Like other manufacturers, machine builders do all they can to optimize the assembly processes in their plants. Industrial technology specialist Rockwell Automation understands this goal, and has developed several products to help companies achieve it.

Your company has just decided to add a new product to the lineup, and now it's up to you to purchase a new assembly line. No worries. It's just like buying something on Amazon, right? You search for a product with at least a four-star rating. You browse a couple reviews. A few clicks later, you're all set.

Remember the nursery rhyme about the old lady who swallows a fly? She swallows a spider to catch the fly, a bird to catch the spider, a cat to catch the bird, and so on, until she finally swallows a horse and dies.

Whether due to a bustling economy, reshoring, better technology or a skilled-labor shortage, manufacturers are automating more than ever.

Titans aren't only located in Tennessee or gifted with god-like powers. Some operate in the real world and perform amazing manufacturing feats.

Traditionally, assemblers use semiautomated or manual tools to drive screws. While that technology is still used for some fastening applications, more manufacturers are investing in robotic screwdriving.

One of the largest manufacturers of residential and commercial water heaters in the country, Bradford White Corp. takes safety seriously. The private, American-owned company does not sell its products directly to consumers.

Robots have always struggled to match human touch. But, recent advances in sensor technology now enable machines to process the sensitive forces needed for delicate assembly tasks, such as placing, inserting and tightening parts.

With the U.S. military budget in a growth mode, it's understandable that shipbuilders for the U.S. Navy are optimistic about the future.