All Automation articles – Page 13
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Smartly pressed
OEMs and suppliers are teaming up to design and construct a state-of-art press shops, duly networked for an industry 4.0 approach More on Stamping Ford Saarlouis Gestamp Constellium, Georgia Skoda Mlade BoleslavArguably the main technological factor most commonly associated with metal pressing and forming equipment is ...
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Passing the test
As modern vehicles become more sophisticated, production testing technologies and processes need to keep up. Mike Farish looks at developments with both carmakers and tier suppliers
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AGVs drive industry revolution
JBT is working with automotive manufacturers to offer a range of a provider of automated guided vehicle solutions, in line with the transformation to Industry 4.0 Automotive manufacturers have become experts on automation. However, from the vantage point of automation suppliers, the needs of their automotive clients are ...
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A holistic approach to quality
Raffaello Lepratti, VP of business development and marketing at Siemens looks at how suppliers can optimise the cost of quality while assuring OEM requirements The automotive industry is undergoing massive structural change, as the advent of new technologies coincides with rapidly changing customer preferences. Recent developments suggest this disruption ...
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Travel blog: Big game in SA
There are a handful of countries in the world that remain relatively untouched when it comes to the new car market, with sales of used cars traditionally dominating. In South Africa, for example, sales of used cars outweigh those in the new car market by more than two to ...
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Raising the roof
When it comes to roof gluing, vision systems such as the one in operation at FCA Cassino will lead to a return on investment in a short time Vision systems have become a very powerful tool for automotive manufacturers, allowing them to increase productivity and overall quality while simultaneously ...
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Interview: Daniël Bottema, AWL-Techniek
Daniël Bottema, research and development manager at AWL-Techniek BV, talked to Dermot Healy about the role AWL hope to play developing the fully automated factory of the future You have been speaking recently about the fully automated factory in presentations to customers. How far along the automation road are ...
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Pick up the pace
To thrive and grow as a tier one global manufacturer of auto seating systems and components requires precision production and very quick turnaround times To support the need for time and material precision, one of the most critical parts of the process is ensuring the right parts are picked, ...
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Academic circles
Mike Farish visits Oxford-based start-up YASA, a special electric motor company sprung from academia that’s now attracting the attention of premium OEMsEarly this year a bland-looking industrial estate a few miles to the north of Oxford officially became the manufacturing site for what one of its residents believes to be ...
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Ford automates hot-forming process
Germany - Ford has integrated a automated hot-forming line at its Saarlouis plant, which is located two hours south west of Frankfurt, where it makes the Focus. The company says it is the first time this process has been automated.It works by subjecting boron steel to temperatures of up to ...
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Opportunity 4.0
Nick Gibbs travels to Barcelona to discover how Gestamp’s own digital revolution is driving efficiency improvements in its energy-hungry hot-stamping operations When your company has expanded to more than 100 production plants, you want to keep a close watch on the production lines in those plants. Especially when you require ...
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Set the controls
Expertise in plastic component manufacturing will be in ever greater demand during the emobility age. In preparation, global supplier Novares has taken on a new form Following a period of reorganisation and rebranding, the Mecaplast-Key Plastics group spent 2018 settling in to its new identity – Novares The chosen name ...
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Competitive advantage
Automotive supplier BENTELER has introduced ABB inspection automation technology to its production plant in Vigo to improve efficiency and stand tall next to its competitors BENTELER is investing in ABB’s digital 3D vision and metrology solutions at its Vigo production plant in Spain, helping it reduce cycle times while ...
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Schedules to keep
Raffaello Lepratti, vice-president of business development and marketing at Siemens, outlines the company’s SIMATIC IT Preactor planning and scheduling solutionCar buyers’ tastes are becoming more diversified. They are attracted by design and performances, but also by region-specific features and a touch of uniqueness. Cars are one of the few mass ...
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Alpine scales new heights
One of the most interesting plant revivals in the last 12 months has been Renault’s overhaul of its factory in Dieppe, which now builds the A110 sports car. Nick Gibbs reportsThis is the home of Alpine, the revived sporting brand that Renault may or may not expand to become a ...
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Extreme flexibility is essential
KUKA offers numerous solutions that are helping vehicle manufacturers to tackle several challenges The automotive industry is undergoing the biggest transformation in its history. Megatrends such as digitisation, autonomous driving and e-mobility have significant implications not only for manufacturers but also for suppliers. What is required are smart production ...
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New 5-axis horizontal machining centre
The HF 3500 is a new model to Heller’s 5-axis, horizontal-spindle machining centre range. The company says this machine is intended for 5-sided or simultaneous 5-axis dynamic machining of medium to large batches of complex prismatic parts, ranging from small workpieces to heavier components up to the 550kg maximum table ...
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Leading a winning team
Nick Holt talks to Ford Craiova’s award-winning engine plant manager, Jo Payne, about the facility’s award-winning enginesJo Payne is no stranger to accolades, having been crowned winner in the manufacturing category of this year’s Autocar Great British Women in the Car Industry awards. She also won the award back in ...
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Advancing automotive with AHSS
SSAB explains how advanced high-strength steels address fundamental issues in a dynamic North American market, often at significant cost savings The North American car and truck market is undergoing change at a pace not seen since General Motors declared bankruptcy in 2009. In spite of rising transaction prices and higher ...
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Guiding lights for a smarter paintshop
System experts at Dürr have developed a digital maintenance assistant designed to keep automotive paintshops in full effect With its digital@Dürr concept, Dürr is delivering an important smart factory module. In future, the company will be supporting customers in maintaining painting and sealing robots using a digital maintenance assistant. With ...