Assembly Planbook - June 2008 - (Page 43)

“We want to grow our business and sell our capabilities, but we do walk that fine line. We want to tell people that we build the best darn automation systems in the world for certain products, but sometimes we can’t.” An NDA may prevent an integrator from disclosing a customer’s trade secrets, but it doesn’t necessarily extend to the mechanisms that the integrator creates to assemble the product. Many integrators have developed their own ways of moving, feeding and handling parts, and they are free to use those methods and mechanisms in any assembly system, regardless of the customer. On the other hand, if the integrator develops a unique technology specifically for a particular product, it typically becomes the customer’s intellectual property. If the assembler has paid for the engineering, it ought to own the results. STAINLESS STEEL BELTS Designed For Today’s Technology Security has a price. If integrators have to erect temporary walls on the shop floor or spend time chasing down signatures from suppliers, such costs will show up in the final bill. business. “We ran across that with a couple of medical device manufacturers,” recalls Paul Beduze, business development manager for Mikron Corp. Denver (Aurora, CA). “When Company B found out we were working with its rival, Company A, Company B decided not to work with us.” Fortunately for integrators, such instances are rare. Occasionally, assemblers ask systems integrators not to do business with their competitors. In those instances, integrators typically ask for reciprocity—a guarantee that the assembler will use the integrator exclusively to build future projects. “With few exceptions, the NDAs we sign are dedicated to a project, not a customer,” says Diederich. Keeping mum also means integrators can’t always crow about their successes. “It can be frustrating,” admits Beretta. Robotic Arm Bands VERSATILE • • • • Accurate/Repeatable Extreme Temperatures Clean Room Compatible Vacuum Applications OPTIONAL FEATURES • Teflon® Coated • V-Belt Tracked • Perforated, Attachments Solar Cell Processing www.BeltTechnologies.com 11 Bowles Road, Agawam, MA 01001 • Tel: 413-786-9922 • Fax: 413-789-2786 800-732-2358 Teflon is a registered trademark of DuPont. ISO 9001 Registered www.assemblymag.com June 2008 / ASSE M B LY 43 http://www.BeltTechnologies.com http://www.assemblymag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Assembly Planbook - June 2008

Assembly Planbook - June 2008 Contents Editorial Bonding Lines Quality in Assembly Assembly Lines Assembly in Action Fastening or Bonding? Loose Lips Sink Assembly Systems DFMA Cuts Downstream Costs Robots Lend a Hand Products Advertisers Index Classified Leading Lean

Assembly Planbook - June 2008

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