Assembly articles from November 2008

Assembly archives from November 2008

Assembly platform blends dial, asynchronous systems.(STATION to STATION)
November 1, 2008... The rotary indexing dial is arguably the most efficient, reliable and cost-effective chassis for high-speed automated assembly. However, it's not without some limitations. If more stations are needed than one dial can accommodate, if a station...

To consumers, reliability is the true measure of quality.(QUALITY in ASSEMBLY)
November 1, 2008... To manufacturing engineers, "quality" means defect-free parts have been assembled in the right spots, in the right way. To consumers, however, that's a given. For them, "quality" is really synonymous with "reliability." A quality product lasts...

Nanotubes mimic geckos' feet.(Assembly Lines)
November 1, 2008... ATLANTA -- Researchers from the University of Dayton, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Air Force Research Laboratory and the University of Akron have developed a new carbon nanotube-based adhesive material that employs the same...

Dymax founder dies.(Assembly Lines)
November 1, 2008... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- Andrew George Bachmann, founder and chairman of adhesives manufacturer Dymax Corp., died on Sept. 15. He was 68. A native of Newport News, VA, Bachmann, received a BS and an MS in chemistry from the University of...

Ellsworth adhesives creates new Latin American office.(Assembly Lines)
November 1, 2008... GERMANTOWN, WI -- Adhesives and dispensing equipment distributor Ellsworth Corp. has established a new office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to tap into the ongoing manufacturing boom taking place in the region. The newly formed Ellsworth...

Webcast to address jet dispensing.(Assembly Lines)
November 1, 2008... BENSENVILLE, IL -- ASSEMBLY magazine's online university series continues Tuesday Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. Eastern time with a session on high-speed, noncontact jet dispensing, featuring Tom Muccino, technical leadership manager at dispensing equipment...

Sanyo to construct solar wafer plant in U.S.(Assembly Lines)
November 1, 2008... TOKYO -- Electronics manufacture Sanyo Electric Co. is constructing a new $80 million solar ingot and wafer plant in Salem, OR, set to ramp up in late 2009. With a production capacity of approximately 70 megawatts annually, the plant will...

Airbus begins assembling jets in China.(Assembly Lines)
November 1, 2008... TOULOUSE, France -- After years of preparation, Airbus has opened its first final assembly plant outside of Europe, in Tianjin, China. The new facility, which is being used to manufacture the company's popular A320 single-aisle line of jets, is...

PHD Inc. acquires Yamaha Robotics.(Assembly Lines)
November 1, 2008... FORT WAYNE, IN -- Automated systems equipment manufacturer PHD Inc. has acquired Rankin Corp., the North American distributor for Yamaha Robotics. According to PHD, the acquisition will allow the company to expand its presence in the...

GM installing 1.2 megawatt 'solar rooftop'.(Assembly Lines)
November 1, 2008... DETROIT -- General Motors Corp. is installing a 1.2 megawatt solar power system on the roof of its transmission plant in White Marsh, MD, as part of an ongoing effort to increase the environmental sustainability of its manufacturing operations....

Siemens lands major wind turbine order.(Assembly Lines)
November 1, 2008... DUSSELDORF, Germany -- The energy company E.ON Group has ordered 90 wind turbines worth $375 million from Siemens Energy (Munich, Germany) to be installed as part of the Rodsand II offshore wind farm, just south of the Danish island of Lolland...

Deere, India's Ashok Leyland joining forces.(Assembly Lines)
November 1, 2008... MOLINE, IL -- Deere & Co. is joining forces with India's Ashok Leyland Ltd. (Chennai, India) to manufacture backhoes and four- wheel-drive loaders for sale in India and abroad. Ashok Leyland, a subsidiary of Hinduja Group, is the second...

HP strengthening its China presence.(Assembly Lines)
November 1, 2008... PALO ALTO, CA -- Computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co. is building a new notebook and desktop computer assembly plant in Chongqing, China, to meet the country's growing demand for personal computers and workstations. The plant is scheduled to...

