Assembly articles from August 2005

Assembly archives from August 2005

Much ado about CAFTA.(Editorial)
August 1, 2005... CAFTA is the dawn of a new era in profitable trade! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CAFTA is the end of civilization as we know it! Everything between these extremes has been rolled out to persuade Americans to demand support or defeat of...

Ship of tomorrow features an environmental design.(Down the Line)
August 1, 2005... A new concept cargo ship called the E/S Orcelle represents a radical vision of the future of ocean transport. Wallenius Wilhelmsen (Stockholm, Sweden), a large shipping company, recently unveiled a scale model of the vessel at the Expo 2005...

Encoders read the line.(X-Y-Z)
August 1, 2005... A rotary encoder cannot measure the position of a linear stage, at least not directly. What it actually measures is the position of the motor shaft. The linear position of the stage can then be calculated based on the pitch and diameter of the...

ASSEMBLY staff organizes ATExpo conference sessions.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... ROSEMONT, IL -- This year's Assembly Technology Expo Conference includes a half-dozen sessions organized by the ASSEMBLY Magazine editorial staff, covering everything from Six Sigma to lean manufacturing to offshoring to money-saving energy...

Chinese Honda plant begins auto exports.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... GUANGZHOU, China -- Honda Automobile-China Co. (CHAC) has begun exporting Jazz compact cars to Europe. A joint venture comprised of Honda Motor Co. (Tokyo) and Guangzhou Auto Group Co., the new plant ramped up to full production in April and is...

Automakers, EPA set energy performance benchmark.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, working in cooperation with the U.S. auto industry, has created a rating system for measuring the energy efficiency of assembly plants producing passenger cars, light duty trucks, sport...

MES system sales on the rise.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... BOSTON -- AMR Research is reporting that sales of manufacturing execution systems (MES) reached an estimated $1.06 billion in 2004, a 50 percent increase since 2001. According to the report, compliance initiatives and the maturity of enterprise...

BMW opens on-site pharmacy.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... SPARTANBURG, SC -- In an effort to rein in soaring drug costs for its employees, BMW Manufacturing Co. has opened a pharmacy at the U.S. assembly plant where it builds the Z4 roadster and X5 sport utility vehicle. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

UW lab studying RFID.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... MADISON, WI -- The University of Wisconsin is joining forces with more than 40 private companies to create a permanent laboratory devoted exclusively to studying RFID theory and real-world applications. An offshoot of the university's...

TRW to close Cookeville facility.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... LIVONIA, MI -- TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc. will close its automotive air bags plant in Cookeville, TN, by the middle of next year. Approximately 390 employees work at the plant. The company is closing the facility because of "steadily...

Robotics consortium eyes aviation market.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI -- KUKA Robotics Corp. is joining forces with five other automation companies to develop new manufacturing processes for the aerospace industry. Joining KUKA are Composite Systems (Arnold, CA), Programming Plus (New...

ASYS acquires EKRA.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... DORNSTADT, Germany -- ASYS GmbH has acquired electronics industry screen printer manufacturer EKRA GmbH (Boenningheim, Germany). EKRA, which also has offices in Asia and North America, has been in business since 1946 and employs approximately...

NAM: young workers need education.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- John Engler, president of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), is calling on educators to respond to a looming skills and worker shortage by increasing math, science and technical training. "While the departure of...

YESTech opens Singapore office.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... SAN CLEMENTE, CA -- YESTech Inc. has opened an office in Singapore to provide sales, training and technical support for the company's customers in Southeast Asia. The company makes optical and X-ray inspection equipment for circuit boards. ...

RIA announces Robotics Equipment Award.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... ANN ARBOR, MI -- Universities and technical institutions conducting robotics research are being encouraged to apply for a new Robotics Research Equipment Award sponsored by the Robotic Industries Association (RIA). Eligible universities...

ATExpo offers networking technology.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... ROSEMONT, IL -- Reed Exhibitions (Norwalk, CT) is partnering with software developer BDMetrics (Baltimore) to create "ATExpo Connects," a personalized Web-based networking tool for use by attendees at this year's Assembly Technology Expo. ...

Toyota expanding in Canada.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... WOODSTOCK, Ontario -- Toyota Motor Corp. (Tokyo) is constructing a new assembly plant in Canada to build the RAV4 sport utility vehicle. The plant represents a planned $650 million investment and will employ some 1,300 workers. The plant,...

Alcoa wins multiyear Lockheed Martin contract.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... TORRANCE, CA -- Alcoa Fastening Systems (AFS) has reached an agreement on a large multiyear contract to supply Lockheed Martin Corp. (Bethesda, MD) with millions of high-performance fasteners for a wide range of military aircraft programs...

