Latest News & Features – Page 89
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ArticleNovelis builds new aluminium facility
US - The supplier has started constructing a new plant in Guthrie, Kentucky. Costing US$300m, it will be used to house the production of aluminium sheet for the automotive industry."The increased adoption of aluminium in cars, trucks and SUVs, coupled with more automotive manufacturing plants in the southeast makes Guthrie ...
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ArticleG-Class production starts in Austria
Austria - Production of the new Mercedes-Benz G-Class has begun at the Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria. It made its global debut at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show in January."With the model change the new G-Class experienced the biggest transformation in its 39 years-old history," explained Gunnar Güthenke, head ...
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ArticleMagnetic grippers for materials handling
Magswitch has introduced its new T30 magnetic gripper, which the company says features larger airports for increased compatibility, robust connections and is claimed to be 20% stronger, 26% more compact and manufactured to precision tolerances (+/-0.02 mm). According to Magswitch the T 30 can replace suction cups ...
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ArticleAcura RDX production starts in Ohio
US - Honda is now making the all-new 2019 Acura RDX SUV at its East Liberty Auto Plant. This follows on from a US$54m investment in new technologies and processes at the facility, including a multi-layer paint system, a roller hemming process used specifically for the model's ultra-wide panoramic roof, ...
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ArticlePowder coating booth
The S-Cube CleanAssist powder coating booth can change colours in five to six minutes, and combines this with automated booth cleaning, says Wagner. This system utilises the company’s Energy Efficiency Package (EEP) powder recovery system, which it’s claimed minimises powder loss, optimising material usage.According to the company this booth uses ...
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ArticleAutomated sheet metal handling
ByTrans Cross is a new loading and unloading system developed for its fibre laser cutting machines says Bystronic. The company claims this system offers users full automation for producing long runs of components while retaining the flexibility of manual handling for fulfilling smaller jobs.It’s claimed the modular design allows it ...
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ArticleAudi starts producing new engine
Hungary - Series production of the OEM's new three-cylinder 1-litre petrol engine has started at Audi Hungaria's plant in Győr. It will be fitted in various Volkswagen Group models, including the Audi A3, BW Golf, SEAT Leon and Ateca."Our engine production facility adapts flexibly to new trends in the automotive ...
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ArticleBMW shuffles production personal
Germany - Robert Engelhorn is set to take over as director of the OEM's plant in Munich. Previously head of the technology and production division at the BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) joint venture in China, Engelhorn will succeed Milan Nedeljkovic, who is assuming management responsibility for the corporate quality division.Daniel ...
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ArticleHonda invests in Indiana and Ohio
US - The OEM is spending US$61.5m to ready its Indiana and Ohio plants for the production of electrified vehicles. This follows after the company outlined its goal of ensuring two-thirds of its total vehicle sales would be electrified by 2030.At the same time as announcing the investment in the ...
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ArticleA-Class production starts in Hungary
Hungary - Mercedes-Benz has started making the new A-Class at its plant in Kecskemét, which is located about 90km south of Budapest. It is the second facility to house production of the model, following soon after the Rastatt plant in Germany."With the new A-Class, we start the production of our ...
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ArticleSPA in the DNA
Rising global demand for Volvo vehicles and the arrival of models using the SPA platform is having a considerable impact on the company’s Torslanda plant. Michael Nash investigatesAs they typically employ thousands of people, mass-market vehicle production plants often have a significant influence on local and indeed national economies. But ...
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ArticleThe newest link in a growing chain
Geely intends to leverage its ownership of Volvo to develop and manufacture Lynk & Co models, and introduce a new approach to sales and service. Report by Ian HenryThe new Chinese brand Lynk & Co made a big splash very quickly. When its first model, the 01, went on sale ...
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ArticleRobots on the rise
Advances in robotics go hand in hand with new approaches to automotive manufacturing, writes Chris PickeringThe automotive industry is at a crossroads. Ahead lays the most radical shake-up in a generation, with disruptive trends such as electrification, autonomous driving and lightweight materials bringing opportunity and uncertainty in equal measure. It ...
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ArticleTaking control
The underlying electronic and software control architecture of any manufacturing installation is crucial to its operation and requires periodic updating to ensure continuing effectiveness. Mike Farish reportsThis was the case recently when Ford needed to relocate and recommission a storage facility with over a hundred conveyors in Cologne, Germany. The ...
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ArticleEconomical alternative
Andrew Williams looks at how automotive manufacturers are harnessing renewable energy sources and how benefiting their production operationsIn recent years, several of the world’s largest car makers have embarked on high profile initiatives to increase the amount of renewable energy generated at their production sites. One interesting recent example is ...
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ArticleThe wonder material
A number of composite automotive parts enhanced with graphene were on show at JEC World in March this year. James Bakewell investigates if this material has a real place in the automotive industryFew of us would imagine that you can win a Nobel Prize for Physics by playing with sticky ...
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ArticleSkoda opens competence centre
Czech Republic - The new competence centre is situated at the OEM's production site in Kvasiny, where it makes around 1,000 of the Superb and Kodiaq models per day. It cost €13.5m (US$16.13m) to build, and allows the company to carry out testing and quality assessment alongside logistics training and ...
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ArticleOut now: Electric Vehicles 2018
As governments and vehicle-makers turn away from combustion engines, the time for EVs is nowIn this era of stricter regulations, commitment to the environment and energetic competition, alternatively-powered vehicles are central to every OEMs production strategy. While the take up of electrified vehicles over the past two decades has endured ...
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ArticleFord appoints Chief Information Officer
US - Jeff Lemmer has been appointed vice president and chief information officer at Ford. In his new role, Lemmer will be responsible for IT services across the company's global operations. This will encompass several business applications, architecture, data centres, engineering and infrastructure services."The exciting convergence of the auto and ...
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ArticleTransformation pressure on the automotive industry
Audi has resolutely turned to the concept of the smart factory. But how does this profound transition work exactly? What role are humans playing in the process? Are suppliers ready to meet the new demands of the OEMs? The entire industry has to make crucial decisions on its future course, ...