Any assembly that turns, rotates or pivots—gearboxes, bearings, levers, reclining mechanisms—is typically tested to ensure that it works as intended. 

Initiated in 2004, the Assembly Plant of the Year award showcases world-class production facilities in America and the people, products, and processes that make them successful. 

A large automotive electrical harness can contain hundreds of wires, dozens of connectors and several electronic components, such as relays and diodes.

OYSTER BAY, NY—Advances in machine learning technology will help propel sales of smart cameras for machine vision applications to 197 million units and a total value of $35 billion by 2027, according to global technology intelligence firm ABI Research.

The assembly line in Hall M13 at the ŠKODA plant in Mladá Boleslav is one of the Czech carmaker’s busiest. The best-selling ŠKODA Octavia is assembled here, as is the ŠKODA Enyaq iV electric SUV. Every minute of downtime on this line means losses in the form of unproduced cars.

ACTON, MA—CAMI Research Inc. has added 2,000 square feet of new production space to manufacture its wiring test systems.

Contrary to widespread public concern about robots taking away jobs, people still play a key role on assembly lines. In fact, people still perform 72 percent of manufacturing tasks.

KYOYO, Japan—Researchers in Japan have developed a soft robotic microfinger that enables interaction with insects through tactile sensing.

INDIANAPOLIS—Pfeiffer Vacuum, a provider of vacuum and leak detection equipment, has opened a new 40,000-square-foot customer service facility here.

U.S. manufacturers have faced significant headwinds this year: supply chain problems, a skilled labor shortage, inflation, and the war in Ukraine. And yet despite these issues—or perhaps, because of them—manufacturers continued to invest in people, plants and equipment.