Latest News & Features – Page 146
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ArticleWinkelmann to lead Quattro
Germany – Replacing Heinz Hollerweger, who has spent 40 years with Audi, Stephan Winkelmann will become CEO of the premium OEM’s wholly owned subsidiary, which makes the high-performance R and RS models. He has served as president and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini since January 2005.As CEO, Winkelmann guided Lamborghini through ...
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ArticleNissan announces Brexit opposition
UK – In a statement, the company said it “will not be pro-actively supporting any political campaign” before the country’s referendum on EU membership, but quoted CEO Carlos Ghosn making his views clear.“Our preference as a business is, of course, that the UK stays within Europe – it makes the ...
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ArticleRolls-Royce to lay Phantom to rest
UK – The current model will end production this year, following the recent announcement that Rolls-Royce has started testing its new, aluminium architecture which will underpin all future vehicles from 2018. The maker also confirmed that the Phantom coupe and drophead coupe will not be renewed.The seventh-generation Phantom started production ...
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ArticleThyssenKrupp’s new Eastern European plant
Hungary – Starting this spring, the €100m ($110m) factory will be constructed in Jászfényszaru, with a production launch planned for 2018. It will make electronic power-assisted steering systems and cylinder-head covers with integrated camshafts.Karsten Kroos, CEO of ThyssenKrupp’s Components Technology division, said the investment “follows our strategy towards standardisation and ...
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ArticleShielding progress
The latest technologies are designed to better protect the welding zone from oxidation. AMS takes a lookAs well as protecting the molten metal and heat-affected areas of the workpiece against the ambient atmosphere, the right welding process gas can increase the welding speed and/or improve the mechanical properties of the ...
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Article1,000kg payload robot
Kawasaki Robotics says it has added a 1,000kg payload robot to its M-Series range. The company claims the new MG10HL's compact design maintains rigidity and accuracy throughout its motion range, and allows applications such as handling automotive floor pans, or complete bodies, between processes to be carried out safely, quickly ...
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ArticleEditor's note: A new era?
Are we entering a new era of robotics and automation in vehicle manufacturing? This was the central topic at a recent conference held by the Automatica show organisers, and it generated some interesting ideas. We are all aware that the increasing level of automation makes some people feel uneasy because ...
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ArticleNew range of thread milling cutters
Toolex claims its new thread milling cutters avoid the problems of breakage and swarf clogging. The company goes on to say that the new tools simplify thread cutting as internal and external threads, both right-hand and left-hand, can be cut using the same tool.The new range covers 14 sizes, from ...
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ArticleSkoda Vrchlabí makes 1m DQ 200 gearboxes
Czech Republic – Production began in September 2012 and during this year the plant will reach a daily capacity of 2,000 units. The half-million mark was reached in October 2014.“In preparing for DQ 200 production, Skoda and the Volkswagen Group invested a total of €245m [$270.1m] into reconstructing the production ...
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ArticleGM Europe – better days ahead?
After enduring some difficult years, the vehicle-maker looks forward to stability and profitability in EuropeGM’s European operations have been loss-making for some time, but the signs are that it could be nearing its immediate target of breaking even, and possibly head into profit this year. The carmaker’s European operations remained ...
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ArticleGM pours $148m into Spring Hill
US – The money will be spent on repurposing flexible machining and assembly equipment to build Small Block 6.2-litre V8 engines for the first time at the Tennessee plant. The engines will meet high demand in the truck and SUV market.“The flexibility of Spring Hill’s engine machining and assembly equipment ...
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ArticleSeat announces top appointments
UK – Steve Catlin becomes head of Sales Operations, Ben Fish is now head of Planning and Supply and Andrew Tracey takes over as head of Marketing, within the region.Catlin moves from his current role as head of Group Fleet Services at Volkswagen UK, having joined the Group last year ...
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ArticleNew range of composite PTFE bearings
Saint-Gobain says it has developed a new range of customisable composite bearings. Features include aluminium encapsulation with a steel support, which acts as a cathode to prevent rust, while scoring exposes the core material when in contact with steel housings, to minimise electrical conductivity issues.The company says it has developed ...
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ArticleShear possibilities
Research by the University of Strathclyde offers a way to produce a new type of lightweight tailored blankThe use of tailored blanks is now well established in automotive manufacturing. The most obvious benefit gained from this process is weight-saving, for example to produce extra strength in particular areas of the ...
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ArticleNissan Sandouville to make NV300
France – The next-generation light commercial vehicle will be made at the Renault plant in the north-west of the country, following a three-year upgrade which cost €230m ($252m). NV300 production will raise the factory’s output by 100,000 units between 2016 and 2026.“The production of the Nissan NV300 at the Sandouville ...
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ArticleWalker to guide Hyundai in Western Region
US – As general manager, Kimberly Walker will lead the operations of 165 dealerships across 12 states, reporting to Derrick Hatami, vice-president of National Sales at Hyundai. Her appointment will be effective from March 1.Walker joined Hyundai in 2006, working in assurance products and consumer affairs before being named director ...
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ArticleNew version of cutting software
ESAB has released its Columbus CAD/CAM Nesting Software version 1.3, which it claims has been optimised for plasma, oxy-fuel, laser and waterjet cutting. The company says that a key new function is the Job Wizard, which automatically creates NC programs from customer orders. For the parts and plates within a ...
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ArticleAstra Sports Tourer leaves Ellesmere
UK – The first vehicle to roll off the line at Vauxhall’s Cheshire plant was an Elite 1.6CDTi. Ellesmere Port was allocated production of the new model from among GM’s European plants.“This first Astra Sports Tourer marks another milestone in the great history of Vauxhall manufacturing in the North West,” ...
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ArticlePeel to ring the changes at Peugeot UK
UK – Currently CEO of Peugeot Citroen Retail Group UK, David Peel will replace Neil Moscrop, who is retiring as brand director Peugeot UK at the end of March, after 36 years of service. The handover will take place progressively next month.“The Peugeot product range has recently completed an accelerated ...
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ArticleDegen takes BMW Spartanburg role
US – As vice-president of Logistics and Production Steering, Gerald Degen succeeds Philip Heinrichsdorff, who returns to Germany to look after material control and delivery assurance for the BMW Group. Degen has already served the company for 18 years.Degen began his career at BMW’s German manufacturing operations, first as a ...