All Article articles – Page 117
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ArticleFull speed ahead
Solutions such as 3D smart snapshot sensors are offering faster, more data-rich automotive quality controlThe main challenge in automotive quality control today is acquiring sufficient data and processing it to measure complicated geometries in the shortest cycle time. Established laser line solutions do not offer enough data to fully determine ...
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ArticleMetal futures
Press hardenable steels enable automotive designers to find light and strong solutions. Now, the second generation of PHS will allow OEMs even greater scopeHot forming has become very important to the automotive industry as a way of meeting specific crash-performance criteria and ensuring low overall weight at an affordable cost. ...
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ArticleHonda hits 100m-unit milestone
Japan – The company reached this cumulative total after starting automotive production in 1963 with the T360 mini-truck and the S500 sports car. Honda built its first dedicated plant one year later and now has 34 such facilities on five continents.Honda’s original automotive factory, at Sayama City in Saitama Prefecture, ...
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Toyota announces reshuffle in America
US – Effective from January 3, 2017, the appointments are part of a move toward regional autonomy and self-reliance, incorporating the ‘One Toyota’ strategy. The location of business affiliates and senior personnel at a single site is aimed at improving decision-making, sharing best practices and maximising human resources.New presidents with ...
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ArticleVW unveils CKD plant near Nairobi
Kenya – The first vehicle off the production line was a Polo Vivo, a bestseller in Sub-Saharan Africa. The factory at Thika, which is a joint project with DT Dobie, will be able to produce up to 1,000 cars per year in its initial phase. Its annual capacity may be ...
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ArticleGKN to expand in North Carolina
US – The driveline supplier announced an expenditure of $179m over the next five years to grow its manufacturing facilities in Alamance, Catawba, Lee and Person. The investment will support increasing demand for its all-wheel-drive (AWD) and eDrive products among North American vehicle-makers.Phil Swash, CEO of GKN Driveline, described the ...
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Flannery to lead Hyundai in America
US – As interim president and CEO, W. Gerald Flannery will take over the responsibilities of Dave Zuchowski, who will be leaving the company. Hyundai Motor America said the appointment continued a reorganisation that began late this year.Flannery joined Hyundai in 1987, having previously worked as senior attorney at Ford, ...
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ArticleCarlos Ghosn – hungry for even more power?
As the end of the year approaches, news from Japan has emerged about what Nissan – or more specifically, Carlos Ghosn – intends to do with Mitsubishi. Japanese corporate law allowed Nissan to take control of its troubled compatriot by acquiring just 34% of the company for 237 billion yen ...
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Mazda Hofu starts making CX-3
Japan – Plant No.1 in Yamaguchi began manufacturing the subcompact crossover yesterday, becoming the third plant to do so after Ujina Plant No.1 in Hiroshima and AutoAlliance (Thailand). Mazda said the move would strengthen its supply system for the growing SUV segment.The OEM is transferring some production from Ujina, which ...
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Terras de oportunidade
O forte crescimento da produção verificada na Polônia, Hungria, República Checa, Romênia e Eslováquia mostra que o leste europeu ainda é uma grande atração para OEMsNo final de 1990 e início de 2000, a Europa Oriental até a fronteira russa recebeu um investimento substancial de empresas de veículos europeias, japonesas ...
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Força de trabalho do futuro
Brian Fortney, líder de negócios global, força de trabalho e serviços de treinamento na Rockwell Automation conta para a AMS como as empresas automotivas podem se preparar para uma era digital conectada - e para a chegada da geração do milênio. Joanne Perry (JP): Pode explicar o que OEMs normalmente ...
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ArticleBrose to install paintshop at Coventry
UK – A £10m ($13.5m) investment will enable the establishment of a new facility which can e-coat up to 3.5 seats per year. The paintshop is due to come online in August 2017.The facility will allow Brose to bring the seat coating process in-house, which the company says will improve ...
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Trabajadores del futuro
Brian Fortney, director de negocio global, mano de obra y servicios de formación de Rockwell Automation, cuenta a AMS cómo se pueden preparar las empresas de automoción para una era digitalmente conectada y la llegada de la generación de los mileniales.Joanne Perry (JP): ¿Puede explicar lo que piden normalmente los ...
