Assembly articles from July 2006

Assembly archives from July 2006

Skirmish over science.(Editorial)
July 1, 2006... A mid mediocre scores on international science tests by U.S. students, and predictions of future shortages of scientists and engineers, policy makers have recently awakened and begun requiring more science courses in U.S. schools. By 2011, 27...

Planetary gearheads boost torque, reduce speed.(X-Y-Z)
July 1, 2006... Contrary to the desires of Tim Allen in the television show "Home Improvement," bigger is not always better in electric tools. Certainly, a large, powerful motor can apply a lot of torque to a fastener. But, the tool will be useless if its size...

GE builds Evolution locomotive No. 1,000.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2006... ERIE, PA -- General Electric Corp. (Fairfield, CT) recently shipped its 1,000th Evolution Series locomotive, just 17 months after the company began commercial production of the new class of environmentally friendly engines. [ILLUSTRATION...

Busting lean manufacturing barriers.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2006... ROSEMONT, IL -- ASSEMBLY magazine is sponsoring a lean manufacturing event at the 2006 Assembly Technology Expo in Rosemont. The 3-hour Lean Barrier Busting session will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Donald E....

AUTOMATICA called a success.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2006... MUNICH, Germany -- Organizers of the biannual AUTOMATICA automation trade show are saying this year's running of the event exceeded all expectations, with growth in the numbers of both visitors and exhibitors. The show, which was held at...

ATS forms partnership with GD Technologies.(Assembly Lines: China)
July 1, 2006... CAMBRIDGE, Ontario -- ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. is joining forces with GD Technologies, a private China-based precision machining company, as part of its long-term strategy to promote growth in Asia. GD Technologies, founded in...

Atlas Copco inaugurates new factory in Liuzhou.(Assembly Lines: China)
July 1, 2006... STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Atlas Copco has begun production at a new compressor manufacturing plant in Liuzhou, China. The facility, which employs approximately 250 workers, specializes in the manufacture of oil-injected screw compressors and...

CAT introduces rental concept to China market.(Assembly Lines: China)
July 1, 2006... BEIJING -- Caterpillar Inc. (Peoria, IL) has introduced its rental store concept--one that has already proved successful in stores in approximately 1,400 locations in 40 different countries--to the China market. Already, the company has opened...

Varian Medical building new Beijing plant.(Assembly Lines: China)
July 1, 2006... PALO ALTO, CA -- Varian Medical Systems is breaking ground on a new plant in Beijing, China, to manufacture medical linear accelerators for treating cancer with radiotherapy. The new facility, which is expected to cost $12 million,...

Study: Chinese manufacturers value training.(Assembly Lines: China)
July 1, 2006... PITTSBURGH -- To make the most our of their employees, Chinese manufacturers are doing an excellent job of adopting Western training practices, according to a recent study by the Manufacturing Performance Institute and Development Dimensions...

Autoliv opens electronics plant.(Assembly Lines: China)
July 1, 2006... STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Automotive safety systems manufacturer Autoliv is opening yet another manufacturing facility in China, the company's ninth. The new plant will be located in Shanghai and will manufacture airbag inflators for export to South...

Ellsworth adhesives opens Malaysian facility.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2006... GERMANTOWN, WI -- Sealants and coatings company Ellsworth Corp. is further expanding its global presence with the addition of a new branch in Asia, called Ellsworth Adhesives Malaysia. The new company will operate a sales office and...

RIA presents Engelberger Robotics Awards.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2006... MUNICH, Germany -- The Robotics Industries Association (RIA, Ann Arbor, MI) presented Engelberger Robotics Awards to four leaders in the field as part of the 37th International Symposium on Robotics, which took place during the recent...

Gateway selects Nashville for new assembly plant.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2006... IRVINE, CA -- Computer builder Gateway Inc. has selected Nashville, TN, as the site for a manufacturing facility scheduled to open this October. First-year employment in the facility is expected to be about 300, with an annual payroll of about...

Ametek acquires PennEngineering Motion Technologies.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2006... PAOLI, PA -- Electrical interconnect and motor manufacturer Ametek Inc. has acquired PennEngineering Motion Technologies (PMT, Harleysville, PA), a unit of PennEngineering & Manufacturing Corp., for $64 million. PMT manufacturers motors...

CEO: India is 'key' to Intel's future.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2006... BANGALORE, India -- According to Paul Otellini, CEO of Intel Corp. (Santa Clara, CA) the Indian market will play a pivotal role in the company's World Ahead Program, an ongoing effort to tap into the world's developing economies. As...

