All Article articles – Page 214
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ArticleNext-generation real-time monitoring
Cognex Explorer RTM is a barcode reader, performance-monitoring system that features scalable architecture, a web-based performance statistics interface, and Cognex’s vision technology. The company says this system provides facility managers with data that removes system defects and optimises processes.This is a server-based product that connects to a network of DataMan ...
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ArticleJLR releases E-Type production details
UK – The six vehicles from Jaguar Heritage, which operates within the OEM’s Special Operations division, will be built in a new facility at Browns Lane, using a mixture of traditional handcraftsmanship and computerised technology. A prototype, Car Zero, has already been completed and will be revealed at the Pebble ...
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ArticleMercedes-Benz introduces high-tech steel pistons
Germany – Replacing conventional aluminium pistons, the new components will feature in the V6 diesel engine of the E350 BlueTEC passenger car. According to the OEM, this will result in improved engine efficiency, reducing fuel consumption and emissions.Mercedes-Benz says that, while steel pistons are commonly found in commercial vehicle (CV) ...
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ArticleVolvo builds first vehicle on SPA
Sweden – The Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) has been developed by the OEM in-house over the past four years as a mainstay of its $11 billion transformation plan. Following its debut with the XC90, the modular chassis technology will be rolled out across the Volvo product range.According to the OEM, ...
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ArticleDerways assembles first Chery vehicles
Russia – The Bonus 3 and Tiggo 5 were unveiled at the World Trade Centre in Moscow to celebrate the beginning of a local assembly project between the two companies, plus the national launch of the models.Since entering the Russian market in 2005, Chery has sold over 180,000 units in ...
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Article
Ebola halts ArcelorMittal production
Liberia – The outbreak of the virus in West Africa has led to a declaration of force majeure by contractors working on a Phase Two expansion project at Yekepa and Buchanan. The employees are being moved out of the country.ArcelorMittal currently mines and ships 5m tonnes of iron ore per ...
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ArticleLexus Miyata begins new NX production
Japan – The brand says it has already taken 6,500 orders for the crossover vehicle in its domestic market, and 350 from the UK. Deliveries will commence in October.The Miyata plant has responsibility for finished vehicle manufacturing but the new Lexus has also boosted production at the nearby Kanda engine ...
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ArticleManualmente em Modena
Conforme os volumes de Maserati aumentam, sua antiga fábrica no norte da Itália ainda está usando os meios tradicionais de fazer carros modernosA fábrica da Maserati em Modena, norte da Itália, é uma das mais antigas do país e uma das mais tradicionais em termos de montagem; e, no entanto, ...
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ArticleEntrevista: Sowade e Marques, VW
Diretor da fábrica, Frank Sowade e Almir Marques, planejamento de fábrica, infraestrutura e gestão ambiental, discutem o desenvolvimento contínuo da fábrica pioneira da VW no paísP: Anchieta foi a primeira fábrica da Volkswagen fora da Alemanha, fundada em 1959. Isto quer dizer que naquela época VW já tinha reconhecido o ...
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ArticleHecho a mano en Módena
Aumentan las ventas de Maserati y su antigua planta en el norte de Italia utiliza todavía medios tradicionales para fabricar coches modernosLa fábrica de Maserati en Módena, al norte de Italia, es una de las más antiguas del país y una de las más tradicionales en lo que respecta al ...
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ArticleEntrevista: Sowade y Marques, VW Brasil
El director de planta Frank Sowade y Almir Marques, gestor de medio ambiente, infraestructuras y planificación de fábrica, discuten sobre el desarrollo continuado de la planta pionera de VW en el paísJP: Anchieta fue la primera planta de Volkswagen fuera de Alemania, se estableció en 1959. ¿Significa que VW reconoció ...
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ArticleScanner for measurement of complex profiles
Werth Messtechnik has presented its new FlatScope scanner, designed for inspection of flat workpieces and extrusion profiles in a production environment. The company says the main area of application is in the measurement of complex profiles (e.g. rubber, plastic, or aluminium profiles) as well as stamped parts, laser cut profiles, ...
