Assembly articles from January 2004

Assembly archives from January 2004

Evolution in mathematics.(Editorial)
January 1, 2004... Some things are too good to pass up. This has been circulating on the Internet and it cries out to be shared. It's dedicated to all who watched their children struggle through the debacle called "new math" a few years back, and who struggled...

Pass the pallet.(X-Y-Z)
January 1, 2004... In asynchronous assembly systems, modular pallet-transfer conveyors get the right parts to the right spot, at the right time. The most common pallet-transfer conveyor carries pallets on twin strands of belt or chain. Each strand rides in a...

Manufacturing rebounds after brief lull.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... CLEVELAND -- Manufacturers believe that business conditions have bounced back from a down month, according to the Precision Metalforming Association's November 2003 "Business Conditions Report." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Each month, the...

September machine tool sales increase.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... MCLEAN, VA -- U.S. machine tool sales in September totaled $175.79 million, a 24.8 percent increase from August sales, but a 9.7 percent decrease from September 2002 sales. According to the Association for Manufacturing Technology and the...

Toyota gets bragging rights.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... TOKYO -- For the first time, Toyota has outsold Ford Motor Co. worldwide. Import automakers will also likely grab a record of more than 25 percent of U.S. truck sales this year. Both instances are signs of the continuing challenge U.S....

Automakers put the squeeze on suppliers.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. are setting rigorous new targets for price cuts by their parts suppliers. Ford executives told 100 of its top suppliers that their prices must eventually match those of their lowest-cost...

Juki and Universal sign business alliance.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... BINGHAMTON, NY -- Universal Instruments Corp. and Juki Corp. have agreed to jointly develop subassemblies for low- and mid-range placement systems. The objective of the alliance is to enhance the strategic capabilities of placement...

Assembly Plant of the Year Award.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... BENSENVILLE, IL -- ASSEMBLY magazine is sponsoring an "Assembly Plant of the Year" Award in 2004. Any assembly plant in the United States is eligible. Plant size or type of industry is not important as long as the facility is involved in...

Alcoa and Lockheed Martin win "Design a Mat" contest.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... NASHVILLE, TN -- Over the past 3 months, Tennessee Mat Co. Inc. received an overwhelming response to its "Design a Mat" contest. And the company has announced the top two winners. First place went to Katherine VanGarderen from Alcoa...

Industries seek fuel cell funding.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The auto and oil industries have begun lobbying Washington for taxpayer help in bankrolling the billions of dollars that will be necessary to get fuel cell cars onto the road. Depending on which company you ask, General Motors...

Manufacturing hums at Midwest plants.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota has lost more than 40,000 manufacturing jobs in the past several years, part of a painful nationwide slide in factory employment. But manufacturing is far from dead, as shown by two growing plants with a focus on...

Essemtec opens U.S. office.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... GLASSBORO, NJ -- Essemtec, a manufacturer of surface mount production equipment for small- to mid-sized electronics assemblers, has opened a sales and service facility in Glassboro. The company's product range includes printers, dispensers,...

SMTA seeks conference papers.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... EDINA, MN -- The SMTA International Technical Committee is inviting participants to submit abstracts for this year's SMTA conference, which will be held Sept. 26 to 30, 2004, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. ...

Kester University provides solder training.(Assembly Lines)
January 1, 2004... DES PLAINES, IL -- Northrop Gruman Corp. has opened Kester University to offer solder technology training programs coupled with consulting services. Training courses are offered for surface mount assembly, wave soldering and rework. Each...

Air bearings aid assembly of flat panel displays.(Assembly Innovations)
January 1, 2004... Many manufacturing processes for flat panel displays (FPDs) require precision motion control for feature generation and inspection. Aerostatic bearings are an excellent choice for many of these processes, because they allow precise, repeatable...

Plastic EMI shield outperforms metal.(Assembly Innovations)
January 1, 2004... DEK International (Flemington, NJ) and W.L. Gore & Associates Inc. (Newark DE) have developed a new board-level, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield for wireless communications devices. Dubbed the Snapshot, the lightweight, removable...

Software analyzes cost of hydrogen production.(Assembly in Action)
January 1, 2004... Hydrogen fuel cell technology for automobiles holds a great deal of promise--pollution-free vehicles, a nearly unlimited fuel source and an alternative to dependence on foreign oil. But designers of fuel cell-powered cars face great...

