IL -- John Deere and Bombardier (Valcourt, Quebec, Canada) will develop new wheeled utility vehicles and technologies under a new alliance. The alliance will combine the efforts of Deere's worldwide commercial and consumer...

Michigan gets new production facility. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... AUBURN HILLS, MI -- Dundee, Ml, is the site for a new engine production facility. This facility is part of the Global Engine Alliance LLC, which is a joint venture created by Chrysler Group, Hyundai Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. to...

A conveyor for every application. (Advertisement).
April 1, 2003... Bosch Rexroth offers a full line of modular and chain conveyors that are used every day to carry everything from microelectronics and sensitive medical components to large appliances and automobile transmissions. In addition to a wider payload...

Superior service and support. (Advertisement).
April 1, 2003... From expert application assistance, to the fast delivery of parts and responsive On-site service, no one offers more pre- and post-sales support for your conveyor system than Bosch Rexroth. Detailed documentation is provided for operation,...

Star Integrators solve tough assembly challenges. (Advertisement).
April 1, 2003... Whether you're looking at lean manufacturing cells or fully automated systems, you'll get more out of your assembly operation with the help of your Star Integrator. Star Integrators are experts at integrating modular conveyors and creating...

Offshore manufacturing a game of survival. (In My Opinion).
April 1, 2003... I read with interest the Editorial Promise or Per I in the February issue of ASSEMBLY magazine, regarding globalization and the latent side effects associated with sourcing our manufacturing (and jobs) to China. As a medium size manufacturer of...

Guide defines lean terms. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... BROOKLINE, MA -- Do people in your organization think poka-yoke is a dance to do at weddings? When someone says heijunka, do you say, "God bless you"? Have you ever been asked, "Which production system is better, JIT or kanban?" Do co-workers...

Dean Kamen to speak at Robots Show. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... ANN ARBOR, MI -- Dean Kamen--president of DEKA Research and Development Corp. and chairman and CEO of Segway LLC--will be the featured speaker at the "Spirit of Innovation Luncheon." The luncheon will beheld at noon on Wednesday, June 4,2003,...

Automotive industry expands in Alabama. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Based on survey responses from 116 Alabama automotive manufacturers, the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association (AAMA) estimates that there are about 130 companies in Alabama whose operations are dedicated mainly to...

Lexus is voted most dependable. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... LOS ANGELES -- According to JD Power & Associates, Japanese companies apparently manufacture the most dependable cars. The vehicle dependability index measures vehicle problems after 5 years of ownership, a critical stage when many owners...

Periodic Table of Medical Polymer Sterilization is handy. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... EAGAN, MN -- While hundreds of different polymers are manufactured commercially, and many thousands have been studied in the laboratory, only a select number of polymers are widely used in the medical field. And even though the basic physical...

Growth in medical device market prompts name change. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- EMC Component Group is now Medconx. It adopted the new name to reflect the company's growth in the disposable surgical hand-piece industry. The new name correlates with the company's growing presence in the medical...

Boeing delivers 300,00th electrical product. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... MESA, AZ -- The Boeing Co.'s strategic manufacturing center has delivered its 300,000th electrical and mechanical product. The Mesa Boeing facility builds wire harnesses and subassemblies for various defense systems. The 300,000 deliveries...

2003 Baldridge Criteria are accessible. (Assembly Lines).
April 1, 2003... APTOS, CA -- Would you like to know how your department, division or entire organization measures up using the 2003 Baldridge Criteria? Now, it's easy to find out. The 2003 Baldridge Criteria is online at the Benchmarking Exchange for...

Smart tags bolster market intelligence. (Down the Line).
April 1, 2003... Brushing your teeth may never be the same, because someone may be "watching" every move. Clothing, toiletry packaging, food containers and other products will soon be embedded with microchip transmitters and smart tags that will give marketers...

Robots improve quality and lower costs. (Assembly in Action).
April 1, 2003... Every year, products become smaller, and tolerances become tighter. And when you add in strict safety requirements, manufacturers sometimes need to find new ways to do business. Molding International and Engineering Inc. (MIE, Temecula, CA)...

