Atypical car contains some 30,000 parts, including fasteners, from dozens of suppliers. All these components must arrive at an OEM’s assembly plant in the right sequence at the exact moment that they’re needed. It’s a massive undertaking.
Based in Plymouth, MI, Adient plc is the world’s largest manufacturer of automotive seating, accounting for one-third of the global market and providing components for 25 million vehicles.
Auto-Kabel, the global automotive supplier, manufactures cable and lead sets for power supply applications. The friction welding machines deployed in the process must always have an adequate supply of material without excessive safety stocks.
Parts come in all sizes, shapes and weights. But, any type of part isn't good until it's at the right location, at the right time and at the right height on assembly lines.
Ralph Braun showed the world his many abilities over many years before dying in 2013. Born in 1940 and diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at 6 years old, Braun created a motorized wagon less than a decade later to help him get around. In 1962, he built a motorized scooter, which he called the Tri-Wheeler, and rode it to and from his day job as a quality control manager for a nearby manufacturer.
Cardinal Health Inc. is a Fortune 500 health care services company based in Dublin, OH. The company specializes in distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical products, serving more than 100,000 locations.
The widespread availability of modular profile systems has made it easy for engineers to get in touch with their creative side. They enable assemblers to bolt together framing components to tailor workstations and machines to specific processes or floor space requirements.
The flow racks allow TTA to make incremental improvements to its storage systems.
May 1, 2013
Based in Somerset, KY, Toyotetsu America (TTA) is an automotive stamping division of Toyota. TTA operates several plants, including one in Sincoe, ON, since 2007. There, workers stamp metal frame parts for cars such as the RAV4, Corol-la and Lexus.