Lockheed Martin slashes cycle times and costs with Carts.(Assembly in Action)
January 1, 2004... Lockheed Martin plans to increase productivity and product quality while reducing overall costs for manufacturing activity by implementing electronic work instructions (EWI) in its Fort Worth, TX, and Marietta, GA, aeronautics manufacturing...

Supplier collaboration yields dispensing system for biological applications.(Assembly in Action)
January 1, 2004... Imagine a machine that can create living tissue using the principles of computer-aided design and manufacturing, and the latest digital printing techniques. In a collaboration of scientific disciplines, Sciperio Inc. (Stillwater, OK), Spectra...

Subassembly line makes perfect cylinder heads.(Assembly in Action)
January 1, 2004... Mack Trucks (Hagerstown, MD) has installed a semiautomated cylinder head subassembly line manufactured by Veri-Tek International (Wixom, MI). The line is based on Veri-Tek's SMART Manufacturing technology--lean assembly systems with integrated...

Material savings with cold forming.(Assembly in Action)
January 1, 2004... Motion control technology from Bosch Rexroth Corp. (Buchanan, MI) is at the heart of a new type of cold extrusion press being used by Bahco (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Establecimientos Nunes SRL (Rosario, Argentina) manufactured the...

Sensor helps company reduce paste waste.(Assembly in Action)
January 1, 2004... Sanmina-SCI's electronics assembly facility in Gunzenhausen, Germany, has reported a 63 percent reduction in paste wastage by fitting one of its stencil printers with a paste-level sensor from DEK International GmbH (Flemington, NJ). The...

Machine vision helps bring new medical device to market.(Assembly in Action)
January 1, 2004... Actimed Laboratories Inc. (Burlington NJ) manufactures cholesterol home-screening kits. The kits allow individuals to check their cholesterol levels without the need for laboratory analysis of blood samples. In developing these at-home...

Ergonomics improves productivity.(Assembly in Action)
January 1, 2004... The drive to lower costs and increase productivity on production lines is universal throughout the automotive industry. Visteon Corp. (Dearborn, MI) is no different. Recently, Visteon faced the task of lowering costs and improving productivity...

The lean side of automation: lean manufacturing principles apply to more than just manual processes.(Automated Assembly)
January 1, 2004... Back in the good old days before cell phones, computers and television, Robert Ripley made a fortune from his "believe it or not" empire. Ripley's syndicated newspaper column was read by millions of people around the world. [ILLUSTRATION...

Press MonitorControl-1001 eliminates low valve flow rate.(Assembly Solutions)
January 1, 2004... SCHMIDT Feintechnik, a leading manufacturer of precision hand-operated, air-powered and hydropneumatic presses, located in Cranberry Township (Pittsburgh) PA, has helped a major automotive parts manufacturer solve a troublesome and costly...

Tabletop automation: benchtop robots dispense adhesives and other materials faster and more accurately than people.(Dispensing)
January 1, 2004... Terry R. Dunbar, product manager for positioning systems at EFD Inc. (Providence, RI), shows a visitor a tiny ferrule for optical fiber. A customer wants to dispense a precise amount of expensive epoxy inside the ferrule, which is less than 3...

Smart appliances spur consumer demand: refrigerators will soon be smarter than the people using them.(Industry Watch)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2004... Dishwashers, dryers, refrigerators, stoves and other household appliances do the same mundane tasks that they've always done. However, the technology behind these products is evolving quickly. Appliances are getting smarter, thanks to embedded...

Moving ahead in lead-free: the transition to lead-free solder involves more than just choosing a new alloy.(Electronics Assembly)
January 1, 2004... Peruse the conference program of any electronics assembly trade show, and you'll find one subject dominates all others: lead-free solder. And for good reason. By July 1, 2006, lead must be eliminated from many electronic devices produced...

Automation helps EU manufacturer compete: electronics manufacturers within the mainland EU have to combat lower labor costs elsewhere. Here's how an Austrian-based business competes using automation.(Electronics Assembly)
January 1, 2004... Conventional wisdom tells us that running an electronics manufacturing operation within the mainland European Union (EU) is not cost-effective against the lower labor costs of Central Europe, Mexico or the Far East. This is especially the case...

Caterpillar on track for big growth: Jerry Palmer outlines the company's Six Sigma strategy.(Lean Manufacturing)
January 1, 2004... Yellow and blue is a distinct color combination that brings smiles to the eyes of executives at Caterpillar Inc. (Peoria, IL). Despite today's sour economy, they envision their distinctive yellow construction equipment glistening against a...