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Tierras de oportunidades
El fuerte crecimiento de la producción en Polonia, Hungría, la República Checa, Rumania y Eslovaquia significa que Europa del Este sigue siendo muy atractiva para los OEMA finales de los 90 y a principios del 2000, Europa del Este (hasta la frontera rusa) recibió una inversión sustancial de fabricantes de ...
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Lands of opportunity
The strong growth in production seen in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia means eastern Europe is still a big attraction for OEMsIn the late 1990s and early 2000s, Eastern Europe up to the Russian border received substantial investment from European, Japanese and Korean vehicle companies seeking low ...
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Workforce of the future
Brian Fortney, global business lead, Workforce and Training Services, at Rockwell Automation tells AMS how automotive companies can prepare for a digitally connected era – and the arrival of the millennial generationJoanne Perry (JP): Can you explain what OEMs normally ask Rockwell to do as a training provider?Brian Fortney (BF): ...
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ArticleCutting tool inserts for cast iron machining
Made from new grades of CVD coated-carbide materials, Kyocera says its CA3 and chipbreaker K Series inserts offer improvements in machining cast iron components for automotive applications.The CA3 Series uses a newly developed CVD coating with a pink-gold finish over a carbide base metal and the company claims it has ...
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ArticleFabric-cutting solution
Lectra claims its new Vector iQ fabric-cutting system can increase productivity by up to 10% and features Eclipse continuous cutting, which provides automatic material advance to cut without interruption. The company says the entry-level Vector models come with its Power Premium service coverage, which includes predictive maintenance designed to reduce ...
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Article
充满机会的土地
波兰、匈牙利、捷克共和国、罗马尼亚及斯洛伐克汽车生产发展幅度大，东欧仍然能够吸引OEM制造商的眼球。在20世纪末，21世纪初，东欧到俄罗斯边境的地方都得到了来自欧洲、日本和韩国汽车公司的巨大投资，希望以低成本制造汽车和组件。大部分大型汽车品牌都在这个地区投资，虽然成本升高，投资还在继续。举例来说，梅赛德斯证实，要在波兰建设发动机工厂，这是德国以外欧洲的第一家发动机工厂。这个决定多少受到波兰对德国成本竞争力的影响，但是更基本的推动力来自德国的产量不足，以及梅赛德斯的需要 — 正如其他汽车制造商 — 来平衡国内与欧洲生产足迹。地区生产不断增加近年来，波兰、匈牙利、捷克共和国、罗马尼亚和斯洛伐克的生产增长巨大；其中斯洛伐克的进步最为明显，2015年的生产超过100万，而且预计还会出现进一步增长。大众集团去年的生产近400,000辆，Kia汽车338,000辆，PSA超过303,000辆。这些工厂都计划提高生产量，增加新车型，而且Jaguar Land Rover也要很快步其后尘：英国公司将进军欧洲大陆，2018年在斯洛伐克建厂，而期待已久的Defender替代车型可能成为第一个走下装配线的车型。