All articles by Glen Brooks
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ArticleSmarter EV production
As it launches ‘electric intelligence’ models, Mercedes-Benz is also adapting its factories for flexible productionAt first there was some confusion over what Mercedes-Benz meant when it announced that it was creating an ‘EQ’ division. Was it to be a line-up of cars which would directly challenge BMW’s i models, as ...
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花冠飞入寻常百姓家
很长时间以来，丰田在墨西哥是皮卡车制造商，公司要从2019年开始提高生产。公司在瓜纳华托的工厂是第一个在丰田全球新构架（Toyota New Global Architecture）上制造汽车的工厂从2004年开始，投资1.4亿美元兴建而成的Toyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja California (TMMBC)工厂就在与美国接壤的提华纳，面向北美市场装配汽车。该厂是公司旗下德克萨斯州圣安东尼奥工厂的姐妹工厂。圣安东尼奥工厂也制造Tacoma皮卡车，但与TMMBC不同的是，这里还有一个冲压车间。Baja California工厂占地超过280万平方米，其中Tacama工厂占地33,000平方米。这里有焊接车间、喷漆车间和装配车间，附近还有供应商园区。公司对工厂的总投资已经达到1.8亿美元，产量也不断上涨，员工数量也稳步增长，目前已经超过1,180名。阅读全文［英文］
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Corolla chega na cidade
Um fabricante de longa data de caminhões picape no México, a Toyota, vai finalmente, adicionar mais produção de automóveis em 2019. A sua nova fábrica em Guanajuato será a primeiro que é projetada para fazer veículos na nova arquitetura mundial da Toyota. A Toyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja California ...
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Mudando para SUVs
A FCA anunciou grandes investimentos nos EUA e Canadá nos últimos anos, mas suas fábricas mexicanas também receberam financiamento estável. Em Toluca, isso pode resultar em um novo foco nos SUVs sobre a arquitetura CUSWInvestimentos anunciados para as fábricas canadenses Fiat Chrysler Automobiles EUA entre junho de 2009 e julho ...
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Adequado à finalidade
A Honda do México atingiu uma produção recorde no ano passado, após a abertura de sua nova fábrica em Celaya"A gestão, incluindo eu, deve liderar a mudança da nossa mentalidade, e cada associado precisa mudar sua percepção e sua forma de trabalhar", disse o diretor executivo da Honda Takahiro Hachigo ...
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Llega el nuevo Corolla
Toyota lleva muchos años produciendo camionetas pick-up en México, en 2019 comenzará finalmente a producir utilitarios. La nueva planta de Guanajuato será la primera diseñada para utilizar la arquitectura Toyota New Global Architecture Toyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja California (TMMBC) lleva desde 2004 ensamblando vehículos para los mercados norteamericanos desde ...
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Hecho a medida
Honda de México alcanzó un nuevo récord de producción el año pasado, después de la apertura de su nueva planta en Celaya "Los administradores, yo mismo incluido, debemos liderar el cambio de mentalidad, y nuestros asociados deben cambiar su manera de trabajar", aseguró el CEO de Honda Takahiro Hachigo en ...
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La transición a los SUV
FCA ha anunciado grandes inversiones en EEUU y Canadá en los últimos años, pero las plantas en México también han recibido inversiones constantes. En Toluca, esto podría materializarse en un enfoque en los SUV basados en la arquitectura CUSW Las inversiones anunciadas por Fiat Chrysler Automobiles en EEUU y Canadá ...
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ArticleSwitching to SUVs
FCA has announced big investments in the US and Canada in recent years but its Mexican factories have also received steady funding. At Toluca, this may result in a new focus on SUVs on the CUSW architectureAnnounced investments for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ US and Canadian plants between June 2009 and ...
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ArticleFit for purpose
Honda dé Mexico reached a record production last year, following the opening of its new plant at Celaya"The management, including myself, must lead in changing our mindset, and every associate needs to change their perception and the way they work,” said Honda CEO Takahiro Hachigo at a news conference in ...
