In lean manufacturing, any activity that does not add value to an assembly is waste.

Consumers aren't the only people who fret over their energy bills. Manufacturing engineers do, too.

Bushings, bearings, pins and other parts are often assembled with an interference fit.

When the Hubble Space Telescope turns its solar panels to the sun, it uses the same motion control technology that enables a six-axis robot to perform a series of spot welds quickly, accurately and repeatably.

Compliant pins make electrical and mechanical connections that are durable and reliable.

At Land Rover's factory in Solihull, England, truck bodies queue for the paint shop on conveyors arranged in parallel lanes.

Forklift-free material handling system keeps engine plant flexible.

When most people think of industrial robots, they don't think of SCARA or Cartesian robots. They think of long, tall six-axis robots performing spot welds on car bodies.

Assemblers appear ready to invest in capital equipment again, but rising energy costs and waning consumer spending could derail their plans.

Fasteners with embedded microchips could change the way many products are designed, assembled, serviced and recycled.