Latest News & Features – Page 187
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ArticleEditor's note: Rising to the challenge
Working through the November-December issue of AMS brought home just how challenging it is to build cars in high volumes, cost-effectively. To anyone working in a car plant this won’t be a revelation; every day is a series of challenges that need to be addressed and overcome. The smallest details ...
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ArticleFabrics of the future
Multiaxial reinforcement manufacturer Formax is tailoring lightweight materials to automotive needs If you think of carbon fibre you more than likely envision the familiar woven sheet, but there is more to this high-tech, lightweight material – as a visit to multiaxial reinforcement manufacturer Formax reveals. Based in Leicestershire, UK, the ...
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ArticleAfrican adventures
Charles Cornew tracks the progress of OEMs which are exploring a lesser-known production location “Which countries produce the vehicles you drive?” is a question that prompts answers such as Germany, Japan, Italy and France – plus the UK, the US and South Korea. Most people would be surprised to find ...
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ArticleAvtoVAZ: Saving Togliatti
New leadership aims to restore the fortunes of the Russian giant by reducing its workforce, disposing of non-core assets and implementing Renault-Nissan standardsThe vast AvtoVAZ auto works at Togliatti in Russia represent not so much a factory on the edge of a city as a city which grew up around ...
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ArticleAvtoVAZ's mission to modernise
Leaders including new CEO Bo Andersson explain why job cuts, facility closures and a shake-up of quality standards are needed to turn the OEM aroundIn 2016 the Renault-Nissan Alliance aims to be taking a 40% share of a Russian new-car market which, though currently in recession, has the potential to ...
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ArticleVW opens Tianjin parts plant
China – The OEM has now commenced production of the latest generation of advanced dual-clutch gearboxes (DSG) at its new facility. The annual capacity of 450,000 units will be increased to 1.2m by 2016; VW has already invested 2.2 billion yuan ($3.6 billion) in the first phase of the plant.In ...
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ArticleJLR Solihull: The XE factor
Against expectations, the OEM has built a brand new plant in the UK in order to produce its ‘baby’ JaguarJaguar Land Rover (JLR) has achieved at Solihull what industry observers said was unlikely ever to happen again: the construction of a new car factory in western Europe. That it is ...
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ArticlePeugeot to plan Citroën’s products
France – Replacing Thomas d’Haussy, Xavier Peugeot will serve as director of Product Planning and report to Linda Jackson, CEO of Citroën. His predecessor will take on new responsibilities within the Group.Peugeot joined PSA Peugeot Citroën in 1994 and has held a number of positions in sales and marketing, including ...
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ArticleVW breaks ground on Qingdao Plant
China – The factory in the east of the country will be able to produce 300,000 sedans and SUVs per year when it opens after a three-year construction period.The Qingdao plant is part of VW’s joint venture with FAW.www.vw.com
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ArticleChrysler Warren shines with WCM Bronze award
US – The facility in Michigan has become the first stamping plant and the seventh North American site to achieve the designation, just over four years after implementing the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) system.Bronze status is awarded for earning a minimum of 50 points in ten technical and ten managerial ...
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ArticleJLR opens Wolverhampton engine plant
UK – The new manufacturing facility will produce the Ingenium engine family, starting early next year with the 2.0-litre diesel engine for the Jaguar XE. When operating at full capacity, the £500m facility will employ 1,400 personnel, with a further 5,500 jobs created in the supply chain. The 100,000 sq.m ...
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ArticleDiscovery Sport to be produced in Rio
Brazil – Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed that the Discovery Sport will be one of the first models to be built at its new manufacturing facility in Itatiaia, Rio de Janeiro State. The new factory, which will see a total investment of 750m reais (£240m) by the end of 2020, ...
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ArticleNew shop floor CMMs designed for harsh conditions
Hexagon Metrology says its new 7.10.7 SF shop floor CMMs are specially designed to operate in harsh industrial environments. The new CMM’s computer, controller and interface boxes are housed in a self-contained unit for easy transport on the shop floor. It has a measuring stroke of 710mm x 1010mm x ...
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ArticleFive-axis machining centre
Makino has introduced a new, five-axis, horizontal-spindle machining centre, designated T1. Offering machining within a 1,500mm (X) by 1,300mm (Y) by 2,000mm (Z) working envelope, the fully enclosed, temperature controlled, twin-pallet centre is suited to machining large prismatic or cylindrical workpieces according to the company.The direct-drive spindle is suitable for ...
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ArticleGM invests $63m at Lansing
US – As part of its planned $300m investment in Michigan, General Motors will start construction of a $63m expansion to the Lansing Delta Township facility. The expansion will add nearly 263,000 sq.ft to the plant, including 28,000 sq.ft in general assembly and more than 181,000 sq.ft in the bodyshop ...
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ArticleNext generation electrical steel varnish
Axalta Coating Systems has launched its next generation C5 electrical steel varnish – Voltatex 1250V. The company claims this is suitable for use in multiple applications including electric motors, small and medium power tool generators, traction motors and electric vehicles. The company says this new product is designed to aid ...
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ArticleCompact pneumatic lever clamp
DE-STA-CO claims its new 8700 series pneumatic lever clamp is a lightweight, space-saving alternative to traditional pneumatic toggle and swing clamps, suitable for tight spaces. The lever clamp features an arm that arcs up and out of the way on a single plane and remains within the clamp’s footprint while ...
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Article
High-speed screw-fastening system
Engmatec offers a high-speed screw-fastening station for inline operation as part of an assembly line system. It uses a fastening method based on the pick-and-place principle incorporating vacuum suction units. It also includes a Mitsubishi Electric RP-5ADH robot with corresponding CR1D robot controller. The company claims this screw-fastening system has ...
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ArticleFace-milling cutters
The KOMET Group is now adding 40 and 50mm versions of its hi.aeQ arbor facing-milling cutter, to go alongside the current range of diameters. The basic body of the milling cutter is designed according to DIN 8030 and equipped with tangentially screwed Q80 indexable inserts. These are also available in ...
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ArticleNew thread production technology
EMUGE claims its Punch Tap technology shortens the cycle times of thread production while reducing energy consumption. The company explains that the basic idea for the new technology was to shorten the tool path in order to save time. This tool does not have a continuous thread profile on the ...