All Article articles – Page 224
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ArticleNext generation robotic cartridge bell paint system
ABB Robotics says its Compact CBS II, robotic cartridge bell paint system is the only fully-integrated robotic solution for internal charge waterborne painting and can reduce colour change time by up to 50%. Improvements to the system include the addition of servo motor drive units for vertical and horizontal cartridge ...
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ArticleRenault starts Malaysian production of Fluence
Malaysia – Renault has signed an agreement that will enable it to build its presence across South-East Asia. Malaysia is the third biggest regional economy after Thailand and Indonesia, with growth running at over 5% on average over the past thirty years. The launch of Fluence is the first stage ...
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ArticleKia improves domestic sustainability
Korea – Despite a rise in global sales of 1.4% in 2013 to nearly 3m units, the OEM has achieved a smaller environmental footprint at its Guangju, Hwasung and Sohari plants, which made 1.31m cars and 1.26m engines while reducing their CO2 emissions, water consumption and waste.The OEM’s three major ...
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ArticleRolls gains Knight in shining armour to boost sales
UK – Replacing Jolyon Nash, who will leave the carmaker at the end of June in order to pursue other interests, Fintan Knight has been named director of sales and marketing.Beginning his career in the automotive industry with BMW Australia, Knight has spent two decades working for premium and luxury ...
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Article标致雪铁龙: 杜弗兰发动机厂
标致公司开始生产新的1.2升三汽缸喷射式发动机在法国西北部的Française de Mécanique发动机工厂自1969年以来，为PSA标致雪铁龙、雷诺和沃尔沃生产了超过4800万台动力设备，但是这和日前在那里开始投产的小型汽油涡轮增压机相比就逊色不少。这是一个最先进的1.2升三缸喷射式发动机，是标致雪铁龙公司缩小尺寸方案的核心，这是为了达到欧盟从2020年之后开始实施的95克/千米的二氧化碳排放标准。 小型汽油发动机将在达成目标过程中起到越来越大的作用，尤其是欧盟即将在9月份开始实施针对有害气体排放的新规定，会提高柴油机的吸引力。受影响最显著的是B-段汽车，汽车普遍来讲都是按价格出售。但是许多人都预测，C-段下端汽车有望会大幅度进行从柴油机到汽油机的转变。 对汽油发动机的更大需求标致雪铁龙的新款1.2升涡轮增压机从6月开始投产，年产量将达到350,000个。公司已经开始生产一部分，用以预测需求转变，并渐渐替代由标致雪铁龙和宝马集团共同研发的、已使用6年之久的1.6升四缸发动机。三缸涡轮增压机要比1.6升发动机节能21%，减少18%的二氧化碳排放。标致雪铁龙是2012年低碳制造商的领头企业，每台车平均排放量为121.5克/千米，这个数据在去年甚至下降到115.9克/千米。 涡轮增压机是PSA公司Pure Tech（纯粹科技）领域的新贵，去年推出1.0升和1.2升规格的非增压进气道汽油喷射发动机，在法国东北部的Trémery工厂里生产，用于集团的A-段和B-段汽车 — 即标致108，208，2008和雪铁龙 C-Zero，C3，DS3车型。1.2升涡轮增压机 —用110或130制动马力— 把缩小方案延伸到C-段车型。开始时用于标致308、308越野和雪铁龙C4，但从7月份就投向其他车型。PSA知情者透露，以后会有更强悍的版本。 投资和开发Française de Mécanique在PSA内部称为杜弗兰发动机厂，从该公司、欧盟、法国、北部加来海峡地区政府对Pure Tech涡轮增压机的投资中获利9亿欧元。 