Medical devices pose a special challenge to designers of parts feeding equipment. Parts for such devices can be tiny, sharp, clingy, floppy, tangly; or some combination of those properties.

From cameras to pacemakers, hybrid race cars to solar-powered ships, capacitors are indispensable in both industrial and everyday life. In electrical systems, they ensure that voltage peaks are smoothed out and fault currents are eliminated.

Picking the right adhesive almost always entails a balancing act as engineers attempt to find products that meet conflicting end-use and manufacturability requirements. Medical device engineers, who also have to contend with a strict regulatory environment, often have the toughest time striking that balance.

Every electrically-powered machine is filled with wires, connectors and delicate electronics, such as circuit boards and sensors. These parts are subjected to stress from constant vibration, physical strain, abrasion and impacts. These stresses can damage parts and leave them useless without some level of protection.

It is a common misconception among fabricators that bonding with two-part acrylic adhesives before powder coating cannot be successfully accomplished because high temperatures used in the process raise concerns about possible degradation of the cured adhesive. Engineers believed that their only options were rivet bonding, mechanical fasteners or welding.

Water may be vital to human life, but it can also be detrimental to the performance of many manufactured products.

Every action in life involves a trade-off: The gaining of one benefit at the expense of another, to best meet the needs of the situation at hand. When the situation involves high-volume bonding, sealing or gasketing, manufacturers rely on UV-cure adhesives because they allow on-demand and quick curing (1 to 5 seconds after light exposure).

Based in Gutersloh, Germany, the Miele Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of commercial and residential appliances. However, it didn't start out that way. Founded in 1899 by Carl Miele and Reinhard Zinkann, the company initially made cream separators for the dairy industry. Over the years, the company has manufactured butter churns, hand carts, bicycles and even automobiles.

Manufacturers of complex machinery can learn a great deal about product quality and cost by participating in a dedicated teardown process. Almost any product large or small,from appliances to agricultural equipment to medical devices to electrical equipment, can be the focus of a teardown.

Hot-melt adhesives are used in a wide range of applications. They seal cardboard cartons; bond veneer to plywood; attach appliqué to fabric; and secure carpeting in automotive interiors.