Punch-pins speed metal door production. (Assembly in Action).
April 1, 2003... Kewanee Corp. (Kewanee, IL) has been manufacturing products for the building and construction industries for more than 60 years. Its hollow metal doors and frames are found on numerous high-profile projects, such as Coors Field in Denver and...

Epoxies improve Aircraft skin process. (Assembly in Action).
April 1, 2003... Boeing Aircraft Co. has used its unique low-cost tooling for composites (LCTC) process to build a series of eight 6- by 8-foot tools for prototyping 10 bismaleimide (BMI) exterior aircraft skins. The project was undertaken at the Boeing...

Software slashes product development time. (Assembly in Action).
April 1, 2003... Sumitomo Wiring Systems Ltd. (Yokkaichi City, Japan) manufactures wire harnesses for automobiles and office equipment. All the wire harnesses in an automobile consist of about 4,000 parts. Each harness is assembled manually, which makes the...

Plastic fuel tank cuts cost. (Assembly in Action).
April 1, 2003... Finn Corp. (Fairfield, OH) manufactures soil-erosion control equipment, such as hydroseeders, straw blowers and mulch spreaders. Many Finn units are sold to municipalities for maintaining public grounds and road areas. Landscaping contractors...

Inspections cut costs. (Assembly in Action).
April 1, 2003... Invensys Metering Systems (Ludwigshafen, Germany) uses KT 5 contrast sensors from SICK Inc. (Minneapolis) in state-certified automatic testing stations for calibrating water and heater meters. The sensor detects the rotation of the small...

RFID brings computers up to speed. (Assembly in Action).
April 1, 2003... By establishing its integrated sales, manufacturing, and customer call center in Xiamen, China, Dell Computer Corp. became the second largest integrated computer manufacturer in the Asia-Pacific region. This facility manufactures Dell's...

Dispenser improves paste volume. (Assembly in Action).
April 1, 2003... Lee Air Inc. (Wichita, KS) is a manufacturer of aircraft electronics. The company recently purchased an Automove A-402 dispenser from Asymtek (Carlsbad, CA) for its aviation electronics facility. Lee Air previously used a screen printer to...

Versatile transporters run themselves: self-propelled conveyors combine elements of automated guided vehicles and conventional conveyors. (Conveyors).
April 1, 2003... It isn't an automated guided vehicle (AGY), and it isn't a conventional conveyor. Instead, the self-propelled conveyor is a combination of these parts-transportation technologies. AGVs are self-propelled and follow reconfigurable paths on...

Paste printing: numerous parameters control PCB quality and overall yield. (Electronics Assembly).
April 1, 2003... Solder paste is one of the great ironies of electronics manufacturing. On one hand, solder paste printing is a key process that controls production yields. On the other hand, because it is continually reacting, solder paste can be very...

Tiny thunder: photoacaustic leak detection can find leaks as small as 1 x [10.sup.-6] standard cubic centimeter per second. (Leak Testing).
April 1, 2003... Low-level leaks in automotive air conditioners can be a real sore spot with car owners. A leak rate of less than 1 ounce per year may not be discovered by a helium leak detector, but it may be just enough to cause an air conditioner to fail in...

Telecom's wild ride: will new technology help the mobile phone business rebound? (Industry Watch).
April 1, 2003... What do cell phones and roller coasters have in common? Based on outward appearance, not much. But, cell phones drive the telecommunications industry, which has experienced more dips and turns recently than most roller coasters. The...

The torque-control method: to assemble securely fastened joints time after time, engineers must understand the relationship between torque and tension. (Fastening).
April 1, 2003... What torque should be used to tighten a threaded fastener? To answer this question, engineers must first understand the purpose of torque in installing threaded fasteners. Fasteners are typically used for three major reasons: to hold two or...

PLC is fast, flexible. (Products).
April 1, 2003... The IP99 PLC has nine inputs and nine outputs, all of which are solid-state and optically isolated. The user can select analog, pulse measurement, high-speed counter or regular DC input. Encased in a heavy-duty, anodized aluminum enclosure, the...