Cost-savings aren't the only benefit of Toyota Production System.(Lean Manufacturing)
January 1, 2004... During the first 3 months of 2003, Toyota Motor Corp. surpassed Ford Motor Co. as the world's No. 2 automaker, in terms of global unit sales. Ford had ranked second since 1931. The secret behind that success? Yasuo Tanigawa, vice president...

Cognex[R]: how to succeed with machine vision.(Innovations in Assembly)
January 1, 2004... 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...

Close the loop on assembly operations.(Innovations in Assembly)
January 1, 2004... A new generation, closed-loop, easily programmed control system for assembly presses is a recent design development of Promess Inc. (Brighton, MI). The programmable press developed by Promess-called EMAP (electromechanical assembly...

Lighting the way: correct lighting is required for effective machine vision applications.(Machine Vision)
January 1, 2004... Correct lighting is the most crucial element for successful machine vision applications. To successfully apply machine vision, basic lighting concepts and lighting techniques for industrial applications should be understood. [ILLUSTRATION...

Sentinel M24 single or multi-station instrument sets new standard for leak testing.(Innovations in Assembly)
January 1, 2004... * Enhanced, simplified communication [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Brilliant, graphic VFD * High performance, fast, accurate test results * Versatile, modular pneumatics * Comprehensive, integral single-station tooling control...

Grills made faster and better: continuous improvement program cuts costs and boosts efficiency assembling automotive grills.(Automated Assembly)
January 1, 2004... Exterior trim parts, like virtually all automotive components, live or die by mandates for zero defects and cost reductions. Siegel-Robert production facilities in Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky produce grills, door handles, body side...

Gloves and sleeves offer protection.(Workstations)
January 1, 2004... ArmorKnit gloves and sleeves provide protection and resist damage. Constructed of standard Kevlar and Kevlar armor, these products are suitable for work environments requiring protection from sharp, jagged edges, sparks and flames. ArmorKnit...

Kit makes workbench height adjustable.(Workstations)
January 1, 2004... The Intermediate Dyna-Lift features a four-cylinder system with a 12-inch stroke. Lifting capacity is 3,000 pounds. It can raise or lower workbenches, welding fixtures and specialty machines for user comfort. Kits are available for easy...

Portable vibration isolation unit.(Workstations)
January 1, 2004... The Series 8000 portable vibration isolation unit uses active feedback to isolate six translation and rotational modes of vibration for high-resolution instruments, such as interferometers and photo imaging mieroscopes. It actively damps...

Mobile maintenance and repair unit.(Workstations)
January 1, 2004... The Rollabench is equipped with the Industrial Truk wheel system for easy pushing and pulling. Users can easily move 2,000 pounds or more of tools, equipment, parts and supplies right up to the job site. All models have a 27- by 54-inch steel...

Ergonomic chairs.(Workstations)
January 1, 2004... These ergonomic chairs have pneumatic seat-height adjustment ranges of 7 and 10 inches. They are suitable for various environments, including industrial, clean room, static control and offices. Backrest tilt and backrest height is also...

ESD matting.(Workstations)
January 1, 2004... The Ortho Mat helps reduces fatigue, pain and trauma for assemblers who spend a great deal of time on their feet. At 5/8 inch thick, it provides a comfortable workplace. A closed cell nitrile rubber compound assures long mat life. The sponge...

Plug-and-weld ultrasonic generator.(Welding)
January 1, 2004... The DPC II Plus ultrasonic generator recognizes modules as they are added or removed from the generator and automatically reconfigures the user interface. The unit features dual-pressure weld mode, ground detect, parts counter, process limits...

Combined wire feeder and welder.(Welding)
January 1, 2004... The Power MIG 215 is suitable for autobody and sheet metal fabrication. Its choke design delivers a forgiving arc, even with large stick-out changes. It also produces good out-of-position arc action, a wide voltage sweet spot at a given wire...

Compact laser.(Welding)
January 1, 2004... The Compact-Q is a high-powered Nd:YAG laser that fits into small spaces, making it suitable for both OEMs and laboratories. It comes with a choice of stable multimode, gaussian-coupled or TE[M.sub.00] resonator options. Its minirail design...

Fume extractor.(Welding)
January 1, 2004... The FumeFighter removes harmful particulates and gases before a user breathes them. With a three-stage filtration system that includes a 99.97 percent HEPA filter and activated carbon, the unit can reduce or eliminate most harmful emissions. A...

