All Article articles – Page 139
-
ArticleVoith prepares to open wheel/tyre plant
UK – The facility in Coventry will be inaugurated in September, replacing a 30-year-old operation nearby. The new factory is intended to supply premium brands such as Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) as well as high-volume manufacturers such Vauxhall.“Our new plant covering 150,000sq.ft is over 50% bigger, and the investment in ...
-
ArticleFord makes major leadership changes
US – The appointments in the OEM’s China, India, Global Strategy and Finance teams are aimed at enhancing the reporting of its Chinese operations and expanding its business model “to be both an auto and mobility company”, according to a statement released today.“As our growth plans in China have developed, ...
-
Article
- 钢铁在行动
通过生产更强更万能的材料，钢铁制造商帮助汽车制造商达到事半功倍的效果。钢铁业正在急速革新 — 确实也需要这样。在汽车制造业不断追寻轻质材料的当下，钢铁业长期以来的主导地位也是岌岌可危。为了应对全球各个地区不断严格的排放标准，以及燃油效率规定，所有的OEM制造商都在估量轻质材料，比如铝，碳纤维增强塑料（CFRP），以减少汽车的结构重量。这些材料一定要坚固，才能在撞车事故中保护乘客，而且还要便宜，才能批量生产。有些OEM制造商已经跃跃欲试了。2014年，福特公司在畅销的F-150汽车的车身制造上采用了铝，而不是钢材。2015年。宝马公司在7 Series轿车的空间构架上采用了CFRP材料。为此，钢材制造商大力投资，生产更强更柔软的钢材，让汽车制造商使事半功倍。 In 2015, BMW started using CFRP for its 7 Series spaceframe全球汽车公司ArcelorMittal的执行副总裁，Brian Aranha说：“福特的举动让我们有些吃惊。然是，钢材对汽车制造业的影响仍然是无法撼动的。在未来的十年里，钢材仍然不会输给铝。关键是，钢材目前还是比铝和CFRP拥有更多的优势：就是更便宜。”他接着说：“我们的钢材方案能够减少成本，也能减少重量。即便是在高成本领域，目前的价格也是在每公斤1.5欧元（约合1.7美元）以下。相反，采用铝的话，在重量上每节省一公斤，根据印工，成本要增加3欧元到15欧元。”正因为如此，每辆车上，钢材的重量仍然有60%，而OEM制造商也通过采用他们的产品，成功减轻了车重。这一点已经在2016年1月举行的北美国际汽车展上得到验证，在媒体与行业回顾周里，展露45款新车和概念车。AHSS主导市场ArcelorMittal北美公司间全球汽车部门的首席市场官Brad Davey说：“如果你看看展示厅，就会看到一辆新车接着一辆，占据主导的材料是先进高强钢（AHSS）。”举例来说，2016年款Honda Civic — 北美汽车年 — 的车身就含有59%的高强钢，和14%的超高强钢。之前的车型中，这两种材料的比率为55%和1%。新款汽车的体积大了，更兼顾了，但重量却减少了31公斤。采用这种刚才的新车有：雪佛兰的Camaro, Malibu 和Cruz; Chrysler Town & Country; 日产公司Murano, Maxima和Titan; GMC Acadia; 4款梅赛德斯 – M, GL, C和 GLE; Lexus RX350; BMW’s X3, 4, 5和6 系列。"在未来的10年里，钢材不会输给像铝这样的材料的" – Brian Aranha, ArcelorMittal采用钢材的汽车仍然占据2016年度汽车奖项的主导。胜出的是新款Opel Astra，比老款汽车轻了200公斤。在白车身和构架上大量采用AHSS，就能减重20%（77公斤）。另外50公斤减重来自底盘采用了高强钢和UHSS。此外，UHSS及轻质聚氨酯泡沫，减少了Astra前座椅和后座椅10%的重量。2016年Car ...
-
ArticleSteel’s in motion
By producing stronger and more versatile materials, steel-makers are helping OEMs to do more with lessThe steel industry is innovating at a furious pace – and it needs to. Its long-standing dominance in the automotive industry is coming under threat from a variety of lightweight alternatives. In response to increasingly ...
