Automation – Page 249
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ArticleInterview: Richard Else, JLR Halewood
The plant director has his hands full managing a factory that is running at maximum capacity thanks to demand for the Range Rover Evoque. While its new Chinese sister plant is providing additional capacity, an upcoming model and £200m of recent investment mean Else will soon be busier than ever ...
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ArticleDriving UK automotive growth
Sustained investment by global vehicle and component manufacturers, the local authorities and the government, has helped Sunderland to become a key carmaking hub in the UKLeading the UK’s new, sustainable, export-led car industry is Nissan at Sunderland. Long hailed as the most productive car manufacturing Facility in the UK, the ...
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ArticlePortable, fast & accurate measurement
Michael Lettau, product manager laser trackers at Hexagon Metrology, explains how ultra-portable high-speed laser tracker technology has developed to produce the multipurpose inspection tools that are driving better productivity in the automotive industryWith global demand continuing to rise, automotive manufacturers face a continuous challenge to enhance their productivity. The need ...
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ArticleMaking more with less
As the drive for energy efficiency increases, auto manufacturers are scrutinising every shopfloor processThe automotive manufacturing industry is a massive user of energy. The US industry alone consumes 800 trillion Btus per year, according to estimates by the US Department of Energy (DOE). In its ‘Energy Use Benchmarking in the ...
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ArticleCleaning baskets & workpiece holders
Metallform says it designs cleaning baskets with the latest CAD technology, which allows for the optimal positioning of the parts in the workpiece holder. This allows for the selective treatment of bore holes and undercuts without affecting any sensitive areas.The minimised contact area between the part and basket reduces the ...
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ArticleSingle robot coating cell concept
The new J-Hive coating cell enables the complete painting of a car body by a single robot, claims Geico. The octagonal spray booth allows the car body to rotate enabling the painting of the interior and exterior surfaces; with the movement of the body on the conveyor system controlled by ...
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ArticleMachining centre for automotive production
DMG MORI has introduced an ultra-compact, horizontal-spindle machining centre for multiple-shift, mass production of vehicle components such as cylinder blocks and heads. Designated i 50, the machine comes without an automatic pallet changer and occupies 6.6m2 of factory area. The company says the machine width has been minimised to 1,680 ...
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ArticleLightweight leaf spring
A fibre-reinforced composite leaf spring based on the polyurethane matrix resin Loctite MAX 2 from Henkel is being used in the chassis of the new Volvo XC90. In its alliance with Benteler-SGL to develop large-scale production of a composite leaf spring for Volvo Cars, Henkel has contributed its process know-how ...
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ArticlePre-harnessed energy chain system
igus says its readychain speed pre-harnessed energy chain system is ready to fit directly onto a machine without the need for specialist tools. This system is a single unit and as such can be exchanged quickly, reducing machinery downtime, claims the company. It can accommodate different connections for fibre optic, ...
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ArticleBrazil’s new battle
Re-elected President Rousseff must tackle signs of stagnation in the world’s fourth-largest auto marketThe next four years of automotive manufacturing in Brazil will be marked by the second presidential term of Dilma Rousseff, winner of the general election in October. Among the greatest challenges facing her will be a need ...
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ArticleHot off the printer
More automotive companies are discovering the benefits of additive manufacturing for rapid prototypingIn April, the first race of the 2015 World Endurance Championship at the Silverstone racetrack in the UK will see the debut of the Strakka DOME S103, a low-slung coupe designed and developed by two organisations on different ...
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ArticleTaking control of energy use
Monitoring, measuring and managing energy use are key to better production efficiency and sustainability According to the latest figures from the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA), global vehicle production increased by 3.6% in 2013 to 88m units. While demand is increasing thanks to the rapid development of the ...
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WebinarAIDA: SERVO Technology – Future trends and state-of-the-art equipment for sheet metal forming
This new strategic technology is designed to take the stamping industry to the next level. The key is the high torque/low RPM servo motors designed and built by AIDA specifically for stamping press applications. Connected directly to the crank, these servo motors provide the precise accuracy and reliability you expect ...
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Article
Mazda announces new ‘bio-based’ engineering plastic
Japan – In collaboration with Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, the OEM has developed ‘Mazda Biotechmaterial’ for vehicle exterior design parts. Derived from plants, the new plastic is designed to minimise environmental impact, primarily by reducing the consumption of petroleum resources and cutting CO2 emissions.The material can be dyed, reducing emissions of ...
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ArticleGosto da Renault pelo Marrocos
A fábrica completa do OEM em Tânger, agora é um ingrediente importante em sua rede de produção europeiaA mais nova fábrica da Renault de fabricação completa em Tânger, foi inaugurada em 2012 e atualmente emprega cerca de 5.500 pessoas. Cerca de 20 km da cidade e localizada a 35 km ...
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ArticleInvestindo na Índia
Enquanto o seu crescimento até agora não conseguiu se igualar ao da China, as montadoras globais e fornecedores ainda estão ansiosos para reforçar as suas pegadas de produção no paísCarros pequenos & SUV/MPVsFordGMFiat ChryslerVWRenaultBMWMercedesJLRHondaToyotaHyundaiFornecedoresA incerteza política que tem afetado a Índia nos últimos tempos, resultou em um ambiente de incerteza ...
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ArticleSmart design in the making
The latest simulation software can speed up vehicle modelling and compress development timescalesAt the beginning of 2014, Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg launched a vehicle which, even by its standards, achieved new levels of extreme performance. One:1 takes its name from the ratio of its horsepower to its kerb weight in ...
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ArticleSouth-Eastern success
Turbulent politics aside, tiger economies such as Thailand and Indonesia are seeing further auto growthThe tigerish automotive markets of South-East Asia have not been quite so rampant in 2014 as the turbulent politics of its two leading vehicle-producing countries, Thailand and Indonesia, put a downer on the industry. Thailand’s politics ...
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ArticleVauxhall Ellesmere Port hits 5m mark
UK – The OEM started building compact cars at its Cheshire plant in 1964, bearing responsibility for all Viva models, the Chevette and all six Astra models from 1982. An average of 100,000 units have left the plant in each of the last 50 years.The first Viva HA rolled off ...
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ArticleStaying in the loop
The latest smart software can bridge ‘missing links’ in manufacturing by providing locational context“There are all sorts of digital data sources on a factory shopfloor, but there is often something missing – a location context.” So says Adrian Jennings, CTO at UK-based Ubisense, who has responsibility for real-time location intelligence ...