Assembly articles from May 2005

Assembly archives from May 2005

Over the horizon.(Editorial)
May 1, 2005... "When you're up to your clavicle in alligators, it's tough to remember that the original objective was just to drain the swamp." Manufacturing seems to be like that today, surrounded by myriad alligators like offshore competition and...

Flexible couplings connect rotating shafts.(X-Y-Z)
May 1, 2005... Football helmets and flexible shaft couplings have much in common. Football helmets were once made of leather. Today, they're high-tech assemblies of plastic, rubber and steel. Similarly, couplings originally consisted of two steel collars...

A factory in every home?(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... BATH, UK -- According to researchers at the University of Bath, machines that can make everything from a cup to a clarinet quickly and cheaply could be in people's homes within the next few years. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Current...

Alenia, Vought team up on 787 work.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... CHARLESTON, SC -- Alenia North America (Washington) and Vought Aircraft Industries (Dallas) have formed a joint venture to join and integrate fuselage sections for the 787 airliner currently being developed by Boeing Co. (Chicago). ...

Construction begins on new dell plant.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... WINSTON-SALEM, NC -- Dell Inc. (Round Rock, TX) has begun construction of a new assembly plant on a 189-acre site in Winston-Salem's Alliance Science and Technology Park. The 527,000-square-foot facility--Dell's third U.S. manufacturing...

Gillette investing in South Boston.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... BOSTON -- The Gillette Company--acquired by Proctor and Gamble Co. (Cincinnati) in January--has announced that it will invest $200 million over the next 3 years in its flagship South Boston Manufacturing Center. The announcement came during...

Vaccuum generators can be energy-efficient.(Reader Responds)
May 1, 2005... "Saving Energy on the Line" in the March issue was filled with good information on how to reduce the cost of compressed air. However, the statement that vacuum generators are an inappropriate use of compressed air is not completely...

Adam aircraft building planes in Utah.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... ENGLEWOOD, CO -- Adam Aircraft Industries is opening a manufacturing and assembly operation at the Kemp Ogden Airport Gateway Center (Ogden, UT). The company will lease 22,000 square feet of space in the center's jet services terminal to...

Palomar Technologies moves to new facility.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... CARLSBAD, CA -- Microelectronic assembly equipment supplier Palomar Technologies has moved to a 39,000-square-foot manufacturing facility that will also serve as the company's international headquarters. The new facility will include design...

Kuka joins Welding Institute.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI -- KUKA Robotics Corp. has become a member of the Edison Welding Institute (Columbus, OH), North America's largest engineering organization dedicated to welding and materials joining. "EWI is the premier engineering...

Baldor Electric Co. relocating linear motor plant.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... FORT SMITH, AR -- Baldor Electric Co. is relocating its linear motor manufacturing plant, currently located in Santa Clarita, CA, to the company's Fort Smith facility. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Acquired by Baldor in 1998, the Santa...

Becton, Dickinson expanding in Utah.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ -- Medical device manufacturer Becton, Dickinson and Co. is investing $31 million as part of what it calls a "major expansion" of its manufacturing operation in Sandy, UT. The upgrade will provide 40,000 square feet of new...

Norfolk Southern enjoys $1.5 billion in development.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... NORFOLK, VA -- Norfolk Southern Corp. helped locate 67 new industries and provided support for the expansion of 34 additional industries along its rail lines in 2004. The new plants and expansions represent an investment of approximately $1.5...

Robotic center opening in Wisconsin.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI -- KUKA Robotics Corp. has selected Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC, Appleton, WI) to operate the company's new national robotics training center. FVTC will teach 27 different program application and maintenance...

Asymtek launches Chinese Web site.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2005... CARLSBAD, CA -- In a sign of the times, Asymtek has launched a new Web site in Chinese, www.asymtek.com/cn. The site features product information, technical data and applications for Asymtek's dispensing products. The company also has business...

Solder paste.(ASSEMBLY SPEC SHEET)
May 1, 2005... Looking for solder paste? Complete this form and fax it to your potential suppliers! [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Supplier Contact Information AIM--Fax: 401-463-0203 Amtech Solder Products Inc.--Fax: 203-481-5033 Christopher...

Software guides aircraft assembly.(Assembly in Action)
May 1, 2005... At $200 billion, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is the biggest defense contract, ever. As such, it represents a tremendous source of revenue, not only for prime contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. (Bethesda, MD), but for subcontractors like...