-
ArticleCPT appoints Hayter to commercial role
UK – In the newly created position of chief commercial officer, Dennis Hayter will be responsible for commercial activities and customer relationships at Controlled Power Technologies (CPT), both at its Coventry operation in the UK and at subsidiaries in Germany and the US. He will be based at the company’s ...
-
ArticleSika expands adhesives capacity at Grandview
US – The company has commissioned mixing equipment and associated bulk packaging capabilities at its plant in Missouri, enabling the local production of SikaPower products which are used in vehicle assembly. The move is in line with Sika’s ‘Global Reach with Local Presence’ strategy.“The expanded capability enables further supply of ...
-
ArticleNissan adds solar farm at Sunderland
UK – Made of up 19,000 photovoltaic panels, the new 4.75MW array is now fully operational. The solar farm has been installed alongside ten wind turbines which already generate 6.6MW of power, bringing the total output of renewable energy to 11.35MW – equating to 7% of the plant’s electricity requirements, ...
-
Article
Problemas de airbag
Com o crescimento do mercado inflado e tecnologia defeituosa em conjunto, a produção de airbag está experimentando oportunidades e problemas em igual medida.O setor de airbag, infelizmente, é provavelmente mais conhecido no presente por seus problemas de recolhimento, especialmente aqueles que envolvem o fornecedor japonês Takata. Enquanto a Takata tem ...
-
Article
Alunos d Fundição
Investigação acadêmica em técnicas de fundição está ajudando OEMs e fornecedores a preencher uma lacuna no conhecimento. Quase todas as peças de metal usadas na fabricação de um automóvel terão passado por um processo de fundição em algum ponto previamente - seja através de uma técnica tal como a areia ...
-
ArticleDriving customer performance
In business since 1973, noted cutting room authority Lectra has established an industry-leading position by helping customers to achieve operational excellence through a unique combination of expertise, advanced technologies and best-in-class services.As the privileged partner to a broad portfolio of premier businesses, Lectra provides integrated cutting room solutions for the ...
-
ArticleMazda3 reaches 5m milestone
Japan – The cumulative total was reached in April, 12 years and ten months after the production launch of the first generation – a new record for the OEM. Known as the Axela in Japan, the model is Mazda's second to reach the 5m mark, after the Familia.The Mazda3 is ...
-
Article
Problemas y oportunidades en el mercado de airbags
Dado el crecimiento acelerado del mercado y cierta tecnología defectuosa, la producción de airbags está experimentando una igual medida de oportunidades y problemasEl sector de los airbags es por desgracia, probablemente el más conocido en la actualidad en lo referente a sus problemas de retirada de producto, especialmente en lo ...
-
Article
Investigación en la fundición
La investigación académica en la fundición está ayudando a los fabricantes y proveedores a cubrir la brecha de conocimientosCasi todas las piezas de metal utilizadas en la fabricación de un automóvil han pasado por un proceso de fundición en algún momento previo, ya sea para darles forma mediante una técnica ...
-
ArticleHonda production rises overseas
Japan – The OEM reported record output in April, with 352,161 units made outside Japan and a worldwide total of 403,742, representing an increase of 7.7% and 6.5% respectively compared with the same month last year. However, production within Japan dropped by 0.7% to 51,581, the first decrease since December ...
-
Article
Cast learners
Academic research into casting is helping OEMs and suppliers bridge a knowledge gap Almost every piece of metal used in the manufacture of an automobile will have gone through a casting process at some point previously – whether to shape through a technique such as sand-casting or simply as a ...