Preco Laser expands with Ohio facilities.(Assembly Lines)
August 1, 2005... SOMERSET, WI -- Preco Laser Systems LLC has opened an engineering and sales facility in Troy, OH. The new Preco Laser Systems Automotive and Powertrain Group will serve the automotive powertrain industries in the Detroit and Dayton, OH, areas....

Missing text.(Correction Notice)
August 1, 2005... Due to a production error, several paragraphs were inadvertently omitted from the feature article on conveyors in the June issue of ASSEMBLY. The following is the complete text from the two sections that were affected. Belt Conveyors ...

Electric motors.(ASSEMBLY SPEC SHET)
August 1, 2005... Looking for an electric motor? Complete this form and fax it to your potential suppliers! [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Supplier Contact Information Aerotech--Fax: 412-963-7459 Animatics Corp.--Fax: 408-748-8725 ARC Systems...

Motion control critical to A380 assembly.(Assembly in Action)
August 1, 2005... Wing assembly for the world's largest commercial aircraft, the A380 from Airbus (Toulouse, France), occurs in two phases. First, large aluminum-alloy wing panels that make up the "skin" of the structure are fabricated and joined to stringers,...

Robots form basis of workcells.(Assembly in Action)
August 1, 2005... Over the past quarter century, automotive component manufacturer Bosch Group (Stuttgart, Germany) has manufactured approximately 100 million antilock braking systems (ABS). The company also produces a number of related systems, like its...

Vender cuts costs for systems builder.(Assembly in Action)
August 1, 2005... Dial Tool Industries Inc. (Addison, IL) is a full-service manufacturer with extensive experience in prototyping, tooling, stamping, automation and molding. It operates ISO9000 and QS9000 certified manufacturing facilities in the United States,...

Servos, controllers empower tire assembly.(Assembly in Action)
August 1, 2005... Fori Automation (Shelby, MI) manufactures assembly equipment for automakers throughout the world. To get its new tire assembly machines to market that much quicker, the company uses a control system incorporating the SM-EZMotion servo...

Over-under machines speed parts handling.(Assembly in Action)
August 1, 2005... Ford Motor Co.'s (Detroit) 2.8-million-square-foot Chicago Assembly Plant is the first car plant in North America that uses the company's flexible manufacturing system. The system enables the plant to produce up to eight different models based...

Toeing the line: to survive in an increasingly competitive market, Boeing Co. has completely revamped the way it builds the 737 aircraft.(Aerospace)(Cover Story)
August 1, 2005... Lean manufacturing is often described as a journey. And at Boeing Co. (Chicago) that journey has been comprised of a number of smaller journeys, not the least of which is the short trip each 737 airliner takes through the company's...

Boost your career at ATExpo: check out the latest assembly equipment, and learn about the newest assembly methods, at Assembly Technology Expo 2005.(ASSEMBLY EVENTS)
August 1, 2005... Assemblers in the United States will spend $2.6 billion on new assembly equipment and tools in 2005, according to ASSEMBLY magazine's ninth annual capital equipment spending survey. Almost a third of respondents to the survey say they plan to...

Quality at stake: the best method for staking plastic parts depends on the material, part design, cycle time requirements and cosmetic needs.(Plastics Assembly)
August 1, 2005... Staking is an ideal process for assembling plastic parts. It's quick and inexpensive. It can join dissimilar materials. It eliminates the cost of fasteners and adhesives, and it allows engineers to loosen the tolerances for molded parts....

Assembling the super jumbo: the Airbus A380 presents numerous production challenges.(Aerospace)
August 1, 2005... It's bigger than a Goodyear blimp. It's bigger than a Boeing 747. It's even bigger than a Lockheed-Martin C-5 Galaxy. In fact, the new Airbus A380 super jumbo jetliner is the biggest thing in the sky. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Earlier...

Are you ready for embedded passives? Embedding passive components directly into a circuit board can improve performance, enable more functionality and reduce cost per function.(Electronics Assembly)
August 1, 2005... Though the concept may seem anathema to this magazine, it is nevertheless axiomatic that the best assembly is often no assembly. If a feature can be molded, machined or fabricated into a part, assemblers can save the cost of fastening, welding...

Vise gives operator third hand.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Work positioner for round or bulky objects rotates in any direction and locks with a single lever. Jerry-Rig ball vise uses two sliding, adjustable lever-lock clamps to grip and hold odd shapes without damage. It has a 3 1/8-inch steel ball...

Robot serves two worktables.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Robot features two independent X axes. While the Y-Z head of the I & J8300 is dispensing material onto a part on one worktable, the operator is unloading and reloading the other worktable. This keeps the robot operating continuously to increase...

