All Article articles – Page 127
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ArticleInterview: Fidel Otake, GKN
GKN Driveline has had a manufacturing presence in Mexico since the 1970s and has grown strongly in recent years. The company's operations director for the country discusses its new propshaft facility in GuanajuatoJoanne Perry (JP): GKN Driveline has many facilities around the world but relatively few in the Americas. Is ...
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ArticleFit for purpose
Honda dé Mexico reached a record production last year, following the opening of its new plant at Celaya"The management, including myself, must lead in changing our mindset, and every associate needs to change their perception and the way they work,” said Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo at a news conference in ...
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ArticleCorolla rolls into town
A long-time manufacturer of pick-up trucks in Mexico, Toyota will finally add car production in 2019. Its new plant in Guanajuato will be the first that is designed to make vehicles on the Toyota New Global ArchitectureToyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja California (TMMBC) has been assembling vehicles for North American ...
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ArticleRevitalising a veteran
VW has been making vehicles at Puebla in Mexico since 1967, but a $1.7 billion investment has added new facilities for the Golf 7 and long-wheelbase Tiguan. AMS takes a look at a vast but still expanding footprintThe automotive industry is a prime example of globalisation; major manufacturers span the ...
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ArticleMazda: Growing in Guanajuato
AMS gives an update on the OEM's recently opened plant at Salamanca, Mexico – its first in North AmericaIn January 2014, Mazda joined the flood of vehicle-makers arriving in Mexico by opening a new plant in Salamanca, Guanajuato – its first independent production site in North America. The idea behind ...
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ArticleInterview: Alfons Dintner, Audi
The company's CEO for Mexico explains how it became the first premium brand with a plant in the countryJoanne Perry (JP): San José Chiapa is Audi’s first factory in Mexico – and North America. Can you elaborate on its significance?Alfons Dintner (AD): This plant is a major building block for ...
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ArticleNissan heads in a new direction
The OEM has been manufacturing vehicles in Mexico since 1966 but the new COMPAS collaboration with Daimler will add premium cars to the line-up by next year. AMS went to check on the progress so farThe rush among carmakers to set up a manufacturing base in Mexico will see no ...
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ArticleKia's brave new world
The South Korean OEM has just opened a state-of-the-art factory at Pesquería in Mexico, but political problems are preventing this first Latin American manufacturing base from reaching its full potentialA sun-scorched hilltop in Monterrey provides the perfect view of Kia Motors’ first Latin American factory: a gleaming white press shop, ...
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Article
Honda adds $53m facilities in Ohio
US – The two new buildings at the OEM’s Raymond site will accommodate quality and information technology operations for North America. The expansion will open in early 2017.The 98,000 sq.ft North American Quality Center will consolidate the activities of several Honda organisations, while the 38,000 sq.ft Ohio Data Center will ...
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ArticlePSA SAIPA finalise joint-venture in Iran
This 50/50 joint-venture to produce and sell Citroën vehicles in Iran will cover the entire process from design through to vehicle marketing. The partners say over €300m will be invested in manufacturing and R&D capacity over the next five years, and the deal includes technology transfers and sourcing a high ...
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Article
- 轻量的功效
强硬、坚韧、轻质，这些性能使复合材料成为制造商在制模和生产过程中最为看好的性质。在薄钢板成型上，环氧树脂首次应用于20世纪50年代。这些热固性塑料通常会填充钢粉或沙子，来提高耐磨性和机械性能。灌注聚氨酯（PU）是从20世纪70年代开始使用。最近，高性能聚酰胺（PPA）开始被应用。这些热固性塑料因为玻璃纤维和很多填充物提高了耐磨性、机械强度和润滑性。这些模具生产起来比金属的要更快、更便宜。尽管好处诸多，但是高分子复合材料模具比原来的模具材料缺乏强度。此外，因为还不清楚这种材料失败的作用机制，模具仍然是在经验和直觉的基础上设计出来，通常情况下都是采用金属模具的设计规律制造的。所有这些都说明，使用复合材料塑模很大程度上都是受到小批量生产和制造原型零部件的限制。 Audi says that it achieved an energy saving of over 10% through the use of these tools采用复合法但是用“复合材料的方法”制造金属成型工具 — 即在适当的地方使用适当的金属 — 能够产生牵引力，并且结果非常良好。在德国因戈尔施塔特冲压车间，奥迪公司使用了多金属物质结构生产模具，据称要比传统方案在重量上轻20%，稳定性上增加10%。传统的冲压模具词用铸铁，重量会达到45吨。通过选择性使用铸铁、铝和塑料 — 以及增材制造等技术 — 奥迪公司将这些模具的重量能降低到8吨。此外，奥迪公司从根本上改变了设计，提高了模具的稳定性。在冲压上，一个模具能够承受最高2,500吨的压力。压力会随着不断重复塑形和切削加工而加大。为了解决这个问题，传统的模具都是铸铁十字螺纹的形式，这种配置也在板料冲压生产中使用。