All Assembly articles – Page 30
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ArticleSee the light
Colour verificationTraceability focusPass the glassPicked and placedA wide range of applicationsPowerful and user-friendly vision systems are making this technology increasingly popular for assembly line tasks. AMS assesses the benefits of the latest technologyWhile vision equipment is not considered emerging technology, until recently the systems have necessitated a reasonably high level ...
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ArticleSafety comes first
Different safety needs for automationSelf-installation systemWithout the right level of protection, assembly can be a hazardous place. Thankfully there is a plethora of barrier-free innovations designed to make even the most automated lines safe for all workersFor all its benefits, it is easy to forget that with automation comes the ...
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ArticleQuality at any cost?
Measuring suitable for varied model mixesNotifying staff when tolerances are outComparing absolute data with CAD dataHigher accuracy levelsVerifying sub-assembly buildsThe latest measurement innovations for assembly line environments and an assessment of whether ‘quality at any cost’ still holds trueNot so long ago, the remit for production engineers was to remove ...
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ArticleKeep on rolling
Conveyors should be seen as fixturesCapacity issues caused problemsSkid system used as a bufferHigh flexibility and rapid cycle timesConveyors can seem a humdrum type of factory equipment - a moving track transporting a load from one place to another within a production environment. The operational variables also seem straightforward – ...
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ArticleAll things automatic
From June 10 for four days, the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany will put everything in automotive manufacturing to the test at Automatica 2008. We preview a show that promises to attract 30,000 visitors to 900 exhibitors Automatica offers international coverage of assembly and handling technologies, robotics, machine ...
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ArticleMakers mark
Automated identificationAesthetic applicationFlexible installationDesktop systemsMarked improvementLight applications for lasersSMD applicationsPotential drawbacksWhile manufacturers have long seen the light when it comes to lasers, some are still in the dark when it comes to their use in parts identification. AMS finds an industry hiding its light under a bushelFeatured in all digital ...
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ArticleCarrying the can
Flexible systemsPeugeot in ChinaLegacy worriesMoving bodies and parts from A to B demands a flexible conveyor system and it’s a case of mix and match for most OEMsThere are a number of options available when it comes to conveying work in progress in automotive facilities but they generally fall into ...
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ArticleHinrichs wants a revolution in robotics
Forefront of efficiencyCompetitive operatingPriorities for recoveryThe role of robotsQuality gainsPlanning and programmingParamount safetyRobot wish listJoe Hinrichs has got a wish list. He wants to see robots on the shopfloor that will revolutionise productivity and offer new levels of skilled automation and safety. AMS talks to him about the future of ...
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ArticleArmed robotic forces
New trends in roboticsIncreases and decreasesUser-friendly robotsSpeed, accuracy and qualityRobot assemblyProduction flexibilityRobotic relationshipsOEMs and robotics suppliers are collaborating closely on user-friendly solutions to the production processThe automotive sector, with its seemingly neverending quest for greater productivity, has proved to be a fertile breeding ground for robotic innovation. The body shop ...
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ArticleFollowing the guidelines
Flexible conveyorsChoosing the right AGVAutomatic unloadingControl systemsFinal assemblySafety firstFuture advancesThe specific use of automated guided vehicles between shipping dock and assembly line is offering carmakers safety-conscious production savingsSeveral decades ago, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) were being heralded as the ultimate answer to the material handling requirements of automotive OEMs. Plants ...
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ArticleThis smart little worker needs no rest
New module programming and configuring technology from Mahle Powertrain puts an end to end-of-line testing. AMS reports on the opportunities for assembly line flexibility and cost savings that come with VPPRail systems become expensivePlug and let playMeasuring contentWhen it comes to the programming and testing of today’s electronically sophisticated vehicles, ...
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ArticleFrom rack to track
Explore how automotive manufacturers are improving line feeding and internal logistics through automation, data-driven processes, and smarter warehouse-to-assembly workflows.
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ArticleBuilding the perfect light curtain
We don’t give them much thought, and nor should we – assuming they’re doing their job properly. AMS in conversation with Joe Lazarra and Sergio Aguilar at Omron STIFrequency selection/Scan codesCascading light curtainFixed blankingFloating blanking and mutingReduced resolutionOmron STI’s Joe Lazarra wants to change the way you think about light ...
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ArticleRunning a three legged race at GM
GM’s Conveyors, Controls, Robotics & Welding group has implemented a common conveyor strategy with benefits for modules engineering and integrationGlobal standardisationRewards out of the boxDigital efficienciesGetting one’s bearingsExpanding bundleDuring the AMS 2004 AutoMan Global conference in Dearborn, Michigan, GM’s Phillip Disch, General Motors’ Executive Director of Controls, Conveyors, Robotics and ...
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ArticleBuilding on common ground with Fanuc
GM’s drive for a common assembly technology is aimed at a more streamlined and stable global supply base. AMS looks at what the Global Mid-Size Vehicle platform means for Fanuc.Common approachNew applicationsFixed supplyRobotic consolidationGeneral Motors is going truly global in the next few years with its Global Mid-Size Vehicle platform. ...
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ArticleWelcome to the House of Flex
Gary Cowger, Group Vice President for Global Manufacturing and Labour Relations at General Motors discusses the carmaker’s “avowed aim” of manufacturing flexibility using its Global Manufacturing System“House of Flex”Making flex work: a global initiativeMoving east in Europe and beyondCowger’s views on technologyAGV applicationsShifting biasWhile flexibility is a much-used term that ...
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ArticleSmart handling for vacuum gripping
Replacing conventional vacuum ejectors with high-performance versions brings savings in compressed air, energy costs and downtime at a major carmakerRobot press lineIntegrated high-performanceConsideration of the economic and efficiency aspects of vacuum gripping systems for handling sheet-metal parts are of enormous importance, particularly in the automotive industry.A basic distinction can be ...
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ArticleRaising the tool bar
Having the right tool for the job is a process being made easier thanks to advances in rapid manufacturing, and it is bringing big benefits to every part of the manufacturing process Helping hand heldOrganic ergonomicDucati design cyclesAll in the detailFormula for successExTreme performanceAt the first mention of prototyping in ...