All Interiors articles – Page 2
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ArticleOut 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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Making metal add up
Additively manufactured metal parts present a challenge for high-volume production but at the other end of the scale, engineers are successfully developing the process for specialist, low volume parts. Mike Farish reports All over the automotive industry companies are exploring the potential of additive techniques to make parts in polymers ...
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Waste not…
Karen McCandless reports on vehicle-maker recycling projects ranging from plastic bottles to electric vehicle batteries As vehicle production numbers continue to increase, up from 11.9m in 2013 to 17m in 2017, so do the automotive industry’s waste management efforts continue to improve. The waste generated per unit produced in the ...
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Show us what you’re made of
Dürr explains how, a variety of different materials are being used to construct the latest models hitting the market, and paint lines need to adapt accordingly The future belongs to electric vehicles (EVs), since they allow emission-free and sustainable mobility. The established car manufacturers are increasingly being joined in ...
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Material matters
New developments in polycarbonate in automotive applications offer a glimpse of the future Covestro's electric concept car includes polycarbonate wrap-around glazing Designed in 1967 Covestro’s (then Bayer) K67 showcased how plastics could be used to create a stylish performance car. Fifty years later specialist materials supplier opened the doors ...
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Uma corrida pelo terceiro lugar
As vendas de veículos na Índia estão em expansão, o que beneficia alguns fabricantes estabelecidos, mas este ainda é um mercado que apresenta dificuldades para fabricantes secundáriosA produção do Audi A4 em Auragabad. No ano passado o mercado de veículos de passageiro da Índia atingiu a marca de 3m de ...
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La carrera por el tercer puesto
Las ventas de vehículos en la India están en auge a beneficio de los principales productores, sin embargo, continúa siendo un mercado difícil para los actores secundariosEl año pasado el mercado automotriz indio alcanzó por primera vez los 3 millones de unidades con un aumento del 8% respecto a 2016, ...
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追逐第三名
印度的汽车销量激增，让许多实力制造商受益，但是对那些跃跃欲试的新手来说仍然充满了玄机 据瑞典分析公司AID提供的数据，去年印度奥兰加巴德开始生产Audi A4，印度的乘用车市场里首次充斥着300万辆车，比2016年增长了9%。因此，印度就可以放心追逐新的目标，即赶超德国和日本，位居全球第三大汽车市场，仅次于中国和美国。 去年，日本市场的销量超过500万辆，虽然还有很长的路要走，但分析师和制造商认为，印度想要赶超日本还是大有可能的，尤其日本市场还很有可能出现萧条。新贵起亚（Kia）公司在印度投资兴建新厂，因为公司认为印度将会在2020年成为乘用车销量第三名。UBS银行集团的分析机构预测，到2021年轻型车销量（包括厢式车）会突破500万辆；总部在英国的分析公司LMC Auto预测，到2024年这个数字会达到660万辆。 加上印度的出口地理位置极佳，成为汽车投资的热门地点。EY公司分析师在去年印度就业市场调查中写道，“印度的中产阶级比例增加，城市化程度提高，而且印度市场的渗透率较低，因此成为全球最有潜力的汽车市场之一。”调查中提到，印度是全球汽车拥有率最低的国家之一，每千人拥有18辆汽车，而中国是69辆，美国为786辆。 投资滚滚而来 正如上面所述，起亚开始在Andhra Pradesh省东南部建设工厂，定于2019年开始投产，年产量将达到300,000辆。工厂占地213万平方米，包括一个冲压车间和喷漆车间，计划制造紧凑型轿车和SUV。工厂总投资11亿美元，其中包括一个供应商园区。起亚的姊妹公司，现代汽车是印度第二大乘用车制造商。LMC称，在未来的四年里，公司计划投资7.8亿美元推车8款新车型。 市场领军铃木汽车（Suzuki）正在Gujarat省的Hansalpur建设第二家装配厂，年产量将达到250,000辆。此外，公司还计划建设发动机厂和变速器厂，定于2019年开始投产。而第三家工厂也在计划当中，该厂投资5.85亿美元，公司每年总产量将达到750,000辆。据LMC计算，公司的总投资额也将达到20亿美元。铃木还将与东芝和电装公司合作投资1.79亿美元，建设电池组厂。铃木及其合作商马鲁帝在印度西北部Haryana省已经拥有两家装配厂了。 塔塔汽车在改善汽车业务状况的过程中，进行投资6.24亿美元 — 其中的3.9亿美元投资汽车业（不包括Jaguar Land Rover），2.34亿美元投资卡车。此外，菲亚特克莱斯勒投资2.34亿美元，在塔塔-菲亚特Ranjangoan工厂制造Jeep Compass汽车，从2017年开始向全球销售。LMC称，公司今年预计会推出一款新车。 针对印度，雷诺推出 Captur SUV，在低造价 B0平台上制造，而不是欧洲版平台 PSA将拿出1亿美元（初期投资），与CK Birla Group建立合资公司，后者是Hindustan Motors的母公司。Hindustan Motors金奈工厂预计从2020-2021年开始投产。PSA已经从Hindustan手中购买了Ambassador汽车名称。马恒达&马恒达公司计划向Pune汽车制造商和Igatpuri发动机厂投资2,400万美元，预计在今年晚些时候推出U321 MPV项目。 中国巨头上汽公司已经证实，将会收购通用汽车旗下Halol装配厂，并在未来五年里投资3.11亿美元，制造MG系列汽车。据LMC称，这会招来物价中国汽车供应商 —Yanfeng Automotive Interiors, Huichoung, Wuling Industry, LingYun Industrial Co以及Sevic公司，投资额将达到1.55亿美元。 印度市场的挑战 印度乘用车市场对成熟制造商来说游刃有余，但是对新进制造商来说却是一块难啃的骨头。去年，马鲁帝-铃木对市场加大力度，销量增长了15%，市场份额也达到50%，总销量达到160万辆。位居第二的是现代汽车，据销售整合网站Bestsellingcarsblog.comt透露，公司销量增长近五十万辆。塔塔乘用车销量也增长，接近170,000辆，位居第五，仅次于马恒达和本田。但是雷诺的光景却不佳，销量比前一年下降了15%。 雷诺成为印度成功的典范，2015年在推出Kwid微型SUV之后，尽管成果不显著，但一直坚持不懈。雷诺公司称，公司成功的秘诀在于低成本和高本地化率，但是2017款Kwid销量下降了13%，从前十名中淘汰出来。印度消费者可能更加青睐低廉价汽车，但是又喜欢新东西。LMC Automotive高级经理Ammar Master说，“印度汽车制造商要不断更新产品才能维持竞争力。”雷诺最近刚刚推出Captur SUV，这是在低成本B0平台上制造的汽车，没有采用精密的欧洲版本，而且计划2019年在Kwid基础上推出新款SUV。据LMC预测，这款汽车会再次推动销量。Master预测称，此举或让雷诺获得两位数增长率。 通用汽车（General Motors）却逆向而行。公司去年宣布，2018年会从印度汽车市场全部撤出，只留下Talegaon工厂作为地区出口基地，比如向拉美地区出口。通用汽车因为Chevrolet在印度的惨谈经营，最终决定退出。 美国对手公司福特汽车（Ford）尽管错失市场增长潮流，但是仍然决定留守阵地，2017年交付率仅增长1%，共销售87,588辆汽车，位列第八。Master说，“像福特这样的公司已经在印度几十年了，但是市场占有率仍然微不足道。过去外国制造商认为，全球成功战略可以在印度复制，但是实际情况却差强人意。外国制造商不得不更多地考虑当地情况，很多公司已经采取措施。” 合作关系 福特公司已经与马恒达集团建立合作关系，去年宣布要一同合作进行电气化、产品开发、移动项目和联网汽车项目。福特公司还说，他们将一同完成“采购并提高商业效率”。3年之后，双方公司将决定是否要继续合约。马恒达公司（是韩国双龙母公司）在印度以SUV车著称，但是唯一生产电动车的制造商。政府机构National Institution for ...
