All Article articles – Page 175
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ArticleOn the count of three
GM is rolling out its innovative three-wet process to more of its paintshops – including those in ChinaIt is now four years since General Motors introduced a three-wet painting process to its portfolio of vehicle production technologies. The location in question was the Orion Assembly plant in Michigan and the ...
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ArticleSetting the standard
As Ford expands its powertrain production in China to meet rising local demand, Indy Singh, director of Powertrain, Ford AP manufacturing team, explains how the company is applying its global standards thereAMS: How has the One Ford programme been applied to powertrain manufacturing in China and is it now operating ...
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ArticleSKA using Schuler’s fine levelling machine
Germany – The equipment was installed at the company’s premises in Attendorn in June last year, upstream of a 400-ton press also supplied by Schuler, and has generated increased output and part quality while decreasing energy consumption.“Until the end of the ‘90s, we used levellers with nine rollers as we ...
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ArticleStamp of approval
Chang Tiejun, body area manager at Changan Mazda's Nanjing facility, discusses the challenges of keeping pace with demand, handling changing materials and vehicle architectures, and planning for the futureAMS: Do you have both blanking and stamping operations here at Nanjing?Chang Tiejun (CT): We only have stamping operations at this location; ...
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ArticleLaser-sintered indexable insert drills
MAPAL UK says it has added laser-sintered indexable insert drills with diameters down to 9mm to its QTD drill range. It says it has used laser sintering – a form of 3D printing – in the production of the new drills. This allows a non-circular profile to be used for ...
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ArticleMobile terminal allows real-time changes
Rockwell Automation claims its new Allen-Bradley MobileView tethered operator interface gives plant and industrial personnel the freedom to take a machine’s human-machine interface (HMI) with them to make real-time adjustments to out-of-view applications.This new interface is suitable for maintenance tasks, machine setup or calibration activities, and other HMI applications that ...
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Article3D vision for production line robots
Scorpion Vision says that using technology developed by Tordivel AS of Oslo, its 3D Stinger camera enables production-line robots to distinguish the exact height, depth and sizes of products on a manufacturing line, sending information to the robot to adjust where the picking arm goes accordingly.The company say that its ...
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ArticleSAIC expanding success
Shanghai Auto has no intentions of giving up its position as China’s number one automaker. AMS looks at its manufacturing operations and future plans SAIC Motor Corporation Limited (SAIC), which is owned by the Shanghai municipal government, operates two major passenger car joint ventures: Shanghai Volkswagen (SVW) and Shanghai GM. ...
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ArticleElectrifying Cléon
The R240 now made at the Renault plant in Normandy is the OEM’s first in-house electric motor and represents considerable progress in its electric vehicle programme – and that of its Group partnersRenault’s electric vehicle (EV) programme took another major step forward in March this year when the company began ...
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ArticleInterview: Renault's Mendi Ammad
The director of Cléon Plant and the OEM's powertrain facilties across Europe discusses his challenge of integrating the R240 electric motor into an already expanding operation – and ramping up productionAMS: What is your capacity for the new electric engine plant?MA: It's 50,000 and we can move to 100,000 very ...
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ArticleGKN breaks ground at new Olesnica plant
Poland – The 14,280 sq.m facility is being built next to the company’s existing facility in the south west of the country, which produces constant velocity joints, and will increase the overall footprint of the site by more than 50%. The expansion will boost GKN Poland’s driveshaft production capacity to ...
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ArticleGM brings Flint into 21st century
US – The Michigan assembly plant, the OEM’s oldest in North America, will receive $877m to build a new bodyshop close to the Flint Metal Center, which supplies it with sheet metal and other parts to make Chevrolet and GMC full-size pick-up trucks. The investment will also cover upgrades to ...
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ArticleDaimler-Renault-Nissan – The alliance in action
We conclude our review of Daimler’s partnership with Renault and Nissan with a look at platform and production sharing projects The preceding articles set out the background to and rationale behind the alliance between Daimler and Renault-Nissan. In this article, we look at each of the joint ...