一半多一点的经费用于研发，余下的用于生产设施和工具上。40%左右的发动机部件可以在非增压发动机和涡轮增压发动机之间转换。1.2升涡轮增压机也将在中国生产并在当地使用。 PSA的工作需要250名工程师历经四年的时间进行研发，递交121项专利申请书。公司称，与备受其他汽车制造商青睐的1.0升发动机不同，使用1.2升容量发动机更有优势。PSA的1.2升发动机里，每个气缸容量为400cc，更适合封装、冷冻，据有更好的缸径行程比。PSA说，会在巴西这样的国家里，换成1.0升发动机以迎合市场和税收要求，但是同时承认这不会像1.2升发动机那么有效率。 The cast parts for the new three-cylinder engine are sourced from a number of PSA plants杜弗兰没有铸造厂 —有一个在1971年建立，并于2005年关闭— 因此1.2升涡轮增压机所需各种部件要从PSA其他工厂运来。例如，汽缸盖来自查尔维尔梅济耶尔(Charleville Mezieres)，而曲轴来自牟罗兹(Mulhouse)。发动机是经PSA新建的精益制造工程(LME)程序生产的，和传统的系统相比，可减少50%的生产时间和30%的工厂面积。 气缸头是铝质的，具有每缸三个气阀和链条传动的特点。一个完整的排气管可以更迅速地预热，因此提高了效率。制造一个汽缸头需要花费4个小时，使用55个机械工具，大大减少了重量，从12.5公斤降低到8.5公斤。在这个高自动化生产线里，每班只需要10个员工，占用25,000平方米当中的4,500平方米用于生产新的发动机。 装配自动化阀动装置里没有使用液压技术：所有都是由挺杆控制。这些都是由机器人根据二维码进行挑选和安装的 — 实际上，每个发动机上都贴有独有通行证。因为每个发动机上装有多达12个不同的挺杆，并进行45次巡回，因此使用机器人就可以确保生产精确度。曲轴和发动机缸体加工区域各占近2,000平方米。曲轴是通过20个机械工具，以每班5个员工，在一个U型生产线上完成的。操作过程中最为精细的部分是平衡过程，由新一代全自动机器设备完成的。 另一个U型生产线上有26个机床，以每班7个员工完成铝质发动机缸体制造。气缸衬套是铸铁的，上面有1微米宽的槽体，在运转时有效隔油。加工过程所用的机油全部回收利用。发动机在一个独立的机械里清洗，然后用金刚石切割机进行打磨。发动机缸体、汽缸盖和曲轴箱在工厂的单一机组里，在杜弗兰里称作“教堂”。然后发动机就被送到劳动力最为密集的操作区域 — 占地3,800平方米的装配和建造区。57人为一班，在380米长的生产线上的47个工作站上，进行80种不同的操作。每个工作站只有1.2米款，使整个生产线尽可能的密集。工人们每两个小时就换岗位，以避免重复性和枯燥。工具都是自动递给工人的，这样就减少工作压力，并节省时间。PSA使用乐高公司工件来研发物流和人体工学，为装配线上的员工服务。 26 machine tools and ...
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ArticleTurbo-powering PSA Douvrin
Peugeot starts making its new 1.2-litre, three-cylinder direct-injection engine at Française de MécaniqueThe Française de Mécanique engine factory in Douvrin, north-west France, has built more than 48m power units for PSA Peugeot Citroën, Renault and Volvo since its inception in 1969, but arguably none has been more significant than the ...
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Article10 years of sustainable manufacturing at Dearborn truck plant
USA – Ford’s Dearborn plant has produced more than 2.6 million F-150 trucks since it opened in May 2004. Upholding the company’s blueprint for sustainability through its living roof and recycling programs, the facility has recycled more than 20 million pounds of cardboard, paper, plastic and wood since its opening. ...
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ArticleChrysler launches nine-speed production in Tipton
US – Tipton will become one of the company’s global hubs for nine-speed production. When it reaches full capacity, it will produce 800,000 transmissions, delivering to Toledo, Ohio, for use in the Jeep Cherokee and Sterling Heights, Michigan, for the Chrysler 200 as well as to FIAT plants in Melfi, ...
