Assembly articles from April 2005

Assembly archives from April 2005

Our maturing workforce.(Editorial)
April 1, 2005... One year ago we noted that despite rhetoric about a "jobless recovery," the available data showed that as the United States emerged from recession, the economy was also moving--albeit slowly--toward recovering jobs. This was confirmed by 2004's...

Shocking! Motion control cables are made to flex.(X-Y-Z)
April 1, 2005... Designing a motion control system is a process of calculations. Will the motor have enough horsepower to move the load? Can the structure handle rapid deceleration? Ironically, engineers rarely apply the same effort to the cables that...

Robot sales up 20 percent in 2004.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... ANN ARBOR, MI -- North American manufacturing companies purchased 14,838 robots valued at nearly $1 billion in 2004, a 20 percent increase in units over 2003 and the industry's second best unit total ever, according to a report from the Robotic...

Partnership developing remote combat vehicles.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... PITTSBURGH -- Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Consortium (NREC) and United Defense Industries Inc. (UDI) have been awarded a $26.4 million contract by the U.S. Department of Defense to develop and produce tactical...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
April 1, 2005... In the February issue of ASSEMBLY, the phone number listed on Page 69 for Sensistor Technologies (North Billerica, MA) is incorrect. The correct phone number is 978-439-9200. We regret the error.

Deere on the run in Russia.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... MOLINE, IL -- Deere & Co. has opened an assembly facility in Orenburg, Russia, to manufacture seeding carts and air-seeding tools for customers in the region. "The decision to open this facility is consistent with our strategy to build a...

Still time for Plant of the Year nominations.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... BENSENVILLE, IL -- ASSEMBLY magazine is still accepting applications for its 2nd annual Assembly Plant of the Year award for 2005. The goal of the Assembly Plant of the Year award is to identify a state-of-the-art facility that has applied...

X-43 scramjet manager to speak at NEPCON 2005.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... BOSTON -- Charles R. McClinton, technology manager for the Hyper-X Program at NASA's Langley Research Center (Hampton, VA) will present the keynote address, "Breaking the Hypersonic Barrier," at the NEPCON East/Electro and Assembly East...

Cessna expanding Kansas facility.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... INDEPENDENCE, KS -- Cessna Aircraft Co. is investing $20.4 million in its Independence assembly plant to support production of the company's single-engine piston aircraft product line and new entry-level business jet, the Citation Mustang. The...

Mining firm expanding in Milwaukee.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... MILWAUKEE -- Mining equipment manufacturer Bucyrus International Inc. will expand operations by leasing and operating another facility just 8 miles away from its existing plant. According to Bucyrus, it will begin work on its new location...

Robotics forum questions offshoring.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... ROCHESTER HILLS, MI -- In an effort to stem the tide of manufacturing jobs headed to Asia, Mexico and South America, FANUC Robotics America Inc. recently hosted a "Save Your Factory" forum, bringing together seven manufacturing organizations to...

EADS looking for tanker aircraft sites in U.S.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... ARLINGTON, VA -- The North American subsidiary of the European Aeronautic, Defense and Space Co. (EADS) is looking for a site to manufacture its proposed KC-330 advanced tanker aircraft. The company has issued a request to all 50 states for...

NASA scanning T-rex skull.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... HUNTSVILLE, AL -- NASA scientists are using some of the agency's industrial X-ray equipment at the Marshall Space Flight Center to scan the rock-encrusted skull of a Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur, discovered on a South Dakota ranch in 1992. ...

Juran president to deliver keynote at Quality Expo 2005.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... ROSEMONT, IL -- Leading breakthrough practitioner and president of Juran Institute Inc. (Southbury, CT) Joseph De Feo will deliver the keynote address at Quality Expo, taking place April 19-21 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. ...

Bosch Rexroth expanding in China.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... LOHR AM MAIN, GERMANY--Bosch Rexroth AG is investing $108 million to expand its production capacities in China, beginning with the construction of a new factory in Beijing. The Beijing factory, which will be constructed this year,...

Henkel opens R&D center.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... IRVINE, CA -- Henkel Group has opened a 53,000-square-foot research and development center that will also perform applications engineering for the company's die attach, semiconductor underfill, encapsulant and semiconductor mold compound...

Lincoln Electric acquiring J.W. Harris.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... CLEVELAND -- Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc. is acquiring J.W. Harris Co. (Mason, OH), a privately held brazing and soldering alloys manufacturer headquartered in Mason, Ohio. Founded in 1914, the J.W. Harris Co. has 335 employees at...