Spin welder.(Welding)
January 1, 2004... The 2080 spin welder is a rotational welder that features touch screen control for weld time, weld distance, hold time, teach position and deviation. A standard connector allows accessory attachment. Up to 10 different applications can be...

Welding helmet and respirator.(Welding)
January 1, 2004... The Speedglas FlexView combines a retractable auto-darkening lens with an air-purifying respirator. Full eye, face and respiratory protection is provided. A spring holds the auto-darkening lens securely on top of the helmet, providing a clear...

High-torque electric screwdriver.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The Kolver Pluto (Plus-Torque) series is a DC electric screw driver with a standard internal brush motor, capable of reaching 88 in-lbs. of torque with a repeatability of [+ or -]5 percent. The screwdriver does not have a clutch. Instead, a...

Pistol grips tools.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... QPM pistol-grip assembly tools are available with torques from 2 to 2,000 newton-meters. Various models are available, including angle, straight, hold and drive, crowfoot, tubenut and fixtured. Dual headlights illuminate work areas, and rubber...

Controller for electric tools.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The Smart Torq Error-Proofer automatically learns an assembly's fastener installation characteristics. The device monitors the fastening installation by comparing learned characteristics to those being experienced while the fastener is...

Ratchet for tight spaces.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The Mac Zero ratchet has a gearless design that prevents any catch or lash that may occur when using a ratchet in tight spaces. A Quick Change cam and precision ground roller bearing system replace the traditional gear ratcheting mechanisms or...

Cordless drill and driver.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The BST15.6 Plus is a 15.6-volt cordless drill and driver. This high-torque tool can be used for precision screwdriving, and it alleviates the need for center punching when drilling steel or tile. It has a maintenance-free motor and an...

Vacuum pickup pen.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The VPP511-110 vacuum pickup pen can handle delicate components. A foot switch allows the device to remain safely situated when being placed on its pad tray. It comes with an assortment of vacuum cups and tips. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Frame grabbers.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The MVS-8405 has four different channels to support up to four cameras. It can handle asynchronous, synchronous and dual tap image acquisition. It allows users to mix and match camera formats, clock rates, partial and full scans, as well as...

Digital camera.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The MegaPlus ES 4.0/E digital camera incorporates a 2,048- by 2,048-pixel CCD-based sensor. The unit captures up to 15 full frames per second with a spacial resolution of over 4 million pixels. The camera is suitable for such applications as...

Rotary position sensor.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... This rotary position sensor can be used in both position feedback and operator input applications. Called the 9850 Series sensor, it can withstand more than 1 million full rotational cycles and 5 million dither cycles. It is fully sealed, and...

Torque sensors.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The DRTX torque sensors can measure 1 to 200 newton-meters. They have an auto identification feature, nonlinearity and repeatability less than 0.25 percent. Several sizes are available: one-quarter inch hex, three-eighths inch square and...

Spring tester.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... This high-capacity spring tester can test tension and compression springs up to 1,000 pounds, and accepts spring sizes up to 17 inches in length and over 8 inches in diameter. Maximum travel is 4 inches, and the travel rate is 0.013 inch per...

Analyzer test system.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... Series 90 analyzers can test high-density backplanes. They are controlled by a PC and TestRite software, allowing users to create test programs by scanning or learning a connected backplane or by importing computer-aided design data. It can...

Real time sensor.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The ASET sensor is a thin magnetic resistive ink sensor that reveals the surface area of contact and displacement of contact area levels--without calibration. To determine the shunting level, it reads a ratio of the starting resistance to the...

Alignment laser.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The PL-100 alignment laser produces a bright, red beam that is ideal for positioning equipment, aligning production parts, guiding forklift operators and positioning conveyors. It is 1 inch in diameter and 5 inches long. Power is supplied by a...

Extra bearing for linear drive.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... An extra bearing for rolling ring linear drives doubles the axial thrust capacity without forcing users to redesign for a larger size drive. Model RG linear drives are available with three- or four-ring bearing assemblies inside the drive unit....

Rotary positioning stage.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The PDR direct drive is for rotary positioning applications, such as semiconductor wafer inspection, high-speed laser machining and precision metrology. The glass scale encoder has a resolution of 0.25 arc-sec, with a repeatability of...

