All Article articles – Page 179
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ArticleGM: Chasing Chinese capacity
Phil Kienle, vice-president of Manufacturing for GM International Operations (GMIO and GM China) discusses the production challenges of meeting rising demand in ChinaAMS: How has GM standardised its manufacturing operations globally and is China now operating at a level comparable with GM’s other high-volume production regions?Phil Kienle (PK): When you ...
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Article- 产量攻坚战
SGM正在极力提高产量以满足中国汽车市场的需求。Nick Holt在中国上海通用总部采访了总裁Phil Kienle，听听他来谈论如何提高产量，如何满足中国日益增加的需求 AMS: 通用汽车是如何统一全球制造的标准，中国的水平是否与其他高产量地区相当呢？Phil Kienle (PK): 当我们在SGM从设备角度谈论的时候，基本与通用的车身、喷漆、装配、动力等技术是一致的。SGMW稍有不同的是，拥有更高的价值标准，跟着过程清单走，但是迷你商用车的设备都是独一无二的。但是，这些技术将要进入乘用车的制造商，而且还会采用更多的技术。 从运作角度上看，我们所有的工厂基本上都相同。所有的工厂都采用全球制造系统（GMS），拥有5个支柱。因此在操作系统上，你会看到所有的工厂都是一样的。 公司在全球网络上的预期是一样的，而且我们在内部和外部上不断设立目标。我们在中国的地理位置非常好，虽然不比有些地区，但是比在美国和欧洲的要好。当我们考虑每小时的效率，每辆车的生产时间，生产成本，中国的工厂在全球都是最好的。 Phil Kienle vice president of Manufacturing for GM International Operations (GMIO and GM China) AMS：和美国和欧洲的工厂相比，通用在中国的制造中学到了什么，又开发了什么了呢？PK: 我们在中国生产的时间有20年，但是在美国和欧洲制造汽车的时间更长。因此，我们在这里的开始制造的时间相对短，但是我们循环的周期却不可思议。 当我们环顾在中国新建的工厂，我们发现在这里拥有过更多采用新技术的机会。这里是个一片新大陆，可以尽情采用新的东西。这是与美国和欧洲不同的地方，因为在这两个地方，现在主要忙于缩减产量。 我们在这里尝试开发许多新的喷漆技术，比如三浸式技术、干洗式等等。这些技术现在也都被美国和欧洲的工厂采用。因此，许多制造工程新技术都是在这里开始的，然后传播到其他各地的工厂。 AMS: 你们计划如何应付需求波动的？PK: 如果量化的话，去年中国市场共吸收了大约2,400万辆，今年我们通用中国打算生产400万辆。如果对明年的市场增长进行保守估计的话也会达到7%，那样我们会增加生产300,000辆；这个数据相当于一个工厂的产量。这就意味着，我们每年需要建设一个工厂才能跟上市场需求。 现在，我们处在这样一个艰难的处境，在快速生产的同时还要避免过度生产。市场的分段越来越多，车型也越来越多，因此我们工厂要在三个方面进行调节，其中之首就是工具的灵活性。工具加工应该能够生产多种模型，避免出现专用工具现象。第二个灵活性是设备 — 我们要在不同的地方生产相同的车型，这样就可以在进给需要提高产量时，可以随时满足需求。 第三个方面就是人力。我们花费很多时间和经理培训我们的员工，但是我们还有一些合约员工。在不可预见的情况下，会放弃一些合约员工，但是会保留核心技术员工。 “我们在中国的地理位置非常好，虽然不比有些地区，但是比在美国和欧洲的要好” – Phil Kienle, GM China ...
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ArticleInline cleaning system for machined precision parts
QuattroClean from ACI AG is an inline, fully automated cleaning cell that the company says provides a needs-oriented cleaning step directly between the machining process and measurement step. The system can be integrated into a fully automated production line or used as a stand-alone device, claims the company.Fitted with a ...
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ArticleSpecific lubricants to prevent unwanted vehicle noises
Klüber Lubrication offers a kit of 14 damping lubricants that match the individual requirements of its customers. These speciality lubricants reduce noises generated by vibration and friction as well as the creaking and squeaking of ventilation valves, sun visors, window lifters and other components, claims the company.The company says these ...
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ArticleIndividual solutions for cutting tool production
The Kyocera Unimerco Group says it will offer its customers a special service: Production of custom indexable inserts and tool holders, which it claims offer precise solutions for customers’ individual requirements.The company says it can also individually adapt the cutting edge, giving it a special profile for the respective application, ...
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ArticleGM pours $245m into Orion factory
US – The investment will support a new vehicle programme described by the OEM as “unlike any in the plant’s 32-year history”. The facility in Michigan has received $962m since it reopened in 2010 after being idled. GM did not give details, except to say that 300 personnel will be ...
