All Casting/Forging articles – Page 6
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ArticleFCA Kokomo earns Bronze WCM status
US – The facility in Indiana has become the 11th North American location to be recognised in this way – and the first involved in die casting. Kokomo also joins two transmission plants in Indiana which were given Bronze status last year.Kokomo Casting underwent a two-day audit, during which it ...
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ArticleAt the crossroads?
AMS looks at Japanese OEMs in Europe and what the future holds for their production operations thereFour of the Japanese vehicle companies have manufacturing operations in Europe: Honda, Nissan, Suzuki and Toyota. Nissan’s UK factory in Sunderland is widely regarded as one of the most efficient in Europe, while its ...
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ArticleFord, Alcoa collaborate on aluminium
US – The OEM had already selected Alcoa’s Micromill product for its aluminium-bodied 2016 F-150 pick-up truck, but the two companies have now also entered a joint development agreement to expand the range of next-generation aluminium alloys for automotive components.Micromill was made public in December 2014 and is claimed to ...
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ArticleSetting the standard
As Ford expands its powertrain production in China to meet rising local demand, Indy Singh, director of Powertrain, Ford AP manufacturing team, explains how the company is applying its global standards thereAMS: How has the One Ford programme been applied to powertrain manufacturing in China and is it now operating ...
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ArticlePerfect casting
Executive director Ed Grainger explains how Grainger & Worrall has transformed the ‘black art’ of casting into a high-tech operation to meet the demands of clients including F1, NASCAR and supercar makersAMS: Could you provide an overview of how the company has developed?Ed Grainger (EG): The company was established in ...
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ArticleA cut above the rest
Milling operations face the challenge of high volume and quality requirements in the automotive industrySupplying machined parts to the automotive industry brings a unique set of challenges, due largely to the combination of high volumes and meticulous quality demands. The problem is exacerbated in milling operations by the prismatic nature ...
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ArticleGM: Chasing Chinese capacity
Phil Kienle, vice-president of Manufacturing for GM International Operations (GMIO and GM China) discusses the production challenges of meeting rising demand in ChinaAMS: How has GM standardised its manufacturing operations globally and is China now operating at a level comparable with GM’s other high-volume production regions?Phil Kienle (PK): When you ...
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ArticleAluminium's arrived
Lionel Chapis and Andreas Afseth, respectively Constellium's MD and R&D market manager for Automotive, explain how the lightweight alternative to steel is now fulfilling its potential – and not only in the USIt is an exciting time to be supplying aluminium to the automotive industry, according to Lionel Chapis, Constellium’s ...
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ArticleAudible progress
With sales, revenue and production investments all on the increase, Audi is really making some noiseProduction sites in this article:Ingolstadt, GermanyMuenchsmuenster, GermanyNeckarsulm, GermanyMartorell, Spain Brussels, BelgiumGyor, HungaryBratislava, Slovakia Changchun, ChinaFoshan, ChinaSan José Chiapa, MexicoSão José dos Pinhais, Brazil Aurangabad, India Jakarta, IndonesiaKaluga, RussiaStrong financial results will allow Audi to continue ...
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ArticleKWSP's 3D printing makes 1920s car parts
UK – Engineers from KW Special Projects (KWSP) in Brackley used their additive manufacturing capabilities and high-performance engineering experience to design and manufacture missing parts for the restoration of a 1927 Amilcar C6, based on a black-and-white photograph.The car had featured an extended selector housing, adapted from the original. Using ...
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ArticleA new dimension
Additive manufacturing is seeing wider use across automotive production, from prototyping to toolingDespite all the efforts of the automotive industry to develop more economical engines or aerodynamic body shapes, one of the most basic determinants of the efficiency of vehicle performance remains the consistency with which lubricant fluids are distributed ...
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Article
Waupaca celebrates sustainability success
US – The Hitachi Metals company has been admitted to the state of Wisconsin’s Green Tier programme, which is run by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to recognise businesses that voluntarily meet environmental targets. Waupaca Foundry has also won two awards for its reuse of metal-casting byproducts.Waupaca has been ...
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ArticleJoined up thinking
A multi-disciplinary approach is enabling Cadillac to combine aluminium and steel for the new CT6For its forthcoming CT6 large saloon, US luxury brand Cadillac has married new bodyshop techniques that will “take craftsmanship and manufacturing technology to a new level,” according to the GM brand’s president, Johan de Nysschen. The ...
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ArticleThe aluminium age
The main alternative to steel is becoming more popular with vehicle-makers for its lightweighting potential but there are challenges in its wider use, including the need to secure a steady supply of recycled contentThe use of aluminium in automotive applications is poised to explode over the next five to ten ...
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ArticleApplication centre for advanced materials
Avure Technologies has established an application center to assist fabricators utilising advanced materials in the development of hot and cold isostatic pressing applications. The company says this new facility is equipped with two Hot Isostatic Presses (HIPs) and one Cold Isostatic Press (CIP). Currently hosting projects related to densification (defect ...
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ArticleSwedish Steel in India
Swedish steel specialist Uddeholm has built its reputation as a global supplier of tooling materials and services. The company’s vice-president for sales and marketing, Pär Emanuelsson, talks to automotive writer Dermot Healy about the company’s strategy for India.Dermot Healy: To begin with, what can you tell us about Uddeholm’s work ...
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ArticleT Sarangarajan, Hyundai Chennai
The vice-president – Production discusses operations at the OEM's very modern plant at Chennai, where the bodyshop is almost fully automated and there is an in-house aluminium casting capabilityAMS: Could you tell us about the aluminium casting facility at this site?T Sarangarajan (TS): It is a very clean operation, perhaps ...
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ArticleInterview: Dileep Naik, Tata Motors
The head of auto projects and production engineering discusses the manufacture of CVs, passenger cars and powertrains at the company's plant in Maharastra, plus its in-house production engineering capabilityAMS: Which vehicles are you currently producing at Pimpri?Dileep Naik (DN): Here we manufacture both commercial vehicles [CVs] and passenger vehicles. The ...
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ArticleHonda's Indian future
The OEM hopes to transform its newest plant in the country, Tapukara, into a major regional production hubIn the case of Honda’s latest plant in India, at Tapukara, appearances can be deceptive. At the time AMS visited, this huge facility was largely underutilised, producing just one model, the Amaze (production ...
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ArticleMaruti: Inspired by Japan
By strengthening its focus on quality, the OEM aims to keep its 44% market share despite more competitionWith sales of over 1.15m vehicles during 2013-2014 – encompassing hatchbacks, sedans, vans and SUVs – Maruti Suzuki is by any standards a major carmaker. As its name indicates, Maruti Suzuki is a ...