2020 January

Remembering the Assembly--and Repair--of the Hubble Space Telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope launched a new age of astronomy, but assembly snafus nearly created a techno turkey

January 13, 2020

Science writer John Wilford once observed that his articles had to focus on one of these story lines to earn their way into print: "big bang, big bucks, big screwup, or big comeback - and with the Hubble Space Telescope you've got them all." He was right. Since launching into orbit almost 30 years ago, Hubble has gone from the humiliation of "techno turkey" to high-risk recovery to recognition as one of history's most prolific scientific explorers.

Do You Really Need a Vision System?

Jim Camillo

January 10, 2020

Every manufacturer has one want and many needs. The want is universal, to be the leader in its industry or area of specialty. The needs are individual, and may concern issues as diverse as increasing capital, upgrading technology, expanding plant size or hiring more assemblers.

Monitoring Activity During Wire Harness Assembly

New technology helps engineers gather real-time data on manual assembly processes, such as wire harness assembly.

Janos Abonyi Ph.D. Tamas Ruppert

January 14, 2020

Industry 4.0 and the digital manufacturing revolution are all about collecting - and, more importantly, acting on - data gathered from the assembly process in real time.

Optical fiber requires delicate handling and precise alignment

Assembling Fiber Optics

Optical fiber is less finicky today, but it’s still challenging to attach

Austin Weber

January 15, 2020

Optical fiber is the backbone of today's digital economy. Global financial transactions, high-speed Internet access, online shopping, video gaming and other things that most people take for granted are possible because of thin strands of glass that transmit massive amounts of data every second.

The Appeal of Piezo Jet Valve Dispensing

For applications requiring high speed and precision, cutting-edge piezo jet valve dispensing technology is the way to go

Can La

January 9, 2020

Selecting the automated dispensing technology that is the best fit for a specific application is not a decision to be made lightly. This is understandable in light of the many technologies that are available, including the progressive cavity pump, auger valve, time-pressure valve and pneumatic jet valve.

Roller Forming for Cylindrical Assemblies

The Roller Forming Process Forms a Curl or Lip on the Edge or Rim of a Hollow, Cylindrical Part

John Sprovieri

January 8, 2020

There are many ways to crimp or flare a lip on a cylindrical part. For example, it can be done with a press or an orbital forming machine. However, the problem with those processes, particularly the former, is that they require a good deal of force.

Best Practices for Transitioning from Design to Assembly in Medical Device Manufacturing

Design Transfer Can Ensure a Smooth Product Development Process

Austin Weber

January 7, 2020

In all industries, it's important to achieve alignment between the design of a product and production processes as early as possible. In the medical device sector, whether it's a dialysis machine, a knee implant, a stethoscope or a syringe, the design transfer process plays a critical role in addressing cost and quality issues.

ERP Software Keeps Bearing Manufacturer Rolling

Jim Camillo

January 15, 2020

Bearing manufacturers face a plethora of challenges every day, regardless of where they are located and the industries they serve. One such company is Philadelphia-based Kingsbury Inc., which has been around for 108 years, and is recognized as a technological leader in the development of all types of bearings for rotating machinery.

Florida Poly Drives Autonomous Vehicle Research

Austin Weber

January 16, 2020

The 1920s was a golden age for the automobile in America. Millions of people jumped behind the wheel for the first time and transformed mobility, not to mention just about every facet of life. History may repeat itself during the 2020s. But, this time around, cars will be driving themselves.

Detecting Defects in Medical Devices No Problem for Vision System

Jim Camillo

January 14, 2020

In its latest report, BCC Research projects the global drug delivery market to grow to nearly $227.3 billion by 2020, with a compound annual growth rate of 4.9 percent. This is great news for the French company Nemera, which designs and manufactures world-class drug delivery devices for the pharmaceutical industry.

Sensor Optimizes Cutting-Edge Stone Processing System

Jim Camillo

January 13, 2020

Traditionally, multiple pieces of equipment have been required to process a stone slab. Separate machines that cut, drill or finish the slab surface have been used by stone-processing companies worldwide for centuries.

Bonding Metal With Ultrasonic Welding

Zoe Leduc

January 10, 2020

The word "welding"; evokes a particular image - the exposed flame of a torch and red hot molten metal. Metal parts are heated to a liquid state to join them to one another. For small scale and electrical products, this isn't a viable bonding method. Ultrasonic welding allows a bond to form between metals, without requiring the metal to leave the solid state.

System Feeds Synthetic Corks

John Sprovieri

January 9, 2020

An assembler wanted to automatically feed and orient synthetic corks at a feed rate of 200 parts per minute. These corks are difficult to feed due to the sticky film that remains on their surface after the manufacturing process.

Five Things: Aerospace Manufacturing

John Sprovieri

January 8, 2020

Airbus has inaugurated a highly automated fuselage assembly line at its A320 factory in Hamburg, Germany. The new line features a digital data acquisition system, 20 robots, automated guided vehicles, and automated positioning by laser measurement.

Democrats, Republicans Agree on USMCA

John Sprovieri

January 7, 2020

Incredibly, the decade has ended with a moment of bipartisanship. On Dec. 10, after more than a year of deadlock, Democrats and Republicans agreed to revisions in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that should enable the trade pact to win approval from Congress and get signed into law by the president.