Understanding the Evolution of Industrial Robots
Industrial robots have made dramatic advancements over the last 20 years. Huge leaps in both hardware and software performance have made them faster, more durable, and much easier to integrate. To understand today’s industrial robots, it is beneficial to understand their evolution. Developed over 50 years ago, primarily for use in the automotive industry, robots […]
Understanding the Key Operating Principles of World Class Manufacturers
Many companies are reshoring their manufacturing operations and this “clean slate” allows them to do it the right way, the very first time. Automated and modern, these new factories are engineered to become the flagship production facilities for these global corporations. To be successful, manufacturers need a solid foundation on which to build their new […]
The Trend Toward Reshoring of Manufacturing to North America
Recent events, especially the U.S.-China trade war and the COVID-19 pandemic, have exposed the fragility of global supply chains. Leading up to the current disruptions, companies seeking the lowest labor rates had stretched their supply chains far away from some of their major markets most notably the United States. Many companies took advantage of the […]
Autonomous Vehicles and the Increasing Demand for Automated Material Handling
The global economy, corporate onshoring initiatives and recent shifts in supply chain economics has caused a huge surge in demand for assembly automation and robotic work cells. Material handling, the movement of raw materials and product around the factory, is also becoming increasingly automated. The surge in warehouse automation is expected to continue for a […]
Part Transfer Methods for Material Handling Automation
When designing a machine or LEAN work cell for automated part handling, it is very common for the engineering team to break a complex assembly process down into the individual elements required to complete the job. These elements or tasks may be manual, automated or a combination of both. They can also be quite different […]
The Trend Towards Outsourcing Vertically Integrated Content in the Semi Tool Industry
Virtually, all semiconductor equipment OEMs outsource at least some of the content of their product to machine shops, fabrication shops and/or sheet metal shops. The benefits of outsourcing are clear: tool producers can leverage comparative advantage and specialization in the supply chain. Increasingly, tool manufacturers of various sizes are beginning to see the advantages of […]