Hipot tester with remote control. (Products).
April 1, 2003... Model 2503 is a microprocessor-controlled DC hipot tester for high-speed, high-volume production lines. With remote control, the user can send test and reset signals, and monitor pass, fail and processing signals. The maximum test voltage is...

Miniature linear actuator. (Products).
April 1, 2003... The LE series linear actuator is 2.06 inches wide, 2.5 inches long and 0.785 inch tall. It can carry a 6-pound load, and its travel length is 0.5 inch. The actuator is driven by a lead-screw with a diameter of 0.188-inch and a lead of 0.05...

Automated wire bonder. (Products).
April 1, 2003... Model 3470-II is an automated wire bonder for connecting first-level gold or aluminum wire in hybrid circuits, multichip modules and microwave devices. It places wires with an accuracy of 0.00025 inch. The machine performs ultrasonic bonding,...

Conduit protects wire, fiber-optics. (Products).
April 1, 2003... Therm-A-Form conduit protects wire and fiber-optics from fire and crushing damage. It can be heated and bent into various shapes, which are retained when the conduit cools. The conduit can be shaped before or after materials are inserted. ...

Thermoformed trays hold parts. (Products).
April 1, 2003... Custom-made thermoformed plastic trays safely store and present parts for automated assembly systems. Trays are formed to a tolerance of +/-0.005 inch. They can be made from ABS, high-density polyethylene, polystyrene and static-dissipative...

Laser marking system. (Products).
April 1, 2003... The LME-RTC laser marking system consists of a Class I laser, a two-position rotary indexing table, a computer control unit and a bar code scanner. The system is mounted on lockable swivel casters, an it can be equipped with a lamp-pumped,...

Direct-drive rotary table. (Products).
April 1, 2003... The ADRT rotary table is powered directly by a slotless, ironless, brushless motor. With no gear train, the table is capable of high accelerations and speeds, and there's no risk of position errors caused by hysteresis, wind-up or backlash. Low...

Press installs big fasteners. (Products).
April 1, 2003... The Model 1518 is a 15-ton press for installing large self-clinching fasteners. The control unit can be a PLC or PC. The press has a 4-inch thick steel C-frame, which minimizes deflection for accurate parallel and perpendicular insertions....

Light grids. (Machine Vision).
April 1, 2003... AREAscan DS3 series light grids determine the presence of any object--opaque or transparent. They are available in two lengths and can detect differences as small as 6 millimeters in similar objects. It can detect objects as small as 0.5...

Machine vision software. (Machine Vision).
April 1, 2003... Sherlock Essential machine vision software is a Windows-based program that simplifies the development and deployment of various vision tasks. Using a graphical interface, applications can be configured quickly without writing code. It is...

Fork sensor. (Machine Vision).
April 1, 2003... These fork sensors are suitable for through-beam sensor applications requiring a sensing distance up to 250 millimeters between emitter and receiver. Applications include counting tasks and continuous feeding control on parts feeders. Two...

High-temperature sensors. (Machine Vision).
April 1, 2003... These sensors withstand temperatures up to 160 C. Metal-encased, barrel-style sensors come in diameters of 12, 18 and 30 millimeters and are available in flush and nonflush versions. One line of sensors can withstand 100 C; another line can...

Vision camera. (Machine Vision).
April 1, 2003... IK-SX1 camera can be used with C-mount lenses and various optical systems, and instruments using C-mounts. Two versions are available, one with CameraLink eight-bit digital output, and the other with LVDS eight-bit digital output. It is...

Wrap and chafe guard. (Wire Processing).
April 1, 2003... Heli-Tube spirally cut plastic wrap can be applied like tape to bundle and protect wires, hoses and tubing from abrasion. It comes in bright colors and various materials, and can be custom extruded to match equipment or for color-coding. Sizes...

Wire harness assembly frame. (Wire Processing).
April 1, 2003... The A-frame is an ergonomic wire harness assembly frame that is available in single-sided or back-to-back configurations. It can accommodate various board sizes. It has a built-in 15-degree angle and an independent motorized height-adjustment...