-
Article
- 气囊附件
随着市场的发展和瑕疵检测技术的进步，气囊生产正在经历着同等的机遇和问题气囊不幸成为目前召回问题最严重的原因，尤其是日本Takata事件。到目前为止，Takata是瑕疵气囊交付最为严重的案例，尤其是气囊充气问题，但是这并不是唯一的。这个部门在近年来出现了显著整张，尤其是在成熟市场。在司机、乘客气囊是每辆新车的必备，有些新车和轻型车里有8个以上的气囊。因为有了更多的应用，车辆发展就如以下所谈。市场的供应链机器复杂，而居于顶端的便是气囊模块供应商，其中最大的三家全球供应商是— Autoliv, ZF TRW 和Takata — 还有很多小型供应商，比如日本的Nihon Plast， 美国的中国企业KSS。一个气囊模块包括很多部分，气筒、电控，以及气囊本身。复杂的供应链绵延几个大洲，涉及多个供应商。 Driver, passenger and side airbags are standard fit items in developed markets虽然主要气囊公司理论上都是垂直一体化，将所有的零部件安进气囊模块当中，但是他们还没有足够的能力完成。因此，他们要依靠次级供应商的网络，以及自己的组件工厂。此外，还有数量巨大的跨供应零部件，尤其是气筒和电控。而通常来讲，Autoliv气囊配上Takata启动，以及一个其他供应商的电控，就是最常见的做法。这种分散的供应链可定会造成气筒召回危机；将所有可能存在问题的气筒安装到汽车上，这个过程其实很慢很困难。Takata的特殊问题在于使用硝酸铵推进无；这种化学物质如果暴露在湿热环境中，就会降解，而且一旦发生这种情况就会导致气囊爆炸，使金属盒破损，从而导致气囊配置失误。Takata努力将硝酸铵替换成硝酸胍，TRW和Autoliv已经使用这种物质多年，没有出现问题。然而，越来越多的车意识到气筒的问题。这个问题太严重了，以至于公司无法独自处理：而且需要从新设计气筒，使用不同的推进物。Takta不得不接受其竞争对手，尤其是Autoliv和TRW，以及气筒专家Daicel的产品，替换原来的气筒；事实上，90%的人们要求将气筒换成Takata公司以外的产品。复杂的供应链关于气囊是如何工作的，主要通过以下几个阶段： 气囊纤维由纺织品专家提供，比如Toray, Asahi, Global Safety Textiles, Toyota Boshoku 和Teijin，运到涂布车间。硅酮涂层布料可以与人的脸部直接接触；涂层的设计有利于气囊里的空气冷却（空气在调整是温度上升很快），同时也能组织碎片穿进气囊里。 涂层（脚部和膝盖部位的气囊不需要）完成之后，布料就会经过建材和缝纫，通常在低成本地区完成；很多欧洲使用的气囊都是在罗马尼亚、乌克兰、摩尔多瓦和摩洛哥等地完成建材和缝纫的。比如TRW罗马尼亚公司，在罗马进行建材和缝纫操作。公司计划到2018年多制造1,200万个气囊。到2017年，工厂的员工数量会达到1,000人，与罗马尼亚其他的ZF TRW工厂合作，制造压铸件、小型泡沫零部件，并装配气囊和方向盘外套。 完成建材和缝纫之后，材料被送到气囊装配厂，折叠，然后与其他气囊模块组件（也就是点火器、气筒和电控）一起放到盒子里。成本模块被送到汽车工厂的装配线，或者送到一级供应商那里装进其他的组件里；比如说，侧面气囊被放到做一粒，而前部气囊会装到仪表盘里。司机气囊被安装到启动轮盘里，多数情况是这样，但不总是安装到启动轮盘里。 From the cut and sew operation, the material is taken to the assembly plant and housed with units ...
-
ArticleAirbag anxieties
Inflated market growth and faulty technology mean both problems and opportunities for airbag productionThe airbag sector is unfortunately probably best known at present for its recall problems, especially those involving the Japanese supplier Takata. While Takata has been by far the worst offender in delivering faulty airbags, or more particularly ...
-
ArticleJapan shifts toward consolidation
Toyota will complete its takeover of Daihatsu later this year and already effectively controls Subaru. Since 2015, it has also had a wide-ranging technical alliance with Mazda, although without any capital involvement on either side.Full control of Subaru and Mazda by the largest Japanese car company may well transpire before ...
-
ArticleFCA Jefferson North makes 6m vehicles
US – The milestone unit at the Detroit, Michigan, assembly plant was a 75th edition 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee, powered by a 3.6-litre Pentastar V-6 engine. The vehicle was due for delivery to a local customer.“Reaching this milestone is a reflection of this plant’s commitment to supporting the continued growth ...
-
ArticleNew cutting fluid technology
Hysol SL 35 XBB and Alusol SL 51 XBB provide tangible benefits without the associated compromises, claims Castrol. The company says this new cutting fluid technology maintains constant pH levels (9-9.5) and stable conditions for longer than standard cutting fluids and that this reduces the need to add treatment additives ...