在奥迪轻量模具中，基础结构中的共性能够产生高水平的稳定性，从而提高了力的传递。有些形状源于自然，模仿树叶或人的骨头。这就能保证刚度，并减少近20%的材料。改进模具效率奥迪公司称，新的模具在加工板材是能够更快，更精确，而且磨损更好。总体来讲，公司称这些模具能够节省10%以上的能源。奥迪公司工具制造部长Michael Breme说：“有了这种轻量复合结构，我们能够在Audi Toolmaking制定新的标准。我们就可以生产更加复杂、更加高效、高质量模具，从而进一步优化我们的制造程序。”"碳纤维非常理想，因为它大力提高了工序效益，降低了偏差、振动，而且轻质" - Toni Roda, ABB Robotics复合材料在钻模生产中的潜力巨大。这种潜力首次体现在北美所使用的碳纤维增强复合材料（CFRP）钻模上，这在10年之前Ford Mustang汽车的阀盖安装上有采用过。该项目主要研究人员，即西华盛顿大学汽车研究学院（VRI）主任Eric Leonhardt说：“在我们制造发动机钻模时，我就意识到英国的另一个应用，即在汽车装配上使用复合材料模具。”在密歇根福拉特洛克的Auto Alliance International（AAL）公司，Ford Mustang团队计划使用一种方型焊接管来支撑阀盖，在安装到汽车上。模具轻量化但是这种钻模重大16.8公斤，单独一名操作员在使用过程中要在8个小时中要举起比正常更高的重量。当然可以采用高架平衡杆来解决这个问题，但是这就需要在装配车间投入大量额外的资金，减缓发动机盖的安装速度 — 因而操作员使用的几率反而减少。针对这个问题，VRI团队开发了一个清凉钻模，综合了预制碳纤维蜂窝芯材的中间区段，有两个机器加工熟铝尾端件连接在每端。最初的基础重量为3公斤。铝的定位特点就用螺栓定在这个结构上，增加钻模的重量，达到约5.4公斤 — 这个重量足以让一名操作员在没有任何帮助的情况下肚子操作。自从2006年已经设备开始，成千上万辆汽车都使用这种高复合材料发动机罩钻模。瑞典公司TETRAFIX已经开发了一种系统，能够使用CFRP管来制造复杂的组合夹具框架。使用框架设计可以减少材料所需数量 — 降低了重量和成本。公司称，制造出来的结构绝对强韧而稳定。少量夹具就很容易移动；公司最重的夹具 — 比如汽车车身 — 重量只有40-60公斤。大部分夹具都比较轻，容易搬动，而大型夹具都安装了轮子 — 就没有必要使用起重机或其他重型起重设备，从而减少了更换时间，这也比传统的金属夹具好得多。减少夹具校订瑞典公司TETRAFIX已经开发了一种系统，能够使用CFRP管来制造复杂的组合夹具框架。使用框架设计可以减少材料所需数量 ...
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ArticleMaking light work
Strong, stiff and light, these properties make composites a compelling proposition for the manufacture of tooling and production aidsIn sheet metal forming, epoxy resin dies were first used in the 1950s. These thermosets were often filled with steel powder or sand to increase their wear resistance and mechanical properties. Filled ...
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ArticleMazda starts production of the MX-5 RF
Japan – The MX-5 RF, featuring a retractable hardtop, is being produced at Ujina Plant No.1 near the company’s global headquarters in Hiroshima. Production began with models for the European and North American markets, where sales will start in early 2017. In Japan, the MX-5 RF will go on sale ...
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Article
Rota de reciclagem para fibra de carbono
O uso de fibra de carbono na fabricação de automóveis está em sua infância, mas com £316m no valor do material enviado para aterro em 2015, é fundamental que a indústria explore mais formas de reciclagem As diretivas de veículos da União Europeia (UE) em fim de vida determinam que ...
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Article
Finanças fortes: novas plataformas para o renascimento de uma empresa
Finanças fortes estão justificando o investimento em novas plataformas para o renascimento de uma empresaEm 2015, a Volvo vendeu um número recorde de 503.000 veículos, um aumento de 8% em seu volume de 2014; ela também relatou um lucro operacional de SEK6.6 bilhões (US$779m), enquanto sua receita cresceu de SEK138n ...
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ArticleAudi Mexico opens supplier park
Mexico – Following the inauguration of its new San José Chiapa production plant, Audi has established a new, 26 hectare JIS (Just-in-Sequence) park next to the facility. So far Faurecia ET, HBPO, Thyssen Krupp Automotive, Truck and Wheel, TI Automotive, Kuehne+Nagel and Syncreon have set up operations there. They will ...
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ArticleJürgen von Hollen named president at Universal Robots
Denmark – Von Hollen was most recently the executive president of the Engineering Solutions Division, which includes the Automation and Controls business of Bilfinger SE, in Mannheim, Germany. There he was responsible for a global staff of nearly 10,000 and annual sales in excess of €1.0 billion. Von Hollen began ...
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ArticleMultistory makeover
An international team made its way to China as Dürr completed a major modernisation project in record timeIn mid-May 2015, Dürr completed a €33m ($36m) conversion project at SAIC General Motors (SAIC-GM), the dimensions of which were exceptional even for the German plant construction company. The project objective was to ...
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ArticleSurface and geometry inspection
Camera-based machine vision systems enable more consistent detection of defects during the surface and contour inspection for components produced from all kinds of materialsIn industries such as automotive manufacturing and the supply sector, final inspections are often done by the naked eye. This brings problems such as fatigue in the ...
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Article
Volvo: nuevas plataformas para una empresa renovada
Los excelentes resultados financieros están justificando la inversión en nuevas plataformas para una empresa renovadaEn 2015, Volvo vendió la cifra récord de 503.000 vehículos, un aumento del 8% sobre 2014; también informó de un beneficio operativo de 6.600 millones de coronas (779 millones de dólares), mientras que sus ingresos crecieron ...