Assembly - December 2008 - (Page 27) of plants will invest in multistation automated assembly systems next year, the highest percentage for this technology since 2001. If more plants are investing in assembly systems, there should be a concomitant rise in demand for parts feeders, and sure enough, 29 percent of assemblers plan to buy vibratory bowls, tray feeders and similar equipment next year, an increase of 4 percentage points from 2008. In all, $566.9 million will be spent on automated assembly systems next year, while $123.6 million will be spent on parts feeders, increases of 1 percent and 7 percent, respectively. Greater demand for high-volume assembly equipment corresponds well with another trend from this year’s survey. For years, the number of high-volume assembly plants in the United States has dwindled, as OEMs moved such production overseas. Now however, there are signs that high-volume assembly is returning. In 2005, just 15 percent Small Companies Take Hit 70 65 61 60 61 57 58 52 48 40 49 44 37 30 22 15 10 9 48 45 31 24 22 45 33 64 Percent of total equipment spending 50 40 33 30 36 30 28 29 29 20 10 6 6 3 7 1998 1999 2000 > 500 employees 7 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 100-500 employees < 100 employees 6 2008 2009 The credit crunch may be affecting small manufacturers more than large ones. Companies with fewer than 100 employees will account for just 15 percent of total spending on assembly technology next year, down from 22 percent in 2008 and a peak of 31 percent in 2007. of respondents produced more than 1 million assemblies annually. Since then, that percentage has gradually increased, and in 2008, 20 percent of respondents say they’re high-volume manufacturers. You can always talk to us. All FEC product lines are fieldbus adaptable to communicate with nearly any control architecture. Available interfaces include, but are not limited to: • • • • Discrete I/O DeviceNet® Interbus-S® Profibus® • • • • Modbus Plus® CC-link® Allen-Bradley Remote I/O Ethernet-I/P We can even interface with data collection servers such as ToolsNet®, QDas®, SQL or custom protocols to report final data from our fastening systems, press systems or both simultaneously. And, with FEC’s global presence, you’re never more than a phone call away. • More than 30,000 tools installed globally. • Headquarters in North America and Japan. • Worldwide sales and distribution offices. Electric Multi-Spindle Fixtured Nutrunners * Electric Single-Spindle Handheld Nutrunners * Electric Servo Presses * Turnkey Automated Assembly Systems 51327 Quadrate Dr. Macomb, Mi. 48042 | Phone: (586) 781-2100 | Fax: (586) 781-0044 E-mail: sales@fec-usa.com | Website: www.fec-usa.com www.assemblymag.com December 2008 / ASSE M B LY 27 http://www.fec-usa.com http://www.fec-usa.com http://www.assemblymag.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.