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ArticleVertical turning machine for volume gearbox production
EMAG claims its VT 4-4 vertical turning machine offers high efficiency levels in large volume gearbox production and is capable of machining components with a maximum length of 1,050mm and a maximum diameter of 200mm.The company says machining is carried out in 4 axes at a maximum speed of 4,500rpm. ...
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ArticleNon-destructive testing of composites
The Omniscan MX2 Phased Array ultrasonic flaw detector has been added to the Ashtead Technology rental fleet of advanced NDT instruments. The company claims that the MX2 can be combined with other components to form a complete inspection system. For example, phased array probes, scanners, analysis software, and other accessories ...
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Article
MCS and Tsubaki form equipment supply JV
India – Mahindra Conveyor Systems (MCS) of the Mahindra Group and Tsubaki Group have an existing tie-up to share technical knowledge, but MCS will now be renamed as Mahindra Tsubaki Conveyor Systems after Tsubaki gained a majority (51%) holding. The move should enable Tsubaki to enter into new markets in ...
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ArticleLast current-generation Vivaro built
UK – Unit number 957,107 made at the Luton plant will be housed in the Heritage Centre at Vauxhall’s nearby Griffin House headquarters. Of the nearly 1m Vivaros built since 2001, 44,000 were made in 2013. Over half the production has been exported to European markets.Having secured a £185m contract, ...
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ArticleMacht speeds away from VW
Germany – The member of the board of management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft with responsibility for Group Production today stepped down from his post by mutual agreement with the supervisory board. Michael Macht will be replaced temporarily by Thomas Ulbrich, board of management member for Production at Volkswagen Passenger Cars.“Michael Macht ...
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ArticleSouth Africa parts makers facing supply problem
Following weeks of strike action by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), which has hit the automotive parts industry in South Africa, component makers are now faced with two months before they rebuild their pipeline of parts, according to Ken Manners, vice president of the National Association ...
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ArticleManmade in Modena
