Latest News & Features – Page 164
-
ArticleIndia: The last BRIC standing
As other emerging markets decline, India is still seeing significant investment by global vehicle-makers Vehicle-makers are stepping up their campaigns to crack the difficult Indian automotive market after the country became the most promising of the emerging BRIC nations following market collapses in Brazil and Russia and a cooling in ...
-
ArticleEditor's note: A sense of scale
With the BRIC countries it’s always been about scale; scale of economies in production costs, scale of the potential market, scale of investment. In recent years this has all been very positive, but the news now coming from Russia and Brazil is of economic stagnation and, with a few exceptions, ...
-
ArticleAutoneum breaks ground at San Luis Potosí
Mexico – The company’s third factory in the country, covering 19,000 sq.m, will make carpets, inner dashes and floor insulators from the start of 2017. The plant will supply US and German OEMs producing vehicles for the local market.“This additional location in Mexico is necessary in order to cope with ...
-
Article5-axis machining centre
A new, 5-axis, vertical-spindle machining centre with a compact footprint, has been added to the C-series range manufactured by Hermle. Designated C 12 U dynamic, the machine is capable of fully interpolative 5-axis profiling as well as 5-sided machining of components within a 350 x 440 x 330mm working volume, ...
-
ArticleFlat Panels and Panel PCs for harsh industrial environments
19-inch widescreen Flat Panels and Panel PCs with IP65 protection are the latest addition to its glass-front portfolio says Siemens. Fitted with an aluminium enclosure, the new devices are designed for use at the machine level in harsh industrial environments, claims the company, and can be mounted either from the ...
-
ArticleCoping with cables on multi-axis robots
Part of the triflex series, the RSP is an intelligent retraction system for multi-axial robotic applications, says igus. The company claims this system offers consistent pullback forces on the triflex R robot energy chain it’s adjustable and can be attached to various multi-axis robotic arms.The RSP system is also available ...
-
ArticleAutomated tube bending technology
Schwarze-Robitec says it offers various mandrel-bending machines for mass production. It says these are freely programmable CNC controlled plants that can be integrated into the existing production processes. The CNC MR series machines have been optimised for the production of tubes with different radii or bend-in-bend geometries claims the company.The ...
-
ArticleAn innovative EMS approach
Flexibility and cost savings are just two advantages of the latest Siemens monorail technology, writes Thorsten Riemer, EMS product manager at SiemensThe Chinese automotive market has the highest volume of any single country and continues to grow at a steady rate. Since 2009, more vehicles have been produced in China ...
-
ArticleInterview: Chuck Padden, FCA US Toledo
The OEM's plant manager at its largest factory in North America explains why the home of the Jeep is a top performer – ranked first for WCM in the US and with the second-biggest output of any OEM in the regionAMS: How important is Toledo within FCA’s North American production ...
-
ArticleFCA's Jeep juggernaut
As the Toledo plant strives to top North America's output table, after taking second place last year, AMS tours its new bodyshop, metrology centre, and upgraded paint and assembly areas for the Jeep CherokeeIn this article:A butterfly bodyshopProgress in the paintshopAdaptations in assemblyFacts about FCA US Toledo“How do you unlock ...
-
ArticleToyota begins Georgetown build
US – Located in Kentucky, at the OEM’s largest vehicle manufacturing operation in North America, the 250,000 sq.ft production engineering facility will include a state-of-the-art test laboratory and accommodate 700 personnel. The $80m expansion is Toyota’s third major groundbreaking in North America this year.“Bringing Toyota’s production engineering team under one ...
-
ArticleSkoda plants restart after shutdown
Czech Republic – Mladá Boleslav, Kvasiny and Vrchlabí are again running at full capacity after a two- to three-week break for optimisation and expansion. Amid a range of adaptations, the main focus was the planned production conversion at Kvasiny.In order to accommodate a production increase at Kvasiny to 280,000 units ...
-
ArticleNext-gen Acura NSX being made at new PMC
US – Trial production is underway before series production begins in spring 2016. Honda says that its dedicated Performance Manufacturing Centre (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio, is using “groundbreaking techniques in weld, body construction, body painting, final assembly and quality confirmation”.The OEM claims “the world’s first use of all-robotic MIG welding” ...
-
ArticleGM Lansing makes 2millionth vehicle
US – A 2016 Buick Enclave was the milestone vehicle which rolled off the production line at the OEM’s newest plant in North America. GM now has a cumulative total of 500m units worldwide, more than any other manufacturer.Commenting on the milestone, Lansing regional plant manager Mike Trevorrow said: “This ...
-
ArticleMcLaren’s 570S Coupe enters pre-production
UK – The final stage of development comes before this autumn’s global roll-out of what the OEM describes as its “most attainable McLaren road-car project yet”. The 570S Coupe is the first model to be launched in the McLaren Sports Series, which will also include the 540C Coupe.The McLaren Production ...
-
ArticleAudi to develop battery for all-electric SUV
Germany – The new technology, based on cell modules from LG Chem and Samsung SDI, will give the vehicle a range of more than 500km, according to the OEM. Audi’s two partners will make investments to supply the Ingolstadt-based vehicle manufacturer from their European plants.“Together with our South Korean development ...
-
ArticleF-650/F-750 production begins in Ohio
US – The medium-duty trucks are being made in the country for the first time, after Ford transferred production from Mexico. The move required investment of $168m and secured more than 1,000 hourly jobs at Ohio Assembly Plant.Announced in 2014, the investment involved the addition of new bodyshop equipment and ...
-
ArticleJLR’s next plant to be built at Nitra
Slovakia – The OEM has signed a letter of intent with the government for the development of its production facility in the west of the country. The move is part of Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) strategy to become a more competitive global business by expanding to new international locations.A joint ...
-
ArticleContiTech's new production process
Germany – The low-solvent method of V-ribbed belt manufacture is more environmentally friendly but also improves throughout times, according to the Continental subsidiary. The process has been introduced at several ContiTech sites in Germany, Romania and Mexico, with China to follow suit later this year.In the new method, the textile ...
-
ArticleAudi to hold Mexican supplier event
Mexico – The vehicle-maker has invited more than 200 people from across North America to attend its first Supplier Day at its new plant in San José Chiapa. The event on August 20 will enable businesses wishing to work with Audi at this location to demonstrate their expertise.Here are the ...