september 2021
contents
FEATURES
Circular Car Factories
Disassembly and recycling will become increasingly important in the future.—Austin Weber
Seven Ways Lean Can Evolve
The future of lean lies in digital manufacturing.—Mohit Gupta
Assembly Presses for Low-Force Applications
When an application requires less than 1,000 pounds of force, manufacturers prefer servo presses to manual or pneumatic ones.—Jim Camillo
Ultrasonic Welding of Thermoplastic Composites
Strong and lightweight, thermoplastic composites can be difficult to join.—Somen K. Bhudolia, Ph.D.
Four Considerations When Selecting EOAT
The perfect EOAT depends on four critical areas: environment, operating parameters, design and ancillary components.—Benjamin Pauzus Jr.
ABOUT THE COVER
About the cover: The next big shift in the auto industry will be an environmentally friendly movement dubbed the “circular auto factory.” OEMs and suppliers are trying to achieve net-zero carbon emissions across the entire vehicle life cycle. Photo courtesy Mercedes-Benz
September 2021