As Maserati volumes grow, its old plant in north Italy is still using traditional means to make modern carsMaserati’s factory at Modena, northern Italy, is one of the oldest in the country and one of the most traditional in terms of its assembly; and yet it is also home to ...
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Article- 摩德纳的手工制造
随着马萨拉蒂产量的增加，意大利北部的老工厂还在沿用传统的方法制造现代汽车马萨拉蒂在意大利北部摩德纳的工厂是该国最古老、最传统的装配厂之一；而且它也是当今最高技术汽车的来源。 这个工厂自1939年起开始制造汽车，那时的马萨拉蒂品牌刚刚迈出远离曾经遵循的阿道夫奥希尔种族主义的第一步。 尽管存在严重的金融危机，但是公司一直在坚持。自2007年起，公司成功组装了GranTurismo和GranCabrio四座运动旅行车，合并销售约35,000辆汽车。去年公司从摩德纳运来4,700辆汽车，与前年的差不多，这是在其生命的尽头最为灿烂的记录。 2007至2010年之间，工厂还为菲亚特集团生产GranTurismo为底架的8C超级跑车，与Alfa Romeo出于同一个生产线。由于这种关系，Alfa Romeo建立的第二个生产线，用于生产用油碳纤维缸的轻型4C跑车。 老马萨拉蒂的车身是由著名的‘carrozzerie’或者叫车身制造工人制造，在摩德纳以外进行，所以今天的工厂是纯粹的组装点。而这里具有很高程度的人工制造；机器人用来粘合挡风玻璃，这就完了。GranTurismo生产部经理Giuseppe di Coste解释说，“马萨拉蒂一直是手工制造的；工厂就是以这种工艺闻名于世。” 挑战碳纤维4C跑车也是同样。汽车的核心就是重量只有65公斤的碳纤维缸，这是由意大利南部的Adler集团制造的。这种车型的年产量在3,000左右，是轻质材料高产量汽车的代表—使用这种材质也有一些难题。据di Coste说，总产量受到缸体生产的限制。他告诉AMS说，“底架是最大的瓶颈之一。” 碳纤维复合材料是由所谓的‘预浸渍纸绝缘’材质构成，在英国的诺丁汉由荷兰材料专家TenCate制造。TenCate在今年早些时候的一次声明中称，这种复合材质的生产很有可能要搬到离Adler工厂近一些的地方，这样会省时省钱。这种材质需要保持低温，并且避免早期固化。Alfa承认说，高压脱泡机的短缺是限制目前供应的主要原因。 马萨拉蒂GranTurismo和GranCabrio车身是在都灵的菲亚特集团制造，然后送去喷漆，或者在法拉利的附近，或者在喷漆与维修专家Carrozzerie Nuova公司进行非标准颜色处理。法拉利公司也制造马萨拉蒂V8的发动机。马萨拉蒂可能不会在摩德纳制造什么东西，但是di Coste说，GranTurismo和GranCabrio汽车的80%都是在意大利生产的。在喷漆之后，车身就送到摩德纳进行装配。 “马萨拉蒂一直是手工制造的；工厂就是以这种工艺闻名于世。”——马萨拉蒂公司Giuseppe di Coste 在摩德纳，Alfa 4C首先来到“美体区域”，由10人组成的一队人员会手工将前后部位的底盘配件固定到碳缸里。在安装了窗框和顶棚之后，工人们就会将按上保险杠和侧翼，这是由‘PUR-RIM’的塑料制成的。 之后，汽车就会送到一个特殊的屋内，经过400个点的测试，保证在此期间没有东西被转移。车辆离开工厂送去喷漆，然后在回来按上发动机罩、门、以及一些结构零件，比如后部底盘构架再次被拿下来，以便处理起来更加方便；这绝对不能算是成本效益高的工艺。 最后的装配车身最后通过一个旋梭系统被送到装配线上。在这里安装动力传动系统、驾驶舱和电气系统；仪表盘是在工厂安装的，而不是由外面的供应商安装。在装配线上共有10个站点，在每个站点停留40分钟，总共要花费6个小时30分钟。还有，碳缸需要额外的努力。di Coste说，“碳的反应与钢比较，结果截然不同，你得有特制螺栓、比转矩和工具才能完成。”但是他说4C组装起来“极其简单”。他说，“这是个小玩具。” 马萨拉蒂最后的装配线更长，有26个站点，每个站点需要25分钟。着这里安装仪表盘、座椅（是由意大利的李尔公司制造的）、动力传动系统和电气系统。看着动力传动系统被自动安装到车里真是有趣极了，在水平测量V8长度之后接上变速箱，传动轴通向后差速器，从那里可以看到后传动轴。 汽车停下来，继续之后的程序（这与量产不同），一阵蜂鸣器的声响之后，汽车就运到下一站了。缓慢的速度令所有习惯主流最新高技术工厂的人咋舌。 装配线过后，阿尔法和马萨拉蒂通过同一道门，送往测试部门，经历一个制动试验、速度测试和防水测试。 在精加工车间清洁内饰，解决任何诸如压痕或油漆等问题，如果需要还会重新喷涂并放到炉子里烘烤。车辆需要收拾一下的唯一理由就是，每部车都要经过25英里的道路测试，包括在工厂周围的城市街道上。正如di Coste所说，“当我们在道路上测试时，什么事情都有可能发生。”这也是工厂地址的主要不利之处。di Coste解释道，“物流是个大难题。这个地方在1937年开始建设时还是个乡村—现在却是市中心，有许多车辆经过。呆在这里非常不方便。” 走出家门发展这是马萨拉蒂无法发展量产的主要原因。自从增加了小型Ghibli轿车，去年这个品牌的销售从2012年的6,200辆增加到15,400辆。马萨拉蒂和阿尔法罗密欧的首席执行官Harold Wester在今年早些时候宣布了一个长期规划，明年将增加Levante越野车，2016年增加Alfieri 2+2车型，到2018年将销售提高到75,000辆。 目前的发展情形已经要求品牌最终放弃传统的意大利北部的外包，将生产转移到位于都灵附近Grugliasco的新厂里。菲亚特全球设计总监Lerenzo Ramaciotti说，“在几个车型之前，马萨拉蒂还没有一个制造长途公车的工厂。现在Quattroporte(豪华轿车)和Ghibli从工厂里出来了。这个工厂一直是从冲压到汽车装配完全结束都是垂直一体化的。” ...