After revamping its transmission production line, GM improved workflows, reduced changeover time, and cut costs.

SOUTHFIELD, MI—The automotive assembly line of the future will be more flexible, more capable of handling new materials, and make greater of the mobile technology, says Martin Kinsella, director of advanced materials and process technologies for systems integrator Comau Inc.

Weld nuts are installed on steel plates or sheets to provide firm, fixed threads for a mating screw or bolt.

The widespread availability of modular profile systems has made it easy for engineers to get in touch with their creative side. They enable assemblers to bolt together framing components to tailor workstations and machines to specific processes or floor space requirements.

What do lumberjacks, landscapers and homeowners have in common? They all rely on chain saws, trimmers and leaf blowers produced by STIHL Group.

There are two opposite ways to equip factories to respond quickly to downstream customer orders: One way is for sequential production, and the other is for concurrent production. Both draw heavily from best practices in lean manufacturing.

Small gas engines are the lifeblood of the outdoor power equipment industry. They run all sorts of commercial and consumer devices, ranging from lawnmowers and generators to power washers and portable welders.

BIRMINGHAM, UK—A way of teaching robots to pick up unfamiliar objects without dropping or breaking them has been developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham. The research paves the way for robots to be used in more flexible ways and in more complex environments.

MILPITAS, CA—Flextronics has installed a flexible automated assembly line at its factory here that can be quickly changed to adapt to new products or production processes.

 As orthopedic and medical device technology evolves, so do the manufacturing processes of industry leaders like Acumed.