SME holding 2nd Automation Summit.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... DEARBORN, MI -- The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) will hold its 2nd Annual Automation & Assembly Summit April 18-20 at the Sheraton West Port Hotel in St. Louis. This year's event, "Achieving World Class Manufacturing with Advanced...

Motoman president honored.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... DAYTON, OH -- Craig S. Jennings, president of Motoman Inc. (West Carrollton, OH), has been named "Executive of the Year" for 2004 by the Dayton Business Journal. Candidates for the award are evaluated on their approach to customer service,...

Splinting effective against carpal tunnel injuries.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... ANN ARBOR, MI -- A study published in the the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation indicates that wearing a splint on the hand or wrist while sleeping can help inviduals suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The study,...

New fuel cell is officially the world's smallest.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... Tokyo -- Toshiba Corp. recently announced that Guinness World Records (London) has officially certified its compact direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) as the world's smallest. The fuel cell will be included in the 2006 edition of Guinness World...

Harley-Davidson announces 19th consecutive record year.(Assembly Lines)
April 1, 2005... MILWAUKEE -- Harley-Davidson Inc. enjoyed record revenue and earnings in 2004. Revenue for the year's fourth quarter was $1.22 billion compared with $1.16 billion during the same time period in 2003, a 5.4 percent increase. Net income for the...

Actuators facilitate automatic welding.(Assembly in Action)
April 1, 2005... Shoals Technologies Group (Muscle Shoals, AL) manufactures custom automotive parts as well as appliance and industrial components. These components include wire assemblies and electromechanical devices. To facilitate larger production runs, the...

Encoders help assemble A380 wings.(Assembly in Action)
April 1, 2005... In addition to being the largest commercial aircraft in the world, the recently unveiled double-deck A380 from Airbus (Toulouse, France) is incorporating a number of innovative assembly technologies. Among these technologies is the use of...

Adhesive is stronger and cuts cure times.(Assembly in Action)
April 1, 2005... Us Endoscopy (Mentor, OH) manufactures accessories for rigid and flexible endoscopes--medical devices that are used for the exploration or biopsy of organs and tissues without performing conventional surgery. One of the company's new products...

Seals create safe environment for electronics.(Assembly in Action)
April 1, 2005... Daisy Data Inc. (New Haven, PA) specializes in manufacturing electronics equipment enclosures and purging controls for use in hazardous areas like those found in the food processing and pharmaceutical manufacturing industries. The basic...

Machine vision checks truck frames.(Assembly in Action)
April 1, 2005... Magna International's Canadian chassis plant in Milton, Ontario, uses advanced hydroforming presses, tube bending machines and robotic welding cells to manufacture truck frames and chassis for DaimlerChrysler and other customers. The frames...

Feeding fasteners fast: the biggest challenge in automatic screwdriving isn't speed or torque accuracy: it's getting the fastener to the tool reliably and oriented correctly.(Screwdriving)
April 1, 2005... With an electric screech and a puff of smoke, my aging home computer finally died last year. Maybe I'd seen too many episodes of CSI, but on a whim, I decided to disassemble the hard drive. Though the device was no larger than a paperback,...

Assembling military electronics: making the transition to the defense sector is tough, but not impossible.(Electronics Assembly)
April 1, 2005... Traditionally, the Department of Defense (DOD) and its attendant services have been viewed as a kind of ivory tower in terms of manufacturing opportunities. Government contracts are seen as exceedingly difficult to obtain. Competition is...

Keep it clean: maintaining a clean environment is critical for assembling medical devices.(MEDICAL DEVICE ASSEMBLY)(Cover Story)
April 1, 2005... If you're eating lunch, you may want to skip down a few paragraphs. Still reading? Very well, you've been warned: The air in your assembly plant is filthy. Drilling, grinding, welding, staking, soldering, bonding, finishing and other...

Shedding light on plastics assembly: after years of waiting in the wings, the time has come for laser welding of thermoplastics in the medical sector.(MEDICAL DEVICE ASSEMBLY)
April 1, 2005... For years now, laser welding of thermoplastics has been the focus of a lot of research and speculation. In spite of all the talk, though, there's been no getting around that 400-pound gorilla sitting in the corner--namely, expense. ...

Molding for medical device assembly: plastic injection molding offers numerous advantages and challenges.(MEDICAL DEVICE ASSEMBLY)
April 1, 2005... Many people cringe at the mere thought of getting a shot or an injection while visiting a doctor's office or a hospital. Ironically, a less painful type of injection is giving medical device engineers something to shout about. ...

