Latest News & Features – Page 221
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ArticleEditor's note: Getting serious about lightweighting
I’m happy to admit the subject of lightweighting fascinates me, which is a good job since it crops up in almost every item that covers the future of vehicle manufacturing. Being something of a factory ‘geek’ I’m really looking forward to some plant visits to see how this challenge is ...
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ArticleHappy century, moving assembly line
In October Ford celebrated the 100th birthday of the invention of the moving assembly line by Henry Ford and his team at Highland Park.The line simplified the assembly of the 3,000 parts in the Model T by organising it into 84 distinct steps performed by groups of workers as a ...
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ArticleTurning painting green
The BMW Brilliance Tiexi plant in China is leading the way towards more environmentally friendly paintshops'Best-in-class technology''The most sustainable plant in China'Developing key workforce competenciesNew standards & future plans"The world’s most environmentally friendly paintshop” is currently being ramped up towards full production capacity at BMW Brilliance Tiexi, Shenyang. So says ...
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ArticleHandling with care
New materials and the drive for greater flexibility in production have created new challenges in handlingWalk through almost any modern automotive assembly plant and the major trends in automotive assembly aren’t difficult to spot. Equally clear to see are the tensions and trade-offs that exist between them. The inexorable march ...
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ArticleVW opens new plant in Ningbo
China – Production has started at the facility in the south east of the country which, with its own press, body and paintshops plus a final assembly unit, has an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles for both VW and Skoda brands.Production begins with the new Skoda Superb. Further VW and ...
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ArticleMobile Marker for large parts
The new product from Trumpf is designed to give manufacturers full traceability of their products, including parts which are too large and heavy to be transported to a conventional laser marker, the company says.According to Trumpf, Mobile Marker provides the same speed and fl exibility as its standard TruMark system ...
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ArticleSimufact.welding aids simulation
Software from Simufact Engineering has been launched to simulate welding structures for companies applying industrial welding processes in serial production. The new product, Simufact.welding, joins the company’s existing Simufact.forming software, says the company. The two products are designed to provide insights into process sequences, the internal condition of components and ...
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Article
RobFlow 2.6 updated
Battenberg Robotic has unveiled a new version of its robotic measuring software, RobFlow 2.6. The enhancements offered by the update include: compatibility with Windows 7 and 8 as well as with 64-bit systems; the optional use of variables in almost all measurement parameters; new interpolation types; and more selectable sensors ...
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ArticleMobile solution for InTouch data
Wonderware United Kingdom and Ireland has debuted its new InTouch Access Anywhere solution which gives secure access to plant HMI from any location, using any device with InTouch HMI functionality, says the company.Users can connect to their data through HTML 5.0-compliant browsers without installing additional software to their devices. The ...
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ArticleJoining the dots
New materials are creating additional challenges in vehicle assembly. AMS reports on the joining solutions being adopted by OEMsLaunched at the New York Auto Show in March 2013, the second-generation Range Rover Sport neatly illustrates the major trends in fastening and joining in automotive final assembly, according to Adrian Ellis, ...
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ArticleNissan Sunderland launch is right Note
UK – The launch of Nissan Note production at the facility was marked by a ceremony at Line 2 which was attended by Michael Fallon, the country's Minister of State for Business and Enterprise.John Martin, Nissan’s senior vice-president for manufacturing, purchasing and supply chain management in Europe, paid tribute to ...
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ArticleBinnig to lead KSPG
Germany – Horst Binnig has been named as CEO of KSPG, parent company of Rheinmetall Group. As an executive board member of Rheinmetall, he will also represent the interests of the automotive sector within the group.Binnig takes over from Gerd Kleinert, who retires after 13 years of service with Rheinmetall.www.kspg.com
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ArticleA driving force
A new automotive programme – Inovar-Auto – intends to increase technology and competitiveness in the Brazilian automotive industryThe automotive industry in Brazil is set to undergo a major transformation, driven by the Inovar-Auto programme. The aim of the initiative is to attract investment, encourage research and local development of new ...
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ArticleMaterial Flow kit enables lean processes
Zebra Technologies has produced an out-of-the- box Material Flow Wireless Replenishment Starter Kit for companies in Europe. Replacing traditional, paper-based kanban and push systems, the automated kit supports lean replenishment, says the company.The manufacturing refill system provides real-time visibility on the plant floor to enable rapid reaction to changes in ...
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Orion plant is GM’s quality control star
We reveal how GM maintains a high level of quality control during painting procedures at the manufacturer’s Michigan plant Technology & painting phasesA global perspectiveModernising ageing installationsA fresh perspectiveA new paintshop in FairfaxA little over a year ago, quality control procedures at the General Motors Orion Assembly Plant in Michigan ...
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ArticleJonnaert appointed to top ACEA role
Belgium – Erik Jonnaert has assumed the role of secretary general of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). Jonnaert joined the ACEA in July this year as the successor to Ivan Hodac.Having led the ACEA for 12 years, Hodac will remain as senior advisor to the board and secretary general ...
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Honda to add CVT to output in Celaya
Mexico – Honda has started construction of a $470m transmission plant in Celaya adjacent to the new $800m vehicle plant which will begin mass production of the 2015 Honda Fit early next year.The facility will support Honda de Mexico (HDM) car production and also provide transmissions to Honda plants outside ...
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ArticleAkzoNobel & Delft unveil aerodynamically coated race car
Sikkens paint experts from AkzoNobel and a group of students from the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands have unveiled the Nuna 7 race car which they will enter into this year’s World Solar Challenge in Australia.The car features the new water-based composite pinhole filler Aerowave 2501 which has ...
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ArticlePPG celebrates 50 years of electrocoating
The company first filled an automotive body electrocoat tank at a Ford plant in Wixom, Michigan, in 1963 and since then has introduced further innovations such as cationic electrocoat technology, cathodic epoxy electrocoat and lead-free, low-VOC, high-throw electrocoat.“Innovation is one key to PPG’s leading position in the coatings industry, and ...
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ArticlePajero Sport frame production kicks off at Nizhny Novgorod
GAZ has launched Mitsubishi Pajero Sport frame production at its Nizhny Novgorod site under the terms of an agreement with PCMA Rus, the joint venture between PSA Peugeot Citroën and Mitsubishi Motors.GAZ has responsibility for welding the frames, applying the protective anti-corrosion coat and supplying the frames to the conveyor ...