All Bodyshop articles – Page 6
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ArticleAGVs 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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ArticleLap of luxury
Its history and heritage may be strong but Aston Martin’s focus is firmly fixed on the future A proud claim of Aston Martin is that of all the cars the company has ever built in its 105 year history, 95% of them are still on the road. As a premium ...
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ArticleAlpine 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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ArticleTime for an upgrade
As Toyota shapes up its global manufacturing network to build the new vehicle platform, Nick Holt visits the OEM’s Valenciennes facility to see the progress being madeTo meet the challenge of rapidly changing markets and segment volatility, the development and adoption of common, modular vehicle platforms is now a familiar ...
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ArticleSpoilt for choice
Eight different models are made at DTNA’s Cleveland plant, and a high level of customisation means that thousands of options are available to customers. Michael Nash reports
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ArticleRouge alert
It’s been part of Ford real estate for more than a century but, as Gareth Price discovers, the historic Rouge Center houses a truck plant shaped for modern times
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ArticleThe X Factor
As GM Fairfax gears up to build the new Cadillac XT4 alongside the existing Chevy Malibu sedan, Gareth Price travels to Kansas City to speaks to plant manager Bill Kulhanek about the new eraWhat sort of preparations have you had to make for the new process? Have there been any ...
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Article4th gen A-Class at Valmet Automotive
Finland – Having built the previous A-Class generation, the Finnish contract manufacturer said that only limited changes were needed at its Uusikaupunki plant to produce the new A-Class. The bodyshop has seen the most upgrades, where all manual workstations are now automated, increasing the number of body shop robots to ...
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ArticleJack of all trades
Ford Otosan’s Inönü plant houses an unusual production mix, and is taking on more projects. Michael Nash investigatesInönü is a small, sleepy town in north-west Turkey. The nearest city, Eskisehir, is a 40-minute drive away and is populated by young students who attend its two universities. Aside from an array ...
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ArticleCollective thinking
Closer collaboration between product development and production teams could lead to significant improvements in vehicle manufacturing processes. Ford Otosan holds a unique position. Michael Nash reports The scenery in Turkey is full of surprises. A quick car journey can lead to towering mountains, pristine beaches and lush forests, while historical ...
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ArticleFirst 'Full Flex' factory build underway
Hungary - Construction has begun on Mercedes-Benz's first “Full-Flex Plant“ in Kecskemét, 90km in the south of Budapest.The company is investing €1bn in the new facility that will comprise presses, bodyshop, paintshop and assembly lines. It is anticipated that more than 2,500 jobs will be created.Its first global “Full-Flex Plant”, ...
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ArticleA global future
Now Chinese-owned Volvo enters its tenth decade looking stronger than ever. Ian Henry reportsFord had owned Swedish carmaker since 1999, but had never been able to integrate it into the rest of its operations. Nonetheless, when Geely bought Volvo it found a company full of new ideas and plans which ...
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ArticleVolvo Cars increases XC40 capacity
Sweden - Around 80,000 orders have been made for the XC40 since it was launched in late 2017. As a result, the OEM has announced it will expand production of the model, which is the first to be based on its compact modular architecture (CMA), at its Ghent manufacturing plant ...
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ArticleBMW starts Leipzig extension
Germany - The OEM revealed its intension to expand the plant back in July 2017. It originally said the cost would total around €200m (US$234.82m), but has revised that figure to €300m.Construction work has started to extend and update both the bodyshop and paintshop. 500 new robots are being ...
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ArticleFord invests in Craiova plant
Romania - The OEM has confirmed it is spending €200m (US$236.17m) to ready its Craiova plant for the production of a second vehicle, the name of which will be confirmed closer to launch. It will be built alongside the EcoSport small SUV and the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine."This new investment will ...
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ArticleSPA in the DNA
Rising global demand for Volvo vehicles and the arrival of models using the SPA platform is having a considerable impact on the company’s Torslanda plant. Michael Nash investigatesAs they typically employ thousands of people, mass-market vehicle production plants often have a significant influence on local and indeed national economies. But ...
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ArticleIntegrating i vehicles
Separate production lines are used to build conventionally powered vehicles and the electrified i models at BMW Leipzig, but this could soon changeA gulf remains between electric vehicles (EVs)and those that are powered solely by internal combustion engines (ICEs). This is evident in consumer demand, in range, in cost and ...
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ArticleTracking and training
Digital technologies are providing new training solutions for the automotive industry. Nick Holt reportsEye tracking systems are now being successfully used to create training programs that reduce errors in manufacturing operations. Mike Bartel, senior research developer at Tobii Pro Insights provided an overview of what this technology offers: “Eye tracking ...
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Articlei8 Roadster enters production at Leipzig
Germany - BMW has started the production of its i8 Roadster two months ahead of market launch. The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is being made at the company's Leipzig plant in Germany, which also produces the BMW 1 and 2 Series as well as the i3. The updated i8 ...
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ArticlePorsche doubles e-mobility investment
Expansion at Porsche Zuffenhausen will facilitate Mission E projectsGermany - Porsche is to invest significantly more funds into its electromobility development to produce both plug-in hybrids and purely electric vehicles at its Zuffenhausen plant. The move will see the Stuttgart-based OEM take its expenditure on e-mobility from around €3bn ...