Assembly Line

Testing and inspecting

Each unit, or a sample of them, is measured against a standard. Rejects are pulled before they get any more expensive.

205 lines that use it

3D printer filament 6 stations · 13 raw sources Action figure 7 stations · 22 raw sources Adhesive 8 stations · 7 raw sources Airbag 8 stations · 25 raw sources Airliner 9 stations · 33 raw sources Asthma inhaler 6 stations · 16 raw sources Baby formula 6 stations · 22 raw sources Backpack 6 stations · 16 raw sources Ballpoint pen 7 stations · 27 raw sources Banknote 6 stations · 20 raw sources Baseball 7 stations · 22 raw sources Basketball 8 stations · 20 raw sources Bath towel 7 stations · 14 raw sources Beef jerky 6 stations · 8 raw sources Bicycle 8 stations · 26 raw sources Bike helmet 7 stations · 11 raw sources Billiard ball 9 stations · 21 raw sources Bleach 7 stations · 10 raw sources Blender 7 stations · 30 raw sources Blue agave 5 stations Bolt 6 stations · 13 raw sources Brick 7 stations · 2 raw sources Button 8 stations · 8 raw sources Camera drone 7 stations · 29 raw sources Camera sensor 6 stations · 15 raw sources Canned tuna 7 stations · 19 raw sources Car 8 stations · 31 raw sources Car engine 8 stations · 18 raw sources Caramel color 5 stations · 8 raw sources Ceiling fan 8 stations · 28 raw sources Ceramic floor tile 6 stations · 19 raw sources Coil spring 7 stations · 21 raw sources Coin 6 stations · 9 raw sources Computer keyboard 6 stations · 25 raw sources Computer mouse 5 stations · 24 raw sources Condom 9 stations · 13 raw sources Contact lens 6 stations · 9 raw sources Container ship 9 stations · 23 raw sources Copra 5 stations · 1 raw source Cough syrup 8 stations · 18 raw sources Cultured pearl 6 stations · 2 raw sources Cut diamond 6 stations · 1 raw source Decaf coffee 7 stations · 7 raw sources Dice 7 stations · 21 raw sources Digital camera 8 stations · 32 raw sources Digital thermometer 7 stations · 26 raw sources Dinner plate 8 stations · 2 raw sources Dish soap 6 stations · 14 raw sources Door hinge 7 stations · 18 raw sources Down 5 stations Down jacket 6 stations · 17 raw sources Drum kit 8 stations · 19 raw sources Drumstick 8 stations · 8 raw sources Eggs 3 stations Electric car 8 stations · 34 raw sources Electric car battery 6 stations · 28 raw sources Electric guitar 8 stations · 22 raw sources Electric kettle 10 stations · 27 raw sources Electric motor 6 stations · 15 raw sources Electric toothbrush 6 stations · 32 raw sources Electrical transformer 6 stations · 14 raw sources Elevator 8 stations · 26 raw sources Eraser 6 stations · 19 raw sources Eyeglass lens 6 stations · 13 raw sources Faucet 11 stations · 23 raw sources Fire extinguisher 8 stations · 27 raw sources Fireworks 6 stations · 18 raw sources Flute 9 stations · 12 raw sources Foundation makeup 6 stations · 24 raw sources Gas cylinder 10 stations · 25 raw sources Gasoline 6 stations · 6 raw sources Glass jar 5 stations · 10 raw sources Glass marble 5 stations · 10 raw sources Gold bar 6 stations · 7 raw sources Golf ball 8 stations · 21 raw sources Golf club 10 stations · 27 raw sources Graphics card 7 stations · 26 raw sources Hard drive 6 stations · 27 raw sources Hardwood flooring 6 stations · 7 raw sources Hazelnut spread 7 stations · 14 raw sources Headphones 6 stations · 14 raw sources Hearing aid 6 stations · 24 raw sources Hexane 5 stations · 3 raw sources High heels 8 stations · 23 raw sources Hiking boots 6 stations · 16 raw sources Hip implant 9 stations · 22 raw sources Hockey puck 8 stations · 5 raw sources Ice skates 8 stations · 22 raw sources Incandescent light bulb 7 stations · 11 raw sources Indium tin oxide 7 stations · 15 raw sources Inflatable pool toy 7 stations · 9 raw sources Ink 8 stations · 15 raw sources Inkjet printer 6 stations · 31 raw sources Insect repellent 5 stations · 17 raw sources Jarred salsa 9 stations · 25 raw sources Jet engine 7 stations · 23 raw sources Jet fuel 6 stations · 3 raw sources Jigsaw puzzle 7 stations · 18 raw sources Kite 10 stations · 14 raw sources Lab-grown diamond 6 stations · 3 raw sources