ANN ARBOR, MI—Robot orders and shipments in North America set new records in the first nine months of 2014, according to Robotic Industries Association.

Innovative EOAT—ranging from magnetic grippers to micro tool changers—provides robots with many helping hands.

DEARBORN, MI—Two things are missing in the body shop of the revamped Ford Rouge Center, which includes the Dearborn Truck assembly plant making the 2015 F-150 out of aluminum: sparks and noise.

DEARBORN, MI—The first all-aluminum F-150 pickup truck has rolled off Ford’s assembly line here.

Weld nuts are installed on steel plates or sheets to provide firm, fixed threads for a mating screw or bolt.

Heat staking is a well-known method of heating and forming a molded plastic stud or boss to secure another component.

Quality is just as important to consumers as the brand name.

WOLFSBURG, Germany—Volkswagen has developed a new, automated process for mass-producing finished thermoplastic exterior car body parts. The technology combines injection molding, physical foaming, and two-component polyurethane injection molding in one complex tool.

COLUMBIA, SC—Enor Corp., a manufacturer of plastic toys and games, is establishing a new manufacturing facility here to supply U.S.-made toys to Walmart stores. The multimillion-dollar investment is expected to create 151 jobs.

There are quite a few options for welding plastic parts, including ultrasonics, laser, hot plate and radio frequency. Additionally, parts can be mechanically joined via fasteners, snap fits or adhesives. Each of these processes has certain advantages and disadvantages for production, and each requires vastly different part and joint designs.