Automation – Page 388
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Article
Neußer has taken over as head of Volkswagen’s drivetrain development unit
Wolfsburg, Germany – Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neußer has taken over as head of Volkswagen’s drivetrain development unit. His predecessor, Dr. Jens Hadler, has left the company.Dr. Rüdiger Szengel, who has been with VW since 1985, has been promoted to deputy head of Volkswagen drivetrain development, while continuing to be responsible for ...
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Article
Sommer is appointed as CEO for the ZF
Friedrichshafen, Germany – The ZF Supervisory Board has appointed Dr. Stefan Sommer as CEO. Sommer will take over from Hans-Georg Härter, who is retiring, in May 2012.Sommer has been with ZF since 2008. In his most recent role, he was the board member responsible for the Supply Chain Management and ...
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ArticleProgress makes perfect at Aston Martin
Many of the processes used in volume production at Aston Martin are also being used to produce the One-77, as a visit to both the supercar’s dedicated build unit and the company’s full manufacturing facility revealsSpecific solutionsInterior partsFinal stagesCore productionLimited automationFeeding the lineIn 2007, Aston Martin revealed that it was ...
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ArticlePerfecting primerless painting PSA-style
Measuring success Although it started out producing pepper grinders, and then expanded its portfolio to include bicycles, PSA Peugeot Citroën is now Europe’s second largest car manufacturer. The Poissy site just outside Paris is where France’s first ever compact water-based painting process has been installed, ...
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ArticleMINI's maxi quality finish
With primerless paint and advanced water treatment facilities, the MINI Plant Oxford paintshop is working hard to maintain the quality of finish that its customers expect while working towards a greener processPre-treatment protocolsIntelligent seam sealingPrimerless painting by numbersWet or dry - the clearcoat debateIan ‘Tom’ Bennett has the title of ...
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ArticleMINI maximises quality and productivity
When demand for the brand grew at an extraordinary pace Mini could have been a victim of its own success, but intelligent production management and an enthusiastic workforce have managed to maintan qualityFlexible thinkingClosing the doorsStores and doors - final assemblyInterview: Dr Jürgen HedrichApprenticeships and meistersShift patterns for shifting demandNew ...
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ArticlePerfecting the paintshop for the people’s car
One of the busiest paintshops in the world has to not only keep pace with extraordinary demand, but also to constantly upgrade its facilities to be greener and leanerA tour of ChangchunAutomated roof ditch solutionFast to the finishFor a man with possibly the biggest job in automotive paintshop, Liu Dong ...
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ArticleEditor’s Note: Rock and a hard place
Original equipment manufacturers were already getting nervous about part delivery, but since the knock-on effects of the Japanese tsunami and earthquake disaster, and to a lesser extent last year’s volcanic eruption on Iceland, the potential for disruption to the parts supply chain has been brought to the forefront.Specifically, OEMs want ...
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ArticlePaint trends in the automotive industry
Conservation of resources in pre-treatmentPainting with fewer process stepsOnly as much paint as necessaryExtending the new car effectFrom the pre-painted foil to the componentSuppliers of industrial painting technology are offering exciting innovative solutions to the challenges facing OEMs. The spectrum ranges from pre-treatment, equipment and application technology and paint systems, ...
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Article
Editor's Note: Automotive Paintshop Solutions
On a recent tour of China, I visited many vehicle plants and talked to managers and engineers in all disciplines of car and truck making. As well specific questions about each brand and factory, I asked all of them a set of similar questions, including what are the driving factors ...
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ArticleEisenmann introduces the VarioLoc modular skid conveyor system
Combining several systems, such as inverted monorail or eccentric lifting tables, Eisenmann has developed a new conveyor system, the VarioLoc shuttle, which has the ability to raise, lower and transport skids and car bodies. The shuttle moves along a rail installed at floor level, which has fixtures at each side ...
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ArticleFederal-Mogul introduces the CrushShield cable protection system
Federal-Mogul has developed a product that will help protect occupants of hybrid and electric vehicles in the event of a crash. The new material, called CrushShield, surrounds and protects electrical cables, keeping the electrical system isolated from the rest of the vehicle.CrushShield is one of the first cable products on ...
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ArticlePerfecting plastic plating
Just as Moldflow has become indispensable to the plastic injection molding industry, so PlatingMaster simulations are becoming the norm for plating on plasticsPlateability and profitThis move has been catalyzed by the US auto industry’s refocus on quality and manufacturing risk elimination.For example, General Motors’ new standard for plated plastic parts ...
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ArticleSKF launches Sound Monitor Kit for easy detection of conveyor faults
SKF has launched its new Idler Sound Monitor Kit. This easy-to-use handheld monitoring device can detect faults in conveyor belt idlers. Conveyor idlers support the length of a conveyor belt and are a common cause of belt damage - and production downtime.The Idler Sound Monitor Kit is ideal for monitoring ...
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ArticleNew CNC controllers from Fanuc
Fanuc has released a selection of new CNC process controllers, Model A, B, C and D.For example, the new Fanuc CNC Series 30i, 31i, 32i Model B Series controllers are ideal for sophisticated and complex machine tools. Features include a large number of axes and multichannel capability. Compared to previous ...
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ArticleBASF Coatings launches new ‘XColors – designed by BASF’ system
‘XColors – designed by BASF’ is described as ‘a unique colour concept bringing together colour trends and paint development’. One segment in the XColors product range is the ‘XFine’ colours. XFine offers strong metallic effects, the result of very fine aluminium particles arranged flat next to each other, producing a ...
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ArticleRofin introduces the FL 030 C fibre laser
The new Rofin FL 030 C fibre laser is a compact version of the company’s existing fibre laser series which has been specially developed for direct integration into existing machine installations. With a maximum power output of 3,000W, the FL 030 C is available as a multi-mode laser with a ...
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ArticleEpson launches new LS6 SCARA robot
Seiko Epson Corporation has introduced the LS6, which within the automotive sector is ideal for companies looking to boost throughput when working with electronics components and other similarly-sized parts.The new LS6 is the latest addition to the LS series of SCARA robots, designed for use in automated assembly and transfer ...
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ArticleSiemens 3SE63 safety switch for safety equipment
Siemens’ Industry Automation Division has launched an electronic contactless safety switch for equipment including covers, flaps and doors.The new 3SE63 safety switch, which uses RFID transponder technology, offers a high level of protection against interference, tampering and bypassing. The safety switch has a plastic enclosure which provides protection up to ...
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ArticleHyperform HPR reinforcing fibre cuts weight and costs
Milliken’s Hyperform HPR high-performance reinforcing agent can produce finished parts with improved stiffness and impact resistance, that weighs less than parts made with talc.Hyperform HPR-803i, which has been launched in all geographic markets, is primarily intended for use in polypropylene compounds, making it of particular interest to companies delivering automobile ...