Aircraft manufacturing has changed significantly in recent years. Instead of being assembled in one spot, most aircraft today are built on moving assembly lines similar to those used by automakers. Despite this evolution, however, many aerospace manufacturers still rely on hydraulic jacks, tuggers or overhead cranes to move aircraft through the various manufacturing stages.

WINDSOR,ON--Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne said recently that the company is open to furthering its partnership with Google Inc., initially slated to test Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans equipped with Google self-driving technology.

Wearable electronics initially trickled into the market with Dick Tracy-inspired watches and healthcare bracelets. They quickly gained momentum, however, and it wasn’t long before the wearables market exploded.

In the past, automobile manufacturers only required basic forms of leak testing to check standard subassemblies, such as, air conditioning, power train and cooling system components. Traditional hard-vacuum and accumulation methods were—and still are—used to test components such as radiators, evaporators, condensers, air-conditioner hoses, torque converters and valve bodies.

Employees at Fiat Chrysler’s Indiana Transmission Plant I (ITPI) in Kokomo, IN, have achieved something few in manufacturing can claim—they have logged 10 million hours, or a span of more than three years, without a lost-time injury.

Manufacturers increasingly need to join multiple sheets of lightweight materials. Clinching can do it quickly, consistently and cost-effectively.

Manufacturers today are producing a wider range of products than ever. Life cycles are shrinking and demand for customization is increasing. As a result, assembly lines must be as flexible as possible without compromising efficiency. That’s why companies producing everything from pumps to pistols and caskets to chainsaws depend on mixed-model assembly.

When pilots fly the Boeing Co. Dreamliner 787-9 over Utah, they probably don’t point out to passengers the headquarters of Orbital ATK’s aerospace structures division (ASD) in the town of Clearfield. Nevertheless, it’s safe to assume they’re happy the facility is there.

Although being part of an international conglomerate has its advantages (such as extensive financial resources and access to cutting-edge technologies), a company still must make good products to establish and expand its customer base. This statement definitely applies to Canadian bus manufacturer Nova Bus Inc., which began in 1993 and has been part of Volvo Bus Corp.—the world’s largest motorcoach and transit bus manufacturer—since 1998.