Automation – Page 242
-
ArticleRemote control: Laser welding
A €3.9m, pan-European project is developing solutions to widen the application of lasers in weldingAn alternative to the proven and reliable technique of resistance spot welding (RSW) is remote laser welding (RLW). It offers a number of advantages such as creating joints in different locations on the product through simple ...
-
ArticleEurope: In recovery
The region's vehicle market is healing, but plant closures have not prevented excess production capacityEuropean automakers will be breathing a cautious sigh of relief after 2014 showed sustained growth there following the prolonged slump triggered by the 2008/9 financial collapse. All 12 months showed growth in the region (excluding Russia ...
-
Article欧洲：复苏的进程
欧洲地区的汽车市场逐渐复苏，但关闭工厂的措施并未能阻止生产力过剩。尽管2008、2009年经济危机的影响余波未平，但2014年的业绩仍然保持了增长，欧洲的汽车制造商们可以稍稍松了口气。欧洲汽车制造商协会公布的数据显示，地区在12个月里都有增长。 汽车销量达到1,290万辆，比2013年增长5%。在本文落笔时，生产总数还未统计完毕，但是各国新闻都报出有增长，形势乐观，整个地区的销量预计能够达到1,460万辆，超过了2013年。思迈汽车咨询公司（HIS Automotive）预计，随着像西班牙这些国家经济恢复正常，今后几年的销量将持续增长。公司还估计，2015年在欧洲的销量将达到1,300万辆，到2017年将达到1,400万辆，这让一些汽车制造商充满了希望，并且努力对地区里处于保守生产状态的工厂进行重新部署。 然而，据LMC汽车分析公司透露，目前的形式仍然严峻。LMC汽车生产部总监Justin Cox说，“现在平均生产力（使用率）是65%，但你要达到75%才能收支平衡。制造商们还没有认真对待这个问题。德国的高端品牌以及恢复元气的英国JLR都在加大马力运行，但是他们的成功却是对大销量公司（这个术语正在随着奥迪、宝马、梅赛德斯的压进与雪铁龙类企业退缩，而逐渐被淘汰）的压榨。Cox对比了欧洲和北美，北美在金融危机之后大力削减产能。新式精简经营模式为“三大”市场带来健康的利润。他说，“他们经历了痛苦的工厂关闭阶段；现在实施了有点类似共产主义的方式来解决，由于政治敏感性和一些弥补措施而保留了一些车间。” 关闭工厂在过去的18个月里，有大量的工厂都高调停业。2013年10月，PSA标志-雪铁龙在巴黎附近的Aulnay-sous-Bois工厂生产了最后一批Citroën C3汽车之后，就关门停产。同年7月份，福特在英国南安普顿的Transit van工厂也停止了生产。2014年12月，比利时根克的福特工厂也关门大吉，造成4,000个工作岗位的损失。福特在欧洲的机构改革计划始于2012年，当时公司称，计划要减产355,000辆，在欧洲地区节省4.5亿-5亿美元（约合2.66亿-3.33亿英镑），削减5,700名受薪员工，其中也包括关闭英国东伦敦Dagenham工厂里的冲压车间。通用控股欧宝汽车公司（Opel）早在2010年就关闭了比利时安特卫普的工厂，并于去年12月份关闭了具有历史意义的德国东北部波鸿工厂，损失了3,280个就业岗位。出售的财产目录里包括50个压力机，其中的一些是自1962年建厂之初起就在那里。那是工厂对欧宝历史发展的伟大见证，当初它是欧洲最大的工厂。 然而，据伯恩斯坦研究公司（Bernstein Reserch）透露，关闭这两家工厂对欧洲工厂来说只减少了100万辆的产量。Bernstein公司分析员Max Warburton在去年出版的一份报告中说，“整个行业都在冷眼等待辉煌的未来。” 有些制造商对当前的形式非常有信心。雷诺-日产(是欧洲第二大汽车制造商，仅次于大众集团)总裁Carlos Ghosn，在去年10月份召开的巴黎汽车展说，生产了太多造成产能过剩。