Assembly articles from December 2003

Assembly archives from December 2003

Moving on up?(Editorial)
December 1, 2003... By now we all know that the U.S. economy just turned in its best quarter in nearly two decades. The real gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 7.2 percent in the third quarter, twice the increase in the second quarter and the...

SCARA robots excel at assembly.(X-Y-Z)
December 1, 2003... Approximately one-fourth of the robots sold in North America this year were for assembly, dispensing and material handling applications involving parts weighing less than 10 pounds. For many of these applications, the robot of choice is the...

The buzz is back at ATExpo.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... NORWALK, CT -- Thousands of manufacturing professionals attended the 24th annual ATExpo, which was held Sept. 23 to 25, 2003, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. The 3-day event had impressive traffic; 11,397 visitors...

Forecasts, inventions, mergers, new facilities; new toy may inspire future engineers.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... ROSELAND, NJ -- It's never too early to start developing tomorrow's engineers. Patrick Calello believes his new educational toy will inspire a generation of tinkerers who "learn by doing" in the era of video games. The Automoblox modular...

First powered flight recreated.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- This month marks the centennial of the Wright Brothers' historic flight. History repeated itself recently when an exact replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer took to the sky near Chicago. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The fragile...

Boeing plans to airlift large parts.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Boeing Co. plans to adopt air transportation as its primary method to deliver large subassemblies, such as fuselage and wing sections. Its goal is to dramatically reduce the time it takes to transport components from suppliers....

Sandia helps NASA with Hypersonic vehicle design.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- Sandia National Laboratories researchers are assisting with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Hypersonic Technology Experiment (HyTEx) program. They are seeking to create new technologies that will...

SME grant helps attract students to manufacturing.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids' economy will get a boost from an investment in education. That boost comes from a grant from the Education Foundation of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). The program will help encourage Grand...

Carnegie Mellon inducts Robots into Hall of Fame.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... PITTSBURGH -- Carnegie Mellon University inducted the first group of four robots into its Robot Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Carnegie Science Center. They were the Unimate, the first industrial robot; the Sojourner robot from NASA's...

DVT wins Catalyst Award.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... DULUTH, GA -- DVT Corp. recently won an award from Catalyst magazine. The Catalyst Awards honor small to mid-sized companies that show leadership in industry, innovations, effective management and excellence in business. The editors of Catalyst...

August tool consumption ahead of July.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... ROCKVILLE, MD -- August U.S. machine tool consumption totaled $150 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors Association and the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT). This total was up 16.6 percent from July, but...

AIM Inc. moves to new headquarters.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... PITTSBURGH -- AIM Inc. has moved into its new headquarters in Warrendale, PA. The 2,875-square-foot offices are located on the ground floor of the new Northern Building just off Interstate 79 west of Pittsburgh. "The new space allows us to...

Industrial production increased in September.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The manufacturing sector is climbing out of its protracted slump. According to the Federal Reserve, industrial production rose 0.4 percent in September, and capacity use rose in September to 74.7 percent from 74.5 percent in...

Kulicke & Soffa announces order for ball bonders.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... WILLOW GROVE, PA -- Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc. provided Global Advanced Packaging Technology Co. Ltd. of Shanghai with 140 Maxum ball bonders. Global provides services ranging from package design, wafer sort, die storage and assembly to...

Eraser helps repair the space shuttle.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... SYRACUSE, NY -- The Eraser Co. Inc. manufactured custom multioutput electronic temperature controllers for United Space Alliance at Cape Canaveral, FL. When used with infrared heaters, the controllers ensure correct curing of adhesives...

Aerospace company opens plant.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... JACKSONVILLE, FL -- When more news revolves around plant closings and relocations to other parts of the world, it is reassuring when companies open new facilities stateside. Kaman Aerospace Corp., a helicopter manufacturer, unveiled a...

DEK rewarded by Frost & Sullivan.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... SAN DIEGO -- Frost & Sullivan presented its award for "Product Line Strategy in the World SMT Soldering Equipment & Materials Market" to DEK. This award recognizes the company's insight into customer needs and product demands. Frost & Sullivan...

Electronic thermal design and analysis seminar to be held in 2004.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... EAST HANOVER, NJ -- Sensor Products Inc. is presenting a seminar to be held Jan. 15 to 16, 2004, at the Amerisuites Hotel in Medford, MA. This 2-day course is designed for anyone working with electronics, printed circuit board or power supply...

