Assembly articles from July 2005

Assembly archives from July 2005

Scarce resource.(Editorial)
July 1, 2005... Not oil. Not money. The looming scarcity is people. It was no real surprise when Bill Gates said recently that it is difficult for companies like Microsoft to find enough qualified Americans to hire. So it's no wonder that Microsoft and others...

AC induction motors drive many industrial applications.(X-Y-Z)
July 1, 2005... AC induction motors are the most common electric motors in the world. These simple, reliable and economical motors are found in refrigerators, washing machines and furnaces, as well as conveyors, pumps, winders, wind tunnels and other...

Robot orders surge ahead 30 percent.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... ANN ARBOR, MI -- The North American robotics industry had its best opening quarter ever, with new robot orders up 30 percent, according to statistics released by Robotic Industries Association (RIA). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A total of...

Kenworth celebrates production milestone.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... KIRKLAND, WA -- Kenworth Truck Co.'s manufacturing plant in Chillicothe, OH, recently celebrated the production of its 250,000th truck, a 2006 Model T600 with a 72-inch AeroCab sleeper for Halvor Lines Inc. (Superior, WI). [ILLUSTRATION...

Kentucky to build Toyota hybrids.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... GEORGETOWN, KY -- Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America (Erlanger, KY) says the company's first North American gas-electric hybrid production will take place at the company's Georgetown, KY, plant when production of the Camry hybrid begins...

Cognex Corp. acquires DVT.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... NATICK, MA -- Machine vision manufacturer Cognex Corp. has acquired DVT Corp. (Duluth, GA), in a bid to expand its marketing resources. Cognex plans to continuing operating DVT's existing Georgia facility, as well as continue selling and...

American Sensor Technologies acquires Macro Sensors.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... LANDING, NJ -- American Sensor Technologies (AST), a manufacturer of pressure sensors, transducers and transmitters, has acquired Macro Sensors (Pennsauken, NJ) as part of an effort to broaden its product line. "The combined resources of...

Honda hybrid reaches 100,000 milestone.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... TOKYO -- Honda Motor Co. has now sold more than 100,000 hybrid vehicles worldwide, with sales of 89,000 units in the United States, 5,900 units in Japan, 3,800 units in Europe and 1,500 units in Canada. Honda currently manufactures three...

FlexLink AB acquired by ABN AMRO.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... GOTTEBURG, Sweden -- Factory automation company FlexLink AB has been acquired by European equity group ABN AMRO Capital (Amsterdam, Netherlands). Founded in 1980, FlexLink manufactures automation systems in the consumer goods,...

NEPCON, Assembly East 2005 get rave reviews.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... NORWALK, CT -- This year's NEPCON East, Electro and Assembly East trade shows have been receiving rave reviews, with approximately 3,600 industry professionals and 200 suppliers converging on the new Boston Convention and Exhibition Center for...

Life short for manufacturing facilities.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... OTTAWA -- More than half of all new manufacturing plants go out of business within 6 years, according to a recently published study of Canada's manufacturing sector. The study, titled "Death in the Industrial World: Plant Closures and...

Yaskawa Electric Corp. building new factory.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... KITAKYUSHU, Japan -- Yaskawa Electric Corp., the parent company of Motoman Inc. (West Carrollton, OH), is building a new 100,000-square-foot facility to expand production capabilities for the company's robot line. The $40 million plant will...

China, Airbus join forces on design work.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... BEIJING -- Airbus (Toulouse, France) and China Aviation Industry Corp. are joining forces to establish an engineering center to perform design work for the A350 jetliner program. The center will be located in the Tianzhu Airport Industrial...

Danaher Motion acquires G & L Motion Control Inc.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... WOOD DALE, IL -- Danaher Motion has acquired G & L Motion Control Inc. (GLMC, Fond Du Lac, WI), a subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp (Dusseldorf, Germany). GLMC manufactures motion control products for machine builders serving the packaging,...

Innova opening new Detroit manufacturing plant.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... FORT MYERS BEACH, FL -- Innova Holdings Inc. is opening a manufacturing facility in the Detroit area to be used by its subsidiary Robotic Workspace Technologies Inc. (RWT), which assembles the company's Universal Robot Controller (URC). ...

Poll: lack of trained workforce hurts bottom line.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... PEORIA, IL -- The coming shortage of skilled labor in the United States will cost manufacturers an average of $50 million each, according to a recent survey commissioned by Advanced Technology Services Inc. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The...