Machine vision guides van assembly.(Assembly in Action)
November 1, 2008... The European systems integrator Sistemas Automatizacion Procesos SL (S.A.P.--Barcelona, Spain) manufactures customized, turnkey automated assembly machines for a variety of customers, including those in the automotive industry. ...

Printer creates durable, individualized labels.(Assembly in Action)
November 1, 2008... RELM Wireless Corp. (West Melbourne, FL) manufactures mobile radios that are used a by wide range of different customers, including construction companies, manufacturers, railroads, police departments, firefighters and the military. Because its...

Big Blue goes green: environmental initiatives thrive at IBM Poughkeepsie.(2008 Assembly Plant of the Year)(Company overview)
November 1, 2008... Many manufacturers talk about being green. But, when it comes to action, few companies can match International Business Machines Corp. (IBM, Armonk, NY). Big Blue has focused its efforts on sustainability. That environmental commitment is...

Assembly excellence: Advanced Assembly, Kenworth and Vanner plants earn honorable mentions.(Outstanding Plants)(Company overview)
November 1, 2008... Advanced Assembly, Kenworth and Vanner all have something in common: They manufacture trucks or components used by truck manufacturers. In addition, all three facilities were finalists in the 2008 Assembly Plant of the Year competition...

Your builder is your partner: successful automation begins with communication. Here's what your machine builder needs you to know for a profitable partnership.(Automation Systems)
November 1, 2008... If there is a manufacturing company in Camelot, the factory will always have orders to be filled with products that can be delivered on time and sell at a profit. It will always have a trained and motivated work-force available, and will always...

The enduring label: advances in materials, inks and adhesives are expanding the applications for labels on parts and assemblies.(Auto ID)
November 1, 2008... There are many high-tech ways to mark identification codes and text directly onto parts. These include lasers, dot-peening and ink-jet printing. Sometimes, however, the good old self-adhesive label is still the most cost-efficient way to go....

The right way and wrong way to use power tools: to ensure quality control and worker safety, supervisors should train operators how to use fastening tools correctly.(Fastening)
November 1, 2008... Robert Arthur, vice president of Michigan Pneumatic Tool Inc. (Detroit), can remember a time, back in the day, when the tightness of a nut or bolt was largely a matter of the operator's judgment. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Years ago, he...

Tags guarantee correct tool usage.(Products)
November 1, 2008... New robotic end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) with RFID tags automatically ensures that the correct tooling is being used when multiple products are being processed on a single manufacturing line. The system employs an RFID tag on the EOAT mounting...

Adhesive produces clear bond line.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Clear Welder is a two-part structural methacrylate adhesive that produces a crystal-clear bond line on a wide range of plastics, including acrylics, PMMA, FRP, ABS, PVC and PETG. It requires little or no surface preparation and will not...

Thruster carries heavy loads.(Products)
November 1, 2008... The T4 thruster moves smoothly and carries heavy static loads. Three bore sizes are available in stroke lengths ranging from 1 to 36 inches. The thruster has a black anodized body, four guide shafts and precision recirculating ball bearings....

Conveyor for automated assembly.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Camco modular, tabletop precision link conveyors can be assembled-to-order in lengths from 3 to 30 feet using standard, premanufactured components. Station-to-station index times can be as short as 0.25 second, with a positioning accuracy of [+...

Electromechanical cylinders are fast, powerful.(Products)
November 1, 2008... Electromechanical cylinders are an energy-efficient alternative to hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. They provide high thrust, high speed and maximum positioning flexibility. They contain a precision-rolled ballscrew actuator for high...

Super heavy-duty robot.(Products)
November 1, 2008... The M-2000iA six-axis robot can handle truck frames and other large, heavy parts. It is available in two models: one carries a maximum payload of 900 kilograms with a vertical lifting stroke of 6.2 meters; the other supports 1,200 kilograms and...

Work smarter and harder.(Leading Lean)
November 1, 2008... Perhaps the most often used phrase in association with lean is "work smarter, not harder." The concept has been true virtually forever. Moving huge blocks of stone across the desert to build a pyramid, getting the most crops out of an acre of...