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ArticleCorolla rolls into town
A long-time manufacturer of pick-up trucks in Mexico, Toyota will finally add car production in 2019. Its new plant in Guanajuato will be the first that is designed to make vehicles on the Toyota New Global ArchitectureToyota Motor Manufacturing de Baja California (TMMBC) has been assembling vehicles for North American ...
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ArticleInterview: Håkan Ivarsson, Volvo
The new XC90 is the Swedish vehicle-maker's most important model yet, introducing the latest SPA architecture. The technical director for this big SUV tells the story behind its developmentAMS: As technical director, are you head of engineering for just the V526 [the new XC90] or all other future big Volvos?Håkan ...
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ArticleSAIC expanding success
Shanghai Auto has no intentions of giving up its position as China’s number one automaker. AMS looks at its manufacturing operations and future plans SAIC Motor Corporation Limited (SAIC), which is owned by the Shanghai municipal government, operates two major passenger car joint ventures: Shanghai Volkswagen (SVW) and Shanghai GM. ...
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Grande salto à frente
Graças à sua marca Haval SUV, Great Wall Motor está experimentando níveis de produção recorde A taxa de crescimento do mercado pode estar a abrandando, mas Great Wall Motors (GWM) dará força ao seu país de origem. A decisão tomada há cinco anos para usar recursos para a marca Hover ...
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Un gran salto hacia delante
Great Wall Motor está experimentando niveles récord de producción gracias a su marca Haval de vehículos SUVEl ritmo de crecimiento del mercado está reduciéndose, pero Great Wall Motors (GWM) crece constantemente en su país de origen. La decisión hace cinco años de invertir en la que entonces era la marca ...
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Article纵身一跃
由于长城汽车的Haval SUV品牌，公司的生产进入新的发展阶段尽管市场增长率可能有些低迷，但是长城汽车公司（GWM）打算不断地加大在国内的实力。5年前公司做出了要向Hover品牌投入资金的决定，现在看来很有远见。将Jeep和Land Rover改成Haval之后，这个车型迅速成为长城汽车的主打。但是有些地方原始设备制造商，如奇瑞汽车，却仍然与工厂的低利用率和滞销车型作斗争。随着中等紧凑轿车销量下滑，跨界车与SUV车型的销量却一路走俏。到4月末为止，长城汽车的总车型数量同比去年增加了45%。和西方一样，中国的消费者迷恋大型车，认为这样的车更加安全、功能更全。Haval相对公道的价格也是取胜的关键之一。上汽通用五菱汽车生产的厢式旅行车一直是中国最走俏的车型，但是在4月份，市场却受到另一个车型的震荡：即Haval H6。这种紧凑型SUV产于天津长城汽车制造厂。2014年H6的销量超过300,000辆，一举拿下上海大众Tiguan，夺得中国SUV销量第一位，获得极大成功。长城汽车公司在天津还生产另一款SUV，而这款车在2015年的销量也非常令人刮目。