Assembly articles from May 2006

Assembly archives from May 2006

Keep on innovating!(Editorial)
May 1, 2006... Innovation is an imperative for every company doing business in the global marketplace. How well are U.S. companies doing at innovation? The results of the third annual Leading Innovations Competition, conducted by strategy+business Booz Allen...

Sensors detect small parts.(X-Y-Z)
May 1, 2006... The hands of a wristwatch are joined to their pinion shafts with an interference fit. However, before the hands can be installed, the precise location of the watch face must be determined. That's because the height of the face inside the case...

National Manufacturing Week makes most of new location.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... ROSEMONT, IL -- Both organizers and exhibitors at this year's National Manufacturing Week are applauding what they say was a strong trade show and conference, with plenty of commercial activity. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Traditionally...

Airbus A380 passes evacuation test.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... TOULOUSE, France -- Silencing its critics, the Airbus consortium has successfully completed a passenger evacuation trial for its new A380 double-decker passenger jet, clearing the way for authorities to certify the aircraft in time for delivery...

Toyota opens UK-based training center.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... TOKYO -- Toyota Motor Corp. has opened a new European Global Production Center (E-GPC) in Burnaston, England, to train production and maintenance workers for the company's various European plants, now located in the United Kingdom, France,...

Mechatronics is 'child's play' at Automatica.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... MUNICH, Germany -- Mechatronics, the philosophical integration of mechanics, electronics and software, can be pretty heavy stuff. But exhibitors and organizers at the Automatica 2006 automation and robotics trade show are hoping to dispel some...

Ford earns EPA award for conserving energy.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... DEARBORN, MI -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Washington) has honored Ford Motor Co. with its Energy Star 2006 Partner of the Year award in recognition of the company's long-term commitment to reducing fuel usage and greenhouse gas...

Study: manufacturers are gloomy on the future.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- The 2006 "National Manufacturing Week" survey of U.S. manufacturers shows that 44 percent expect manufacturing to trail the overall economy in 2006, up from 34 percent who expected manufacturing to lag behind in the previous...

Solar Ovonic building plant in Michigan.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... AUBURN HILLS, MI -- United Solar Ovonic LLC, a subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices Inc., is building a solar cell manufacturing facility in Greenville, MI, at a cost of $129 million. The plant will employ approximately 200, and company...

Boeing creates record-breaking mural.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... EVERETT, WA -- The Boeing Company (Chicago) has created the biggest digital graphic mural in the world on the doors of the factory where it builds the 747, 767, 777 and 787 airliners. The mural, which has been formally recognized by Guinness...

Honda expands U.S. R & D facilities.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... TORRANCE, CA -- Honda Motor Co. (Tokyo) has broken ground on a new $15 million Acura Design Center, scheduled to open in mid-2007. Located adjacent to Honda's existing Los Angeles Center, the facility will work on concepts and designs to be...

Consortium tackles fuel cell stack assembly.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... TROY, NY -- The Flexible Manufacturing Center (FMC) has joined forces with the Center for Automation Technologies and Systems (CATS) to take on the problem of automated assembly of fuel cell stacks. Together, the two partners are working to...

Nano material may have PCB applications.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... TORONTO -- Researchers at the University of Toronto have created a nanoscale insulating material that could lead to smaller electronic assemblies. The material, periodic mesoporous organosilica, is a thin film interspersed with pores...

AAM breaks ground for Chinese axle plant.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... CHANGSHU, China -- American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. (AAM, Detroit) is beginning construction on a new Changshu Gear & Axle facility in Jiangsu Province, China. The 180,000-square-foot plant will produce independent rear-drive...

Corning expanding emissions-control plant in China.(Assembly Lines)
May 1, 2006... CORNING, NY -- Corning Inc. is investing $15 million in its Corning Shanghai Company Ltd. (CSCL) plant in Shanghai, China, to meet growing demand for environmentally friendly automobiles. The plant, which began production in 2001,...

Automated storage systems accommodate twice the production.(Assembly in Action)
May 1, 2006... Seven years ago, hydraulic components manufacturer Hydac Corp. (Bethlehem, PA), set out on an ambitious growth plan with the goal of doubling its business. Since that time it has met this goal, and then some. Equally impressive, the...