Sectional roller conveyor.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Low-profile aluminum rollers have plastic roller bearings and are mounted in steel tracks to form sections of roller track. Roller tracks can be ordered to length by the user and support up to 50 pounds per foot. Available with rollers 6-, 9-,...

Flexible cell is versatile.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... In addition to placing surface mount electronic components, Polaris features tooling attachments for light mechanical and back-end assembly, including dispensing, screw-driving and vision inspection. Throughput can be scaled up as needed by...

Machines form components.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Hand-operated Superform machine cuts and puts a lock-in on taped radial components, such as capacitors, resistors and transistors. It also forms and puts a lock-in on taped axial components. Supercut machine cuts, trims and forms both taped and...

Air pressure locks rod.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Pneumatic cylinder features a rod clamp actuated by a spring and unlocked by air pressure. Integral Amlock rod clamp on the Series CCA Advanced Locking Cylinder controls over travel, drifting, bouncing and reverse travel. The clamp locks the...

Sensor detects metal.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Multicoil proximity sensor detects iron, steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum and brass. Uprox+ resists interference from frequency converters and other EMI sources. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Turck Inc. www.turck.com ...

Sniffer detects leaks.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Multigas leak detector has an operator guiding mode and is claimed to ignore background gases. Ecotec E3000 tests refrigerators, freezers, automotive air conditioners and similar products for leaks on the production line. The operator guiding...

Sensor detects magnetic targets.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Proximity sensor detects presence of magnetic objects through non-ferromagnetic materials, such as stainless steel, plastic, wood and glass. Devices use giant magnetoresistive technology, offer switching frequencies of 5,000 Hertz and detect...

AC sensors for metal.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Noncontact tubular proximity sensors are available in M12 through M30 sizes, shielded or unshielded, and detect metal objects. Sensors operate only on AC, and current load capacity is 500 milliamperes. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Balluf...

Soldering combo rejects static.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Antistatic soldering pencil and accompanying rest station serve production and rework applications. WD1001 station features 80-watt soldering pencil. Programmable pushbuttons on the station allow operator to select any one of three often-used...

Sub-miniature shock absorbers.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Industrial shock absorbers are small-bore, nonadjustable and self-compensating. Absorbers are available in four bore sizes and three stroke lengths. Energy absorption capacity ranges from 4 to 75 in.-lb (0.45 to 8 newton-meters) per cycle. ...

Controller manages screwdriving.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Controller monitors screwdriver operation to learn current vs. time characteristics for driving a specific fastener. It then monitors current and time to ensure that subsequent fasteners are driven correctly. Smart Torq II has eight...

Laser measures distance.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Noncontact laser sensors measure distances from 8 inches to 660 feet. MR L-1 sensors make the measurement in 0.3 sec and best accuracy is [+ or -]0.1 inch, depending on the distance measured. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Metrology Resource...

Grippers are double-acting.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Pneumatic grippers serve both internal and external gripping applications. Series GRR Guardian line features units with jaw travel of 150, 200, 250 and 350 millimeters. Optional jaw position sensor continuously monitors jaw position. ...

System controls multiaxis motion.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Motion control system includes range of servomotor drives and machine controller. NextMove e100 control platform uses the industry standard Ethernet Powerlink protocal and can control more than 200 devices such as drives, encoders and gateways....

Electric actuator.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Linear actuator moves loads weighing up to 22 pounds in applications such as packaging, automatic inspection and medical manufacturing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IMI Norgren Inc. www.norgren.com 303-794-2611 eInquiry 116

Press monitors force.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Pneumatic toggle press includes process control that monitors ram force, displays ram force accurate to [+ or -]0.05 percent of full-scale, and displays ram position accurate to [+ or -]0.0005 inch. Toggle-Aire presses are available with ram...

Formed epoxy.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... One-part epoxy resin preforms are solid at room temperature. Uni-forms melt and then cure when heated to form a consistent seal. Preforms are available in sizes, shapes and materials to accommodate diverse applications. [ILLUSTRATION...

Mounts damp the shake.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Vibration mounts absorb vibration parallel to the axis of the mount. V10Z 4 series are available with either 30 or 60 durometer absorption material. Natural frequencies range from 6 to 30 hertz. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Advanced...

End effector for packaging.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Robotic end-of-arm tooling handles loads up to 250 pounds. EOAT units are available with vacuum cups to handle porous surfaces such as corrugated cartons, and tools that accommodate as many as nine different carton configurations. ...