初期的产量为每年150,000辆，Defender系列还会增加新成员；从长期来看，新的工厂产量可能每年增长到300,000辆，与英国其他工厂的产量相近。PSA在斯洛伐克的工厂是一个有趣的例子：PSA需要离开高成本的法国，2015年在斯洛伐克工厂的生产提高了近19%；去年的产量接近303,000辆，工厂在2016年的产量可能会达到315,000辆，2017年会达到345,000辆，2018年会达到360,000辆。往年，产量中比例最大的就是Peugeot 208,2015年占到生产的85%，但是新款Citroen C3也加入斯洛伐克（新款C3 Picasso将转移到西班牙欧宝工厂），C3将占到PSA斯洛伐克工厂约35-40%的生产。有人认为，PSA正在考虑在东欧建设新的工厂，并减少在法国的生产，尤其是小型汽车。捷克共和国的生产发展强劲捷克共和国的生产在2015年达到近130万辆，比2014年增长3%；但是，现代汽车在捷克工厂的生产增长了11%，超过342,000辆，2016年的目标是350,000辆。也是在捷克共和国，Skoda — 以及SEAT — 车型的生产不断增加。为了帮助SEAT分公司盈利，大众公司决定在Skoda车型里增加最近的S能够EAT车型和未来车型，并由Skoda生产；这样，SEAT Toledo就成为Skoda Rapid，而新款SEAT Ateca SUV也是有Skoda生产；在未来的5年里，第二个SEAT SUV也是有Skoda生产。 While most OEMs in Eastern Europe supplying into the EU, Hyundai and Kia output reaches other markets, notably Russia匈牙利增加高端品牌近些年，最引人注目的发展莫过于匈牙利奥迪的生产 — 包括汽车和发动机 — 而且会有更多的梅赛德斯会在匈牙利生产。JLR很快会在斯洛伐克生产汽车，而且保时捷也会在斯洛伐克大众工厂生产新一代Cayenne，这样这个地区会生产50多万辆的高端品牌汽车。2016年，梅赛德斯匈牙利宣布了10亿欧元的偶自己花，建立第二个装配车间，生产前轮和后轮驱动汽车；梅赛德斯有可能将C-级产品从Bremen转移到这个工厂，缓冲Bremen工厂（是最复杂的梅赛德斯生产线之一）的生产压力。韩国制造商的成功现代和起亚在捷克共和国和斯洛伐克兼有汽车厂、发动机厂和变速器厂，并把一打多的韩国供应商都带到这个地区；汽车厂一年能生产300,000多辆汽车，而发动机和变速器工厂的产量能够达到自给自足。Hyundai-Mobis工厂（制造前部模块和底盘）和Dymos（座椅与泡沫制造商）是该地区最大的韩国投资商。虽然大多数东欧制造商都向欧盟出口，但是现代和起亚却向其他市场出口，比如俄罗斯。而且现代汽车公司向澳大利亚出口i30汽车。东欧不仅向欧盟市场出口不仅是现代和起亚向欧洲以外的地方出口。比如菲亚特 — 获得欧洲投资银行的大笔资助 — 收购了Yugo在塞尔维亚Zastava的工厂，将其作为500L，5座和7座小型MPV的唯一生产厂。在那里生产的100,000辆中的大多数都向欧盟出口（大约5%出口到美国），但是也向俄罗斯出口；2016年8月，签订了一份协议之后，500L将只在欧洲其他地区生产，主要是为了前独联体国家，此前哈萨克斯坦拒绝了塞尔维亚自由贸易协定。多种市场情况都阻碍了工厂的雇佣，今年从3班制减少到2班，员工数量从高分期的3,200人降低到900人。在波兰北部，通用汽车生产Cascada轿车 — 敞篷车，在北美以Buick汽车出售，在澳大利亚以Hodlen汽车出售，同时在欧洲市场出口Opel和Vauxhall汽车。澳大利亚供应从2015年2月开始，Buick车型从11月开始出口，而第一批Buick车型刚刚一个月前生产。Holden版的Astra有望在今年年底向澳大利亚出口。在匈牙利，铃木已经生产20多年的汽车和SUV了；目前公司制造SX-4跨级车和Vitara SUV ；而SX4也在其他地区生产。匈牙利是Vitara的唯一生产地。出口市场包括巴西，从2016年末开始出口。减少对高成本德国的依赖梅赛德斯在匈牙利生产汽车，而且要将产量加倍，在罗马尼亚生产变速器；到2019年初位置，公司要在波兰Jawor（在波兰南部湿地）生产发动机。公司将投资约5亿欧元，生产4缸柴油发动机和汽油发动机。大众已经扩大波兰新建商务车系列，计划制造Crafter汽车，之前这款车是在与梅赛德斯的协议下制造的。但是在想Poznan新厂投资7.5亿欧元之后（就在制造小型Caddy厢型车和Transporter中型厢型车工厂的旁边），新厂每年将制造100,000辆汽车，比原来梅赛德斯30,000-40,000产量高得多。与联合会谈判的筹码很长时间来，菲亚特利用波兰工厂打败了意大利联合会的需求；因为菲亚特转型意大利的生产线，专注生产菲亚特SUV，Jeep和Alfa，以及其他Alfa汽车。菲亚特在意大利生产的唯一车型是Panda。500L汽车除了在塞尔维亚生产之外，500还在波兰生产，菲亚特还在这里制造Punto的替代品，预计会称作500 ...
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ArticleLands of opportunity
The strong growth in production seen in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia means eastern Europe is still a big attraction for OEMsIn the late 1990s and early 2000s, Eastern Europe up to the Russian border received substantial investment from European, Japanese and Korean vehicle companies seeking low ...