COLUMBIA CITY, IN—Don Wood, the founder of 80/20 Inc., died March 28 at age 87.

At some point during a philosophy 101 class, college students learn about Aristotle’s belief that the best way to understand something is to break it down to the smallest components. For an increasing number of manufacturers and integrators, however, the best way to assemble a product is to use a machine built with modular automation components that quickly and easily fit together.

All professors are teachers, but some are also entrepreneurs. Three of note are mechanical engineering professors Stephen L. Dickerson, Wayne Book and Nader Sadegh, who together founded CAMotion Inc. in 1997 while working at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

With the correct end-effector and prime mover, manufacturers can make sure their automation system meets exact design requirements and runs at maximum efficiency.

SCHAUMBURG, IL—To facilitate maintenance and repairs, automation engineers are increasingly taking a modular approach to system design and standardizing on configurable components, whenever possible.