"War room.” The phrase conjures up images of generals standing around a table-sized map, plotting their next move. However, a growing number of manufacturers have begun instituting war rooms of their own.

Saving as many lives as possible through its many different automotive safety products is the lone goal of Autoliv.

This month, 33 cars will start the 101st Indianapolis 500 motor race. While each will sport a different color scheme, they’ll all share something in common. Every vehicle will be equipped with a turbocharger to boost engine performance.

From the food we eat to the products we use, quality is very important. In fact, the success of any company depends on the quality of the product or service it offers. For manufacturing companies, factors such as safety, efficiency and reliability all affect the quality of a product and ultimately influence overall customer satisfaction.

Taking tests and waiting with hope for positive results is a stressful activity that most people perform only when absolutely necessary. For wire-harness assemblers, it’s a daily challenge.

The door hinge is among the world’s most widely used devices. This common piece of hardware may seem simple, at first glance, but in fact, hinges offer a sophisticated range of functionality that design engineers can use to improve the operation of their assemblies.

Lightweighting is the No. 1 challenge facing automotive engineers today. Manufacturers are scrambling to build vehicles that contain a variety of weight-saving materials, such as aluminum, carbon-fiber composites, high-strength steel, magnesium and plastic.

At a recent Fabtech convention, many visitors to our booth told us the same thing: “We’d really like a large fan in our facility, but we can’t—we weld.”

Many important considerations in bolted joint development are often overlooked. While estimating the bolt tension achieved for a given tightening strategy is certainly a common focus, the effect of load on joint components is less fully discussed and understood.

Pharmaceutical OEMs and their suppliers know all about the concept of ‘Japan quality’ products. This phrase refers to packaged pharmaceuticals that are flawless in appearance.