他说，“这要看你是从哪个角度分析欧洲市场 — 如果你从今天的市场来看，摆在眼前的是一个巨大的难题；但如果从市场恢复的角度看，比如恢复到2007年增长率在20-25%以上的水平的话，那么问题反而是生产力过低。”LMC公司预计，到2020年为止，生产力水平只能达到大约75%-80%，有三分之一的汽车厂还要低于这个水平。Cox说，“在美国却能达到90%-95%，正是我们期望的那样。”改头换面与美国情况相反，欧洲的制造商们重新安排业务。让法国恼火的是，标志-雪铁龙对法国东部Mulhouse工厂和西部的Rennes工厂进行减产；而巴黎附近Poissy工厂预计在今年也会重蹈覆辙。据Bernstein公司称，PSA集团的工厂的生产力已经锐减，大多数工厂在2007年至2013年的单元雇工人数都有所下降，包括Rennes工厂和Mulhouse工厂。Bernstein公司还说，相比之下，大众集团在欧洲的12家工厂同期的生产力成功地保持稳定态势。大众的工厂进行了大幅度的改组，或改变车型，或在不同国家和大陆之间转换，或与对手公司合作改组商标，或对同一个厢型车或汽车进行重新设计，最大限度地增加生产线的利用率。“平均生产力（利用率）只有65%，但是要达到75%才能实现收回平衡”– Justin Cox, LMC Automotive从改组中获益较大的国家是西班牙，Cox认为主要原因是该国在现代化基础设施、综合供应基地与成熟物流方面的失业率很高。这里的劳动力价格很低。他说，“西班牙基本上是可靠的汽车制造地，超越了北欧的成本结构。”该国在2014年前半年的生产提高了12%，制造了130万辆汽车和商用车，成为欧洲继德国之后第二大生产基地。制造商们对西班牙非常看好，福特公司扩建了巴伦西亚（Valencia）工厂。在关闭Genk老厂之后，于今年晚些时候增加Mondeo D-段汽车，以及相关S-Max与Galaxy家庭用客车。所做的改进包括为3款新车而增加的一个汽车车体修理厂，并进行3班制。工厂还生产Kuga C-段SUV与Transit Connect厢型车。另一个扩大在西班牙业务的原始设备制造商是日产公司。去年，日产在巴塞罗那的商用车（CV）工厂里增加了Pulsar C-段掀背式汽车。法国制造商也在西班牙投入重金，雷诺在西班牙中部巴利亚多利德（Valladodid）的工厂提高了Captur B-段SUV的产量，并获得巨大成功，2014年在欧洲的销量近150,000辆。 与此同时，标致-雪铁龙在马德里维拉维尔德（Villaverde）的工厂（曾经制造老式Peugeot 207 B-段掀背式汽车），因引进时髦款Citroën Cactus汽车（一款溜背式C-段SUV）而免于关门。此款车以其两边造型奇特的“airbumps”，而在12月份成为欧洲销量第3大雪铁龙汽车，看上去很容易实现该品牌85,000辆的预期目标，确保Villaverde工厂保留1,600名员工（2012年有2,700名）。 标致雪铁龙公司与欧宝公司之间的合作还没有最终定论，但已经准备于2016年开始在西班牙北部欧宝Zaragoza工厂里，为标志和欧宝公司生产B-段多人运输车。与此同时，标志公司也将从2017年开始在法国东部Sochaux工厂生产两个品牌的大型C-段跨界车。这种在一个工厂里生产不同品牌汽车的战略，也成功地被大众公司应用于西雅特（Seat）工厂和巴塞罗那(Barcelona)工厂（在这里生产Audi Q3）。Seat自身在推出新款Leon C-段掀背式汽车之后恢复元气，2014年的销量上涨57%，使工厂稳稳站住脚跟。 雷诺在法国西北部诺曼底的Sandouville工厂也做了同样的事情。工厂因生产老式Espace D-段多人运输车和Laguna D-段系列汽车，而造成2013年的生产降到了25,000辆。工厂随后改组，投入2.3亿欧元制造小型厢型车、以及Renault Trafic、Opel Vivaro版本，以及Nissan NV300。工厂还打算从2016年开始在同一平台上制造新款Fiat厢型车。去年9月份雷诺公司称，年产量将突破100,000辆。公司还将从2016年开始引进生产新型B-段Micra汽车（当前在印度生产这个版本汽车），从而加大Flins工厂的产量。回国生产随着制造商追寻更高的产能利用率，将生产从欧洲以外迁回国内的策略变得越来越普遍。选择这种路线的仍然是欧宝，公司成功地将Mokka B-段SUV从韩国通用工厂（这里是该车型的始发站）迁回西班牙Zaragoza工厂里。与此同时，现代公司目前在土耳其的Izmit工厂（代替印度工厂）制造i10 A-段掀背式汽车，而且还将制造所有版本的新款i20 B-段掀背式汽车。目前，还在印度制造右侧驾驶汽车。土耳其已经从汽车制造商企图减少欧洲西部的成本政策中获益。福特公司已经将生产从关闭的英国Transit工厂转移到土耳其的工厂里；现在那里正在制造小型Transit Courier汽车。丰田公司也在土耳其生产新款Corolla C-段汽车，而菲亚特已经公布于2016年在Tofas合资企业工厂里生产Bravo C-段替换版汽车。 菲亚特是另一家极力想停止亏损、盘活欧洲南部几乎闲置的工厂的公司。公司正在考虑在工厂引进新车型。这个战略似乎很见成效。通过与股东克莱斯勒的关系，重新组合的菲亚特克莱斯勒汽车集团（FCA），已经在意大利南部菲亚特Melfi工厂增加了Jeep Renegade B-段SUV，并于今年晚些时候开始生产相关的Fiat 500X SUV汽车。今年1月份公司公布， 2015年春季要在工厂增加1,500个就业岗位，这对因Punto B-段掀背式汽车销量低迷而备受困扰的工厂来说，是个好消息。 ...