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ArticleSpecial production of lightweight E-Type
UK – Jaguar is to build six reproductions of the original, lightweight E-type that was created in 1963. The original objective of the company’s lightweight E-Type project was to build 18 special GT cars, but only 12 were eventually made. These new cars are the ‘missing’ six vehicles from the ...
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ArticleBentley to boost engineering strength with new recruits
UK – The carmaker’s workforce at its headquarters in Crew will grow by 140 personnel, not only 90 engineers but 51 apprentices – the biggest apprentice intake in ten years. The increase follows record sales in 2013, with 10,120 units delivered; the company aims to reach 15,000 by 2018.Bentley is ...
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ArticleMazda completes Kulim assembly plant
Malaysia – Located within the grounds of a plant owned by vehicle manufacturer and assembler Inokom, the facility is exclusive to Mazda vehicles; mass production of the Mazda CX-5 for the domestic market, and Thailand, has now commenced.Together with a similarly dedicated bodyshop which opened in March last year, Mazda ...
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ArticleRenault makes 2 millionth Brazilian vehicle
Brazil – The milestone unit, a New Logan, has rolled off the production line 15 years after the OEM established its Ayrton Senna complex in Curitiba, which consists of one passenger car and one light commercial vehicle (LCV) plant.Renault says Brazil is now its second largest market after its native ...
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ArticleMercedes-Benz begins African production of new C-Class
South Africa – The OEM’s East London plant has become the second manufacturing location for the model three months after the launch at Bremen, Germany.Arno van der Merwe, CEO and vice-president Manufacturing, Mercedes-Benz South Africa, said the company has made “significant investments” for the qualification of personnel, referring to the ...
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ArticleChrysler Brampton wins government ‘green’ award
Canada – The assembly plant in Ontario has been recognised for its sustainability achievements by the Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation (CIPEC). The Leadership Award was presented at the Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Energy Summit 2014, which took place this month at Niagara Falls.Brampton Assembly Plant (BAP) was the ...
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ArticleBrownstown to produce battery for Spark EV
US – General Motors will bring all its electric vehicle battery building capabilities in-house with production of battery systems for the 2015 Chevrolet Spark EV at its battery assembly plant in Brownstown, Michigan. “Using our in-house engineering and manufacturing expertise enabled us to deliver a battery system that is more ...
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ArticleMBUSI: Somando no Alabama
A montadora alemã está lançando novos modelos, incluindo o sedan C-Class à sua fábrica do AlabamaSe você visitar o Condado Tuscaloosa no Alabama, local do conselho de turismo, entre a meia dúzia de atrações locais listadas está a Fábrica da Mercedes Benz, a fábrica Vance da montadora alemã. Quando foi ...
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ArticleHonda: Crescendo para além do Japão
A pegada de produção global da Honda está mudando conforme o OEM estabelece novas fábricas no México e na ÁsiaNos últimos dois anos, a Honda tem expandido suas operações fora do Japão, especialmente no NAFTA, Sudeste da Ásia e no Brasil. A empresa registrou volumes de produção recorde fora do ...
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ArticleHonda: creciendo más allá de Japón
La huella global de producción de la marca evoluciona a medida que establece nuevas plantas en México y Asia, además de expandir las instalaciones existentes…En los últimos dos años, Honda ha expandido sus operaciones fuera de Japón, especialmente en la zona NAFTA, el sudeste asiático y Brasil. La empresa informó ...
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ArticleCreciendo en Alabama
El fabricante alemán introduce nuevos modelos, incluido el sedán clase C, en su planta de Alabama Si visita el condado de Tuscaloosa, Alabama, entre las actividades turísticas se encuentra una visita a la fábrica de Mercedes Benz en las instalaciones de Vance del fabricante alemán. Cuando se inauguró en ...
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Allowing for sales elsewhere in NAFTA, ie Canada and Mexico, Honda’s US operations were actually net exporters of vehicles in 2013, exporting nearly 109,000 vehicles compared to 88,500 imports, most of which came from Japan. In 2013, imports were primarily of the Fit, which as mentioned is now produced ...