assembly

Key chips for the iPhone and iPad are being made in the U.S. -- future U.S.-made Macs, as disclosed today, notwithstanding.

This year, CEO Tim Cook has been talking about U.S. manufacturing more than usual. Partly to counter Apple's largely make-it-in-China strategy but also because of U.S. manufacturing strengths.

The same essential points he made in a Bloomberg interview today he made back in May.

To wit: "It's not known well that the engine for the iPhone and iPad is made in the U.S., and many of these are also exported.... … Read more

Evidence suggests that Apple could be assembling some of the new iMacs in Fremont, Calif.

Two U.S. models that 9to5Mac traced originated in the San Jose area.

"One tipster's origination pickup point was briefly visible as Fremont CA so it would appear that iMac assembly is happening in that general vicinity," the Mac enthusiast site said.

Another possible location for an assembly operation would be Elk Grove, Calif., where Apple still has operations. But, so far, there's no hard evidence that units are being assembled there.

This follows images posted last week by iFixit showing &… Read more

Could Apple be assembling some new iMacs in the U.S.? A teardown of a new model introduced on Thursday shows an iMac with this marking.

A teardown by iFixit revealed markings on the back of an iMac that say, "Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in USA."

What isn't clear at this point is whether this is a new Apple policy to assemble new products in the U.S. or imprecise Apple labeling.

Refurbished products and some custom-ordered Apple products are modified in the U.S. -- but that's different than assembling a standard product … Read more

China's premier PC company, Lenovo, is moving some of its desktop, laptop, and tablet production to the U.S. I asked the company -- which Gartner says is now the largest PC maker on the planet -- to explain what making a product in the U.S. means exactly.

I spoke with Mark Stanton, director of global supply chain communications at Lenovo, about the company's plan to to make computing devices in North Carolina, including its ThinkPad Tablet 2 and ThinkPad laptops.

Q: What does "made in the U.S." mean in this case? Stanton: The … Read more

Sharp is in desperate need of some cash. And it's trying to find any opportunity to raise some.

The company is considering selling two TV assembly plants in Mexico and China, The Wall Street Journal reported today, citing sources. The company is considering selling the plants to manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry -- better known as Foxconn -- or to a joint venture called Sharp Display Products Corp. run by Sharp and Hon Hai Chairman Terry Gou, according to the Journal.

If Sharp sells the facilities, the company would shed 3,000 employees from its workforce, helping it to … Read more

I donned my superhero cape and 3D specs to check out "The Avengers" (titled "Avengers Assemble" in some countries), the new film featuring Earth's mightiest heroes, The Avengers. Is it worth seeing in 3D?

Based on the Marvel Comics characters, "The Avengers" sees leather-coated Samuel L. Jackson recruit a roll call of superheroes when a powerful energy source is stolen, or somesuch. The Avengers include supersoldier Captain America; superspies Black Widow and Hawkeye; flippant philanthropist Tony Stark, who suits up as Iron Man; brilliant scientist with rage issues Bruce Banner, who hides the Incredible Hulk inside; and Thor, the Norse god who puts the Pantene in pantheon.

I have to admit I had my doubts about uniting all these characters on-screen. In a comic you can get away with a colorful cast of increasingly far-fetched superfolk pootling about in flying aircraft carriers and biffing aliens, because the medium just lends itself to such gleeful, overblown ludicrousness. Suspension of disbelief isn't an issue the way it is in a film, which needs to be more grounded to sell itself.

Read more of "Should I see Avengers Assemble in 3D?" at Crave UK.… Read more

The Chevy Volt will restart production "earlier than previously planned" due to an uptick in demand, General Motors announced earlier this week, but will this help to quiet critics?

The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle had been slated for a five-week production suspension, but that will be cut to four weeks, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press.

This is "due to increased Volt sales since January and the need to meet demand in our strong markets, including California," GM said in a statement, according to the Free Press.

The Volt came under withering criticism from some in the media … Read more

General Motors isn't just interested in building energy-efficient vehicles; the company now says its Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant is the company's first U.S. facility to become Energy Star certified. This means the plant has met strict energy performance levels set by the EPA from 2010 to 2011.

The Michigan plant, which builds the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Chevrolet Traverse, was designed to meet the optimum energy efficiency in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning without using steam, the company said in a press release.

The plant, which opened in 2006, has energy and water conservation features … Read more

General Motors has announced it will invest $61 million to update equipment in its Spring Hill, Tenn., assembly plant and retool the facility.

According to the automaker, the plant is being retooled for new products and will be capable of producing a variety of products. The investment will also create 594 hourly jobs and 91 salaried positions.

The Spring Hill plant will begin production of the Chevrolet Equinox in the second half of 2012. Power train and stamping operations for the Chevrolet Traverse are still operating at the plant.

GM will also invest $183 million for midsize vehicles to be … Read more