The University of Washington campus in Seattle is a short drive from companies such as Amazon and Microsoft that are famous for their disruptive technology. Engineers at the school hope their new telephone will also become a game changer in the competitive world of consumer electronics.

On very hot days, a person who arrives at work after a long commute longs for the coolness and comfort of an air-conditioned office. To ensure this scenario, however, the air conditioning system must be reliable.

Despite the stereotype often promoted by the general media and politicians, automation has not replaced every manual task in manufacturing plants. Many thousands of U.S. workers lift heavy objects around their workstations all day, every day.

Ultrasonic welding can handle most plastics assembly applications. Other friction-based processes, such as vibration welding and spin welding, can usually tackle the rest. However, that necessitates investing in three separate machines at considerable cost.

A common theme of science fiction is the interconnectedness of things—be they planets, species or technological processes. Real-world space exploration often verifies this view, especially in the area of technology.

Sometimes, when a product has been around for many years, the best way to gain market share in a crowded field is to completely rethink the design.

In August, workers at Nissan Motor Co.’s assembly plant in Canton, MS, voted nearly two to one against representation by the United Auto Workers (UAW).

Most areas of manufacturing have had steady paces of technological innovation over the past 50 years. Material assembly and material joining is one area, however, that has not kept pace.

Robots used to be thought of strictly as stationary machines. They were bolted to a floor, table, ceiling or wall and that’s where they stayed. But, that’s beginning to change.

Manufacturers of complex products, such as engines and transmissions, have long been using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to error-proof their processes, document quality, and deal with high-mix production.