-
Article
Multi-tasking machining system
NSH Group says the N40MC has 5-axis, rigid, machining capability suitable for producing work pieces made of Inconel, titanium, hardened steel, tungsten, and other exotic materials in a continuous process. The machining system features incremental turning lengths up to 6,000mm with up to two separate machining modules. The company says ...
-
ArticleHeavy-duty scanning probe
Hexagon Metrology has launched the HP-S-X5 HD scanning sensor, a heavy-duty analogue probe. The company says it is designed to give very high and repeatable accuracy even with heavier and longer probe extensions, accepting styli of lengths up to 800mm and weights to 650g. HP-S-X5 range sensors also feature true ...
-
ArticleNew high performance compounds for automotive gear wheels
Lehvoss North America claims it has developed new thermoplastic compounds that make it possible to produce gear wheels that are more resilient compared to acetal, nylon, and PBT even at elevated temperatures. LUVOCOM 1-8181 and 1-8520 compounds polyamide 66 fortified with carbon fibres and impact modifiers, have been developed for ...
-
WebinarWEBINAR: Smartphone simplicity
26 February | 7:00 PST | 15:00 GMT | 10:00 EST | 23:00 CSTThe application of smartphones and tablets as tools now offers great opportunities for the automotive industry.Since the 1970s, industrial robots have come with a handheld operating device called a teach-pendant; these units are now obsolete in the ...
-
ArticleThe pulling power of GAZ and Komatsu
AMS takes a look inside the OEMs' heavy-vehicle production sites at Yaroslavl, Russia, and Awazu, Japan Since early 2013, Russian heavy-vehicle manufacturer GAZ has been producing its latest generation of medium-duty diesel engines at what it describes as the "most up-to-date engine production" facility in the country. The engines are ...