Inspection system improves diesel engine assembly: a robot-guided vision sensor picks up where human eyes leave off.(Machine Vision)
April 1, 2005... Pickup trucks are synonymous with durability and ruggedness. But, sometimes just being tough isn't good enough. End users often demand extra power and torque for hauling or pulling heavy loads. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] That's why the...

Beantown hosts triple show: you can check out the latest technology for productivity and cost-reduction at Assembly East, Nepcon East and Electro.(ASSEMBLY EVENTS)
April 1, 2005... Assemblers in the Northeast will spend $468 million on new assembly equipment and tools in 2005, according to the results from ASSEMBLY magazine's ninth annual capital equipment spending survey. The average assembler's budget is $370,653 and 14...

SMTA events and Conference.(Calendar)
April 1, 2005... The SMTA Boston Conference provides information to help companies stay competitive in today's market. This includes free sessions, the SMTA Academy and certification programs. Special Events May 4 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. New SMTA...

Packaging for point of sale: manufacturers strive to integrate assembly and packaging lines.(Automation Trends)
April 1, 2005... "East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet," wrote famous English novelist Rudyard Kipling in the late 1890s. Although he was referring to culture, customs and geography, Kipling could just as easily have been talking about...

Product handling solutions.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Mini-Mover Conveyors offers a full range of standard belt conveyors and rotary accumulation equipment. In addition, their engineering section provides rapid custom design and quotation service for your custom application requirements. ...

Modular regulator systems.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The Pressure Regulators and Manifolds can be used individually or assembled into a modular combination of pneumatic components. Modular components include the manifold block, regulators, switches, and gauges. The regulators provide the ultimate...

Sunnex offers the all-in-one LevelCaster.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Sunnex, Inc., a leading manufacturer of anti-vibration and leveling machine mounts, introduces its innovative, economical, all-in-one leveler and caster solution. The LevelCaster offers users the flexibility of a caster while encompassing the...

New products for assembly.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Staubli Robotics is introducing the new TX series of (6) axis robots, the new SCARA series of (4) axis robots, and the High payload RX260--RX270 robots, which are all setting new levels of performance at very competitive prices. ...

Dynamic force sensors measure fast-rising, short-duration events.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Piezoelectric force sensors from the Force/Torque Division of PCB Piezotronics, Inc. measure dynamic force in compression, tension, and impact modes. Dynamic force sensors possess the response and endurance to accurately follow fast-rising,...

I&J9000 Gantry "Power" robots.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... I&J Fisnar is proud to present a new series of Servo-Driven, Gantry dispensing robots with working areas up to 32" X 24". These robots use ball screw transmissions to ensure high repeatability. The I&J9000 Power series is ideal for use with...

Servo Spin Welder.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Dukane's new ServoWeld[TM] Spin Welder is designed to precisely assemble thermoplastic parts which have a circular joint. The welder is built around a servo motor that controls the radial orientation of the finished part with a accuracy of...

PPD-130 PERISTALTIC PUMP DISPENSER.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The PPD-130 PERISTALTIC PUMP DISPENSER provides "volumetric" dispensing of low-viscosity materials such as cyanoacrylates, oils and solvents without the need for compressed air. The PPD-130 uses peristaltic pump technology to dispense material...

Sonobond Ultrasonics announces new brochure.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... "Ultrasonics for Metals," Describing Full Line of Ultrasonic Metal Welders This new 4-page booklet illustrates the unique advantages of Sonobond's state-of-the-art technology that permits up to 10 stranded wires to be welded in a single...

Techcon Systems DX-300 Series Digital Dispenser/Controllers.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Techcon Systems, an OK International brand, introduces the DX-300 Series of value priced Digital Dispenser/Controllers for accurate and repeatable applications. The microprocessor-driven, digital-timer DX-300, consistently dispenses precise...

Adhesive and sealant custom packaging services.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... APS custom packages two-component adhesives, sealants and resins including acrylic, anaerobic materials, conductives, epoxy, polysulfides, polyurethanes, UV curable and other polymers. For a Free Sample using your supplied material and for...

Linear assembly system.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Palletized transfer system with cam operated locking stations. Smooth acceleration/deceleration of workpiece carriers which are accessible from above, underneath, and side. High accuracy with fast index times. Modular design; minimal...

Mechanical Indexing Table with integrated headstock / tailstock.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The OSA-LATOR[R] Indexing Table is used in robotic cells due to its fast indexing times (as low as 1.5 seconds) and heavy-duty construction. Available in 2, 3, and 4 stations, the tables come in dial top, rectangular support frame, and head /...