Laptop 6 stations · 31 raw sources Leather belt 10 stations · 28 raw sources Leather handbag 6 stations · 20 raw sources LED 8 stations · 10 raw sources LED light bulb 7 stations · 20 raw sources Leggings 8 stations · 11 raw sources LEGO brick 6 stations · 9 raw sources Light switch 8 stations · 26 raw sources Lithium-ion cell 10 stations · 23 raw sources Loudspeaker 10 stations · 19 raw sources Lumber 6 stations · 1 raw source Maple syrup 7 stations · 1 raw source Mechanical wristwatch 6 stations · 26 raw sources Memory chip 7 stations · 10 raw sources Metallurgical silicon 8 stations · 3 raw sources Microchip 8 stations · 15 raw sources Microphone 8 stations · 19 raw sources Microwave oven 10 stations · 27 raw sources Motorcycle 8 stations · 29 raw sources Mouthwash 8 stations · 17 raw sources N95 mask 8 stations · 7 raw sources Nail polish 6 stations · 17 raw sources Neon sign 9 stations · 24 raw sources Nichrome 8 stations · 15 raw sources Office chair 7 stations · 17 raw sources OLED screen 6 stations · 16 raw sources Olive oil 6 stations · 1 raw source Olympic-style medal 8 stations · 12 raw sources Optical fiber 6 stations · 12 raw sources Orbital rocket 7 stations · 22 raw sources Pacemaker 7 stations · 24 raw sources Padlock 7 stations · 25 raw sources Paint 6 stations · 21 raw sources Parmesan 8 stations · 3 raw sources Pasteurized milk 6 stations · 1 raw source Peanuts 5 stations Phone charger 8 stations · 26 raw sources Piano 8 stations · 15 raw sources Pigment 8 stations · 8 raw sources Pinball machine 7 stations · 21 raw sources Plastic bottle 5 stations · 8 raw sources Plywood 6 stations · 8 raw sources Power cable 9 stations · 10 raw sources Power outlet 6 stations · 18 raw sources Pressure cooker 8 stations · 18 raw sources Prosthetic leg 6 stations · 15 raw sources Railroad rail 9 stations · 12 raw sources Raincoat 7 stations · 17 raw sources Rapeseed 5 stations Refrigerator 11 stations · 27 raw sources Remote control 7 stations · 27 raw sources Rubber band 6 stations · 2 raw sources Rubber boots 6 stations · 9 raw sources Rubik's Cube 7 stations · 21 raw sources Sailboat 11 stations · 21 raw sources Satellite 11 stations · 29 raw sources Sausage casing 8 stations · 4 raw sources Saw blade 7 stations · 17 raw sources Saxophone 9 stations · 25 raw sources Screw 7 stations · 13 raw sources Seat belt 8 stations · 15 raw sources Shampoo 8 stations · 20 raw sources Shipping container 8 stations · 23 raw sources Ski 8 stations · 24 raw sources Smartphone 6 stations · 30 raw sources Smartphone cover glass 5 stations · 12 raw sources Smartwatch 9 stations · 31 raw sources Snowboard 10 stations · 23 raw sources Soccer ball 7 stations · 17 raw sources Sofa 7 stations · 17 raw sources Solar cell 5 stations · 15 raw sources Solar panel 11 stations · 21 raw sources Solid-state drive 6 stations · 22 raw sources Sparkling water 6 stations · 19 raw sources Steel chain 7 stations · 12 raw sources Steel pipe 7 stations · 13 raw sources Subway train 8 stations · 27 raw sources Sunglasses 9 stations · 15 raw sources Sunscreen 8 stations · 17 raw sources Swimsuit 9 stations · 11 raw sources Tampon 7 stations · 14 raw sources Television 6 stations · 26 raw sources Timber 5 stations Tin can 9 stations · 21 raw sources Tire 8 stations · 22 raw sources Toaster 6 stations · 17 raw sources Toilet 7 stations · 5 raw sources Toothpaste 7 stations · 20 raw sources Trading cards 6 stations · 17 raw sources Treadmill 8 stations · 24 raw sources Trumpet 7 stations · 18 raw sources Turbine blade 8 stations · 20 raw sources Umbrella 8 stations · 19 raw sources Underwear 9 stations · 17 raw sources Vacuum cleaner 11 stations · 24 raw sources Video game console 7 stations · 29 raw sources Volleyball 5 stations · 14 raw sources Vulcanized rubber 6 stations · 7 raw sources Wallpaper 7 stations · 22 raw sources Washing machine 12 stations · 31 raw sources Wheelbarrow 9 stations · 23 raw sources Wheelchair 6 stations · 15 raw sources Wi-Fi router 7 stations · 27 raw sources Wine cork 8 stations · 11 raw sources Wireless earbuds 9 stations · 34 raw sources