Deere keeps tractors cool with leak tester.(Assembly in Action)
May 1, 2005... The Deere & Co. (Moline, IL) assembly plant in Augusta, GA, uses automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to build the company's Series 5000 tractor. In an integrated and networked process that takes less than 4 hours, each AGV transits a 1,452-foot...

Screw-drive upgrade provides precision.(Assembly in Action)
May 1, 2005... Omega Design Corp. (Exton, PA) manufactures container handling and packaging equipment systems, including shrink bundlers, stretchbanders and wraparound case packers. Its products are used by the pharmaceutical, healthcare and chemical...

Fixturing for flexibility: adaptable tooling allows you to get the most out of automated assembly systems.(Automated Assembly)
May 1, 2005... High-volume, low-mix and mass customization are all the rage these days. But in the world of automated assembly, the need to accommodate a variety of products in a single system has long been a fact of life. Assembly machines aren't cheap, and...

Fastening sheets: as steel prices soar, appliance assemblers look for better ways to join sheet metal.(APPLIANCE ASSEMBLY)
May 1, 2005... Over the past 2 years, the price of steel has skyrocketed. In mid-2003, the price per ton of hot-rolled sheet steel was less than $300. By August 2004, hot-rolled sheet steel had reached a record price of $780 per ton. Although the price has...

Environmental restrictions dictate European designs: recycling programs challenge Europe's competitive white goods industry.(APPLIANCE ASSEMBLY)
May 1, 2005... For centuries, numerous wars and conflicts have been waged in the peaceful fields and beautiful valleys of Europe. Today, a different type of war is being fought in European households. Appliance manufacturers from Asia, Europe and North...

Asian opportunities: increasingly, global manufacturers see China, India and the rest of Asia as a market as much as a source of cheap labor.(APPLIANCE ASSEMBLY)
May 1, 2005... It's become standard fare in both the business and mainstream press: plant closings in the United States; plant openings in China, India and Asia in general. The issue has been an especially emotional one in the appliance industry. GE,...

Harnessing high-mix, low-volume: advances in software and hardware are helping harness assemblers cope with high-mix, low-volume production.(Wire Processing)
May 1, 2005... As manufacturers shift high-volume wire processing to countries with low-cost labor, domestic wiring harness assemblers are struggling to survive on the remaining work, which consists primarily of low-volume, high-mix jobs. Because this type of...

Adjustable drive reliable, easy to use.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The H2 line of adjustable-speed industrial drives incorporates a large graphical display to facilitate ease of use. A new keypad offers more keys and faster navigation with directional arrows and enhanced soft programming keys. Point-and-click...

Pumps come in three versions.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Three meter mix, two-part adhesive dispensers feature fixed and variable-ratio units that can be customized with accessories to meet specific operator requirements. The model 1000 system incorporates a pair of positive displacement piston...

Try automation the modular way.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The Easy-2-Combine system provides a modular approach to multiaxis automation tasks, with individual components that can be quickly joined using standardized interfaces. Centering elements are used for interlocking mounting, and connections for...

Motors replace pneumatic cylinders.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... LinMot linear motors with LinMot H guides are rated for over 1 billion cycles for demanding material handling applications. Together with LinMot E1100 controllers, they offer accurate force and pinpoint multiposition operation. The motors are...

Workstations are modular, adaptable.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Series 8000 modular workstations are available in five widths and three heights, providing effective use of vertical space up to 84 inches. Workstations can be easily converted from single- to double-sided. A dove-grey laminate provides a...

Sensors are compact and versatile.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Tru-Vue series photoelectric sensors are compact and versatile, offering side- or snout-mount options, and 360-degree LED indicators for status indication. Sensors work in a variety of modes, including diffused, polarized retroreflective and...

Station accommodates all heights.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The Align workbench enhances productivity through height adjustments that accommodate the needs of different users. The workbench can be used for such tasks as repair, testing and assembly of mechanical and electronic products and components....

Steel surface is snag-free.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... New workstation surface is formed from heavy-duty 16-gauge stainless steel bonded to a medium density fiberboard core. Optional rounded edges on all four sides help prevent clothing snags and create a completely smooth work area. A melamine...

Epoxy is highly flexible.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... EP51FL is a highly flexible two-component epoxy that bonds to metals, glass, ceramics, wood, various rubbers and most plastics. It has a tensile strength of 1,150 psi and a peel strength of more than 25 pounds per linear inch. It can elongate...