Modbus and IDA join forces.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... HOPKINTON, MA -- After a year of cooperation, the Modbus Organization and IDA Group have joined forces. Modbus Organization is a U.S. organization of users and suppliers of Modbus-based devices. IDA Group was formed in Germany and develops...

Are you ready?(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Technology doesn't just change the way we do things; it also transforms who we are. And the pace of research and discovery in the 21st century is accelerating at light speed, adding further change to our planetary community. To...

BalTec and Promess further their products.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... BRIGHTON, MI -- BalTec Corp. (Canonsburg, PA) and Promess Inc. have agreed to sell each other's products in the assembly and testing markets. Both companies sell a wide range of noncompeting products. "Our agreement gives both companies...

Test cell reduces transmission development.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... SAN ANTONIO, TX -- Engineers at the Southwest Research Institute have built a virtual vehicle transmission test cell, allowing manufacturers to reduce the time and cost to develop and validate transmissions. The equipment and test cell...

Axon inaugurates production facility.(Assembly Lines)
December 1, 2003... SCHAUMBURG, IL -- Axon Cable, an electronics company, has incorporated a state-of-the-art flat flexible cable production machine in its new facility in Schaumburg. Growth in the flat cable market enabled the company's move to a new...

Company saves a million or two.(Assembly in Action)
December 1, 2003... Mechatronics Engineering Corp. (Sterling Heights, MI) builds machines and test equipment for assembling different automotive component parts, including fuel-related hardware. In June 2000, Visteon Corp. (Dearborn, MI), an automotive parts...

Software helps firm streamline its design phase.(Assembly in Action)
December 1, 2003... Micro Technology Services Inc. (Richardson, TX) is a contract engineering and manufacturing firm specializing in consumer and military electronic equipment. Its clients produce sophisticated electronics made up of high-pin-count devices, each...

Robots weld Corvette seat frames.(Assembly in Action)
December 1, 2003... Aluminum presents welding challenges due to its high thermal conductivity and susceptibility to problems, such as warping, burn through, contact tip burn-back and wire tangling. When Kadee Metalfab LLC (Solon, OH) received a contract from...

Deposition tool includes wafer handling front-end platform.(Assembly in Action)
December 1, 2003... MSP Corp. (Minneapolis) makes equipment for generating, depositing, sampling and measuring aerosolized particles from 3 nanometers to 100 micrometers in size. MSP selected Adept Technology Inc. (Livermore, CA) to provide automated wafer...

Aircraft gets orderly with software.(Assembly in Action)
December 1, 2003... Building the world's largest passenger aircraft is a daunting task for Airbus (Toulouse, France). The new plane, the A380, is scheduled to go into full production in 2005. The wings are being assembled in England, the fuselage in Germany and...

X-ray unit uses sensors.(Assembly in Action)
December 1, 2003... KMV Technologies (Rockford, IL) wanted to develop a device that combines X-ray vision with a smart camera. KMV's InnerVision X-ray unit combines those technologies. Development was possible by using DVT's (Duluth, GA) SmartImage sensor. ...

Auto manufacturer uses vision to error-proof panels.(Assembly in Action)
December 1, 2003... For automotive manufacturers, customer satisfaction is the key to increased sales and long-term growth. Among the hundreds of subassemblies that go into each automobile or truck, the quality of the body panels plays an important role in getting...

Holding the line: manufacturers may not spend more on assembly technology next year than they did in 2003, but they won't spend much less either.(Capital Spending Survey)(Cover Story)
December 1, 2003... The announcements were made within days of each other, by different companies, making different products. They occurred on opposite ends of the country, and produced opposite effects on the communities involved. In one, the news brought...

Confined to a cell? Many companies fail to harness the potential of workcells.(Lean Manufacturing)
December 1, 2003... Kilmainham Gaol is a unique museum in Dublin, Ireland, that is often bypassed by tourists seeking more popular sights. It's not what most people associate with the Emerald Isle. The austere building once housed political prisoners in tiny,...

On your mark: a variety of technologies are available to mark parts with a serial number, part number, machine-readable code or logo.(Part Marking)
December 1, 2003... There are many methods to place identifying marks on parts and products. In fact, manufacturers sometimes use several methods to identify parts and products at different stages in the manufacturing cycle, and between different components in the...

The dawn of aeroplane assembly: aircraft production was slow to take off.(Wright Flight Centennial)
December 1, 2003... This month marks the 100th anniversary of the world's first powered flight. In 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright were obscure bicycle mechanics in Dayton, OH, who assembled a fragile aeroplane out of wood, wire and fabric after several years of...

