For manufacturers of medical, automotive, electrical, computer and telecommunications products, the next century will bring many of the same challenges as the previous century. Assemblies will get smaller.
Improving the design process for wire harnesses and cable assemblies can dramatically affect overall time-to-market, cost and quality of an electromechanical product.
Once known primarily for rugged kitchenware, such as casserole dishes, Corning Inc. (Corning, NY) is now the world's leading producer of optical fiber, which it pioneered more than 30 years ago.
It's fitting that the Boeing 717 is assembled with innovative production techniques, such as a continuously moving assembly line, because the airplane broke a long-standing tradition at the 85-year-old company.
Building airplanes with moving assembly lines is not a brand new concept. In fact, the process was successfully used during World War II to mass-produce military aircraft.
Layoffs have become a fact of life in the manufacturing industry. Being prepared is the best defense against the threat of downsizing, which often occurs with little or no advance warning.