According to ASSEMBLY magazine’s Capital Equipment Spending Survey, manufacturers in the Northeast plan to spend more than $400 million on automated assembly machines, power tools, workstations, parts feeders and other assembly equipment during 2002. Assembly East will offer these manufacturers a detailed look at what leading suppliers have to offer regarding new products and processes.
Sponsored by ASSEMBLY magazine, Assembly East is the only East Coast trade event dedicated to engineered solutions for product assembly. Held May 1 to 2, 2002, at the Fort Washington Expo Center in Fort Washington, PA, the show’s aim is to put buyers and sellers face to face. Last year, 2,598 industry professionals attended the show and conference.
Conference Program
This year, the conference program will double in size. It will feature educational sessions, one keynote address and two plant tours.One of the goals of Assembly East is to provide attendees with timely and relevant information. And the keynote speech on Wednesday, May 1, from noon to 1 p.m. couldn’t be more timely. George J. Szekely—general manager at Tyco Electronics Automation Group (Harrisburg, PA)—will discuss how our economy affects both users and providers of assembly automation equipment. Attendees will learn how a manufacturing company can stay afloat in the current economy. He will also discuss how technology can help during a weak economy, as well as how companies can utilize the latest technologies without heavy investments.
This keynote also corresponds with the plant visit to Tyco Electronics.
While visiting Tyco Electronics, attendees will see examples of flexible manufacturing, flow manufacturing and kanban. Experts will also be available to discuss rapid integration of new products into manufacturing.
Attendees taking the trip to Siemens Moore Process Automation (Spring House, PA) will see the manufacturing facility, along with those areas benefiting from the company’s continuous improvement initiatives.
The goal of many people attending Assembly East is to enhance existing skills and acquire new insights and understanding of the assembly process. The conference program will feature educational sessions on topics ranging from lean productivity systems and machine vision applications to automated process development and fiber optic assembly.
The Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA) will offer half-day courses on the latest developments in surface mount, advanced packaging and related technologies. SMTA session topics range from solder joint reliability and lead-free solder to emerging technologies. There will also be a free session on array package rework.
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers will offer courses on plant floor collection systems, ergonomics, work cell design and design for manufacturing using geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.
In addition, the Edison Welding Institute will offer two workshops on joining methods for fiber optics and adhesive bonding in medical plastics.
Assembly Cells Panel
Many companies are rearranging their assembly operations into cells. Cellular assembly can slash work-in-process inventories and cut response Arial. However, it’s not always the answer, and it doesn’t always produce the desired results.ASSEMBLY magazine has invited key personnel from five leading regional manufacturers to argue the pros and cons of "The Profits and Perils of Assembly Cells." The aim of this panel is to provide practical information to help assemblers take maximum advantage of cellular assembly and identify situations where the cellular approach won’t work.
Whether you assemble cars or computers, toys or toasters, lamps or lighters, you’re sure to learn when and how to implement assembly cells.