Taking the pain out of lead-free reflow; lead-free solder pastes require higher reflow temperatures and tighter process controls than standard tin-lead solder.(Electronics Assembly)
December 1, 2003... The reflow process window for tin-lead solder is relatively wide. The melting point of tin-lead solder is 183 C. The lower temperature limit for reflow is 200 C. The upper limit is generally 235 C, which is the maximum temperature that most...

Fuel cells: fact, not fiction: despite big challenges, the potential is huge.(Assembly Trends)
December 1, 2003... Fuel cells are no longer science fiction. They're a fact. However, most fuel cells are still assembled one at a time in laboratories. To achieve their true promise and potential, fuel cells will need to be mass-produced in a cost-effective...

Consumer products: product development and time to market are more important than ever.(Industry Watch)
December 1, 2003... Santa may be late getting to your neighborhood this year, due to a slight detour. He has to make an extra long stop in China to fill up his sleigh with all the usual goodies--cameras, toys and watches, in addition to electric razors. For...

Important news from leading suppliers!(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Advances in assembly technology, equipment and tools help manufacturing companies like yours stay competitive and profitable. This special section showcases assembly equipment and technology that is advancing the state-of-the-art in product...

How ATS is helping market leaders meet 21st century manufacturing challenges.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Supertrak[TM] is gaining rapid acceptance by market leaders across a wide range of industries, from automotive to computer/electronics to healthcare. Today, manufacturers are calculating payback over several product life cycles, investing in...

Company profile.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation[R] 2104 Martin Way Pittsburg, CA 94565 Phone: 925-439-8272 Toll Free: 888-580-8272 Fax: 925-439-5931 Internet: http://www.bwc.com E-mail: info@bwc.com Product Lines: ...

Improve productivity and increase profits through lean manufacturing.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... In today's manufacturing environment, assembly work is routinely characterized by short production cycles and constantly diminishing batch sizes, while the variety of product types and models continues to increase. Constant pressure to shorten...

Cognex[R]: how to succeed with machine vision.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Successful machine vision users locate, identify, inspect and gauge products with confidence, and communicate essential data with ease. These users have one thing in common... Cognex, the world leader in machine vision. Cognex has focused...

Improve time-to-market with a real-time Programming Strategy.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... In the world of consumer electronics, OEMs are faced with unpredictable scales and speeds of demand for product sales. Coupled with increased product functionality and features, product life cycle management is becoming ever more critical. Gone...

Deprag screw drivers: cover the torque range for unlimited applications. Light weight straight handle, pistol-grip and angle-head screwdrivers provide accurate and repeatable torque.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... HANDHELD DRIVERS MICROMAT MICROMAT-ESD MICROMAT-D MINIMAT MINIMAT-ESD MINIMAT-D MINIMAT-F MINIMAT-T ANGLE-NUTRUNNERS SENSOMAT RECYCLING ELECTRIC STATIONARY DRIVERS MICROMAT ...

Get better performance down the road.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Here's a move that can take your precision-assembly projects farther, faster--and do it all more efficiently than ever: DT Industries' Precision Assembly division has merged with Detroit Tool & Engineering at our world-class, vertically...

Reliable and productive: assembly systems from Mikron.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Modular, flexible and highly interactive: both the Flexifactor high-speed assembly system and the Syfast system are reliable, cost-efficient and versatile solutions for your assembly needs. Their standardized platforms support the rapid...

[C.sub.pk] process monitoring conventional Air Presses & ServoPress systems.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Schmidt-Feintechnik's line of intelligent pressing systems can provide you with unique assembly solutions as well as high quality process verification. To meet your specific needs and budget, we offer either Servo Motor Powered Press Technology...

SRU Rotary Actuator--turns the world round.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Often an underestimated between part and machine base is a Rotary Actuator. Design engineers look to this component to be compact and offer ever-increasing capacities. In general, a Rotary Actuator is a device that converts some form of energy...

AIMCO presents new additions to the Omega line of pulse tools.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... The innovative inline series opens new opportunities to increase ergonomics and improve product quality. Like all AIMCO pulse tools, inline pulse tools have virtually no torque reaction and vibration. From 36 - 288 in-lbs (3 - 24 ft-lbs),...

Custom riveting automation.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... CUSTOMIZED FOR YOUR PRODUCTS Customizing your riveting operation specifically for your products reduces operation time, increases productivity and saves money. AGME can design stations that combine AGME's Radial Riveting System with...

