All Knowledge Bank articles – Page 3
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ArticleAdvanced 3D metrology for car body
GOM has worked on improving the speed and accuracy of its latest generation of optical 3D coordinate measuring machinesThe automotive industry has undergone many changes over recent years, and new technologies are influencing production processes with the aim of making manufacturing more efficient. The implementation of robotics on the assembly ...
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ArticleThe perfect weld
Fronius sheds light on how data documentation can improve industrial welding processes in automotive productionIn the increasingly digitalised and interconnected automotive OEM and supplier industries, one factor that is playing a growing role is the efficient acquisition and processing of the data generated in production. This enables manufacturers to optimise ...
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ArticleLaser methods to support e-mobility
Frank Gäbler and Dr Jürgen Uebbing of Coherent Rofin discuss the various use for lasers when building electric vehicles Compared to gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles, electrified vehicles are in their relative infancy, with metals and metal components being deployed in novel ways in order to increase range and improve ...
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ArticleQuality is everything
Volkswagen uses Zeiss AIMax digital-optical 3D sensor technology at its plant in WrzesniaFollowing a site analysis in 2013, Volkswagen decided to construct a new factory in Wrzesnia, Poland, to assemble the Crafter van. The speed at which this enormous factory – one kilometre long and 400 meters wide – was ...
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E-mobility and the role of steel
With electrification shaping ideas in future vehicle structure design, ArcelorMittal explains why advanced steel grades remain the materials of choice While sales of battery electric vehicles (BEV) are still far behind conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, BEV technology and sales continue to improve at a rapid pace. Globally, BEV ...
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ArticleAdvancing automotive with AHSS
SSAB explains how advanced high-strength steels address fundamental issues in a dynamic North American market, often at significant cost savings The North American car and truck market is undergoing change at a pace not seen since General Motors declared bankruptcy in 2009. In spite of rising transaction prices and higher ...
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Guiding lights for a smarter paintshop
System experts at Dürr have developed a digital maintenance assistant designed to keep automotive paintshops in full effect With its digital@Dürr concept, Dürr is delivering an important smart factory module. In future, the company will be supporting customers in maintaining painting and sealing robots using a digital maintenance assistant. With ...
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Article
Welcoming arms for Kirchhoff
Dermot Healy speaks to CMM programmer James Mitchell about working with Faro Technologies at the Kirchhoff Automotive plant in Lansing, MichiganKirchhoff Automotive is one of the leading global suppliers of body structures, sub-assemblies and stamped products to major automotive manufacturers. Working closely with manufacturers from an early design stage the ...
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ArticleWelcome to Naperville
With the increasing use of schwartz’s roller hearth furnaces for press-hardening in North America, a relocation helps the US subsidiary to meet demand The globally active schwartz Group, the world market leader* in heat-treatment equipment for press-hardening, has evolved into a key supplier to the automotive industry. In order to ...
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ArticleIndustrial balancing goes e-mobility
As EV makers develop smart-factories, efficient and flexible automation solution for balancing e-drives is at the top of the list, writes Schenck-USA’s Tarek El-Sawaf Increasingly better range and output values of electric power units and, above all, the more stringent environmental regulations for internal combustion engines are increasing the demand ...
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ArticleThe $83,330 article
To combat the dread and burden of unplanned stoppages, ABB explores the potential of machine learning, advanced analytics and connected services In an average large automotive factory, the cost of unplanned downtime can exceed $1 million an hour. This means in the five minutes it will take to read this ...
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Article
On the plus side
Dermot Healy speaks to Daryush Arabnia, COO of Geico, about the new Ctrl + PAINT vehicle body quality scanning system, the latest element in the Smart Paintshop ConceptYou launched the new initiative Ctrl + PAINT in June 2018 at the 2018 SURCAR Conference in Detroit. Can you tell us about ...
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Article
Oxsilan expectations
Engineers from GM’s Orion plant in Michigan describe a successful conversion to a thin-film pretreatment from Chemetall The Surface Treatment global business unit of the Coatings division of BASF, operating under the Chemetall brand, sets out the story of the highly successful conversion and launch to full production of Oxsilan ...
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How to outrun the competition
Precision engineering and manufacturing technology specialist Renishaw is poised to support North American customers in tackling a new breed of production challenges Shorter product lifecycles and growing product mix require flexible machining and measurement solutions, which is why Renishaw’s technologies are increasingly being applied to support productive automotive manufacturing. Auto ...
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ArticleVitronic sets the standard in quality inspections of welded seams
The highest level of quality for safety-critical components in the automobile industry Immediate fault analyses enable rapid intervention in the event of production deviations As weld seam flaws – no matter how small they are – can lead to serious consequences, more and more international companies in ...
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ArticleMobile control, electrified solutions
Experts from Conductix-Wampfler examine the developments in state-of-the-art electrified monorail conveyor systemsFlexible and intelligent conveyor systems are today a central element in modern manufacturing and logistics facilities. It began with the simple need to move products automatically during the assembly process or to and from the warehouse. These simple tasks ...
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ArticleFrom paper labels to smart materials
From the Internet of Things to Industry 4.0, manufacturing is changing. Paper labels no longer fit process complexities; what is required is optimal flexibility and quality assuranceFor 40 years, paper has been a trusted flag in manufacturing, providing sequential work instructions for operators. This simple visual cue has been the ...
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ArticleFixture-free marking
At IMTS 2018, FOBA will showcase an innovation in direct-part laser marking that removes the need for to hold components in a fixed positionAs Dr. Faycal Benayad-Cherif, business manager for software and vision at FOBA explains: “Today, in 95% of the laser-marking applications, automotive components must accurately be fixed to ...
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ArticleThe best of our Ability
A solution portfolio for automating and digitising paint lines, ABB Ability solutions for paint provide car manufacturers with a leaner operation with greater precision and earlier fault detectionToday’s automotive production is characterised by short product life cycles as well as a multitude of models and variants, which are manufactured on ...
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ArticleStay in control
Manufacturers face many risks – safety hazards, poor quality, disrupted cycles – leading to loss in time, money and reputationThroughout the years, automotive manufacturers and integrators were introduced to numerous systems to reduce risk, ensure quality, operate at high production levels, and reduce costs while maximising return on investment and ...