2024 June

manufacturing Ford Crestline sedans and F-100 pickup trucks at the Chicago assembly plant

Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant Turns 100

Austin Weber

June 3, 2024

The historic factory has made everything from Model T’s to SUVs since 1924.

New Technology Error-Proofs Battery Manufacturing

Thomas Preuss

May 28, 2024

Infrared system locates position of fastening tools in real time with no latency.

Robots Assemble Precision Medical Device

Jeff Buck

May 30, 2024

Digital twins facilitate design of robotic assembly systems, from prototype to high-volume production.

Robots Automate Assembly of Engine Valves

Ralf Högel

June 4, 2024

Automated assembly requires speed and precision.

Manufacturing Software

MES Software Improves Assembly

A Tier 1 automotive supplier passes safe launch in just two weeks by digitizing assembly processes.

Joyce Yeung

April 23, 2024

To meet safe launch for an automotive component, a Michigan company had to manufacture 4,000 assemblies with zero defects. MES software helped the company do it.

Linear vs. Torsional Ultrasonic Welding

Jessica Lange

June 5, 2024

Torsional welding offers many advantages for assembling plastic parts.

Swiss Engineers Develop Electric Airplanes

Cara Märcklin

June 6, 2024

Torque, pressure and temperature sensors are playing a key role in designing new power trains for zero-emission airplanes.

New Technology for Form-in-Place Gaskets

Austin Weber

June 7, 2024

Liquid sealants provide a popular alternative to solid gaskets.

employee working in manufacturing facility

Will Ban on Noncompete Agreements Affect Manufacturing?

John Sprovieri

June 11, 2024

In April, the Federal Trade Commission approved a final rule that bans noncompete agreements for employees nationwide.

Managing U.S. Defense Industry Risk

Harry Moser

June 10, 2024

Having a larger, well-staffed U.S. manufacturing industry will provide a comprehensive framework to manage risk and support our national defense.

See It at the Show

Press Provides 500 Kilonewtons of Force

John Sprovieri

May 29, 2024

Promess Inc. recently achieved a milestone by delivering its largest Electromechanical Assembly Press (EMAP) Workstation to date.

New & Noteworthy: Four New Motion Control Products

John Sprovieri

May 31, 2024

Motion control technology is essential for moving parts or tools up and down, side to side, around an axis, or, alternatively, keeping parts in place. Here are four new motion control products.

Assembly Lines

American Manufacturers Continue to Invest in Robotics

Austin Weber

June 12, 2024

The automotive industry continues to be the No. 1 adopter, followed by the electrical and electronics sector.

Assembly Lines

NIST to Launch AI-Focused Manufacturing Institute

Austin Weber

June 13, 2024

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) plans to create a new Manufacturing USA institute focused on artificial intelligence technology.

Assembly Lines

BMW Deploys Robo Dog to Monitor Production Equipment

Austin Weber

June 14, 2024

Equipped with visual, thermal and acoustic sensors, the machine is used to collect valuable data for the plant’s digital twin, while also serving as a watchdog overseeing operations.

robots used for wind turbine blade finishing

Assembly Lines

NREL Automates Wind Turbine Blade Finishing Operation

Austin Weber

June 17, 2024

Engineers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are using robots to improve the consistency of wind turbine blades.