Assembly automation[R]: ss-4 self-feed screwdriver.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... * 100 mm stroke * 20 Nm torque capacity * Weight: 6 kg including tool * 60 cm overall length * Operates in any position, including inverted * Mounting brackets available for most D.C. and pneumatic tools, including Techmotive, Atlas Copco and...

The ATI crash Protector[TM] with standard auto reset. Because downtime is never an option. Robotic end effectors.(Robotic End Effectors)
December 1, 2003... There's a new standard in crash protection performance--the result of advanced engineering from ATI. The Protector[TM] not only prevents end-effector damage from robotic crashes, it reduces downtime by automatically resetting to within 0.001...

A Tool balancer with positional feedback.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Automation Tool Company offers breakthrough sequence tracking technology with its patent-pending INTELLI-ARM[TM]. The INTELLI-ARM[TM] is an anti-torque ergonomic tool support used for manual driving applications. Using the latest...

Wow!! Leak rate and leak location in just one test.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... New Falcon Leak Test System quickly identifies the presence of a leak and displays that location on a large flat screen part image during each leak test cycle. This immediate visual feedback allows for quick and direct response to correct...

"Bosch exact cordless tools go Wireless with Bluetooth".(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... At the 2003 ATE in Chicago, IL and MOTEK in Sinsheim, Germany, Bosch Production Tools introduced the world's first cordless assembly tools that use Bluetooth Wireless Technology to error-proof the assembly process. The Bluetooth wireless...

Use the right tool for the job!(Kollmorgen)
December 1, 2003... Our new AKM Servo Motors offer over 12,000 standard configurations, giving you unprecedented global choice and flexibility for your machine design. Combine them with a Kollmorgen servo drive, for a complete, low-cost, servo-control solution...

Pioneer of automatic screwdrivers.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Design Tool Inc. is a worldwide leader in automatic screwdriving technology. Our DTI team has a combined 85 years of experience in the design and manufacturing of automatic assembly equipment. Design Tool Inc. is a North Carolina-based company...

EPSON Robots: 20 years of leadership.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... EPSON Robots is a global leader in easy to use, high speed, high precision robots and related factory automation equipment. We have over 30 different SCARA machines available, including Multiple Mounting models that can be attached to ceilings,...

Despite the fact that our competitor brings you nifty knobs little lights and creative colors ... it's still just an unreliable air dispenser.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Don't be caught buying "form over function." (we call it getting FOF'd). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The fact is, that Fishman's AirFree[TM] Linear Drive Systems offer you repeatability and stability, unheard of in old pneumatic system...

STEIN Automation transport systems.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... STEIN Automation, through its North American outlet Global Automation, Inc., offers our customers products and services designed for the automation of material handling. STEIN Automation's transport systems easily combine logistics and control...

Problems--solutions--results.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... Henkel Loctite develops quality adhesive and sealant products that provide solutions to industry's biggest design and assembly challenges. Whether we are reducing assembly costs, providing design and application assistance, or increasing...

IAI, Inc., is Japan's largest manufacturer of industrial single and multiple axis systems.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... IAI designs, manufactures, and sells robotic components and solutions for the automotive, consumer products, electronics, food, medical devices, plastics, semiconductor, and telecommunications industries around the world. With 60% market share...

A systems approach to fastening.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... PennEngineering[R] Fastening Technologies serves as a single source for fastening hardware, installation equipment and tooling, and tech expertise. This systems approach to fastening yields products and technology that can save time and money...

Introducing a closed-loop, Motorized Torque Control system.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... The Promess MTC is a bolt-on, plug 'n play multitasking system that allows you to measure and control your torque application. It's more precise (1 percent system resolution) and safer (all system parts are enclosed) than conventional homegrown...

Servo drives for small precision presses.(Supplier Showcase)
December 1, 2003... In response to increasing demands for high-precision and in-process quality systems, TOX[R]-PRESSOTECHNIK has developed several elector-hydraulic and elector-mechanical press drives. The electric components are marketed under the eco Fine Press...

Tape attaches heat sinks.(Products)
December 1, 2003... Model 8805, 8810, 8815 and 8820 thermally conductive tapes attach heat sinks and heat spreaders to electronic components. The adhesive has good elastomeric properties to buffer shocks, and its high dielectric strength electrically isolates heat...

Coating protects sensors.(Products)
December 1, 2003... The SlagMaster coating protects inductive proximity sensors from weld slag, heat and mechanical damage, without affecting sensor performance. The coating can be applied to both flush-mounted and nonflush-mounted sensors. [ILLUSTRATION...

