Latest News & Features – Page 79
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ArticleFord's future
The UK press was rather excited recently when one of the Sunday papers claimed that the Ford Mondeo would be axed. Given that this model is not, and has never been, made in the UK, such concern was perhaps surprising. This was part of a wide-ranging story that Ford was ...
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ArticleSkoda announces head of 'India 2.0'
India - Pavel Richter has been named production technical director of the Skoda-led 'India 2.0' project - an initiative launched by the Volkswagen Group back in July 2018 with the primary goal of developing and producing models specifically for the Indian market. Richter will be responsible for production of all ...
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ArticleA European focus
The third edition of the French automotive forum offered insights into the region’s production footprint and OEM e-mobility strategies. Nick Holt reports The 3rd FEAL Auto forum placed its focus on the Hauts-de-France, seen as a primary region for automotive manufacturing. The event highlighted the strong commitment from both regional ...
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ArticleFact, not fiction
Mike Farish reports on a sci-fi inspired additive technique that’s gaining interest with automotive manufacturers New items of technology often get hyped as being like something from science fiction, but in the case of one of the most innovative and unusual additive techniques now on the market, continuous liquid interface ...
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ArticleMaking 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 reportsAll over the automotive industry companies are exploring the potential of additive techniques to make parts in polymers and ...
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ArticleAudi Hungaria starts making Q3
Hungary - The OEM has started making the second generation of its compact SUV at its plant in Győr, which is situated in the north west. The Q3 is now the fifth model being produced at the facility, sharing production lines with the A3 Sedan and Cabriolet, as well as ...
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ArticleWaste 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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ArticleFrom prototypes to production
The use of additive manufacturing technologies has now expanded beyond their initial ‘rapid prototyping’ exclusivity. Mike Farish provides an insight As well as being used in limited production roles, additive techniques are still being applied in new and innovative ways as product development tools. One example is at the Plastics ...
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ArticleRobotic materials handling for industrial saws
Kasto claims it can implement combined storage and sawing systems for its customers in which all processes are automated, from storage of the raw material to retrieval of the cut parts. The company says control software can be linked to existing ERP systems offering improved transparency and efficiency. Also the ...
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ArticleVW to 3D print for mass production
Germany - The OEM has announced that it is the first car maker to be using HP Metal Jet - a metallic 3D printing process that is more simple and faster than other existing techniques. According to the company, productivity is improved by fifty times compared to these other methods."Automotive ...
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ArticleCompact welding robot
Claimed to be designed for manufacturers with compact floor spaces, but managing large workpieces, Fanuc says its ARCMate 100iD/10L is suitable for high-batch production lines where the quality and function of the weld are critical. The company says this robot has capacity for 10kg of additional tooling, such as welding ...
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ArticleTwo-wheel e-mobility
BMW’s e-mobility ambitions have not been limited to four wheels; Nick Holt visits the company’s Berlin plant to see how its sophisticated C evolution maxi scooter is built
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ArticleLeading a winning team
Nick Holt talks to Ford Craiova’s award-winning engine plant manager, Jo Payne, about the facility’s award-winning enginesJo Payne is no stranger to accolades, having been crowned winner in the manufacturing category of this year’s Autocar Great British Women in the Car Industry awards. She also won the award back in ...
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ArticleTime for an upgrade
As Toyota shapes up its global manufacturing network to build the new vehicle platform, Nick Holt visits the OEM’s Valenciennes facility to see the progress being madeTo meet the challenge of rapidly changing markets and segment volatility, the development and adoption of common, modular vehicle platforms is now a familiar ...
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ArticleExpanding and restructuring
As the move to electrified and autonomous vehicles accelerates, Toyota is expanding in both technology areas and restructuring its operations. Ian Henry reports Toyota is making a number of key organisational changes to simplify and rationalise its operations in response to the fast-changing automotive market. As of the end of ...
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ArticleTriple edge cutting
Mapal says it is expanding its triple edged Tritan-Drill range, which now includes a new universal version, made from HSS that has been developed for small-series production.The company says this tool offers stable cutting edge corners, reducing the chance of damage to the cutting edge and, it’s claimed, higher feeds ...
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ArticleNew coating for composite battery cases
Zircotec says it has developed a new conductive ceramic coating that enables vehicle manufacturers to use carbon or plastic composite battery casings for hybrid and electric vehicles. The company claims this coating overcomes composite’s inability to isolate the battery from electromagnetic fields and radio frequency interference (RFI), which has prevented ...
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ArticleIndustrial stack lights
The 151SSLD-RYGN-NNS1 3-segment stack light has 40mm diameter indicators, standard height lenses and is suitable for OEM and systems integrator machine builders, says Onyx Industries.The lights use an industrial grade, stainless steel housings and long-life LEDs, and the company says it offers number of options that allow OEMs and system ...
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ArticleJapanese OEMs target China for EVs
An increasing number of car manufacturers based in the US and Europe are turning their sights on China, especially since authorities recently promised to abolish the rule that companies outside the country can own a maximum stake of 50% in joint ventures with Chinese companies. Tesla was among the first ...
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ArticleStructural adhesive joining solutions
Dow Automotive Systems claims its Betaforce, Betamate and Betaseal structural adhesive solutions will enhance lightweight module construction. The company says its structural adhesives are developed with rapid-cure characteristics that are suited to mass production manufacturing environments. Primerless-to-plastic formulations help remove VOCs from assembly operations, and new multifunctional adhesives are in ...