O-Ring insertion gripper.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The 2.5 X 2.7 inch O-Ring gripper picks and places O-Rings on the parts. The 12 jaw gripper has independent spreading and ejector movements. The O-ring is stretched evenly in a hexagonal shape so it won't be deformed. The gripper can be tooled...

Meter-Mix Dispense System overcomes traditional limitations.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Designed to dispense a continuous, uniform bead with 0.1 ml accuracy, the EZ-mix[R]VR Variable Ratio Meter-Mix Dispense System eliminates interruption from refilling and is ideal for highly abrasive and viscous materials. Controlled by stepper...

New automatic mark & cut machine.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... AMTI Division of MAXANT has developed a new integrated hot stamp mark and cut technology device for processing heat shrink tubing. With digital, electronic controls, the marker portion is compatible with Norwood type holders. SLICE 135P/HS...

Uraseal announces new series of shake n'seal products.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The EP series is designed for communications, electronic and fiber optic assembly applications by offering low viscosity for quick penetration and deep potting. These single use kits eliminate mix ratios and minimizes waste. They exhibit fast...

Precise part handlers for high speed assembly.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... CDS manufactures a broad line of high speed, robust, cam driven part handlers for precise pick and place assembly operations. The Linear series (LHP) and Rotary series (MHP) part handlers are ideally suited for clean room environments...

New pneumatic radial Riveting Machine--for a rivet head diameter of up to 18-mm.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... AGME Ltd., a radial riveting manufacturer introduces the newly available, pneumatic Riveting Machine Model No. RR18. This unit is a pneumatic unit, allowing the processing of rivets with a maximum head diameter of 18-mm [0.710-inches]. The...

Micro EC-Electric Screwdriver Spindles.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... DEPRAG now offers two low-torque EC-Spindles (brushless DC-motor), having a minimum torque capability of 1.8 in.lbs. at speeds of 1,200 and 600 rpm. This is the lowest possible torque available for any DC Screwdriver. The tools feature the...

Ready-to-go Linear Motion solutions.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Save engineering time and hassles with Rexroth Linear Modules. The new brochure, Fast Track to Precision Motion, Linear Modules and Cartesian Robots, introduces Rexroth's 12 families of linear actuators for compact, fast, precise, or heavy duty...

Automate your dispensing process.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The EFD[R] Ultra[TM] TT Automation Series combines precision dispensing and accurate positioning functions into one fully-integrated, compact tabletop unit for applying accurate amounts of cyanoacrylates, epoxies, solder pastes, and other...

Aluminum framing catalog offers "everything to build anything".(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... A new 352-page catalog from Bosch Rexroth Corporation details hundreds of aluminum structural framing components, connectors, and accessories. Compiling information from 5 separate catalogs, this one-stop resource includes technical data,...

New cut, strip & terminate machine.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Schleuniger's new CrimpCenter 60 is a fully automatic cut, strip and terminate machine for crimping, applying weather seals, twisting, tinning and doubling. Features include a 10-26AWG wire range (optional 30AWG), an integrated touch screen...

Rapid, permanent marking of industrial parts.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Dapra Marking Systems, North American Technomark distributor, is pleased to offer the new Multi 4 modular marking machine. Available as Handheld and/or bench-mounted, as well as integrated, the Multi 4 marks all types, sizes and shapes of...

Furnishing system.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The GWS Workshop industrial furnishing system provides comprehensive workstation and storage solutions for light and heavy industries, complemented by a vast selection of accessories. Standard components can be configured in a myriad of designs...

Stop cast metal leaks.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Hernon Porosity Sealant (HPS[TM]) 1000 and 1100 represent a break through in sealing leak-prone porous metals such as powder metal castings and sintered metal parts. Benefits include increased lubricity, which lowers tool wear and resistance to...

Made in the USA.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Disposable needles that can be supplied in a wide range of standard and custom designs for dispensing virtually any type of fluid and dot size. Available in standard .5", 1", and 1-1/2" lengths, Fishman Disposable Dispensing Needles come in 14...

Spectrum actuators.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The new "SPECTRUM" SLIM-LINE SERIES of actuators incorporates precision linear slim-line actuators and presses which have been designed to accommodate the broadest range of users. New unique features incorporated into the Spectrum line of...

SAS Automation.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Automating Packaging or Palletizing? End Effectors, EOAT (end-of-arm tooling) for all makes of robots. Modular systems reduce robot wear. Get a grip! components for heavyweight applications. GRIP IT!-for lightweight applications, nip it!-spruce...