Danaher Industrial Controls Group acquires PMA.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Danaher Industrial Controls Group has acquired PMA GmbH (Kassel, Germany), a manufacturer of controllers, sensors, transmitters and software for the chemical, pharmaceutical, plastics molding and automotive industries. "We are...

Plant opens door to the future.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... ASHTABULA, OH -- Plastpro Inc. has opened what it is calling the world's first fully automated fiberglass door manufacturing facility in the world. The 250,000-square-foot plant is capable of producing 1 million finished doors each year and...

ATS closing Texas manufacturing facility.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... CAMBRIDGE, Ontario -- ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. is closing its manufacturing facility in McAllen, TX, in what the company says is part of an ongoing program to enhance the performance of its precision components group (PCG). ...

Renault opens Logan assembly plant in Russia.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... MOSCOW -- Renault Corp. (Boulogne, France) has opened an assembly facility in Russia to manufacture its low-priced Logan automobile. In so doing, the company hopes to take advantage of a market in which 80 percent of cars sold cost $10,000 or...

Textron doubles Chinese presence.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... WUXI, China -- Two years after opening its first production, design and engineering center in China, Textron Fastening Systems Inc. (Troy, MI) has doubled the size of its operations there. Situated in Jiangsu Province near Shanghai,...

Carrier Corp. strengthens Chinese ties.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... SHANGHAI, China -- Carrier Corp. (Farmington, CT) a manufacturer of heating, air conditioning and commercial refrigeration systems, has begun work on a new research and development center in Shanghai. The center is expected to be fully...

"Robonaut" to help kick off ATExpo.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... NORWALK, CT -- Michael G. Lutomski, NASA's risk manager for the International Space Station program, will deliver the opening keynote at Assembly Technology Expo (ATExpo) and the International Robots & Vision Show, taking place Sept. 27-29 at...

Heale earns Gold ABVS mark.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2005... WAUKESHA, WI -- Heale Manufacturing Co. has once again been commended by the Department of Defense (DOD) as one of the government's best suppliers. Heale was recently granted the Gold ABVS award after it achieved 100 percent quality and...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
July 1, 2005... In the May issue of ASSEMBLY, the phone number listed on Page 28 for Sensistor Technologies (North Billerica, MA) is incorrect. The correct phone number is 978-439-9200. We regret the error.

Don't miss these career builders!
July 1, 2005... The Assembly Technology Expo Conference 2005 offers you invaluable knowledge you need to advance your career. Brought to you by the ASSEMBLY magazine editorial staff, these Conference Sessions will bring you up to date on six of today's...

Electronics manufacturing service providers.(ASSEMBLY SPEC SHEET)
July 1, 2005... Looking for a contract manufacturer? Complete this form and fax it to your potential EMS providers! [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Supplier Contact Information American Precision Electronics Inc.--Fax: 630-510-8084 ARC-Tronics--Fax:...

Clinching robot cuts setup, cycle times.(Assembly in Action)
July 1, 2005... The rear lift gate on the Audi A3 consists of three sheet metal panels, each with a different thickness, joined with round clinch joints. To cut down on cycle times, Audi AG (Ingolstadt, Germany) installed a robot from Kuka Robotics Corp....

Fasteners travel to Saturn's moon.(Assembly in Action)
July 1, 2005... This January, after a 7-year, 2-billion-mile journey strapped to the side of the Cassini orbiter, the Huygens probe decelerated 12,000 mph in less than 2 minutes before parachuting to the frozen surface of Titan, the largest of Saturn's moons....

Sensors help Kenmore spot leaks.(Assembly in Action)
July 1, 2005... Kenmore International (Oslo, Norway) is one of Europe's leading manufacturers of wire-on-tube evaporators. These evaporators are exported around the world for use in domestic refrigerators and industrial bottle coolers. [ILLUSTRATION...

Laser goes to the White House.(Assembly in Action)
July 1, 2005... Medals of America (Fountain Inn, SC) manufactures and markets everything from military patches to medals and coin collection cases. In 2004, the company purchased a laser engraving system from Universal Laser Systems Inc. (ULS, Scottsdale, AZ)....

Software eliminates change order snafus.(Assembly in Action)
July 1, 2005... Each year, Wabash Technologies (Huntington, IN) manufactures more than 20 million sensors, and 5 million fuel injector stators and actuators for the automotive, heavy vehicle, agriculture, construction and small-engine markets. With locations...

Sensor film aids gasket manufacture.(Assembly in Action)
July 1, 2005... Valeo Inc. (Paris) produces automotive components, both for original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket sector. The company operates assembly plants and R & D facilities throughout the world. At its Greensburg, IN, facility the...