Semiautomatic wire stripper. (Wire Processing).
April 1, 2003... The UniStrip 2600 semiautomatic programmable wire stripper can process many cable types, in sizes ranging from 32 to 6 AWG using universal V blades and grippers. Maximum strip length is 80 millimeters, and maximum pull-off length is 40...

Automatic wire stripper. (Wire Processing).
April 1, 2003... The AirStrip 2940 automatic wire stripper can cut and strip large single and multiconductor cable up to 0.625-inch thick at rates up to 1,300 pieces per hour. It has new cutter head and strip assembly designs and embedded software. Eubanks...

Thermal wire strippers. (Wire Processing).
April 1, 2003... The HTS1 and HTS2 are handheld thermal wire strippers with adjustable heat control. The HTS1 strips insulation from solid and stranded wires from 1/2 inch to 43 AWG. The HTS2 strips insulation from wires sized 18 to 43 AWG. The handpieces have...

Stripper and crimper machine. (Wire Processing).
April 1, 2003... The Stripmatic 944 stripper and crimper machine can crimp left or rear feed terminals for wires ranging up to 2.5 millimeters square, or 26 to 13 AWG, in 1 second. The unit comes with correction cut, defective crimp cutting, suction and crimp...

Powered pallet positioners. (Workstations).
April 1, 2003... PalletPal level loaders have two new models in pneumatically or hydraulically powered versions. Both are available in 2,000- and 4,000-pound capacities. The units allow operators to position loads at a comfortable working height. They work with...

Mobile workstation. (Workstations).
April 1, 2003... These heavy-duty mobile workstations feature a 10-gauge steel top with 2-inch back and end stops to accommodate a vise. The flush-mounted door features padlock hasp and spring-actuated pull handle. The internal shelf is adjustable and can hold...

Height-adjustment kit for workbenches. (Workstations).
April 1, 2003... These retrofit kits bring either manual or motorized height adjustability to most four-legged workbenches and JAG Dimension 4 workstations. Both the manually and electrically actuated kits use hydraulics to provide adjustment. For workbenches...

Vibration-free platform. (Workstations).
April 1, 2003... The Model 2212 vibration-free platform, weighing only 130 to 160 pounds, enhances the performance of atomic force microscopes, microhardness testers, profilometers, balances and audiocomponents. With a guaranteed flatness of [or + -]0.004 inch,...

Tool Pack. (Workstations).
April 1, 2003... The ToolPak 4Panel is a backpack for tools. It has four tool panels that open out for access, and more than 60 pockets for tools. It is made from durable, puncture- and abrasion-resistant material. Shoulder straps allow for hands-free carrying....

UV Spot curing system. (Dispensing & Curing).
April 1, 2003... The SunSpot SM is a portable (10by 5-inch) high-intensity ultraviolet system for workstations, assembly systems or off-line adhesive curing. The unit has a vertically mounted mercury lamp, replaceable elliptical reflector and filtered input...

Bonding station for optoelectronic assemblies. (Dispensing & Curing).
April 1, 2003... The Thermode is used to cure epoxy assemblies or to reflow eutectic bonds. Its low thermal expansion allows high temperature changes without influence on alignment accuracy between components. As a result, heating speed is increased up to 100 C...

Ultraviolet curing system. (Dispensing & Curing).
April 1, 2003... The UVAPrint Sol series of ultraviolet curing systems cure ultraviolet screen inks and coatings on flat and contoured glass surfaces. They provide uniform curing on various shapes in a moving or static production environment. Special reflectors...

No-drip dispense valve cartridges. (Dispensing & Curing).
April 1, 2003... The no-drip dispense valve cartridge is for dispensing flux, underfill and encapsulation. It is suitable for dispensing low-viscosity materials that tend to drip between dispense locations. A vacuum-sealed cartridge uses a post-dispense vacuum...

Compound purges valves. (Dispensing & Curing).
April 1, 2003... The 6-460Y valve purge compound simplifies maintenance of auger valves used to dispense solder paste. The compound cleans and conditions valve components without the need to disassemble the valve. Trace residues of the compound will not...