Forward Technology VS-1445.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The VS-1445 Large Vertical Servo Hot Plate Welder capable of precision welding thermoplastic parts to 14"X45" utilizing 100% Servo-Motion control. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Advantages: * Improved repeatability & process control ...

New! Press Force/Torque controller.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... * Force, Torque or miscellaneous signals * Tolerance Band and/or Window comparisons * Selectable Input Configurations * Fast Measurement mode up to 5000/sec * External or Internal Trigger standard * RS-232, RS485, Profibus...

New tricks for an old standard.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... MULTIPLE SEAL PLACEMENT FROM A SINGLE SOURCE Using innovative design, Amara can now offer assembly of a common size of o-ring or seal to various groove locations with no change tooling and a single handling of the target part. Ideal for...

New! Hand held indicator & data collector.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... A configurable battery operated indicator and logger can store Force, Torque, or miscellaneous signals Stored parameter sets are available for up to 10 input configurations. Stores Calibration, sensor designation and eng'n units. * Strain...

Crimp, twist, flux and tin ultra-thin wire.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The Gamma 255 from Komax is a flexible wire crimping machine that can process both ends of a wire from 16 AWG to 36 AWG--fully automatically. The operator can leave the crimping press in place as a changeover is made to twisting, fluxing and...

Replace your pneumatics with simple, low-cost servo linear actuators.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Mechatronics Cylinder products put position, force, velocity, and acceleration control at your fingertips with easy-to-use software. Rod, rodless, and rotary actuators available with controller from $295, 8-axis sequence controller available...

Robotic/automatic tool changers.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The Quick-Change robotic tool changer provides the flexibility to automatically change end-effectors or other peripheral tooling. The products are designed to function reliably for millions of cycles at rated load while maintaining extremely...

"The next generation of automation".(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Rogers Associates manufactures quality machines and automated assembly and test systems and is your complete source for manufacturing services, re-tooling, and systems integration. Whether you need assistance with one phase, several phases, or...

$18K leak detection.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... For $18,000 you get a full-featured Heliot 700 helium leak detector with color touch screen featuring onscreen maintenance and troubleshooting capabilities. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Rotary Vane Pump - $18,000 * Dry Diaphragm -...

125KHz RFID starter's kit.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... RS232 Reader/Writer, AC Power Supply, variety of Tags, CD ROM for reading/writing Tags via COM port. Substitutions of Reader and Tags are accommodated, this plug & play kit demonstrates products that have been applied to hundreds of widget...

Dual headed servo spin welder.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... PAS's new DHSW-750 offers end users the ability to run 2 parts simultaneously for high volume applications. Part orientation can be controlled +/- one tenth of a degree. Servo driven spin axis speeds ranging from 1-3000 RPM, not to mention the...

High performance, multiple view Vision Appliance.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... iNspect is an easy-to-use, pre-packaged Vision Appliance designed for applications that require multiple inspections based on independent views of the same part. Based on the powerful NetSight II hardware platform, iNspect incorporates the...

GSM - new gripper-swivel unit from SCHUNK.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... SCHUNK Inc. introduces a new series of gripper-swivel units, GSM. The GSM offers the choice of 2-finger parallel grippers, 3-finger concentric grippers, 2-finger angular grippers, and 180[degrees] angular grippers. The GSM line offers a total...

Composite trays/boxes.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Molded Fiber Glass Tray Co. manufactures a wide range of sizes and styles of reinforced composite trays and boxes offering static protection during assembly, faraday cage protection during storage, as well as high temperature sheet for...

Process Controlled Orbital Forming.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Process Control for height-measuring and pressure-sensing brings full programmability to a wide range of TAUMEL Orbital Forming Machines and Modular Units for flexible system integration and multi-axis assembly applications. PLC Control...

Heavy Duty SCARA robots.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... The EPSON E2H Heavy Duty SCARA robots set the standard for applications requiring high payloads and high performance: * 850mm reach with 340mm Z stroke * Payloads to 44 lbs (20 Kg) * High U-Axis inertia specs * Class 10 Clean...

Assembly solutions for your fastening needs from Delta Regis.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... Deal with the experts! It's all we do. We know torque. We know applications. We know our products. Get the right answer first time around. Torque controlled electric screwdrivers, torque testers and rotary sensors, manual torque tools, tool...

AIMCO.(Product Review)
April 1, 2005... AIMCO's ATM-1-1 Tightening Monitor watches the performance of your torque controlled air tools insuring that they continue to perform consistently; qualifies your process to ensure your assembly procedures are being followed, by verifying the...