个体稍小的Haval H2在去年7月开始销售，10月份售出10,000辆。这是Ford EcoSport尺寸的车型，拥有1.5升涡轮增压柴油机，产自公司在保定的发动机厂。 An ABB welding robot used at GWM Tianjin与国外一级供应商合作与天津长城汽车厂合作的主要供应商时ABB公司。多功能机器人，瑞士-瑞典公司的FlexFramer和机器人包边技术用于工厂里的焊接；ABB和GWM声称，Haval H6车体的抗震性要比普通钎焊的车体高出30%。工厂的主体生产线上的30个工作站里有27个ABB机器人。这些机器人主要是IRB 6640和IRB 7600型号，对车体进行4,000多个焊点加工。汽车车体和车门上的焊接是由IRB 6640型号机器人完成，每个机器人的净负荷为235公斤。相比之下，IRB 7600型号机器人的净负荷量为500公斤，用于长城汽车工厂的曲架工作站。就是在这里，车体侧边和车顶、以及车底焊接在一起，构成主要框架。随着中国许多地区劳动率的上升，ABB的使用几率也在上升。自从2006年ABB与GWM联袂以来，合作关系成为长期发展。最新合作项目是在河北省保定徐水，GWM新的工厂从2014年末开始制造Haval车型。徐水的生产规模很大，在汽车车体修理厂安置了600个工业机器人，用于长城汽车SUV白车身的第二部加工。IRB 6640, IRB 7600,和IRB 2600机器人都派上用场，同时ABB还为GWM提供各班和车底组件生产线。第二阶段的产量达到每年250,000辆。H9, H8, H6Coupe和H7 Coupe有可能使徐水生产的4种车型，而Haval品牌将延伸到高价位车段。GWM分公司的Li Jianhe说，“我们不断提高我们的自动化与生产工艺，巩固生产力，保证高质量，实现中国自产汽车品牌的梦想…”GWM下一个主要制造投资还是在保定。一项价值达34亿人民币（约合5.486亿美元）的投资还在筹划当中，建设另一个SUV生产厂。工厂预计于2017年开业，年产量将达到250,000辆，而GWM在中国的年生产总量将突破100万大关。目前，GWM在保定和天津的工厂每年能生产800,000辆轿车和SUV汽车。新的平台上的Halla底盘组件去年，GWM与Mando公司签订战略合作协议，同意合作开发转向器、悬架和制动系统。最近又与Halla集团分公司合作，在原有的供应基础上扩大供应减震器、真空助力器和后驻车制动总成。Manda公司所提供的这些零部件用于走俏车型Haval H6 SUV上。只要中国市场SUV车段持续高速走俏，GWM将会获益匪浅。虽然这个级别上已经拥有多种车型，但是还会有新的车型出现。首先登场的将是H7汽车，这是一款中等大小4x4s汽车。今年4月份的上海汽车展上，2款Haval原型一展风采。H7将是标准车型，而H7 L原型应该会在今年晚些时候出台，这是一款加长轴距和7座车型。公司还将拿出低顶板H7 Coupe和混合动力派生物。这些定于2016年中晚期进行。“我们不断提高我们的自动化与生产工艺，巩固生产力，保证高质量，实现中国自产汽车品牌的梦想…” —— 长城汽车公司，Li Jianhe保定工厂制造Haval品牌中最小的车型H1，以及Great Wall Voleex C20R和C30小型车，Haval H5, Wingle皮卡车，和M2小型跨界车。最后一款车型的生产周期已经接近尾声，很快将会停产，由H1接替。这种低利润小型车逐个被高价位SUV替代的战略，是该原始设备制造商的未来规划。这也是GWM能在大众、丰田等竞争对手中脱颖而出的原因。今年5月，徐水工厂又增加生产H6 Coupe汽车。这种SUV汽车与Mazda CX-5的尺寸相当，打算走路虎的路线，提供更高价位、更时尚的车型，风格与Range Rover Evoque相似。这个备受争议的H8由于质量问题，曾有过两次错误的开端，现在已经在徐水全面生产。此外还有H9，汽车长4.9米，是GWM最大的SUV，是Toyota Prado的劲敌。制造商在所有车型上都是用4缸和6缸才有发动机，变速器使用6速和8速自动挡。The GWM Tianjin welding line, featuring robots ...
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ArticleGreat leap forward
Thanks to its Haval SUV brand, Great Wall Motor is experiencing record production levelsThe rate of market growth might be slowing, but Great Wall Motors (GWM) is going from strength to strength in its home country. A decision taken five years ago to pour resources into the then Hover brand ...
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ArticleVillaverde: To blossom with Cactus?
PSA’s under-used plant in Madrid may be reinvigorated by production of the Citroën C4 CactusIn 2012, PSA Villaverde was in desperate need of new product. The Madrid plant had built several generations of small cars for PSA, but Peugeot 207 hatchback manufacture was being wound down and only the Peugeot ...