Tester measures force.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Motorized device performs compression and tension testing on springs and other parts. TSFM500 can apply test force up to 500 pounds and operator can select stepper motor speeds from 0.2 to 5.5 inches per minute. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Sensor measures quickly.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Laser sensor has a measurement range from 0.24 to 39.4 inches. Sampling rate is 16 kilohertz. Selcom SLS 5000 has a built-in processor for data averaging and filtering. Data are provided in both 0 to 20 or 4 to 20 milliampere analog, and RS232C...

Program traces barcodes.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Software for automated inspection systems creates serialized barcodes that can be assigned to rework images, enabling traceability from automated optical inspection systems to offline review and rework stations. YESTraX also creates SPC data...

UV cures epoxy.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... One-component UV-curable epoxy is an aliphatic urethane polymer that remains clear and doesn't yellow. UV 60-7100 bonds to a variety of substrates, and a 365-nanometer light source cures it in less than 15 seconds. Epoxies Etc. ...

Casters enhance container.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Bulk container has four swiveling casters for easy handling. P-291 Ship Shape returnable container is rotationally molded of high-density polyethylene. Fastened to a steel tilt plate with 16 bolts, it accommodates payloads up to 700 pounds. ...

Machine vision cameras.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Video cameras suit factory automation applications, microscopy and quality control. CSB4000 monochrome video cameras are built around a four-megapixel CMOS sensor with a 12.048 by 12.282 millimeter image area. Standard frame rate is 7.4 frames...

Sensor counts and verifies.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Vision sensor counts parts, verifies label placement, confirms cap presence and fill level, verifies PCB and component orientation, and similar error-proofing tasks. PresencePLUS P4 has a built-in live video output for viewing inspections in...

Nuts secure thinner assemblies.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Self-locking steel nuts are strong, reliable and reusable, serving well in thin-metal assemblies where space for hardware may be limited. The fasteners include an integrated nylon locking element; a broaching knurl to create a firm,...

Pen marks cylindrical parts.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... DP 3000 markers use a motorized rotary axis device to provide fast and easy marking of round or cylindrical parts. Parts can be clamped internally or externally. Configured as a benchtop device, the DP 3000 is operated using internal software,...

Servomotor offers power, reliability.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... The PT-AS70 is a direct-current servomotor coupled to a gear-driven axis for unlimited rotation capability. All rotation attributes can be controlled, including acceleration, speed and deceleration. The motor produces up to 17 foot-pounds max...

Marker uses replaceable cartridges.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... The Touch Marking system ships complete and ready to assemble. Manufacturers can be marking parts in minutes. Marker tips are available in 1/4- and 5/8-inch diameters, and produce a round color spot on any smooth, dry surface. Recommended...

SMD placer is self-calibrating.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... The pick-and-place CSM7100 fulfils the requirements of high-mix, low-volume production by placing a wide range of components, from 0402 up to 33-by-33-millimeter quad flat packs. Tape reels, tape strips, sticks and trays of any size can be used...

Make your I/O wireless.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... The RAD-ISM-900-XD-BUS is a bidirectional multipoint-to-point wireless I/O system capable of linking eight remote locations to a single master station. The bidirectional feature means the devices can be used in both monitoring and control...

Drives feature large through-holes.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Ring index drives feature large through-holes to accommodate a range of automated machinery and equipment. The product family includes the Model 1100RNG, with a 1-meter diameter ring; the Model 1550RNG, with a 1.5-meter diameter ring; and the...

Imager fits in tight spots.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... The megapixel Quadrus MINI is a compact high-resolution imager with autofocus. Recommended uses include those in electronics manufacturing applications. The system can read linear bar codes and 2D codes directly marked on boards and components....

EMCs offer motion alternative.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... Electromechanical cylinders (EMCs) offer a "plug-and-play" alternative to hydraulic or pneumatic components in linear motion applications where high acceleration and force are required. Cylinders have fewer components, which cuts down on...

Thermal press uses servos.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... The Model STS2000 incorporates servo technology in the Z-axis, allowing for precise thermo press control and more than 2,000 pounds of available force. All machine operations are controlled via a digital interface. The Z-axis offers precision...

Printer specializes in speed.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... The Focus S25 laser coding system can be used in applications that require clean, permanent coding at high production speeds. A high-resolution laser printer creates marks on paperboard packaging, claycoat or secondary packaging, labels, PET...

Absorbers are small, flexible.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2005... MC 30M-Z miniature industrial shock absorbers can be used with both pneumatic cylinders and rotary actuators to provide high-energy absorption in confined spaces. Absorbers come in a variety of weight ranges. Recommended applications include...

Meet your new boss!(Uncommon Sense)
August 1, 2005... American universities are turning out more and brighter Ph.D.'s who, in their search for the American dream, do their high-tech research on government grants and hope to be the next Bill Gates. Should they come up with a marketable idea, and...