What it looks like on the line

  • Wireless earbudsPair and flash firmware. Firmware is loaded with flashing jigs, and left and right units are paired to each other and to the case. Testers then check Bluetooth, playback, touch control, noise cancellation and charging.
  • BanknoteInspect every sheet. Each sheet is checked automatically and by eye for printing faults before it is cut. Errors such as cutting and alignment mistakes can still occur and are caught here.
  • Electric toothbrushTest the motion. Each brush is tested for humidity, waterproofing, stability and sound level, with a rig checking its stroke and charging. One maker says its brush has more than 500 individual elements.
  • UmbrellaTest and pack. Each umbrella is opened and closed 3 times and its loose threads are trimmed. Random samples are blasted with high-pressure water before boxing.
  • Hearing aidProgram and test. An audiologist's software tunes the amplification to the wearer's hearing test. The unit is then run through acoustic tests inside a sound-proof chamber.
  • Blue agaveTest for ripe sugar. A ripe heart starts to shrink and takes on a maroon tinge, with red spots on the leaves. Producers now test sugar as well. A Mexican decree of March 2006 requires at least 24% on average across a harvested field. Harvest runs all year, usually six to 12 months after the stalk was cut.
  • Pinball machineInspect incoming parts. About 3,500 parts arrive for each machine. A sample of 20 percent is checked, such as drop targets fitted into a gauge, and a batch is rejected if 3 percent of the sample is defective.
  • Solar panelFlash test the output. A sun simulator, or flasher, fires a light at the module and records its electrical performance. Electroluminescence imaging looks for flaws in the cells.
  • Hip implantHunt cracks with dye. A fluorescent penetrant seeps into any open crack or lap and glows under inspection. Measuring machines also check dimensions against the drawing.
  • Glass jarInspect every jar. Machines look for cracks, thin spots and bad finishes. Rejects are crushed and go back into the furnace as cullet.
  • Steel chainCalibrate the strand. Following heat treatment the strand is calibrated to the right geometry. High grades get a mild final heating that relieves the stress calibration leaves behind.
  • Electric motorSpin test. Each motor is run to check speed, current and vibration.