Cognex acquires Road Safety Co.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2006... NATICK, MA -- Machine vision systems manufacturer Cognex Corp. has acquired AssistWare Technology Inc. (Gibsonia, PA), a privately held developer of systems that warn motorists if they are drifting in and out of traffic lanes. "In-vehicle...

Lotus building new sports car.(Assembly Lines)
July 1, 2006... NORFOLK, England -- Group Lotus has announced that it is developing a new mid-engine sports car, to be manufactured at the company's headquarters facility in Hethel, England. Production will begin in early 2008, and will take the place of the...

RFID tags provide long life, reliability.(Assembly in Action)
July 1, 2006... Opened in 1992, Toyota's Burnaston plant (Derbyshire, England) employs approximately 3,000 workers and produces 220,000 Corolla and Avensis automobiles annually. Although Toyota equipped the plant with an RFID system over a decade ago, the...

Nylon pulleys outperform aluminum.(Assembly in Action)
July 1, 2006... Unique Solutions Inc. (Lake Zurich, IL) manufactures custom packaging equipment, including the high-speed PunchPlus Inserter. Originally, the PunchPlus system, which includes a drive mechanism that employs several, precision timing pulleys,...

Sealants offer consistency and pliability.(Assembly in Action)
July 1, 2006... Peterbilt Motors Co. (Denton, TX), a division of PACCAR Inc. (Bellevue, WA), manufactures trucks for the over-the-road, construction, municipal and medium-duty markets. In the past the company would experience problems on its assembly...

Material handling robots save jobs.(Assembly in Action)
July 1, 2006... Minco Manufacturing Inc. (Colorado Springs, CO), a subsidiary of Katun Corp. (Minneapolis) refurbishes drum units, and manufactures picker fingers and Teflon-coated fuser rollers for copiers--as many as 260,000 per month. Like many precision...

Noncontact sensors enable precision dispensing.(Assembly in Action)
July 1, 2006... Traditionally, Ingersoll-Rand Dispense Systems (Rochester Hills, MI) has used a conventional flow meter in its mastic regulator units, which dispense adhesives and sealers for the purpose of bonding and sealing various automobile body panels....

Arc welding with robots: six-axis robots can help assemblers cut costs, improve quality and increase productivity in arc-welding applications.(Robotics)(Cover story)
July 1, 2006... To get an idea of how well six-axis robots can save money and boost productivity in an arc-welding application, engineers need look no farther than a system for assembling irrigation pipe that was recently developed by Motoman Inc. (West...

The great race: China offers big challenges, but huge opportunities.(Automotive Assembly)
July 1, 2006... Next year marks the centennial of one of the most amazing auto races ever: the Peking to Paris trial. A hearty band of wealthy European enthusiasts entered 26 motor cars, but only five vehicles set off from the Chinese capital on June 10, 1907....

Assembly for the factory of the world: Assembly Technology Expo China is the first ever comprehensive exhibition of product assembly technology for the South China market.(ATE China)
July 1, 2006... Guangdong province, nicknamed "the factory of the world," is the heartland of China's manufacturing boom. It has been a driving force behind the country's blistering pace of development since the 1990s, and has played a large role in the...

Automating wing panel assembly: Airbus is building the wings for its new A380 jumbo aircraft with the help of a fully automated drilling and riveting machine.(Automated Riveting)
July 1, 2006... The fact that aircraft design and manufacture represents a major technical challenge should come as no surprise to anyone. Less obvious, though, are the challenges confronting production engineers. Traditionally, building an airplane was a...

Safeguard your circuits: low-pressure injection overmolding protects electronic assemblies from vibration, chemicals and the elements.(Electronics Assembly)
July 1, 2006... What do a car, a refrigerator, a submarine and a child's portable video game have in common? For one, each contains electrical and electronic assemblies that are essential to its functioning. In addition, each is exposed to a variety of...

Self-clinching studs install flush.(Products)
July 1, 2006... Concealed-head self-clinching studs and standoffs are pressed into blind milled holes in steel or aluminum sheets to provide threads for attaching other parts. Though the fasteners can be installed in sheets as thin as 1.6 millimeters, they...

Cartesian dispensing robot.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The Ultra TT dispensing robot can apply uniform dots on parts; fill cavities or small containers with consistent volumes; and trace beads over complicated part geometries. Positioning accuracy is [+ or -]25 microns. The robot is available with...

Create your own tool kit.(Products)
July 1, 2006... Through the Custom Tool Kitting Program, plant personnel can assemble the exact set of tools they need for their trade, putting them in a storage system that makes it easy to confirm that each tool is returned to its correct place after use....