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Article
Produção de motores BBAC
AMS visitou instalações de produção de motores da BBAC em Pequim para a operação de primeira classeAMS: Pequim foi a primeira fábrica da Mercedes fora da Alemanha para automóveis de passageiros. Você está perseguindo uma compilação onde você vende estratégia e grande parte da produção de motor e transmissão é ...
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Article
Volvo vira global
AMS relatórios sobre a forma como a Volvo está expandindo sua presença global de fabricação na China e nos EUAVolvo, uma das marcas suecas mais emblemáticas e conhecidas, é também o último carro da empresa sueca, após a saída de Saab. Agora propriedade da chinesa Geely, a Volvo é, em ...
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ArticleDaimler, Renault-Nissan launch JV at Aguascalientes
Mexico – Under 50:50 ownership and with an investment of $1 billion, the Cooperation Manufacturing Plant Aguascalientes (COMPAS) will produce next-generation, premium compact cars for the Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz brands, from 2017 and 2018 respectively. A new plant will be built near to Nissan Aguascalientes A2, with an initial annual ...
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ArticleEngle lands EVP and president role at GM
South America – The current CEO of Agility Fuel Systems will join the vehicle-maker in September to replace Jaime Ardilla as GM’s executive vice-president (EVP) and president of South America. Ardilla will retire after serving the company for nearly three decades.In his new role, Engle will oversee the OEM’s operations ...
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Article
Volvo se globaliza
AMS informa sobre cómo Volvo está expandiendo su producción global en China y EEUU Volvo, es una de las marcas suecas más conocidas y representativas, también es la última marca de automóviles sueca, después de la caída de Saab. Ahora pertenece al fabricante chino Geely. Volvo es un fabricante pequeño ...
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Article
Producción de motores de BBAC
AMS visitó la fábrica de motores de BBAC en Beijing para ver su proyecto vanguardista Mercedes dio un gran paso en 2013 al abrir su primera fábrica de motores de automóviles vehículos fuera de Alemania. Nick Holt entrevistó a Frank Proksch, administrador sénior del mecanizado de culatas, para conocer sus ...