Plastic bonding adhesives.(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Primerless methacrylates bond today's engineered plastics, composites, and dissimilar materials with little or no surface preparation. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

High-strength epoxies.(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Fast curing epoxies produce high-strength bonds to virtually any material or surface. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

One-part epoxies.(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... SC Series no-mix epoxies offer unlimited working times and rapid heat or induction curing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Metal bonding adhesives.(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Metal Welder[TM] adhesives are ideal for bonding metal where welding would be impractical or unsightly. Longer open time versions available [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Flexible adhesive.(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Flex Welder[TM] adhesive produces highly flexible bonds with exceptional shock, vibration, and fatigue resistance. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Potting compounds.(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Thermally- and electrically-conductive potting compounds provide exceptional impact and environmental resistance. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Safety first! Engineers are scrambling to develop the next generation of lifesavers.(Automotive Assembly)
July 1, 2005... The humble seatbelt has been a ubiquitous part of automobiles for 50 years. The safety device has saved countless lives. But, thousands of motorists still die behind the wheel every year. In fact, U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta...

Dispensing with six-axis robots: whether applying a bead of adhesive to automotive glass or gasketing material to an appliance door, six-axis robots can dramatically improve the quality of the operation.(The Robotics & Vision Industry)
July 1, 2005... If you've ever applied caulk around the edge of a bathtub, you know how difficult it is to produce a smooth, even bead. You need a steady hand, constant tube speed, and even pressure on the trigger. Inevitably, you need the help of a Popsicle...

Pint-sized assemblers: small robots are making big strides building high-quality products at low cost.(The Robotics & Vision Industry)
July 1, 2005... Whether it's the latest "Star Wars" prequel or an automotive factory, everybody loves big robots. These days, though, more and more of the action is happening at the smaller end of the spectrum. Tabletop robots are becoming increasingly common,...

Humanoid robots are no longer science fiction: the technology exists today, but assembly applications still linger in the future.(The Robotics & Vision Industry)
July 1, 2005... At Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan, humanoids are one of the star attractions. Indeed, human-like robots are prominently featured at the first world's fair of the 21st century. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Of course, robots have appeared at...

Current trends in electric tools: technological innovations are enabling assemblers to broaden their use of DC electric power tools.(Power Tools)
July 1, 2005... For years, DC electric tools have given assemblers unmatched control over the process of tightening threaded fasteners. However, the high cost of the tools often meant that assemblers reserved them only for joints that were critical to the...

Topside solder ball defects: lead-free flip chip and chip scale package assemblies require the latest in optical inspection technology to identify delaminations.(Electronics Assembly)
July 1, 2005... Lead-free implementation presents a number of challenges for printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturers, because higher reflow process temperatures cause greater thermal stress to both the PCB substrate and components. In particular, the very...

OSA-LATOR[R] Indexing Table.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

Schleuniger, Inc. is pleased to introduce the UniCrimp 200, the most powerful crimping press in its class.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... The UniCrimp 200 delivers 3.7 tons of crimping force and is designed for terminating stripped wires up to 10 AWG (6 mm2). The press accepts most industry-standard, mini-style applicators for crimping left side and rear-feed terminals. ...

Adhesive and sealant custom packaging services.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... APS packages two-component reactive adhesives and sealants in A-PAK[R] flexible pouches, pre-mixed and frozen syringes and cartridges and various dual cartridge systems. Dual cartridge systems are available with mixing nozzles, dispensing guns...

GSM--new gripper-swivel unit from SCHUNK.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

Uraseal announces new series of shake N'seal products.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

700PTPCW dispensing pinch tube pen.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... The 700PTPCW pinch tube dispensing pen is an ideal applicator for manually dispensing continuous beads or applying small amounts of low to medium viscosity liquids, such as solvents and cyanoacrylate glues. The disposable pinch tubes are easy...

I & J6000 Gantry Cartesian robots.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... I & J Fisnar is proud to present a new series of Gantry-Cartesian dispensing robots with working areas up to 32" X 24" and high speed movement up to 800mm/sec. The I & J6000 robots are ideal for dispensing applications requiring an economical...

VIPer 4-axis robot system.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... The stand-alone VIPer configuration is delivered to your factory floor in "Plug & Play" mode. To the extent we can configure the system's infrastructure to drop in your line or work in the allotted space, Visumatic provides the VIPer...

Turnkey ultrasonic workcell handles door-size parts.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... An automated workcell large enough to handle automotive door-size assemblies is now available from Dukane. The workcell can be adapted for a combination of spin welding, thermal and ultrasonic processes. Precise weld placement is ensured by a...