Motorized actuators.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The LTA series of motorized micrometer replacement actuators can be used in benchtop optomechanical systems in research laboratories, research and development programs, and test and measurement. Typical uses include focusing laser beams,...

Low-maintenance carts.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The Tow-veyor cart can move vertically and horizontally to meet the needs of assemblers on a production line. The cart features two electromechanical lifts--each with 2,500-pound capacity. The cart is powered by an outside source. A...

High-capacity conveyor.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The VMC electromagnetic conveyor and metal detector reduces metal contaminants in conveyed products. They use AC electromagnetic drives, a variable rate control and corrosion-resistant fiberglass springs for conveying bulk materials, and can be...

PCB handling rack.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The RA-24CP universal rack can hold small and large boards, as long as they are less than 0.125 inch thick. Slots on the tray hold the boards. Each slot measures 0.125 inch wide by 0.325 inch deep. The rack measures 23 by 8 inches and has two...

Modular power drive system.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... This modular power drive system can operate as a standalone or be integrated with workstations, flow racks or part presentation carts. Powered by a variable speed, 24-Vdc fractional HP motor, containers and bins travel along the center track,...

Dispensing and metering pump.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The Model RO CeramPump has a fixed displacement design. A rotating and oscillating ceramic piston is the only moving part. Internal ceramic components and precision stepper motor provide drip-free accuracy. It is suitable for dispensing and...

Silicone-free syringes.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... These silicone-free syringes use Leur Lock ends so they can be used with any dispensing tip. Syringes can be supplied alone or with 18-, 20- or 23-gauge dispensing needles. They are suitable for medical, electrical, optical and fiber optic use....

Bumpers for assembly applications.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... Square, rectangular and special-cut bumpers are suitable for assembly, manufacturing and materials handling applications. The square and rectangular bumpers are available in black neoprene and polyurethane. Special-cut bumpers are available in...

Fiber optic light guides.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... Fiber optic light guides can be produced to specific user needs. Certified light output is within [+ or -]5 percent. They operate with high-temperature input without light degradation. Flexible light guides are assembled with stainless steel...

Composite wheels.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... Composite wheels eliminate the possibility of metal particulate contamination. Other benefits include noise reduction, shock absorption and low rolling resistance. The wheels are comprised of two components--a machined plastic tire and roller...

Pressure sensitive adhesives.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... ARclad 9032 is a 1-mil acrylic pressure-sensitive transfer adhesive with a durable polyester film release liner. This thin tape builds a strong bond and is highly conductive in the Z axis. It is a reliable method for fabricating EMI shields,...

High-temperature epoxies.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... Measuring and mixing has been eliminated with the Epox-Eez twin-pack cartridge. Users simply place the cartridge in the application gun, snap on a mixer tube and squeeze to apply. The adhesive will cure at room temperature and has excellent...

Double-coated adhesive tape.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... Users may bond dissimilar materials, such as silicone to nonsilicone substrates, with 3281A double-coated pressure sensitive adhesive tape. The tape can be die-cut, and the liner will stay in place during lamination and remain until removal....

Methacrylate adhesives.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... Plastic Welder I and Plastic Welder II are structural methacrylate adhesives with excellent impact and peel resistance to most plastic surfaces, such as composites polyesters, polycarbonate, strenics, PET, fiberglass wood, in addition to...

Motor with controller.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The SM2337DT Smart Motor has a built-in microcontroller that handles such functions as the PID loop, trajectory generator, user program and I/O control. It can communicate through three high-speed serial channels simultaneously. Packaged in a...

Tool splices cables.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... This pneumatic tool joins PEX plumbing connections; splices aircraft control cables and wire rope assemblies; and crimps electrical connectors. It can be operated as a hand tool, or it can be mounted to a bench. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Crimping hand tools.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... The JUCS-2210 crimper is suitable for insulated terminals and splices. Its die set has three crimping nests to terminate red, blue and yellow preinsulated terminals and butt splices. It provides both a wire barrel and insulation support crimp...

Magnet wire splicer.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... This magnet wire splicing system allows manufacturers of motors and magnetic coils to pigtail splice magnet wires and lead wires. The crimping system encompasses a servo motor-driven 5-ton press. The compact press design incorporates a...

Machine vision micro system.(Power Tools)
January 1, 2004... Impact CL is an extension to Impact machine vision micro system that provides connectivity to digital cameras. The system can eliminate the closed architecture and limited camera selection associated with smart camera and self-contained vision...