Assembly machines are dumb. They can only do what they’re told, over and over again. Without a sense of sight or touch, they can’t know if parts or pallets are where they’re supposed to be.

The late novelist John Le Carré once said, “A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.” As it turns out, what was good advice for spies is equally good for manufacturing and design engineers.

Automotive assembly most often conjures up images of welding robots and electric nutrunners. But, another technology is just as important for assembling a wide range of automotive components—presses.

Massive recalls are fast becoming the norm in the auto industry.

Linear motor pallet-transfer systems have been around for more than a decade.

Wires are rarely connected directly to an electrical or electronic assembly.

These days, manufacturers of all stripes are taking a closer at their energy consumption as a potential source of cost savings—even manufacturers of the largest, most expensive products in the world.

 Speed is essential for high-volume assembly. However, speed also creates problems. 

 Medical device engineers are great at designing innovative, life-saving gizmos.  

On Feb. 14, workers at Volkswagen’s assembly plant in Chattanooga, TN, voted to reject representation by the United Auto Workers.