Multistation automated assembly systems are a wonder to behold. A well-designed system can mass-produce hundreds of assemblies per minute with minimal human intervention.
Needing more precision, energy efficiency and traceability data from their assembly presses, manufacturers are increasingly turning to servo-driven models.
When an assembly press supplier meets with a manufacturer to discuss its next purchase, both parties focus on one question: Which type and model of press is best for the current application? Mike Brieschke, vice president of sales at Aries Engineering Corp., recalls how two such meetings in 2006 with automotive OEMs led the supplier to ask itself another question: Which type of press is best for the future of assembly?
Today’s typical automobile features nearly 100 exterior and interior sensors, with the number likely to increase in the near future. Those located on the outside (axle load, steering angle, blind spots, air temperature, etc.) require special protection from the elements and unique production methods.
CAMBRIDGE, MA—Researchers at the Self-Assembly Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing a mobile phone that can put itself together.
ZHENGZHOU, China—Contract manufacturer Foxconn said on Monday that two workers at its assembly facilities here died last week, even as the company made efforts to improve labor conditions that came under scrutiny after a spate of suicides in recent years.
Once a lagging market segment, automotive electronics has gained significant importance in recent years, as the industry, the culture and consumer expectations have changed. Safety and regulatory requirements for vehicles have increased, manufacturers have new warranty requirements, and what used to be “luxury” features are now expected to come standard with a new car.
Engineers at a major manufacturer of portable electronic devices had a problem. They needed to rivet a small, thin electrical contact to the device’s charger subassembly, but how could they head the tiny rivets—0.02 to 0.03 inch in diameter—without crushing the assembly?
Most people never think about the electrical grid when they turn on their TV, charge their smartphone or surf the Internet. But, without it, none of those things would work.
About 300 miles northwest of Mexico City sits the town of Aguascalientes. Although its name means hot waters, the place is much more well-known for its gentle climate, brave bullfighters and being a stopover point between the mines of Zacatecas and Mexico City.