Latest News & Features – Page 154
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GM’s LGR plant to add third shift
US – The vehicle-maker says the extra shift and 500 workers, both hourly and salaried, are needed to meet demand for the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro. Recruitment is underway so that the additional shift can begin in the second quarter.“This is the result of the award-winning vehicles Lansing Grand River produces ...
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Nissan production rises in November
Japan – The OEM said its output for the month rose by 6.2% year-on-year to 461,127 units, an increase for the seventh consecutive year. Production was 6.2% higher in its home country, at 66,680 units, although this represented the first decrease in two months.Production outside Japan rose 6.2% to 394,447 ...
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Ballantyne retires from Luxus
UK – As business development manager, Jim Ballantyne spent 15 years with the plastics compounder and recycler, including ten years bearing sole responsibility for this function before the sales team expanded. He joined Luxus from a plastics closure business.Ballantyne helped Luxus to enter a new phase, moving from the supply ...
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Yokohama Salem makes 80 millionth tyre
US – The milestone unit was produced during the plant’s 25th anniversary. Also this year, Yokohama Salem became a landfill-free operation and received the 2015 Environmental Warrior Award from the Virginia Water Environment Association (VWEA).Tetsuro Murakami, president of Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Virginia (YTMV), described the milestone unit and the anniversary ...
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Exler to lead Mercedes-Benz in America
US – Taking over from Stephen Cannon, who is leaving the company, Dietmar Exler, will become president and CEO of MBUSA and NAFTA, effective January 1. Cannon will remain as a consultant to MBUSA until the end of that month.“Dietmar's appointment is central to reinforcing our strategy and our standards ...
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Moro to lead Mazda in North America
US – Replacing Jim O’Sullivan, who is retiring, Masahiro Moro becomes president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO). Moro is currently managing executive officer at Mazda Motor Corporation; he takes up his new role with immediate effect.Moro will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of MNAO’s business in the ...
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Magneti and Changchun Fudi establish lighting JV
China – The two companies have been manufacturing partners for powertrain parts since 2012 but will now also collaborate in the production and sale of lighting systems. The Magneti Marelli business, Automotive Lighting Reutlingen, will own 60% of the new company – Changchun Magenti Marelli Automotive Lighting System – while ...
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Cutting inserts
Mapal says it has developed a CVD-coated cutting material series tailored to the demands of boring in all cast materials – GJL, GJV and GJS. The new cutting materials HC720, HC725, HC730 and HC735 differ in the carbide substrate used in each case. The company claims they offer a heat-resistant ...
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Skoda’s 7m gearboxes, Mladá Boleslav
Czech Republic – The total produced so far includes 6m MQ 200 units and 1m of the MQ 100 variety. The two transmissions are used in Skoda and other Volkswagen Group vehicles.“Producing 7m manual transmissions proves the competitiveness of our component manufacturing in Mladá Boleslav,” commented Michael Oeljeklaus, Skoda’s board ...
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Multisensor
Werth Messtechnik says its multisensor has an image processing sensor and a laser distance sensor integrated in a single measurement head. The company says it utilises the standard Werth magnetic interface and can also be used with the 3D fiber probe or the Werth Contour Probe. The company claims measurements ...
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Opel/Vauxhall plants now landfill-free
UK – With the recent addition of Luton Assembly and Ellesmere Port Assembly, a total of 23 manufacturing facilities for the brands now recycle, reuse and convert to energy all waste from their daily operations – making Europe GM’s first region to be fully landfill-free.“We at Opel/Vauxhall see waste as ...
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ArticleIntegrating interiors
AMS visits IAC’s newly expanded operation at Halewood to witness its close integration with JLRInternational Automotive Components’ (IAC) operations in Halewood, UK, make various interior elements for the Jaguar Land Rover Discovery Sport and Evoque. According to Trevor Warner, general plant manager, these parts are delivered on a just-in-time (JIT) ...
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ArticleEditor's note: A good year?
I don’t usually do end-of-year round-ups, but the events of the previous 12 months posed a question that is worth considering as we begin a new year: was 2015 a good one for automotive manufacturing?The figures would suggest that the answer is ‘yes’. China’s automotive market continued to grow, albeit ...
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BMW heading for record production
Germany – The company said its international manufacturing network “has shown an excellent capacity utilisation” in 2015 due to high customer demand and the launch of multiple new models such as the BMW 7 Series. This level of production was enabled by the flexible manufacturing processes implemented at its facilities.“The ...
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ArticleDriving down the skills gap
If the automotive industry is to continue its progress, manufacturers will have to prioritise human resourcesThe US needs to fill no fewer than 3.5m manufacturing jobs over the next decade, according to Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, Washington. Meanwhile, UK organisations are pouring £42.9 billion ($64.7 billion) of investment into ...
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VW continues management restructure
Germany – There will be a reduction in the number of managers reporting to Mattias Müller, who became CEO in September after the emissions scandal emerged. In addition, several new appointments will be announced in the first quarter of 2016.“These structural changes speed up the decision-making process, reduce complexity and ...
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Vehicle emissions test automation
AVL claims its iGEM Vehicle offers solutions for passenger car, medium-duty, heavy-duty and motorcycle emission automation on chassis dynamometer testbeds.iGEM Offline evaluation software is included, which provides automatically validated reports. The company says a key feature is that the new iGEM Vehicle hybrid packages cover the regulations for EU, US ...
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High payload robot
ABB has introduced its highest payload, multipurpose industrial robot, the IRB 8700. The company claims this robot has a reach of 3.5 metres and is capable of handling a payload of up to 800kg (1,000kg with the wrist down; 630kg with LeanID).The IRB 8700 has only one motor and one ...
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Additive manufacturing equipment
Trumpf says it is expanding its technology and product range in the field of industrial 3D printers. Along with its established laser metal deposition (LMD) technology the company is now offering a new laser metal fusion (LMF) process.The company says its compact TruPrint 1000 LMF machine can generate parts that ...
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Casting machine for glass encapsulation
BBG and Hennecke claim their Glassline casting machine has specifically been optimised for encapsulating vehicle windows. The companies say the Glassline 650/270, the standard version of the two-component machine, is designed for a maximum output of 650 cm3/s polyol and 270 cm3/s isocyanate. This allows for encapsulating around 80% ...