All Article articles – Page 90
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ArticleFletcher to deliver GM’s EV strategy
US – In the newly created role of vice-president, Global Electric Vehicle Programmes, Pamela Fletcher will execute the OEM’s plans for an electrified vehicle line up, including the launch of more than 20 pure electric vehicles (EVs) by 2023. She will report to Doug Parks, vice-president, Autonomous and Electric Vehicle ...
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ArticleKobe investigates quality violations
Metal producer Kobe Steel has admitted delivering aluminium and copper products in the past year which did not meet specifications agreed with customers, leaving Japanese car manufacturers concerned about the impact on their own output. Kobe is conducting internal quality and government-ordered safety checks, but has already stated that affected ...
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ArticleAction plan for Czech auto industry
Czech Republic – With key themes of electromobility, autonomous driving and digitalisation, the memorandum between the government and the Association of Czech Automobile Industry (AutoSAP) has been hailed by Skoda, the main automotive manufacturer in the country and a member of AutoSAP. Skoda worked with other organisations to help shape ...
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ArticlePSA’s French plants gain production
France – The OEM confirmed that Mulhouse and Sochaux will build new models from 2020/2021, saying this will secure their “medium-term manufacturing visibility”. It added that details of the vehicles will be disclosed at a later date “for strategic reasons”.Situated less then 70km apart in the east of the country, ...
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Article
不断增强的汽车业
汽车制造商开始意识到AR（增强现实技术）在提高生产力和质量上的潜力，但是这个技术在实际中是如何应用的呢？AMS探一探市场中出现的一些首创产品 全球很多公司都在开发增强现实（AR）技术，用于帮助制造商提高效率和生产力。很多大型OEM制造商现在也意识到这项技术的发展潜力。举例来说，宝马公司（BMW）最近就在很多应用上都使用AR技术，包括早期概念验证、初期抽样检验、供应商的工具验收，以及运行系统维护方面。有一个公司在汽车业AR技术应用方面取得了领先水平，那就是洛杉矶的DAQRI公司。该公司制造的“智能头盔”和“智能眼镜”应用于多种任务，比如培训、作业指导和装配线可视化等方面。据公司发言人Michael Miller称，公司与Emerson（艾默生）、Parker（派克）及Vinci公司合作，进行概念验证，并与Siemens（西门子）公司合作进行AR个案研究。尽管不愿意透露细节，但他还说DAQRI已经参与了汽车制造商的“很多早期项目”，并且“正在进行一些大型项目，尤其是工厂维护和培训领域的项目”。该领域另一个先行者就是加拿大的NGRAIN公司。该公司开发的技术可以使制造商能够利用3D扫描和图像硬件，自动准确地评估装配质量。据公司产品与业务开发部高级总监Barry Po称，该技术中的前沿智能引擎使用了3D扫描与图像技术来识别潜在缺点，并在“没有发展到高价修复”阶段之前发现问题。 LGS技术使用投影灯进行误差检验，简化制造与装配流程 他解释说，“跟现在大部分人使用的手动检测装配不同，我们为车间的技术员配备3D扫描仪和照相机，他们利用这些设备扫描有问题的装配流程。3D扫描可以通过我们的软件加工，然后输出的结果可以决定装配是否符合标准。