SHELBY TOWNSHIP, MI—FEC Automation Systems, a supplier of fastening and pressing technology, has opened an office in Chelmsford, England, its first in Europe.

Automotive assembly most often conjures up images of welding robots and electric nutrunners. But, another technology is just as important for assembling a wide range of automotive components—presses.

 American TV viewers are very familiar with Orange County Choppers (OCC), a custom and production motorcycle manufacturer based in Newburgh, NY.  

When K.A. Swanstrom founded Penn Engineering & Manufacturing Corp. in 1942, he did so with a revolutionary new product: a self-clinching fastener that provides load-carrying threads in metal sheets too thin to be tapped.

Interference fits, commonly referred to as press fits and shrink fits, are traditional methods for joining cylindrical parts.

Making sure every crimp is a quality crimp is a critical function of all harness manufacturers. So critical, in fact, that many manufacturers mandate it within their own facilities or those of their suppliers to make sure each crimp meets all customer specifications.

There are three reasons to attend trade shows: to learn about industry trends and new ways of doing things; to network with industry peers; and to see new technologies. This month’s Assembly Show will not disappoint on any of those fronts.

When screws or bolts are threaded directly into plastic components, failures can occur due to stripped threads or plastic creep.

ASSEMBLY magazine has been around since 1958. In that time, we’ve had lean years and great years. We’ve changed our name three times, and we’ve been bought and sold at least five times. We’ve survived tidal shifts in both U.S. manufacturing and publishing. (If you had told me 26 years ago that I would be spending 30 minutes a day on something called Twitter…)

Like soldiers, rows of BalTec Corp. manual assembly presses stand ready to work at electronic manufacturing plants throughout North America. Workers there use the presses to crimp wires to terminals and connectors.