All BIW/Materials articles – Page 2
-
ArticleRobots extend their reach
With production levels under close scrutiny in the current credit squeeze, OEMs that have already invested in automation are well placed to manage the challenges ahead.Flexible vehicle assembly‘Welds’ apartReasons to be cheerfulThe automotive industry is the world’s biggest user of industrial robot technology. The automation of such operations as welding, ...
-
ArticleJoined at the edge
The growing domination of roller hemming in automotive production, its advantages and drawbacks in comparison with other hemming techniquesDefining roller hemmingAdvancing tool technologiesThe case for clinchingImproved strength characteristicsIn of itself, hemming as a joining technique is unexceptional. The basic concept involves folding the overlapping edge of an outer panel over ...
-
ArticleTailor made by laser
New laser joining techniques, steel grades, and how laser ablation can improve welded joinsLaser dominationFull process cost is keyPreparing to weldAchieving parity of speedThe concept of the tailored blank is generally acknowledged to have its origins back in the 1980s in the German automotive sector. Its central idea is extremely ...
-
ArticleKeeping it together
The benefits of replacing traditional body welds with adhesives, fixings and fastenersCounting the costSticking pointsChoices, choices, choicesMaterial worldNot so long ago, the idea of using adhesive for body-in-white assembly operations would have been deemed unrealistic. However, slowly but surely, the numerous advantages of adhesives have ensured this innovative joining technique ...
-
ArticleNerves of steel
Despite the development of new materials for use in body-in-white, steel remains steadfast as stronger, lighter incarnations of the metal continue to arise.Commercial and technical innovation through co-operationDiversity of high-strength solutionsNovel metal formsGlobal market potentialCurrent applications span the market spectrumDesign adaptation to high-strength materialsWorking in partnershipThe challenge for Tier Two ...
-
ArticleThe steel age for ArcelorMittal
The search for new marketsProducing lighter, stronger steelTailor-made steel solutionsThe coating process – a challenge for the futureArcelorMittal is continuing to develop stronger, lighter steels for use in the automotive industry. A looks at the latest materials, and seeing what the future holds for steel"The three most important factors in ...
-
ArticleLaser-sharp products
A full range of products on showGiving a flawless appearanceCutting maintenance costsThis year’s Euroblech exhibition, running from 21-25 October in Hanover, Germany, will again be the world’s leading sheet metalworking show. A preview of some of the products and services that will be shownMore than 140 companies, from Italy, Taiwan ...
-
ArticleMaterials bounce back
Sensitive material can add value downstreamWorking with software developersWaste not, want notNew possibilities with nanotechnologyBonding rubberMoulds and foamsAlternative challengesThose offering different materials to the automotive marketplace now need to argue a considerably more complex case than mere physical characteristics and priceAnyone tracing the history of material use in the automotive ...
-
ArticleFit for automated purpose
Greater product varietyDevelopments in weldingReprogrammable robotic devicesClose co-operation between user and supplierThere was a time when ‘hard’ automation – tailor-made, dedicated installations – was the trend, but things are moving to a more flexible approachIt appears that the use of robots in the automotive manufacturing sector is entering an unpredictable ...
-
ArticleUnder the drill
Tools for the jobReducing frictionFrom art to partSingle fixture allows for machining and inspectionExpert help is at handComposites represent a paradigm shift in materials technology for a new generation of automotive manufacturing engineers. AMS looks at the current and future challengesComposite materials provide a number of manufacturing challenges for production ...
-
ArticleWhen worlds collide
Exploiting the synergiesSpeed is of the essenceThe breeding ground for leading technologyPutting learning experiences into practiseWhile Formula One and the automotive industry have diverged on chassis technology, the transfer of ideas is alive and well in powertrain development. But F1 teams do not necessarily lead the wayThe first part of ...
-
Article
Cutting-edge technology at IMTS
The International Manufacturing and Technology Show (IMTS) will be held in Chicago, Illinois at McCormick Place from 8-13 September, 2008. One of the largest industrial trade shows in the world, this biennial event features virtually every manufacturer of equipment and accessories for the automotive sector. Here are some of the ...
-
ArticleWasting away
Reduction is increasingBalancing the conflictWaste not, want notMetal and plasticFluids – the environment’s worst enemyUsing recycled materialsInformed workforceOutsourcing waste managementTough regulations on recycling are coming into force on an almost monthly basis, but for vehicle makers waste management is not a new idea. Some have been sorting the swarf from ...
-
ArticleLiving in a material world
Lightweight end of lifeReinventing traditional materialsTime for magnesiumAdvances in steelPlastic potentialAerospace and automotive convergenceHybrid vehiclesEnd-user benefitDevelopments in alternative materials are driving change in the drivetrain and bringing benefits to an industry trying to reduce emissions and improve performance Talk to anyone involved in the automotive supply chain and chances are ...
-
ArticleProduction decision intelligence
Online in-line monitoring, visualisation, analysis and optimisation -with local and global access to identify and avoid production problems - is an important issue in modern high-quality auto body manufacturingThis area is where an innovative, intelligent, process-independent production quality database such as Q-VIS from Isra Vision can help. It facilitates comprehensive ...
-
ArticleBody conditioning
The key to lower-cost componentsMelt conditioning and high-pressure die castingMelt conditioning and twin roll castingMelt conditioning and direct chill casting (MC-DCC)Melt conditioning and recycling One of the major restrictions to the increased use of aluminium and magnesium alloy components in automotive applications is their relatively high cost compared to similar ...
-
ArticleLooking toward the light
Rising and falling ratesSize and strengthNew launchesLight Land RoverThe percentage of innovative lightweight materials in vehicles continues to increase, but so does the weight of the average car. What’s being done to balance the scales?The recent signing of the Energy Independence and Security Act by President George Bush has brought ...
-
ArticleFrom strength to strength
A future for steelSteel innovationsFlat carbon steelQuiet SteelSmooth high strengthCross-car beamSteel solutionsSpecialist high-strength steels are helping engineers and designers save weight while meeting stringent performance and safety targetsWhen you talk to carmakers around the world the theme of high-strength steels as the preferred material for carmakers in terms of performance, ...
-
ArticleLight and plastic industry
A range of innovative and versatile plastic-moulded components are being eagerly adopted by the automotive industry as it strives to save weight and stay cost effectiveVersatile polypropyleneInstrument panelsPlastic in the hoodWeighty dilemmaPlastic proofingStyling aidOne of the stated aims of US legislators is to raise the fuel economy of cars and ...
-
ArticleFringe benefits
Folding metal for a good finish is an increasingly complex task as production lines become more flexible and body parts get more intricate. AMS looks at two suppliers leading the field in table top and robot hemmingQuick changeDirect applicationFlexible table topsSpin offs and rollersProven at PeugeotOEM benefitsAccurate hemming, where the ...
- Previous Page
- Page1
- Page2
- Page3
- Page4
- Next Page