我们在分类上是‘混合’现实应用，而不是单纯的增强现实，因为我们能把结果转到移动设备上、平板电脑、笔记本电脑和台式机上，而且不需要特殊的眼镜。”在与很多汽车公司合作之后，包括有些工作是要检查装有数十个铆钉的仪表盘，Po意识到这个工作是多耗时，而且是劳动密集型检测，很难执行一贯。尽管他承认NGRAIN对汽车制造业来说“相对较新”，主要根植于航空业和国防也，但是他强调称，“航空业和汽车制造在制造工艺方面有很多相似之处。”他说，“AR在汽车制造业肯定还会有其他应用。除了外观检测之外，我认为还有工人培训，比如可以在手机或可穿戴设备上展示工作指示，我们肯定这种应用会在几年内就铺展开来。AR还能在很难考双手判定的时候，作为准确可视化测量的中介。虽然AR的主要优点要看情况，但总体上AR可以控制当今制造业里容易出错误的风险。”指导制造商提高准确性此外，总部在密歇根的Laser Guide Systems开发了AR技术，使用投影灯进行误差检验，并简化很多行业的制造与装配流程。事实上，公司创始人间首席执行官Paul Ryznar说，汽车业是公司最大的客户来源，到目前为止与6个全球制造商和8个一级供应商一同进行大约200个安装项目。LGS产品采用了数字投影技术，将虚拟操作“帆布”投影到工作台上。该技术综合了视觉及听觉因素，以及专门工具等，与现场设备一同应用，比如机器视觉照相机和力矩扳手。“未来的汽车工厂将会全面配备AR技术，每天会有很多操作都是通过AR关键用户界面进行的。” – Michael Miller, DAQRI他说，“汽车制造商们特别寻找一些能够简化变化多端的生产工艺，这是目前灵活制造所需要的。从根本上说，AR技术是通过在正确的时间在正确的地方输入正确的信息，让复杂的工艺变得简单，从而大力改进汽车制造流程。”在Ryznar看来，AR技术对汽车业“尤其有用”，因为汽车制造商和供应商“在很短的循环时间里控制大量的变形产品，通常是在同一个生产线里制造多种汽车零部件。”除了保证将零部件按照正确的顺序和方式组合在一起之外，还有一个优点，就是AR导向系统可以便携，并与车间的已有设备综合使用。像可编程机器视觉照相机、激光跟踪仪、协作机器人以及扭矩杆，都可以融入到系统中，确保任务的完成，比如管道放线、螺栓排序与拧紧，都可以正确完成。LGS系统另一个有用的功能，就是可以将模板、教学影片，甚至虚拟磁带测量都直接投放到操作员前面的工作台上。Ryznar解释说，“汽车制造商面临的特殊挑战就是相同组件的多种变体。零部件之间的差别非常微妙，对功能的影响巨大，如果出现错误标签或错误识别，就会造成代价昂贵的错误。很多工厂为了实现资产收益最大化，在模具上使用更多的产品变体，专门用于一个变体。”他还说：“LGS能够通过创造数字‘出生证明’，对每一个零部件进行跟踪存档，在优化工艺的同时还提高了产品的可追踪性。这样我们就离保证每个产品的完美制造更进一步了。”Ryznar还强调了其他好处，比如通过实行标准化AR基础培训，消除了多个培训员的“变体培训”；它能设计定时、警报、下一步工艺提示等信息；而且能消除纸质或监管工作指令。“AR技术是通过在正确的时间在正确的地方输入正确的信息，让复杂的工艺变得简单” – Paul Ryznar, LGS他说，“我们对汽车业客户帮助最大的领域是零部件装备和下单。虽然我们通常把注意力放在装配或指令检查上，但对装备的关注产生了巨大的成果。”LGS能够为操作员提供视觉导向，到达正确的地方进行拣货，并确认他的行为，但不需要额外的步骤或确认。有一个OEM制造商非常关注这个领域，并且“进行多个研究，并将光导向设备作为装备流程的标准。”他说，“这些研究在很高程度上一致显示，重大错误比率降低大约80%，拣货完成时间大约减少35-50%。”可视未来展望未来，来自NGRAIN该公司的Po预测，AR技术在汽车业的应用会进一步增长，尤其是制造流程上“会继续改进，制造业基础设施也会不断改进”。作为技术供应商，他说：“对客户重要的东西，就是推动我们前进的动力 —实现平凡而高重复率的工作自动化，将人才释放到需要人力注意力的高价值任务上。”他认为，“安歇用于公司特殊硬件领域的照相机和传感器，将很快到达每个工人的手中。” 使用增强现实技术，员工们在接受指令的同时，双眼可以停留在手中的工作上对LGS公司的Ryznar而言，从监管为基础的作业或书面作业指令转移，是一种“大趋势”。因为过去纸质或屏幕上的可视指令“非常笨重，需要操作员把注意力放到指令上，而不是手中的工作上”。他说：“操作员将注意力放在正在完成的任务上是可以实现的，投影灯进行一步步的指导，能够提高效率。”预测同事，DAQRI公司Miller认为，现在很多汽车制造商发现，AR作为优化生产操作、维护与培训的优化手段，将继续为可视化及功能强化提供创新方法，比如规划、设备维护、车间监管和优化等。他说，“我们相信，未来的汽车工厂将会全面配备AR技术，每天会有很多操作都是通过AR关键用户界面进行，并实时为工人提供数据和信息，以便工人在正确的时间抵达正确的地方。”
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ArticleAugmenting automotive
Vehicle-makers are starting to realise the potential of using AR to improve productivity and quality, but how does the technology work in practice? AMS takes a look at some of the pioneering products now availableMore companies around the world are developing augmented reality (AR) technology to help automotive manufacturers in ...