Light curtain protects operators.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The C4000 Palletizer light curtain enables operators to safely transport pallets into and out of a hazardous area without the use of muting sensors. The curtain can be placed where material needs to enter and exit the machine, but a person...

Form-in-place gasket material.(Products)
July 1, 2006... Permatex form-in-place gasket materials are available in three formulations: elastomeric rubber, silicone rubber and anaerobic. The materials require no mixing and cure at room temperature. The elastomeric rubber version is a low-odor...

Printer inspects paste deposits.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The Horizon 01i prints solder paste and conductive adhesive with a 10-second cycle time. The printer has an optimized frame for mechanical and thermal stability. Paste deposits are accurate to [+ or -]25 microns. A print verification system...

Cabinets store electronic components.(Products)
July 1, 2006... Drytech cabinets provide a low-humidity environment for safely storing moisture-sensitive electronic components. Many plastic-encapsulated components can absorb ambient moisture. Later, during reflow, this moisture can cause stress cracks and...

Solid-state UV light sources.(Products)
July 1, 2006... RX Starfire and RX Fireline solid-state UV light sources can be used for curing coatings and adhesives in moving-web and gantry-based systems. The RX Starfire produces a high-intensity bar of light that is 20 millimeters wide and 75, 150, 225...

Shielded connectors.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The 713, 715 and 825 series of three-, four- and five-pole M12 connectors with screw terminations can connect wires as large as 18 AWG without a ferrule. For screw terminations, ferrules are used to prevent the breakage of wire strands. ...

Grippers are tough, precise.(Products)
July 1, 2006... PZV four-finger centric grippers offer high positioning accuracy when gripping coplanar cylindrical workpieces. Grippers are available in four sizes and achieve grip forces from 580 to 7,100 newtons with strokes ranging from 6 to 25 millimeter...

Pen provides precise dispensing.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The QTEK fluid dispenser pen provides precise fluid dispensing and cuts down on the mess associated with some dispensing bottles. A chisel-point, spring-loaded tip allows users to control the amount of liquid to be dispensed. The pen can be...

Vacuum nozzle.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The MaxVac extended reach blade series of vacuum nozzles can be used on SMT and PCB assembly machines. Pick-and-place tips are available in several sizes, and are engineered for deep male and female connectors or sockets. [ILLUSTRATION...

Stainless steel motor.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The SSE Stainless Super-E premium-efficient motor is available in models ranging from 0.5 to 10 hp. The shaft, base, fan cover, slinger, housing, conduit box and cover are stainless steel, which makes the motor impervious to rust and...

Wrenches use multiple jaws.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The Bionic Wrench is now available in 6- and 10-inch lengths, in addition the original 8-inch product. The tools use six steel jaws to size and grip a wide range of U.S. and metric-sized nuts and bolts, distributing equal force on all sides of...

Digital laser sensors work in tight spots.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The LV-S series of small digital laser optics sensors are just 0.24 inch thick and a little more than 1 inch long. Six different sensor head models are available to fit tight spaces on a range of automatic assembly lines. The sensors produce...

Compact vision sensor is waterproof.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The LightPix AE20 is a CCD color camera and CPU vision sensor that offers six interchangeable inspection packages for color judgment, color area, color pattern matching, measurement, edge detection and peak detection. All functions for...

Stepper drive stores multiple programs.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The STAC6-Q stepper drive can download, store and execute multiple programs. The drive provides current output from 0.5 to 6 amps with 90 to 135 VAC input. Resolution is software-selectable from 200 to 51,200 steps per revolution at speeds up...

Ballscrew drives linear actuator.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The AGK ballscrew linear actuator can reach a top speed of 96 meters per minute. Constructed from rigid aluminum, the actuator has special screw supports and optimized bearing configurations to minimize screw whip at high speeds. The actuator...

Brushless motor powers conveyor.(Products)
July 1, 2006... Powered by a brushless DC motor, this conveyor has a digital drive that displays motor speed, conveyor speed and load factors. The operator can set conveyor speed digitally from 2.5 to 125 fpm. APLC can be connected to provide starting,...

X-ray inspect complex electronic assemblies.(Products)
July 1, 2006... The [mu]CT-FOX X-ray inspection system is equipped with computed tomography (CT) technology to inspect complex electronic assemblies in 3-D. Volumetric isotropic rendering ensures highly accurate measurements. High-resolution CT images can be...

Are you leading lean?(Leading Lean)
July 1, 2006... In the past 6 months we've covered topics ranging from 5S to lean principles. Now it's time to talk about what's needed to turn words into action--leadership. What is leadership? Specifically, what is lean leadership? In business today,...

