Assembly lines are mesmerizing to watch. Components large and small enter a factory and flow together into the main production line where, step-by-step, they become finished products. While it is a process similar to the course of a river, the flow is powered by human energy and ingenuity. Like a river, an assembly line is…
As tunnel workers know, boring machines are anything but. Ranging from merely large to staggeringly huge, these complicated devices chew through loam, clay, and solid rock to excavate large and small tunnels across the world. What’s also enormous is the degree to which the success of a tunneling project rests on the proper maintenance of…
Without the right assembly tools, you don’t have a production line. It’s the tools, after all, that allow your workers to assemble the pieces into a product. That doesn’t mean that finding the right tools is easy, though; each product is different, each factory is different, and there are hundreds of different tool options. How…
Smart window fans this week. Then smart floor lamps next month. After that, it’s a dual job; half the stations on the toaster ovens, half the stations on the air conditioners. Each product comes with its own set of specifications, its own production sequence. Reconfiguring the floor for each setup will be tricky, but that’s…
Imagine your job is lifting a five pound weight. Pretty easy, right? Most healthy adults don’t have an issue picking up something that light or even holding it about their heads for a few minutes. Pick it up, put it down, go home, get your paycheck. Unfortunately, your boss knows how easy it is for…
How fast can you fasten? In assembly line production, fastening speed is a key indicator of production volume. It can even be a factory’s bottleneck, limiting the number of pieces completed. In fact, improving fastening speed can often be the most effective way to increase production and, in turn, revenue. However, speed is no substitute…
Manufacturing high volume products—such as electronics, toys, or appliances—requires speed and precision. After all, hundreds of thousands of identical products have to be assembled and fastened, correctly, in as little time as possible. Many products involve multiple fasteners that require complex fastening sequences. Most, if not all, of the fasteners have specific torque requirements. Often,…
Efficiency separates companies. Given the same costs for supplies and access to the same demand, companies operating in the same space are competing based on who is able to produce more, faster, and at a lower cost. Increasing production line efficiency can be achieved by many means, and the most effective methods depend on the…
If you’ve done a day of work, you know that even a light tool can get real heavy after a couple hours on the line. Which is no big deal, usually; it’s just part of the job. A week or a month will go by, you’ll get stronger, and using your tool won’t feel like…
If you’re working in manufacturing or repair, there’s a strong chance you’re already using some variety of torque wrench. In any application where the fastening of bolts and screws is critical—which includes the aerospace, automotive, medical device, electronics, and packaging industries, to name a few—businesses depend on torque tools to deliver the precise amount of…