Latest News & Features – Page 203
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ArticleGM reorganises Global Engineering
US – The move is intended to improve cross-system integration, deliver a more consistent performance across vehicle programmes and address functional safety and compliance issues. Global Vehicle Engineering will be divided into Global Product Integrity and Global Vehicle Components and Subsystems.Led by Ken Morris, currently executive director, Global Chassis Engineering, ...
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ArticleChrysler Trenton reaches WCM bronze status
US – The engine plant in Michigan has become the fifth North American facility to achieve the designation, four years after adopting the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) strategy which is designed to minimise waste, increase productivity and improve quality and safety.Trenton went through an audit earlier this month and achieved ...
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ArticleChinese production for Jeeps
China – GAC Fiat, the joint venture between Fiat, Chrysler and Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) will begin production of three new models for the domestic market. The project has been approved by the authorities and production plans will be finalised in the near-term; manufacturing is expected to begin by late ...
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ArticleRenault-Nissan Tangiers builds 200,000th vehicle
Morocco – The milestone vehicle, a Dacia Dokker for the local market, rolled off the line two years after the plant opened. The car was the 70,000th of this model, which is only produced in Tangiers.Average output at the facility has risen to 600 vehicles per day, including 213 Dacia ...
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ArticleRenault to spend €162m at Curitiba
Brazil – The new investment cycle, worth 500m reais or US$224m, will run between 2014 and 2019 and will centre on the development of two new vehicles at the plant in the state of Paraná.Describing Brazil as a “priority” in the Group’s global growth strategy, as its second largest market ...
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ArticleSURCAR awards for paintshop manufacturer
China/Italy – Geico came away from this year’s SURCAR international automotive body finishing conference with three awards. The company won the award in the Technology category for its paintshop project with Chinese OEM Qoros. A second place was awarded in the Innovation category. The final award, decided by a jury ...
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ArticleNissan opens Resende complex
Brazil – The new site, which has been established at a cost of $1.5 billion, will produce Platform V vehicles and engines, beginning with the Nissan March and 1.6 16V flexfuel engine. The annual production capacity will be 200,000 vehicles and the same volume of engines.The 220,000 sq. m complex, ...
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ArticleDürheimer to lead Bentley and Bugatti
Germany – Wolfgang Dürheimer, the general representative of the Volkswagen Group with responsibility for motorsport, will become chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors and president of Bugatti Automobiles with effect from June 1, 2014. He will succeed Wolfgang Schreiber, who takes up a new position within the Group.Dürheimer started his ...
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ArticleFaurecia unveils plant in Brussels
Belgium – The just-in-time (JIT) facility, which opened in January, covers 9,000 sq.m within the Audi production park and delivers front and rear bumpers plus front-end modules for the Audi S1 and S1 Sportback.A Faurecia site in Germany handles the injection and painting of the bumpers and front-end module injection, ...
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ArticleAllies in automotive
The longstanding and complex partnership between Renault and Nissan grows stronger than ever beforeFounded back in 1999, the Renault-Nissan Alliance is the most enduring cross-shareholding partnership of the modern automotive era. The rather complex arrangement also involves Daimler; Renault and Nissan both hold a 50% stake in the Alliance’s legal ...
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ArticleRenault’s renewal
Under a new “Change” strategy, Renault is reorganising its manufacturing footprint and model allocationSince 1999, Renault has worked closely with Nissan in the Renault-Nissan Alliance. This co-operation has been immensely beneficial to Renault, giving the company access to a wide range of suppliers and platform technologies and, in recent times, ...
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ArticleMazda hits million-mark with SKYACTIV
Japan – Total production for the three full SKYACTIV models, the Mazda CX-5, Mazda6 and Mazda3, reached 1,040,000 units at the end of March. The milestone was achieved two years and four months after manufacture of the CX-5 began in 2011.Mazda produces SKYACTIV vehicles in Japan, Mexico, Thailand and China ...
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ArticleTravel blog: Back to the future
Leipzig twice in as many weeks. What has lured me to this spot of Saxony so soon after my trip to see BMW’s revolutionary production of the all-electric, carbon fibre i3? While many who know me may disagree, it wasn’t the Leipziger lerchen, tempting though they may be.From speciality cuisine ...
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ArticleBASF expands production at Demarchi
Brazil – The chemicals company is investing €2.5m ($3.5m) at its site in the state of São Paulo to expand its capacity for waterborne automotive products, with the aim of meeting the requirements of carmakers which are now establishing themselves in the country.According to BASF, the move also fits with ...
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ArticleCMA and FAW begin Mazda3/6 production
China – Changan Mazda Automobile (CMA) is now making the new Mazda3 Axela in Nanjing, while FAW Car Co (FCC) is manufacturing the new Mazda6 Atenza in Changchun. The Chinese market launch for both models will take place in May this year.The beginning of production in China follows the recent ...
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ArticleMachining solutions for commercial vehicle components
EMAG says it has developed its VL 8 vertical pick-up turning machine specially for the handling of large components, where a number of different turning and milling operations are carried out within the framework of a single close-loop production process. The VL 8 allows for a variety of production technologies ...
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ArticleStuds for thin metal assemblies
PEM self-clinching threaded studs offer a practical alternative to weld studs or other joining methods claims the company. The product line-up includes types of flush-head studs for use in aluminium or steel sheets down to .040”/1mm thickness and stainless versions offering corrosion resistance in even thinner stainless steel assemblies. ...
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ArticleRenault makes 1millionth Duster
France – The total is a combination of Dacia and Renault-branded vehicles produced worldwide and has been achieved four years after launch. The milestone vehicle was made at the Renault plant in Curitiba, Brazil, for the local market.The Duster is assembled at five locations: Curitiba, Brazil; Envigado, Colombia; Pitesti, Romania; ...
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ArticleLaser welding: Filling the gaps
Now well-established in automotive, laser welding continues to develop and become more widely applied The increased use of high-strength steels (HSS) and aluminium has added further complications to the welding process. “The biggest challenges we face are the design and material changes driven by the CAFE requirements that are driving ...
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ArticleShop floor measuring machine
The TIGO SF 3D-coordinate measuring machine (CMM) has been specifically designed for use on the shop floor, says Hexagon Metrology. This CMM is suitable for a wide range of small and medium size parts from all industrial sectors, claims the company, and offers a measuring volume of 500 x 580 ...