Shell game?(Editorial)
July 15, 2006... Remember the three-shell carnival game? The carny pitchman inverts three cups on a table, places a marker of some kind under one of the cups and you bet the pitchman that you can point out the cup with the marker after he shuffles the three...

A brave new world: globalization forces assemblers to work longer, harder and smarter.(State of the Profession 2006)
July 15, 2006... American manufacturers are wearing tighter belts these days. Most of the downsizing and outsourcing efforts have been made. Armed with flexible assembly lines and lean production philosophies, manufacturers in many different industries are...

Organizations.(Directory)
July 15, 2006... Adhesive and Sealant Council Inc. 7979 Old Georgetown Rd., Suite 500 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-986-9700 Fax: 301-986-9795 www.ascouncil.org Incorporated in 1958, ASC represents firms that manufacture and sell adhesives...

Trade shows and conferences.(Calendar)
July 15, 2006... July 2006 The 21st National Conference on Artificial Intelligence July 16-20 Boston American Association for Artificial Intelligence 445 Burgess Dr. Menlo Park, CA 94025-3442 650-328-3123 www.aaai.org ...

Glossary of assembly terminology.
July 15, 2006... Automated Assembly Additive assembly: A process in which a series of discrete parts are added to one another in a specific sequence. Any failure to add a component directly affects subsequent operations and may even prevent them. ...

Product listings.(ABRASIVE BLASTERS-MOTION CONTROL SYSTEMS)(Directory)
July 15, 2006... ABRASIVE BLASTERS Comco Inc. Crystal Mark Inc. Vaniman Manufacturing Co. ACOUSTICAL INSPECTION MACHINES Olympus NDT Ono Sokki Technology Inc. ACTUATORS, LINEAR Aero Tec Laboratories Inc. Airpot Corp....

Product listings.(MOTORS, HYDRAULIC-X-Y TABLES)(Directory)
July 15, 2006... MOTORS, HYDRAULIC * Amtech International 732-972-5400 See our ad in this issue * Hydrotech, Dispensing Group 513-881-7000 See our ad in this issue * Promess Inc. 810-229-9334 See our ad in this issue...

Suppliers.(Directory)
July 15, 2006... 3M Co. Industrial Adhesives & Tape Div. 3M Ctr., Bldg. 220-5E-06 St. Paul, MN 55144 800-362-3550 Fax: 651-778-4244 adhesives_bonding@mmm.com www.3m.com/industrial 3M Electronics Bldg. 224-3N-11 St....

AIMCO.
July 15, 2006... AIMCO provides Global Assembly Solutions for threaded fastening applications using state of the art tools and application expertise gathered over 40 years in assembly and manufacturing. Our global market focus centers on Automotive,...

The Amara Company (1992) Limited.
July 15, 2006... Amara, originally incorporated in 1953, is a world leader in internal and external o-ring and seal assembly automation. Expand-O-Ring[per thousand] and Insert-A-Seal[per thousand] machines can be provided as bench-top semi-automatic,...

Aries Engineering Co., Inc.
July 15, 2006... Aries Engineering Company manufactures a line of heavy-duty hydra-pneumatic cylinders and presses up to 200 ton. 12 years young, Aries has quickly become a leader in air-oil intensified cylinders, having built over 19,000 units. Typical...

Ashby Cross Company.
July 15, 2006... Ashby Cross Company has manufactured adhesive dispensing equipment (meter, mix, dispense) for processing 2-part urethanes, epoxy, acrylic, polysulfide, silicone, and other reactive materials for over 30 years. The equipment is used in...

ATI Industrial Automation.
July 15, 2006... ATI Industrial Automation is a world-leading developer of Automatic Tool Changers, Multi-Axis Force/Torque Sensing Systems, Compliance Devices, Robotic Collision Sensors, Robotic Deburring Tools, and Robotic Rotary Joints. Our products are...

Automation Tool Company.(Company overview)
July 15, 2006... ATC is an industry leader of custom assembly automation including integrated and stand alone test systems for a wide variety of industries throughout the world. ATC provides engineering solutions and integration expertise in virtually every...

Baltec Corporation.
July 15, 2006... Baltec is the world's leading manufacturer of radial riveting machines and systems for a wide range of industrial fastening applications. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With over 30,000 machines installed, Baltec can offer a solution for...

Bosch Rexroth Corporation.
July 15, 2006... Bosch Rexroth Corporation: The Drive & Control Company. Bosch Rexroth Corporation offers all leading drive and control technologies from a single source. Whether the application is hydraulic, electronic, or pneumatic control, Rexroth offers...