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ArticleAluminium's arrived
Lionel Chapis and Andreas Afseth, respectively Constellium's MD and R&D market manager for Automotive, explain how the lightweight alternative to steel is now fulfilling its potential – and not only in the USIt is an exciting time to be supplying aluminium to the automotive industry, according to Lionel Chapis, Constellium’s ...
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ArticleVW, Gestamp expand at Chattanooga
US – The further collaboration will involve an extension of Gestamp’s existing plant at Chattanooga and the construction of a stamping facility in Enterprise South for the production of Class-A parts including external metal skin for Volkswagen’s upcoming midsize SUV. The development will add 510 jobs at the site in ...
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ArticleLand Rover Defender hits 2m units
UK – The milestone vehicle, featuring unique design details, rolled off the line at the Jaguar Land Rover factory in Solihull. It will be sold at a charity auction in December, when the model will enter its final days of production.On its aluminium fender, the ‘Defender 2,000,000’ vehicle has an ...
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ArticleMercedes Buenos Aires to make Vito
Argentina – The midsize van will join the production line-up at the end of June and be made in several variants: panel van, Mixto and Tourer. Available in both rear-wheel or front-wheel drive, the vehicle will be powered by a diesel engine for the panel van and Mixto, and both ...
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ArticlePSA unveils plans for Moroccan factory
Morocco – With operations scheduled to begin in 2019, the new facility at Ameur Seflia, Kenitra, will form part of a broader strategy to provide capacity for the African and Middle-Eastern markets, where the OEM expects production volume to reach 8m vehicles by 2025.Costing €557m ($633m), PSA’s Morocco project will ...
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ArticleDodge Viper introduces metallic-matte finish
US – Beginning with the 2016 model, the brand will offer matte finishes in a range of hues, making the Viper available in more than 50m configurations, including over 16,000 colour and 48,000 stripe options.“The Anodized Carbon Viper was the first-ever use of this unique metallic-matte exterior colour by FCA ...
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ArticlePorsche takes over Kuka’s tool-making division
Germany – With locations in Schwarzenberg, Germany, and Dubnica, Slovakia, and a workforce of 600 individuals, the business will become a wholly owned subsidiary of the sports car manufacturer. Kuka Systems will soon be turned into ‘Porsche Werkzeugbau’, subject to approval under anti-trust law.“By taking over the tool-making division, Porsche ...
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ArticlePorsche ends 918 Spyder production
Germany – The final vehicle rolled off the assembly line at Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen according to schedule, says Porsche, after a production run of 21 months. The hybrid sports car has now reached its limited edition of 918 units.Production development began in 2010, after the go-ahead from Porsche’s supervisory board, and the ...
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ArticleThe overcapacity conundrum
The Automotive News Europe Congress in Birmingham, UK, this month brought together top-level industry executives to discuss manufacturing strategy in the region, and indeed other parts of the world. New Aston CEO, Andy Palmer, intimated strongly that the DBX crossover, which will draw heavily on Mercedes technology, might be made ...
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ArticleKonecranes supplies lifting systems to JLR
UK – The company has installed a range of hoist and crane lifting solutions at the OEM’s new Engine Manufacturing Centre (EMC) at Wolverhampton. Konecranes will also conduct on-site planned service and maintenance using its 40-strong technical team, based within 20 miles of the facility.Konecranes has supplied 150 systems with ...
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ArticleNissan Sunderland to install new press
UK – At a cost of £37m, the plant will be extended to accommodate a new, extra-large press line. Scheduled to become operational in 2017, the 2,500-tonne press will support production of the Qashqai and Juke crossovers, the Note and the all-electric Leaf. It will also make panels for the ...
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ArticleDaimler opens new Latin American plant
Colombia – The $2m factory at Funza, near Bogotá, covers 11,000 sq.m and has the capacity to make 4,000 units per year, supplementing the output of the company’s existing assembly facility in Bogotá, which launched in 2012. The new development will create around 220 jobs.The Funza plant will assemble vehicles ...
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Article
Grande salto à frente
Graças à sua marca Haval SUV, Great Wall Motor está experimentando níveis de produção recorde A taxa de crescimento do mercado pode estar a abrandando, mas Great Wall Motors (GWM) dará força ao seu país de origem. A decisão tomada há cinco anos para usar recursos para a marca Hover ...
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Article
Utilizado ferramentas para produção de peças
As mais recentes inovações de ferramenta de corte são mais capazes de enfrentar a complexidade ao processar o desgaste pesadoDesgaste de ferramenta é, sem dúvida, uma das maiores ameaças para a produção de componentes automotivos. Com isso em mente, uma prática conhecida em oficinas automotivas de peças é mudar ferramentas ...