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Article北京奔驰汽车公司的发动机生产
2013年梅赛德斯公司在德国以外开设了第一家乘用车发动机生产厂，迈出了历史性的一步。Nick Holt采访了气缸盖制造部高级经理Frank Proksch，了解更多有关制造厂高质量现状。AMS：北京是梅赛德斯在德国以外的第一家乘用车发动机厂，公司是不是在遵循在出售地生产战略，以及会出口多少发动机呢？Frank Proksch(FP)：我们的战略是“在中国制造，为中国制造”，因此我们在这里制造的发动机是为这里生产的梅赛德斯汽车制造厂供应的，但是我们开始把在中国生产的核心组件出口到欧洲。这些组件有气缸盖、气缸体和机轴，但是还没有出口发动机整机。而且，目前我们还没有这个打算。Frank Proksch, senior manager cylinder head machining, BBAC Engine Plant我们一直是全球制造网络中的一部分，而且我们对这里组件生产具有很高的自信。我们利用梅赛德斯动力系统生产网络来平衡全球产量，因此我们将这些零部件供应到高需求、低产量地区。然而，这里的生产主要是为了满足中国本地的需求。AMS：公司目前在中国生产四缸和六缸发动机，近期会增加新的发动机吗？FP：现在我们的重点是四缸和六缸发动机，但是我们的生产具有很高的灵活性，因此，如果有需要，生产其他发动机非常容易。AMS：北京工厂的发动机产量每年达到250,000辆。能说说生产线和结构和灵活性啊？FP：每年的产量为250,000辆，足以满足汽车厂的需求。生产线计划产量很高，是为了以后乘用车配备发动机。有了机械加工厂，我们就可以增加额外的加工中心，因此也就可以减少运行循环时间，增加产量。目前，我们的加工中心实行两班制，装配区域也实行两班制。当然，这些都可以根据市场需要灵活海边。All engines produced at the BBAC plant are cold-testedAMS：北京的发动机厂相对比较新。在技术、生产等方面与德国梅赛德斯发动机厂相比怎么样？FP：我们这里拥有最尖端的设备和工艺，与德国的毫无二致。唯一的区别在于，装配厂的自动化水平稍低一些，但是加工部的自动化水平是一致的。主要质量相关工艺与德国的水准一样高，而且都是自动化。这里的自动化用于提高质量，而非提高产量。AMS：中国目前的生产还有什么挑战吗？FP：我们在这里面临的挑战与梅赛德斯在全球网络中的差不多，除了中国发展速度，这就是最大的挑战 — 但同时也是机遇。在人力招募和资格方面，我们已经提高了人力规模，速度比其他地方都快。我们在人力培训和资历方面投入了大量的精力，保证质量。当我们刚刚建设工厂的时候，我们在中国没有机械制造专家，因此从招聘上讲，我们是从零开始。为了发展技术，我们在中国员工中选了最优秀的120名，然后送到德国进行培训，提高核心竞争力。因此，我们为制造生产线培养了团队领导、质量维护工程师。我们定义了所有的特殊功能，这是我们工厂运作的支柱，而且我们让中国的同事与德国工程师在现有的生产环境中进行培训。他们回到北京之后的价值是其他所有员工的好几倍 — 这到目前为止非常成功。北京奔驰除了与地方职业学校有联系之外，我们还从戴姆勒工厂请来德国专家，近距离培训中国职业学校的教师，传授技能。学生们在学院学习两三年之后，就会到工厂里进行专业培训，培养他们的技能和竞争力，直到他们能独立在机械生产线作业。投资人力对我们的机械制造领域非常重要，因为技能水平需要比其他普通的装配线要高得多。AMS：你们在这里是否对员工进行持续性培养计划？FP：我们在这里实施标准梅赛德斯生产系统（MPS）。这要从简单的事情开始，比如整理工作区域，与车间生产管理一同进步，还要进行标准化工作测试和持续改进程序。这就需要每个团队在一天里集合好几次，讨论前一天和当前的产量、质量或安全问题，然后决定如何行动。这就是保证我们改进工艺的持续性程序。AMS：你们对生产线的不同部门是否进行轮换？FP：是的，这在装配区要容易一些，因为大部门功能的培训时间都很短。每个团队成员都要学习掌握所有的操作技术，然后再转移到下一站进行学习并操作。这就意味着，团队成员能在不同的工作岗位工作，提高了我们员工的灵活性和工作范围。发动机生产 While 3C machining operations and assembly are performed on the four-cylinder engines, the M276 is assembly and test only进入BBAC发动机厂的转配大厅，平静的表象掩盖了紧张的工作现状。在U型生长线上面，较低的天棚遮住了不同工作站之间不断转移的发动机，测试区域100%实施冷试验。热测试只是对一部分发动机进行，体现这里对其质量的信心。公司四缸汽油发动机的同系和同款变体都是在这里生产，而且还包括六缸M276发动机。虽然3C机械操作和装配都使用四缸发动机，但是M276是用于装配和测试。引进的零部件是从装配生产线右侧的物流“超市”送递过来的。核心组件（气缸体、气缸盖、机轴）是从加工区向生产线进给的。所有的质量控制流程和标准都与德国梅赛德斯-奔驰发动机工厂一致。质量为中心的流程另一个特点就是最少使用工具。每个员工在每个阶段都有少量的操作任务。这是为了在装配过程中减少犯错误的几率。机械加工区域有3条独立的生产线，分别用于加工气缸体、气缸盖和机轴。每个零部件都要经历多种加工、检测和清洗过程，要100%符合生产质量检测。3条生产线的作业要平行进行，以提高灵活性，并降低停机时间。每个零部件都装有一个转调器或DMC代码，里面含有所有所需机械代码。在每个生产流程中都对这些组件进行密切监控，并产生每个组件的“简历”，里面记录了所进行的操作、地点、时间，实现完全追踪。