Multichannel controller reduces wiring, programming costs.(Assembly in Action)
May 1, 2006... Laser Die & Engineering (Kentwood, MI) manufactures assembly machines, check fixtures, plastic injection molds and compression molds for a variety of customers in the automotive industry. Among its many systems, the company builds a line of...

Portable trackers speed jig fabrication.(Assembly in Action)
May 1, 2006... Bombardier Aerospace, a division of Bombardier Inc. (Montreal), employs 28,000 people and is the third largest civil airplane manufacturer in the world. The company builds both business jets and regional jets, introducing 14 new successful...

Leadscrew motion improves case packer.(Assembly in Action)
May 1, 2006... When it comes to high-speed case-packing machines, it's all about moving a large volume of products in a short amount of time. In addition, the case packer needs to be durable enough to ensure a long lifespan if it is to be truly...

Master-slave robots boost efficiency.(Assembly in Action)
May 1, 2006... Zarges GmbH & Co. KG (Weilheim, Germany) manufactures aluminum containers used in diverse industries for storing, transporting and distributing parts, components and finished products. The company recently invested more than $615,000 in a...

The soft side of hard goods: more and more engineers are pushing for plastic.(Appliance Industry)
May 1, 2006... The appliance industry is engaged in a classic love-hate relationship with plastic. Some engineers lust after the material's light weight, design aesthetics and recycling attributes. At the same time, others lament the volatile cost of plastic,...

Adhesives for structural metal bonding: durable, cutting-edge acrylic adhesives are taking the place of welds and mechanical fasteners in a range of applications.(Adhesive Bonding)
May 1, 2006... In many industries, manufacturers of metal components are turning to structural acrylic adhesives to replace or augment rivets, bolts, welding and other traditional fastening methods in their assembly processes. There are a number of reasons...

Stronger, safer, faster, smarter: advanced, intelligent material handling systems truly function as a physical extension of their human operators.(Material Handling)
May 1, 2006... Tote that barge! Lift that bale! Assemblers--like the riverboat men of old--know all too well the challenges of gravity. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Imagine, though, that one day your operators show up for work with the strength to...

Mixed-mode manufacturing: software strategy is everything; An integrated software system can help manufacturing management see the big picture.(Software)
May 1, 2006... If there is a key to success in manufacturing today, it's agility--the ability to accurately anticipate and swiftly respond to changing market demands. More and more companies are accomplishing this by pursuing mixed-mode manufacturing,...

01005s and lead-free solder: tiny 01005s are challenging for any electronics assembly process, but they're even more so if that process is lead-free.(Electronics Assembly)
May 1, 2006... Remember when the 0402 was the smallest passive component you had to worry about? That part's dimensions--1 millimeter long, 0.5 millimeter wide, and 0.35 millimeter thick--were cake compared with the latest chip to come off the reel, the...

Transfer materials with ease.(Products)
May 1, 2006... Filling syringes and barrels from bulk containers is messy, but necessary if material is to be used in smaller volumes or distributed among multiple users. To ease the process, assemblers can use barrel loaders, which incorporate a docking...

Driver is well suited to plastics.(Products)
May 1, 2006... Model BFT020FZ pistol-clutch screwdrivers offer low-torque and slower speeds for use with plastic and resin fasteners. Slower operating speeds reduce heat buildup and minimize potential damage to fasteners. The tool also features user-friendly...

Valve dispenses heated materials.(Products)
May 1, 2006... The model 2200-806 high-volume, heated Tip-Seal valve delivers low- to high-viscosity heated materials via a 0.75-inch-diameter orifice, which makes it possible to dispense large volumes at a slow velocity for proper fill rates. A zero-cavity...

Adjustable-field sensor fits in small areas.(Products)
May 1, 2006... World-Beam QS18 laser adjustable-field sensors feature a visible Class 1 laser, tightly collimated sensing beams and precision background suppression in a compact package. Recommended applications include those in which high power and small...