Check Valves. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... Check Valve + Air Pilot + Manual Release--Nu-Check valves keep a variety of pneumatic and air over oil devices in "checked' position, to enable position control, emergency stopping, or prevent load drift. The valves are durable, tamper...

3M[TM] VHB[TM] Tapes. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... 3M[TM] VHB[TM] Tapes Series 4600 bonds metal parts with strength that can replace rivets, screws, and welding in panel assembly, panel stiffener assembly, and other applications. For bonding prior to powder coat painting, new formulation...

Laser Marking System. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... The new Alase Technologies, Inc. Ultrascribe 10-Watt [CO.sub.2] Laser Marking System offers a complete solution for marking on plastics, wood, packaging, glass and semiconductor components. Clearly marks barcodes, alphanumeric text,...

Torque Testers. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... AIMCO offers UET Series Desktop Torque Testers. AIMCO's UET torque testers are ideal for tool crib, repair shop, and quality auditors. Has large display and easy-to-follow menus with programmable auto-clear function. Able to qualify air,...

Screw feed units. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... Assembly Automation screw feed units combine bulk hoppers with coated vibratory bowls for high cycle screwdriver operations. The feed and escape mechanism valves and controls are housed in a steel enclosure with access doors. Go to...

Polyurethane chairs. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... Bevco's best-selling 7000 Series polyurethane chairs and stools are now available in gray, blue, burgundy, green and yellow, in addition to black, at no additional cost. All Bevco 7000 Series chairs feature a maximum comfort" self-skinned...

Tool holding air cylinder. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... Bimba's Original Line Rod Lock is the industry's first round line pneumatic clamping/cam device that holds the piston rod in place in case of loss of air pressure. Perfect for holding loads stationary at machine shutdown, the Original Line Rod...

Ring and Track system. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... The Ring and Track System (RTST) runs circles around the competition. It comes in a useful range of nine different ring diameters. Ring segments combine with straight slides to build into an almost limitless variation of either open or closed...

IRAM Plastics Welder. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... Branson Shows New Laser IRAM Plastics Welder at NPE 2003. Laser RAM Plastics Welders pass light/laser radiation through one component into second component designed to absorb laser light, heating and melting interface to join parts. Non-contact...

Bonding and soldering. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... Pulse bonding and soldering machines for flex circuits -- Fancort's new line of pulse heat bonders with microprocessor based controller for precise, consistent control of temperature, time and pressure. The machines are easy to program,...

GSE Tech-Motive Tool. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... SPX GSE Tech-Motive Tool's transducerized SD25 electric screwdriver error-proofs your assemblies. Use drag-and drop programming to record, analyze, store and print torque and angle data for each joint. Set multiple parameters for fastening...

Hernon Fusionbond[TM]. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... Hernon Fusionbond[TM] bonds stronger than steel. Fusionbond[TM] is a two-component, methacrylate adhesive that is specially formulated to bond diverse substrates such as ABS, nylon, PVC, Gel Coats, PBT blends, steel, Teflon, and more. Overlap...

Dispensing equipment. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... Needles, syringes and accessories -- JGD, the dispensing division of Jensen Global, offers a full line of operator controlled dispensing equipment and accessories. Dispensers include time-pressure, positive displacement syringe systems, and...

Weld assembly tool. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... Optical alignment and attach assembly tool - Palomar Technologies' FAST[TM] 35 Laser Weld Assembly Tool fully automates the active optical alignment, assembly, and fiber attach of active photonic components such as pump diodes and tunable...

SAS automation. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... Most comprehensive line of EOAT and gripper systems. Unlike others, our lines service all makes of robots: Get a grip! EOAT components for heavyweight applications. Grip it! EOAT for lightweight applications. Nip it! Sprue nippers. Custom...

New machine platform. (Product Review).
April 1, 2003... With a frame constructed from welded tubular steel, wide range of standard sizes, and variety of options, the Production Series Machine Platform from Sicron is an ideal choice for medium duty automation applications. Typical machines built on...