On the water, yachts and superyachts are wonderful to look at and be aboard. But, in the factory, these vessels present a major assembly challenge: Accurately positioning, aligning and joining the large, composite components of the hull.

Every process change made by a manufacturer brings with it one or more unique challenges. Consider, for example, the challenges involved when switching from manual or pneumatic presses to servo models for low-force-pressing applications.

More than 3,000 manufacturing professionals saw the latest robots, fastening tools and automation at the ninth annual ASSEMBLY Show, which was held Oct. 26-28 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL.

Valves are a key component of heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment. For example, in systems that use water as a medium for heating and cooling, balancing valves regulate the flow of hot or cold water to the various terminals in the system. In air-conditioning and refrigeration systems, expansion valves control the flow of refrigerant between the compressor, condenser and evaporator.

In 1951, at the height of the Cold War, the U.S. Army Chemical Corps and Ordnance Corps initiated a program to develop a new rocket that could deliver chemical weapons over a large area. The result was the M55 rocket, which was equipped with a unitary warhead filled with sarin or VX—highly toxic nerve agents. The rocket was rushed into production, and tens of thousands were produced from 1959 to 1965.

Compared to manual inspection, vision systems deploying area-scan cameras offer improved accuracy and far higher consistency. Plus, they work nonstop without suffering fatigue or requiring a paycheck.

People are imperfect, but, on occasion, they can perfectly perform a complex task. A pitcher can toss a perfect game in baseball. A gymnast can earn a 10.0 in international competition. A student can ace an exam.

Bottlenecks can occur anywhere on the production line. A common place for this problem to occur is the 90-degree corner, where products usually fail to move as efficiently and quickly as they do on straightaways.

The pace at which artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a mainstream technology in manufacturing is quite impressive. Companies in many industries use AI daily to optimize assembly processes, perform predictive maintenance, improve part and product quality through enhanced vision inspection, and increase data cybersecurity.