Automated Assembly Systems

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ANN ARBOR, MI—A total of 6,895 robots valued at approximately $435.1 million were ordered from North American companies during the first quarter of 2015. That’s an increase of 16 percent in units and 29 percent in dollars compared with the same period in 2014. Both orders and shipments in the opening quarter beat the previous record for the first quarter last set in 2013.

Projects focus on automation, robotics and aircraft assembly.

BOSTON—The Baxter robot now has a new brother named Sawyer. Rethink Robotics has come up with a new robot that can automate complex tasks.

Systems integrators wrestle with the notion of flexibility in multistation automated assembly systems.

TAIPEI, Taiwan—Electronics manufacturer Foxconn hopes to automate 70 percent of assembly tasks within three years, according to Terry Gou, the company’s chairman.

CHICAGO—Advanced industrial robots could power a new wave of productivity growth in many industries and lead to changes of up to 5 percentage points in the cost competitiveness of major export economies relative to the United States, according to new research by The Boston Consulting Group.

EVANSVILLE, IN—Systems integrator Evana Automation has received a contract to supply two turnkey assembly and test systems for a Tier 1 automotive supplier. The semiautomatic lines will improve throughput of automobile seat assemblies and capture critical traceability data.

Assembly applications are creating more demand for parallel-link machines.

After revamping its transmission production line, GM improved workflows, reduced changeover time, and cut costs.

Some manufacturers quickly embrace automated assembly. Others require many years before they’re able to take the plunge.