Editor's Pick – Page 99
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Building on framework
The Freightliner Custom Chassis plant in Gaffney, South Carolina, houses a diverse assembly mix, and has recently taken on a new project Gaffney is a small town sitting off the beaten track. It was previously described as ‘the peach capital’ of South Carolina, with the local economy dependant on orchards ...
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A positive response
Daimler is embarking on a major corporate restructuring in the hope of improving its ability to face upcoming challenges in the automotive sector The restructuring currently underway at Daimler is due to be complete by 2020 and the plan centres on creating legally independent AG companies, Mercedes-Benz AG, Daimler Truck ...
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Drive for efficiency
How can tier suppliers deliver a fast and efficient project? According to SSAB a close partnership with a material supplier and early involvement is the key to success Today, the competition in the automotive industry is driving the need for efficiency more than ever. As a result, OEMs are ...
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The full measure
In-process measurement can guarantee fewer rejects, easier assembly, and ultimately, happier customers before a single part reaches the OEM The ‘where’ in automotive manufacturing has changed and expanded over time as OEMs rely further on increased content from Tier suppliers. From frames, closures, headlamps and tail lamps all the ...
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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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Cool calculations - rapid welding
Advanced rapid welding technology is helping to surpass challenges in series production at Voestalpine Fronius has recently added the successful CMT welding process to the company’s most modern power source, the TPS/i. The second generation of the “cold arc” allows robotic welding in many applications with unprecedented levels of quality, ...
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Weld the right result
Welding zinc coated steels presents a variety of challenges. Lincoln Electric’s Global Industry Segment Director for Transportation Tim Hurley explores the solutions As engineers and designers respond to the need to decrease vehicle weight while maintaining or improving crash worthiness, automotive manufacturers are using more high strength steels in ...
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Extended reach
FARO’s technology combinations are allowing users to focus more on the actual measurement and less on the measurement processes Ensuring the quality of a car’s performance and design, FARO 3D measurement technology solutions provide a simple, yet accurate way of taking contact and non-contact measurements for quality control in ...
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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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Hot stamp harmony
With the demand for quality specifications from OEMs on the rise Gestamp turned to Zeiss for a new approach to quality assurance Deer graze undisturbed in the fields that stretch off into the distance as far as the eye can see. Yet there is a lot more to this ...
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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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Clean and tidy
Coherent-ROFIN’s Frank Gäbler describes how the CleanWeld process can garner greater results in fibre laser welding While automotive manufacturers have successfully employed fibre lasers in metal welding for over a decade, efforts still continue to improve their utility and extend the results they deliver in terms of part ...
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The break-up of Fiat Chrysler gathers pace
A couple of years ago, Ferrari became an independent quoted company, separate from Fiat Chrysler. This was followed by the separation of CNH Industrials, the holding company for Iveco Trucks. Now Fiat Chrysler has spun off its components activity, Magneti Marelli, to CK Holdings in a deal worth over 6bn ...
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Die-cut structural tape
Lohmann Technologies says its DuploTEC structural bonding tape has been specified for the bonding of magnets direct onto an oil pump drive shaft and also to bond magnets onto shafts inside electric motors.The pump manufacturer bonded the transducer magnet to the shaft, using the company’s DuploTEC 10410 SBF (Structural Bonding ...
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Manufacturing execution system
Lantek says that with its MES Manager manufacturing execution system, engineers can upload a bill of materials for the products being manufactured including parts and subassemblies. The company claims that the full sequence of operations required for the manufacture of each part or subassembly is stored within the MES system.The ...
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LED UV-curing unit
The LED Spot 100 HP IC has been developed for all applications requiring intensive UV irradiation over a large area, claims Hönle. The company says applications include bonding, fixing or the encapsulating of components. At a wavelength of 405nm the unit gives an intensity of 2,000mW/cm² and 460nm gives 3,000 ...
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Juntando la piezas del rompecabezas
Ian Henry identifica seis temas principales en los traslados, fusiones y adquisiciones que se están produciendo en el sector de proveedores automotrices primariosHay seis cuestiones que caracterizan el sector del suministro automotriz actualmente: las fusiones y adquisiciones en curso, los retos financieros de la base de suministros, las contrataciones, la ...
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Out now: ATS 2019
For this, our third issue of the ATS supplement, we have spoken once again to key players in this crucial sector of the market, revealing their insight on the current state of automotive manufacturing.Piecing it all together Ian Henry identifies six themes from the moves, mergers and makeovers underway in ...
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Getting beneath the skin
Specialists in automotive interiors have long been at the sharp end of sustainability issue. Gareth Price looks at the controls and techniques that are helping IAC Group improve process control and lower energy consumption Ever since environmental impact became a hot topic for discussion and action within the automotive manufacturing ...
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Power from plastics
James Bakewell speaks to thermoset plastics specialists Pieter Vanderstraeten and Hendrik De Keyser about the increasing scope for composite powertrain components While the use of advanced composites in structural applications has hogged the limelight in recent years, these lightweight materials also have many advantages for the manufacture of components for ...