Fast bonding 3M adhesive for polystyrene.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... 3M[TM] Polystyrene Foam Insulation 78 Spray Adhesive is versatile for just about any application involving EPS (expanded or extruded polystyrene). Dries fast to meet production requirements: five minutes with adhesive application to a single...

MagStar Technologies MR Series quickdraw conveyors.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... MagStar Technologies designs different types of modular, low-profile conveyor systems, with slip roller accumulation, belt edge drives, and an innovative power roller. All provide ESD protection, low power consumption, and are cleanroom...

Stop cast metal leaks.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

Composite trays/boxes.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

DENSO assembly robots.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... As one of the world's largest automotive parts manufacturers, DENSO is also the world's largest user of small assembly robots, with over 15,000 robots employed in its own manufacturing facilities. DENSO offers a wide range of 4-, 5- and 6-axis...

New aluminum profile system for walls, ceilings, and modular rooms.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... New aluminum framing accessories from Bosch Rexroth Corporation make it easier than ever before to build modular cleanrooms, enclosed work areas, training facilities or offices. Create flexible and inexpensive rooms at any time with the...

Online conveyor configurator.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Dread spec'ing conveyors? Montech now offers an online configurator that will select your conveyor based on your requirements, check for plausibility, give the price, and generate an order form. Using this tool, customers can now have prices in...

Hydrogen-based automatic soldering system.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Delivers a precisely controlled pinpoint flame to 3300[degrees]C. Rapidly concentrated heat is ideal for accurate point and line soldering with minimal conduction to nearby parts. Using table-top robots or SCARAs, most painstaking soldering...

MagStar Technologies Edge-Belt Series quickdraw conveyors.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... MagStar Technologies designs different types of modular, low-profile conveyor systems, with slip roller accumulation, belt edge drives, and an innovative power roller. All provide ESD protection, low power consumption, and are cleanroom...

AIMCO.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

Assembly robots.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... The Power of Choice has made EPSON the world leader in PC controlled precision automation. With mechanisms from 8 microns to 80 KG, true PC controls that are open, flexible, and powerful, and software that is easy to use, EPSON provides the...

NEW pneumatic radial riveting machine--for a rivet head diameter of up to 18-mm.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

10-32 UNF Quick Disconnects.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... The 10-32 UNF Quick Disconnects are available in three barb configurations: straight, elbow, and tee. Depress the latching pushbutton to remove the barb; re-insertion of the barb locks it into position. Barbs can be provided for 1/16", 1/8", or...

New automatic MARK & cut machine.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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. [ILLUSTRATION...

Machine Vision Seminar.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Understanding and Applying Machine Vision * Learn how vision sensors work * See how applications can be set up quick and easily * Find out how to reduce production costs * See live demonstrations, including the new Checker...

Plastic Welder.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Plastic Welder[TM] high-performance, structural methacrylate adhesive from Devcon is designed to bond engineered plastics and dissimilar substrates, including unprepared metals, ceramics, and wood, and can withstand service temperatures up to...

Made in the USA.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

High performance, multiple view Vision Appliance.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... iNspect is an easy-to-use, prepackaged 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...

Crimp, twist, flux and tin ultra-thin wire.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

Linear assembly system.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

Supply Cart.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Production Basics' Supply Cart will help you transport and organize materials in your manufacturing facility. The Supply Cart includes a Bin Rail, tilting and flat shelves in both a single and double-sided model. Use the cart on its own or with...

New products for assembly.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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. ...

DEPRAG's lean manufacturing solutions.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... attack excess in assembly processes, resulting in reduced production cost. Dual stations allow multiple assembly processes, and different fasteners can be driven at different torques. The integrated verification station assures all assemblies...

Sonobond Ultrasonics announces new brochure.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

SAS Automation.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

Economical new dispenser from EFD.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Get better fluid control, more consistent deposits of grease and glues with the new EFD Ultra 1400 dispenser. Includes air pressure gauge, vacuum, digital time display, and helpful Teach function. At just $795 US list, the Ultra 1400 saves...

SPECTRUM actuators.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...

Code-marking machines.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... Sprinter Marking manufacturers Sprinter automatic ink code-marking machines. Machines apply date codes, product codes, dots, etc. on metal, plastic, rubber, and paper surfaces. Marking possible in any orientation. Message size up to 2 square...

New tricks for an old standard multiple seal placement from a single source.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 1, 2005... 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 valve spools and similar products. ...

Furnishing system.(Product Review)(Advertisement)
July 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...