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ArticleFord's focus on the future
Jim Hackett, Ford's CEO since May 2017Periodically, Ford decides that it needs a non-automotive leader to effect major change as market shifts demand new ways of running the giant corporation. Back in 2006, it recruited Alan Mullaly from Boeing, whose solution to the OEM’s problems at the time was ...
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ArticleMilling machine for Roots-type blowers
Holroyd Precision says its has developed a new CNC profile milling machine that, in addition to producing helical rotors, can be programmed to precision mill straight fluted components as used in Roots-type blower ‘air ends’.The company says the 4EX-R-BL machine has been designed from the ground up and that as ...
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ArticleHandheld laser scanner
The ModelMaker H120 portable laser scanner features blue laser technology, an ultra-fast frame rate, specially developed optics and offers the ability to measure challenging materials, claims Nikon Metrology. It also features thermal stability and temperature compensation.The company says the scanner offers a field-of-view width up to 120mm and a point ...
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ArticleFlexible force measurement
Starrett says there are common misconceptions that handheld force measurement devices provide less accuracy than traditional, static machines. However, the company claims its DFC Digital Force Controller, features measurement accuracy within 0.1% full scale with internal data sampling at 25kHz. Quality control engineers can use the device as a universal ...
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ArticleOne-touch locking connectors
Kyocera says its new 6810 Series flexible printed circuit (FPC) and flat-flex cable (FFC) connectors provide automatic locking upon full insertion, which it claims is a key feature to support automated manufacturing and robotic assembly processes.The 6810 Series connectors utilise a proprietary structure that it’s claimed enables quick, stable connections ...
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Article
Novares opens paint line, Sainte Marguerite
France – The company formerly known as Mecaplast – Key Plastics invested €8.5m ($10.1m) to build a 600sq.m extension equipped with the latest robotic technology. Novares said the facility will support six vehicle-makers in the region: PSA, Fiat, Volvo, Daimler, Opel and Renault.“At Sainte Marguerite, we are producing references for ...
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ArticleHonda to shake up domestic operations
Japan – The OEM is to end production at Sayama Automobile Plant as part of a plan to “evolve” its Japanese manufacturing activities, which will also involve the establishment of a “function” to develop production technologies that will be rolled out worldwide. Furthermore, the vehicle-maker stated its intention to acquire ...
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ArticleThyssenkrupp integrates forging units
Germany – The company announced that its new Thyssenkrupp Forged Technologies became operational on October 1, becoming one of the largest forging businesses in the world, with sites in the Americas, Europe, India and China. This global network will be controlled from Thyssenkrupp’s headquarters in Essen, with the aim of ...
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ArticleConsciente do corpo
A tendência crescente para os OEMs que optam pelos componentes AHSS superou as expectativas das siderúrgicasA decisão da Audi de usar uma peça de plástico reforçada com fibra de carbono produzida em massa (CFRP) na estrutura da carroceria de seu A8 pode ter garantido muitas manchetes, mas o uso extensivo ...
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ArticleColocando o Kia na Eslováquia
Com seus números de produção continuando a aumentar, a instalação da Kia Motors Slovakia em Žilina está levando a bandeira às nações menores produtoras de automóveisUma configuração pitoresca não é uma métrica que os OEMs necessariamente valorizam quando selecionam locais de produção, mas é aquela na qual a Kia Motors ...
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ArticleToyota ends Australian production
Australia – The OEM has wrapped up its manufacturing operation in the country after 54 years and 3,451,115 vehicles. Toyota stopped production of the Aurion in August and the Camry hybrid in September at its Altona plant near Melbourne, three years after the decision was made to conclude the operation.Dave ...
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ArticleEngle to lead new GM region
US – The company announced that it will combine its International and South America regions after the retirement of Stefan Jacoby, executive vice-president and president of GM International, at the end of this year. Barry Engle, currently in charge of South America, will assume the leadership of both regions on ...
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ArticleUna cuestión de peso
Las marcas optan cada vez con más frecuencia por los aceros AHSS, lo que ha superado las previsiones de las siderúrgicasLa decisión de Audi de utilizar en producción masiva los plásticos reforzados con fibra de carbono (CFRP) en la carrocería de su A8 han obtenido mucha atención mediática, pero podría ...