Exhibitors brought the latest technologies for plastics assembly to The ASSEMBLY Show last fall. The following are just some of the plastics assembly equipment on display at the show.

There are quite a few options for welding plastic parts, including ultrasonics, laser, hot plate and radio frequency. Additionally, parts can be mechanically joined via fasteners, snap fits or adhesives. Each of these processes has certain advantages and disadvantages for production, and each requires vastly different part and joint designs.

The latest Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard requires automotive OEMs to meet an average fleet gas mileage of 54.5 mpg by 2025.

The automobile industry’s use of lasers to build cars increases every year.

WASHINGTON—NASA has received a patent for devising a “dynamically variable spot size” system for use in laser welding and laser brazing of metal components.

Cost often takes a back seat to quality, reliability and robustness.