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A race for third place
India’s vehicle sales are booming to the benefit of a handful of established manufacturers, but it’s still a tricky market for those on the sidelinesLast year, India’s passenger vehicle market cracked 3m units for the first time, up 9% on 2016, according to data from Swedish analyst firm AID. That ...
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Faurecia constructs new facility in Missouri
The Tier 1 supplier Faurecia is building a new production facility in Blue Springs, Missouri. Costing $60m, it will be used to manufacture and assemble both door and instrument panels for vehicles. "Faurecia is proud to open this new site and to provide new opportunities for local job seekers," commented ...
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Counting on the data
The implementation of digital tools is transforming the quality control processes in manufacturing operations Physical jigs are now being rendered as digital models and Audi says it is well on the way to representing a concept that resides in the digital, ‘virtual’ world. The company is now exploiting the concept ...
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High fibre content
Composites reinforced with glass fibres have been used in the mass-production of hang- and bolt-on parts for decades – AMS looks at some recent innovations Mounting pressure on OEMs to reduce the weight of their vehicles means that material and tier suppliers making body panels, interior parts, under-the-bonnet parts, ...
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European ramp up
Yanfeng is busily growing its operation within Europe as two new facilities come on stream, with a manufacturing plant in the Czech Republic and a new test centre in SlovakiaThough the company was only formally established in 2015 Yanfeng Automotive Interiors already registers as one of the biggest automotive suppliers ...
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The stage to engage
The continually restructuring tier supply environment is witnessing record M&A activity amid rapid technological changeTier one suppliers currently face a bewildering mix of challenges, some long-term and some short-term in impact. This has always been the case, but the pace of change and the scale of adjustment required now are ...
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The stage to engage
The continually restructuring tier supply environment is witnessing record M&A activity amid rapid technological change Tier one suppliers currently face a bewildering mix of challenges, some long-term and some short-term in impact. This has always been the case, but the pace of change and the scale of adjustment required now ...
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IoT disruption in the driving seat
Digitalised manufacturing will play a critical role helping automotive interiors suppliers achieve the flexibility needed to remain competitive and relevant in today’s fast-moving digital economy With consumers’ growing appetite for high value-added yet competitively priced vehicles, automotive suppliers face increasing pressure to keep up with changing tastes and requirements while ...
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Novares opens Mioveni plant
Romania – Until recently known as Mecaplast-Key Plastics, the company said it has established itself in the country in order to be close to its main customer, Dacia. The factory near Pite ş ti is Novares’ first in the country. According to Novares, the objective of the new facility is ...
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Getting the green light
Under government pressure, domestic and international OEMs in China are switching to new-energy vehicles US vehicle manufacturers Premium European brands European high-volume makers Japanese and Korean OEMs Motorcycle producers SuppliersThe origins of Chinese vehicle manufacturing are rooted in technology transfers from European, US and Japanese OEMs through joint ventures in ...
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Readying your cutting room for Industry 4.0
Widespread digitalisation within automotive manufacturing is providing the opportunity for seating and interiors suppliers to move up the value chain With the Fourth Industrial Revolution well underway, automotive suppliers need to assess their Industry 4.0 readiness across all operations. The car of the future will be highly connected, electric and ...