Variety of press styles, options.(Products)
May 1, 2006... New line of manual and pneumatic presses is ideal for any manufacturing or assembly application. Manual presses are available in rack-and-pinion or toggle-style versions. Pneumatic presses are available in either direct-acting or toggle...

Cylinders aid grippers.(Products)
May 1, 2006... GMC pneumatic mini-cylinders are used for side securing parts being gripped by standard off-the-shelf gripper jaws. Vacuum cups can also be attached to these cylinders where the situation demands securing parts from the side with a short...

Timing belt actuator resists contaminants.(Products)
May 1, 2006... The model AZ-2000 timing-belt actuator features plastic slide bearings that resist the buildup of airborne contaminants. The drive has a 150 millimeter by 100 millimeter carriage that can carry a 90-newton payload. Maximum travel speed is 1.5...

Ball-screw press tests medical devices.(Products)
May 1, 2006... The "Great White" electromechanical assembly and test machine serves applications in medical quality laboratories and on the plant floor. The system has a 27,000-pound capacity, on-board force and distance sensors, and uses an encoder-equipped...

Screwdrivers apply precise torque.(Products)
May 1, 2006... Line of adjustable torque screwdrivers includes models with torque ranges of 2.5 to 11.5 in.-lb, 11 to 29 in.-lb, and 25 to 55 in.-lb. Audible and tactile signals inform the user when a preset torque has been reached. Models preset at the...

Bit holders are compliant.(Products)
May 1, 2006... Compliant Drive bit holders provide precise torque control on hard joints. When used in conjunction with a current-controlled driver, the holders permit the driver to complete a joint running at full speed. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ASG...

Conveyor moves small parts.(Products)
May 1, 2006... The Part-Tote modular conveyor moves and elevates small parts such as components and fasteners. The system consists of a series of articulated compartments linked to a roller chain. The conveyor can follow convex and concave curves without...

Flow rack presents parts.(Products)
May 1, 2006... Compound angle flow racks are sloped lengthwise from load end to work area for gravity-fed container flow. They are also canted toward the worker to provide good ergonomics in part picking. Racks are built using pipe sections cut to required...

Stage provides nanorotation.(Products)
May 1, 2006... The R150 rotary stage uses ceramic servomotors to provide continuous rotation with encoder resolutions ranging from 19 microradians to 3 microradians. The system offers a maximum speed of 120 rpm and develops torque up to 0.65 newton-meter....

Robots drive screws.(Products)
May 1, 2006... Screw-fastening systems feature three- or four-axis Janome desktop robots. Different models provide a square working area measuring from 200 to 500 millimeters per side. Mechanical clutch and servomotor-driven drivers are available. Screw...

Tag: you're it.(Products)
May 1, 2006... RFID system tracks components throughout the manufacturing process using compact read-write modules and miniature ID tags attached to pallets or work piece carriers. Read-write modules exchange data with tags from a 20-millimeter distance and...

Camera for high speeds.(Products)
May 1, 2006... The three-chip, IK-TF2 3CCD video camera captures high-definition color images at high speed. It fits in a 44 millimeter by 44 millimeter by 78 millimeter space, making it ideal for integrating into machine vision applications. ...

Solder is lead-, halide-free.(Products)
May 1, 2006... Multicore LF328 is a halide-free, no-clean, lead-free solder paste for high-volume stencil printing applications with CSP lead pitches of 0.5 and 0.4 millimeter. The solder is formulated to deliver low voiding in BGA joints. It also produces...

Hot-melt cartridge system.(Products)
May 1, 2006... The PAM 700K cartridge applicator adhesive system works with thermoset hot-melts. It uses internal heated chambers for 10-ounce aluminum cartridges and is available in spray or extrusion models. The integrated digital temperature display and...

Optical encoder can take it.(Products)
May 1, 2006... Line of harsh-duty optical encoders is ideal for use in washdown applications and other demanding environments, even those found in drilling, milling and the military. The HD20, HD25, HSD23, HSD38 and DWD38 models are rated for mechanical...

Benchmark for success.(Leading Lean)
May 1, 2006... Benchmarking is the practice of learning from your peers, and using that learning for continuous improvement. While not created in the context of lean, it is a universally applied tool that is very consistent with lean thinking. It turns out,...