UV curing system.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The Sun Spot is a compact, high-intensity ultraviolet light curing system. It has a vertically mounted mercury lamp, a replaceable elliptical reflector and a filtered-input light guide. It generates 10,000 milliwatts of energy per square...

3D scanner is portable and self-adjusting.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The ModelMaker Z series laser scanner offers portability and accuracy for inspection and reverse engineering. The scanner can operate under battery power for up to 2 hours, and can be controlled by a laptop computer for fully portable...

Small terminals work in rugged applications.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The Small Hydent terminal line is recommended for applications in the automotive, energy, military and nuclear industries. Models include ring and fork tongue terminals, flag style and standard quick disconnects, as well as splices. The product...

Machines cut, strip and label.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Cut and strip machine incorporates a Brady Wraptor Wire ID printer applicator for labeling wires and cables that cannot be marked using either the ink-jet or hot-stamp techniques. The system can print logos, bar codes, time, date and sequencing...

Air-bearing gantry is quick, smooth.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The ABG10000 series air-bearing gantry features smooth motion and a dual linear-motor-driven lower axis for high-speed, high-acceleration performance. All axes are fully preloaded. Gantry travel range is up to 1 by 1 meter. Options include a...

Scanner has 15-meter range.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The AS6000 area sensor is a long-range detection sensor for nonsafety applications. It features a 15-meter range and a compact 31-by-32-millimeter cross-section. It is able to detect objects as small as 30 millimeters in diameter. The AS6000...

LED mount protects from heat, shock.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Square standoff LED mounts provide a secure mounting for both two- and three-lead devices in circuit board applications. Molded in nylon the mount provides protection from heat, shock and vibration. The symmetrical design, with feet on both...

Mini guides come in longer lengths.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Minirail precision linear guideways now come in lengths of up to 950 millimeters. Two accuracy grades and two preload categories are available. Guideways are made from stainless steel, with a ball-retainer design that simplifies installation...

Stay on the level with casters.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The LevelCaster is a caster with full leveling capability for use in machines and equipment for assembly, industrial packaging and semiconductor applications. Casters are made from steel with load ratings from 25 to 800 pounds, depending on the...

UV-curing PSA.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Dual Stage adhesive combines both pressure-sensitive and UV-curing chemistries. Used to encapsulate organic LEDs, it is supplied as a coated tape and applied with the "peel-and-stick" method. When exposed to ultraviolet light, the adhesive...

Dispenser uses linear actuator.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The LDS9000 mechanical dispensing system includes a programmable control unit and a handheld dispensing gun that employs a linear actuator-driven piston to push fluids or adhesives through a plastic syringe. An air-free dispenser, it operates...

Sensor detects color.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The In-Sight 5100C is a self-contained, industrial-grade vision sensor for color-related inspection tasks. It can be used to identify camshafts by color, check the color of packages, or verify the correct position of color LEDs in an...

Transducers are robust for the long haul.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The DI 600 series of high-temperature displacement transducers measure absolute piston position in hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. The sensors are robust and shockproof for use in demanding environments. Because they have no moving parts,...

Clamps work in concert.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... StrongHold Select products include hydraulic swing clamps, work supports, threaded body cylinders, square body cylinders, pneumatic swing clamps and accessories. The different products work together as a complete workholding system, allowing...

Motor is smooth at all speeds.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The e-TORQ direct-drive brushless DC servomotor line incorporates an ironless stator that provides maximum torque linearity, making torque consistent from very low to very high speeds without cogging or velocity fluctuations. Motors are...

Thermally conductive silicone.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... Metasil 5060 is a thermally conductive RTV silicone for heat transfer applications in the electronics industry. It transfers heat from hot devices to heat sinks, circuit boards, metal enclosures, backplanes and chassis. It's also suitable for...

Vibrations indicate usage.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The T54 hour meter is activated by the natural vibration of a diesel engine, compressor or any device that vibrates. The meter then uses this ability to keep track of the operating time of the device. A self-contained battery gives the T54 a...

Valveless metering pump.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... The Vmp 1570 is a programmable valveless metering pump, is electronically adjustable via a linear actuator that adjusts the angle of the pump head. The operator can select the dispense rate, the amount to dispense, and the number of strokes...

In search of world class.(Uncommon Sense)
May 1, 2005... The term "world class" has been a mantra to corporations and consulting firms for years, touted as the nirvana that all good companies should strive to achieve. But what does world class actually mean in today's corporate environment? Should...