BTM Corporation.
July 15, 2006... BTM Corporation is the world-leading manufacturer of sheet metal joining systems. Sheet Metal Joining is a cost-saving alternative to spot-welding, threaded fastening, riveting and adhesive dispensing. The reason for these cost savings is the...

Cincinnati Test Systems, Inc.
July 15, 2006... Cincinnati Test Systems is the market leader in the design and manufacture of turnkey leak test systems and economical, high performance pressure decay and mass flow leak test instruments. The turnkey leak test systems integrate pressure decay,...

Coldwater Machine Company.
July 15, 2006... Solving manufacturing challenges with truly innovative and simple solutions is a goal at Coldwater Machine Company every day. Our ability to design, manufacture and deliver the final product on-time demonstrates our depth of experienced...

Cooper Power Tools.
July 15, 2006... From automobiles to watercraft, buses to taxis, tractor trailers to RVs, wherever vehicles are being built, Cooper Power Tools is there making sure your lines keep moving. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For more than 100 years, our premium...

Count-On Tools, Inc.
July 15, 2006... Proven engineering expertise coupled with the latest in design and manufacturing technology has allowed us to simplify the complexities of the industry and deliver to you, our customers, a solution. Count On Tools specializes in high quality...

Creform Corporation.
July 15, 2006... Creform is the original adaptive material handling system for companies looking to implement continuous improvement and lean manufacturing programs. Creform's broad line of plastic-coated steel pipes, fittings and accessories are designed to...

DEPRAG Inc.
July 15, 2006... DEPRAG--The Total Screwdriving Expert DEPRAG Inc. is located outside of Dallas Texas and celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year. DEPRAG manufactures a multitude of assembly and fabrication equipment for distribution worldwide. ...

Design Tool Inc.
July 15, 2006... 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 equipement. Design Tool Inc. is a North Carolina-based company...

DE-STA-CO.(Company overview)
July 15, 2006... DE-STA-CO is a vibrant company with a history of providing manufacturing solutions to customers worldwide. A pioneering manufacturer of innovative material handling tools for any application, DE-STA-CO focuses steadfastly on customers' needs,...

Easom Automation Systems, Inc.
July 15, 2006... Easom Automation Systems is a leader in automation systems and accessories throughout North America. We specialize in High Production Indexing through our Autorotor index tables, parallel axis drives, intermittent drives, harmonic motion index...

EM[C.sup.2].
July 15, 2006... Based in Sterling Heights, MI, EM[C.sup.2] designs and manufactures meter-mix dispensing systems for companies around the world. The company's strong reputation in the industry has been built through word of mouth, primarily among adhesive and...

EPSON Robots.
July 15, 2006... EPSON Robots is the global leader in PC controlled precision factory automation. With an installed base of over 18,000 robots and a product line of hundreds of models of easy to use SCARA, Cartesian and 6 axis robots based on a common PC...

Eubanks Engineering Co.
July 15, 2006... Eubanks Wire Strippers Eubanks Engineering Co. offers a comprehensive line of equipment for cutting, stripping, marking, and testing wires and cables. We have been an innovator in design and manufacturing for more than 40 years. Our wire...

Fein Power Tools Inc.
July 15, 2006... Fein Power Tools Inc. has seen the demands on fasteners increase enormously. Based on years of experience, Fein knows what it takes to drive fasteners for assembly production: repeatability, durability and excellent ergonomics for comfortable...

Fishman Corporation.
July 15, 2006... Precision Dispensing Systems from Fishman Fishman Corporation is a global manufacturer of leading edge fluid dispensing equipment. Top of the line is the air-free Fishman LDS9000 NoFlexTM Linear Drive System. Based on proprietary...

FTT Automation LLC.
July 15, 2006... FTT Automation designs and manufactures custom equipment of all kinds. From workstations to fully automated assembly systems, FTT Automation has the resources and experience to provide creative cost effective solutions to meet all your...

Graco Inc.
July 15, 2006... Therm-O-Flow[R] 200 Bulk Melt System Graco's new Therm-O-Flow 200 bulk melt systems feature heated, ram-mounted, supply pumps with a patented non-stick, heated Mega-Flo platen that transfers hot melt and warm melt sealants and adhesives up...

GWS.
July 15, 2006... GWS Systems designs and manufactures workstation systems to meet a wide variety of applications. GWS offers ergonomically designed worktables, adjustable-height tables, production stands, material flow and storage handling systems, modular...

Henkel.
July 15, 2006... Henkel's Integrated Equipment Solutions[TM] (IES) provide custom and standard equipment and process innovations that deliver maximum value from its industry-leading adhesives, sealants, and surface treatments. As part of Henkel's global...