Assembly Automation: Volume 31 Issue 1

The role of lasers in solar cell manufacture

Robert Bogue

The aim of this paper is to provide a review of the present‐day and anticipated future uses of lasers in the production of solar cells.

Festo drives automation forwards

Mike Wilson

The purpose of this paper is to review the latest developments, both in terms of products and manufacturing, of the Festo company.

Robotic virtual manipulations of a nuclear hot‐cell digital mock‐up system

Kiho Kim, Byung‐Suk Park, Ho‐Dong Kim, Syed Hassan, Jungwon Yoon

Hot‐cells are shielded structures protecting individuals from radioactive materials. The purpose of this paper is to propose a design approach for a hot‐cell simulator using…

Petri net versus queuing theory for evaluation of FMS

Hamid Ullah

Petri net (PN) and queuing theory are used in performance analysis of a flexible manufacturing system (FMS). They are used to determine the FMS measures of performance. These…

Root cause analysis support for quality improvement in electronics manufacturing

L.A.M. Huertas‐Quintero, P.P. Conway, D.M. Segura‐Velandia, A.A. West

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new software tool to support design for quality (DfQ) in the electronics manufacturing sector where quality and reliability are critical.

Aerodynamic feeding systems: an example for changeable technology

Thomas Frädrich, Julia Pachow‐Frauenhofer, Fiege Torsten, Peter Nyhuis

The purpose of this paper is to transfer the idea of changeability to a concrete technical application.

A practical method for measuring product maintainability in a virtual environment

Haiquan Yu, Gaoliang Peng, Wenjian Liu

As an important product characteristic, maintainability is recognized as a highly significant factor in the economic success of engineering systems and products. Based on virtual…

Machining fixture assembly/disassembly in RFID environment

Djordje Vukelic, Gordana Ostojic, Stevan Stankovski, Milovan Lazarevic, Branko Tadic, Janko Hodolic, Nenad Simeunovic

The purpose of this paper is to present a novel approach for identification of machining fixtures, and their elements in an assembly/disassembly process.

Simple rules to modify pre‐planned paths and improve gross robot motions associated with pick & place assembly tasks

David Sanders, Giles Tewkesbury, Jasper Graham‐Jones

This paper aims to describe real time improvements to the performance and trajectories of robots for which paths had already been planned by some means, automatic or otherwise…

Six‐Sigma: methodology, tools and its future

Yahia Zare Mehrjerdi

This paper aims to introduce some of the most important and fundamental points about Six‐Sigma and the main points that researchers, implementers and users should keep in mind in…

Web sites

Rapid mould and core manufacture

Mitutoyo robotic metrology cell enhances measurement integrity, productivity

Multi-Wafer Rotating MEMS Machines – Turbines, Generators and Engines

Gefran’s new ONP1-A magnetostrictive linear position transducer has ONDA non-contacting design flexibility

Patent abstracts

Diary

Robot sales in North America jump 40 per cent in first half of 2010

Ariane rocket nozzles welded using british laser vision system

New web-based remote maintenance and diagnostics platform for OEMs, machine builders and systems integrators

Innovative short-stroke electric cylinder uses tubular linear motor

Innomech develops powerful “track and trace” technology for healthcare markets