New technologies breathe life into old assembly platform.

Think about it: Keeping parts from moving is a form of motion control. And, one of the best ways to hold parts in place during assembly operations is with clamps.

Sales of fiber optic components—and the equipment to assemble them—will recover in the next few years.

If a printed circuit board needs a conformal coating, assemblers have lots of options for materials and dispensing methods.

Aladco Waukesha, WI 262-544-5994 www.aladco.com Carr Lane Manufacturing Co. St. Louis 314-647-6200 www.carrlane.com De-Sta-Co Madison Heights, MI 248-397-6700 www.destaco.com PHD Inc. Fort Wayne, IN 219-747-6151 www.phdinc.com Schunk Inc. Morrisville, NC

Adept Technology Inc. Livermore, CA 800-292-3378 www.adept.com Bosch Rexroth Corp. Buchanan, MI 800-32-BOSCH www.boschrexroth-us.com Denso Sales California Inc. Long Beach, CA 310-513-8550 www.densorobotics.com Epson America Inc. Carson, CA 866-762-6871 www.robots.epson.com

After tightening their purse strings in 2002, manufacturers are beginning to shop for assembly technology again.

Of the various robots used for automated assembly, the Cartesian robot is the least complex.

Every assembly machine has one or more rotating shafts. These shafts drive conveyors, indexing tables and power screws. They rotate parts. They wind material. They even perform processes, such as drilling or welding.

Baumer Electric Southington, CT 800-937-9336 www.baumerelectric.com BEI Technologies Industrial Encoder Div. Goleta, CA 805-968-0782 www.beiied.com Celesco Transducer Products Inc. Chatsworth, CA 818-701-2750 www.celesco.com Dynamics Research Corp. Wilmington, MA 978-658-6100 www.drc.com