Servo-driven assembly dial.(Products)
December 1, 2003... The Servochassis rotary dial assembly system can achieve a cycle time of less than 1 second. Configurable for four to sixteen stations, the chassis has two servomotors that drive two independent axes. The motors replicate the coordinated motion...

Automated dispensing platform.(Products)
December 1, 2003... The P200 is an X-Y motion platform for automatically dispensing shots of two-part adhesives. It can operate as a stand-alone system, or be integrated with a conveyor for inline operation. Shot size ranges from 0.005 to 5 cc. The working...

CNC press.(Products)
December 1, 2003... The Great White is a standalone, computer-numerically controlled electromechanical assembly press and test machine. Driven by a servomotor, the ram can produce a maximum force of 27,000 pounds. The device can press or pull to a set force or...

Modular end-effector system.(Products)
December 1, 2003... The modular end-effector tooling system can easily be configured to meet various material handling applications, including packaging, injection molding, metal stamping, palletizing and glass handling. Accessories include automatic tool...

Glue-backed wire clip.(Fasteners)
December 1, 2003... This wire clip is molded from natural-colored nylon 6/6 and backed with a polyethylene foam tape. Wires can be removed from the clip after assembly. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Reply 106 Micro Plastics Inc. www.microplastics.com...

Multipiece fasteners.(Fasteners)
December 1, 2003... Various multipiece assembled fasteners are available, including a weld nut with a bracket and a sleeved washer with a bolt. Multipiece fasteners reduce assembly time and increase the overall structural integrity of the parts. [ILLUSTRATION...

Teflon-coated fasteners.(Fasteners)
December 1, 2003... Teflon-coated self-clinching fasteners are for applications in which the hardware will be installed prior to painting. During assembly, the threads of the mating hardware will remove the masking material and paint, allowing a clean joining of...

Vibration-proof fasteners.(Fasteners)
December 1, 2003... Vibration-proof, self-locking fasteners will not loosen, regardless of seating torque. Available in standard and custom sizes, they are lightweight, noncorrosive and tamper-resistant. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Reply 109 Permanent...

Stainless steel fasteners.(Fasteners)
December 1, 2003... Inserts, nuts and other threaded fasteners can be made from stainless steel, the material of choice for medical, food and aerospace equipment. Stainless steel resists corrosion and high temperatures. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Reply 110...

Bushings protect cables, hoses.(Fasteners)
December 1, 2003... These plastic bushings are snapped into holes in sheet metal to protect cables, tubing and shafts. The bushings are molded from nylon 6 in black, white or other colors. The SB series withstand a push-back force of 35 pounds and are available in...

Machine measures parts.(Inspection)
December 1, 2003... This automated inspection machine is for precision measuring and gauging applications. It includes a machine vision system, optics, lighting and material handling equipment, such as conveyors, robots and feeder bowls. [ILLUSTRATION...

Fluorescence detector.(Inspection)
December 1, 2003... This fluorescence detector confirms that fluorescent adhesives have been correctly dispensed onto parts during automated assembly. The unit emits light that causes the adhesive to fluoresce. It then detects the fluorescence and signals a PLC,...

Handheld video microscope.(Inspection)
December 1, 2003... The HD-5000 handheld video microscope weights 1 pound. Magnification can be switched from 20X to 50X. Optional lenses are available for 1X, 100X, 150X and 250X. A "freeze" button permits any image to be captured for further evaluation. The...

AOI system checks 0201s.(Inspection)
December 1, 2003... The VT-WIN II automated optical inspection system can be used in-line or off. A zoom lens provides magnification down to 10 microns per pixel, allowing the machine to inspect 0201 components. With an optical character recognition system, the...

Large-format AOI.(Inspection)
December 1, 2003... The NSpecXL automated optical inspection system can check boards as large as 20 by 26 inches. The machine has "on-the-fly" zoom for inspecting small components. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Christopher Group Inc. www.christopherweb.com...

High-power video microscope.(Inspection)
December 1, 2003... The SuperVision high-power video microscope has a built-in USB video frame grabber, which allows inspectors to capture, print or e-mail images. Magnification ranges from 6X to 180X. The autofocus microscope includes an X-Y-Z positioning table...

Microscope is ergonomic.(Inspection)
December 1, 2003... The Speck Finder autofocus video microscope is mounted to an articulating arm that can be extended 18 inches horizontally and 9.5 inches vertically. For comfortable viewing, images are displayed on a high-resolution 6.4-inch flat panel display....