All Ford articles – Page 28
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SKF introduces new condition monitoring equipment
SKF has introduced a new generation of wireless condition monitoring measurement devices. The Multilog WMx provides early fault detection and prevention, while also delivering information about correcting existing or impending problems. The new equipment also analyses operating conditions in order to provide an optimised maintenance schedule, helping to improve machine ...
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AutoFormplus R2 for die making and sheet metal forming
AutoFormplus R2 is the second release of AutoFormplus, the software now featuring a redesigned architecture. When using elastic plastic shell elements and bending enhanced membrane elements, Autoform claims an average increase in return times of 30% and 12% respectively. Other improvements are the shared memory multiprocessing (SMP) system, which delivers ...
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Specht launches new horizontal machining center
MAG’s new Specht 500/630 horizontal modular machining centre offers linear motor or ballscrew drives, CAT-40 through HSK-100 tool interfaces, six spindle options, four control options and three 5-axis confi gurations to suit operations ranging from one-off jobs through to machining line integration. The machine is engineered around a box-in-box, moving-table ...
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New multi-angle spectrophotometers from X-Rite
X-Rite says that the new MA94, MA96 and MA98 spectrophotometers are ‘designed to make it easy for quality control personnel to quickly obtain reliable colour measurement data s on the factory fl oor or in the lab’. Further to this, X-Rite says the new equipment is able to measure the ...
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Laser welding primer
Fit for purposeDecision processJoining techniquesAMS taks to Trumpf Laser and System Technology on the underlying power of lasers used for body-in-white production, the benefits of these systems – and potential drawbacksThere are four basic techniques that can be used to achieve a weld in the automotive body-in-white (BIW) process; spot, ...
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Pressing the advantage
Pressing matters in ChinaPress hardeningThe press shop marks the beginning of the automotive production process. Here, as chassis parts are shaped from precisely cut metal blanks, while corresponding tool sets create body parts such as side frames, doors, bonnets and roofs from sheet metal of various thicknesses.Material details vary between ...
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Ford makes changes to its executive team
Shanghai, China – Joe Hinrichs, Ford Group Vice- President and President Asia Pacific and Africa region has announced changes to the group’s executive team.Randy Krieger has been appointed President of Ford Group Philippines, replacing Rick Baker. Krieger, formerly president of Ford Japan, has been replaced by Tim Tucker, formerly vice-president ...
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Wagh is the head of passenger car manufacturing and product development at Tata
Mumbai, India – Girish Wagh, head of the Tata Motors’ small car project, has been appointed head of passenger car manufacturing and product development. This follows the announcement that Rajiv Dube has resigned from the position. Dube, who joined the company in 1983, played a pivotal role in Tata’s entry ...
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Joining options in BIW
Focus on adhesive bondingLaser makes gains in BIWWeapon of choiceAdvanced laser techniquesA wide range of recently-launched vehicles claim to have set new standards in joining innovation and efficiency, the improvements largely gained by using a combination of resistance spot welding and adhesive bonding techniques. While few manufacturers are prepared to ...
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Ghosn re-elected as Renault’s chairman and chief executive
Paris, France – Carlos Ghosn has been re-elected as Renault’s chairman and chief executive officer for a four-year period. Senior boardmembers were also appointed for fouryear terms.In a speech following the announcement, Ghosn said that he expects Renault to return to profit in 2011, and anticipates the company repaying its ...
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Reality meets potential
GM production set-upModulesGoing globalRapid responseImplementing efficienciesEngine and chassis productionBrazilian manufacturing chiefs from GM, PSA and Daimler reveal the key factors supporting record production figures - and whether those numbers are sustainableThe retail prices of new cars in Brazil have, like a lot of other products, been on the increase. But ...
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Toxic haste
Suzuki tackles boron and fluorine leakageBMW implements water management strategiesLife after vehicle manufacturingDecontaminating waste water with sunlightThe clean-up of old – and even bomb-damaged – vehicle plants is a challenge for OEMs. The former Zastava car production facility, now located in Serbia, has only recently been cleaned in arguably the ...
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Green materials from start to finish
Lightweighting by JSPEnvironmental swings and roundaboutsMaterial reuse at FordRecycling carbon fibreThe bigger pictureFlexible polymerThe quest for higher quality at the same price point or retained quality at a lower cost has driven the automotive industry forward for a century. Yet in recent times, the game has dramatically changed. Through a ...
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Automated fluid management
High-pressure situationsThe daily grindWith virtually all machine shops scrutinising costs, ways to make coolants and cutting fluids go further have taken a much higher priority. One such method is automated filtration and recycling.The inherent nature of cutting metal using machine tools leads to the ingress of contaminants such as chips, ...
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Editor's Note: History lessons
Although collectively they have been more tragedy than success, tie-ups, alliances and cross-investment strategies are again gaining favour in the automotive sector. In a rudimentary way, such deals make sense; spreading the cost of technology development, platform sharing and joint vehicle production can save on investment while increasing turnover.The TPCA ...
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Five-axis volumetric error compensation from MAG
MAG has launched what the company claims to be the industry’s fastest volumetric error compensation (VEC) system, capable of simultaneously analyzing and correcting positioning errors in all machine-tool axes. The MAG VEC technology reduces the time required to determine error compensations from days to hours, integrating both linear and rotary ...
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Motoman MH-series robots
Motoman describes its new range of high-speed MH-series robots as having an extremely fl exible design, allowing them to be used in a variety of applications. These include coating, dispensing, material cutting, handling and welding. The long reach of the MH50 model (and the extended reach of the MH50-35 and ...
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Lineside matting solution from Plastex
To help alleviate the dual problems of standing fatigue and slipping, Plastex offers its Vynagrip matting. The fl oor covering is suitable for use where workers are standing at specifi c production areas or workstations.Modules of Vynagrip matting, available in a range of sizes, are fi tted with PVC nosing ...
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Dürr launches the EcoBell3 paint atomizer
Dürr has launched its new EcoBell3 atomizers for the electrostatic application of water-based paints in conjunction with external charging. The performance of this atomizer is said to surpasses its predecessor, offering new features that not only lead to minimal loss during colour changes and shortened color change times, but also ...
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New SLG sensors from Sick
Sick has announced the launch of its new ´SLG´ family of non-safety, through-beam light grids. The SLG is said to be the slimmest light grid available, using 8mm for the optics. As such, the SLG can be hidden inside machines, frames and doors. In addition to its small size and ...