-
ArticleCasesa to lead Ford’s global strategy
US – An auto analyst and investment banker, John Casesa has been hired to help accelerate the One Ford plan, deliver product excellence and drive innovation across the business. As group vice-president, Global Strategy, he will report to Mark Fields, Ford president and CEO.The role will involve steering the vehicle-maker’s ...
-
ArticleA control explosion
Increasingly connected control systems will enable the emergence of ultra-modern automotive plants Being more productive means doing more with less, and this is where the latest control systems technologies can help automotive plants move to the next level of productivity. Examples of automation such as conveyors are at the heart ...
-
ArticleParker to lead Infiniti in Americas
US – Succeeding Michael Bartsch, who is leaving the company to pursue other interests, Randy Parker will take the role of vice-president, Infiniti Americas, with immediate effect. He will be based at the Infiniti Americas headquarters in Franklin, Texas.Parker was most recently vice-president, Nissan West Region, Nissan North America, and ...
-
ArticleHigh-quality laser marking
Specifically designed for basic marking applications, SCANLAB says its new basiCube 10 scan head is around 15% smaller than the SCANcube 10. The company says it offers users a very-high-speed scan system, with a 10mm aperture and laser-marking-optimised tuning. The new scan head is available with silicon mirrors for three ...
-
ArticleAdvanced wastegate technology
Cummins Turbo Technologies says it is working with a large OEM customer to field test its new Electric Wastegate turbocharger. This new technology has been engineered to provide fast response and precise control at all areas of the engine performance envelope, and helps to improve performance and reduce emissions, claims ...
-
ArticleA new compact robot
Comau’s newest robot, Racer 999, is a six-axis articulated unit that inherits all the key features of the Racer 7-1.4 model. The company says this new robot is suited to applications including assembly, handling, machine tooling, packaging and more, and particularly where space is limitedWith a reach of 999mm ...
-
ArticleHybrid design for trunnion table
TrunnionTable.com claims its new Stallion Hybrid trunnions allow faceplates and chucks to be installed without removal of the trunnion table for faster part setups. Two models are available, the Stallion Hybrid 9/20 (9 in. x 20 in.) designed to hold a 6-in. vise and the 9/23 (9 in. x 23 ...
-
ArticleMiniature family of photoelectric sensors
Rockwell Automation says its new Allen-Bradley Bulletin 42KD miniature family of photoelectric sensors offer high-performance and reliability, and are easy to install in confined spaces. The Bulletin 42KD sensor features a visible red LED light source. It is available in polarized retroreflective and fixed or adjustable background suppression-sensing modes. With ...
-
ArticleFanuc to boost Japanese production
Japan – The robot-maker has purchased 659,000 sq.m of land at Mibu-hanyuda Industrial Park, Tochigi Prefecture, with plans to build new facilities from September 2015. This will enable the company to increase its capacity for CNCs, servo-motors and servo-amplifiers, in line with growing demand in Europe.In addition, at its headquarters ...
-
ArticleChevrolet confirms next-generation EV
US – Based on the Bolt electric vehicle (EV) concept, the new model will be built at General Motors’ Orion Assembly plant in Michigan. Orion and the Pontiac Metal Center are the subject of a $200m investment to support the production, the former receiving $160m for tooling and the latter ...
-
ArticleMississippi makes 500,000th Corolla
US – Established only in 2011, Toyota's facility in Blue Springs has reached the milestone faster than any of its other plants in the country. Toyota Mississippi and its workforce of 2,000 turned out nearly 180,000 Corollas last year.The plant has over 15 parts and materials suppliers in the state, ...
-
ArticleHyundai-Kia: Progredindo
Expandindo a produção testemunhou a quebra grupo coreano para as cinco principais OEMs em todo o mundo; com novas fábricas no caminho da China e do México, o montador de veículo em breve poderá desafiar rivais por um lugar entre os três primeirosNeste artigo: ...
