Latest News & Features – Page 205
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ArticleContinental buys Zytek Automotive
UK – Effective from February 3, the tyre supplier has taken full ownership of its former 50:50 joint venture, which is based in Fradley, UK and has a 150-strong workforce. Zytek will now operate as part of Continental Engineering Services (CES), providing engineering services to cover the chassis, interior and ...
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ArticleToyota taps landfill gas for green power
USA – Toyota will use gas generated from a landfill site close to its factory in Georgetown, Kentucky, to power vehicle production. The gas is created as the solid landfill waste breaks down. This is then captured in a network of wells and used to fuel electricity generators. The power ...
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ArticleSunderland’s automotive sector to grow in 2014
UK – There were a number of major investments made by Nissan, TRW and Gestamp in their Sunderland operations during 2013. Nissan invested £750m in a new model launch programme which will see the Note, Qashqai and electric powered LEAF models being produced in Sunderland. In addition, the Japanese OEM ...
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ArticleJLR installs solar panels at engine plant
UK – More than 21,000 photovoltaic panels, with a capacity of 5.8MW, have been fixed to the roof of the OEM’s new Engine Manufacturing Centre at i54 South Staffordshire, in what is claimed to be the largest array in the country.The system will generate over 30% of the facility’s energy ...
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ArticleNesselhauf to lead DICV
India – Daimler Trucks announced three senior appointments effective from June 1. Erich Nesselhauf, currently head of Supplier Management and Logistics Trucks Asia India, will become managing director and CEO of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV). His predecessor, Marc Llistosella, will lead the reorganised Marketing, Sales and Aftersales, Trucks Asia ...
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ArticleWatch BMW making the i3
BMW has spent €400m on expanding its production plant in Leipzig so that its new, “born electric” models can be made in a simpler and more modern way than conventional vehicles. However, the innovation doesn't start there but at the OEM's JV in Moses Lake, US, which makes the carbon ...
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ArticleBridgestone starts work on Ulyanovsk Oblast plant
Russia – The facility is scheduled to become operational in the first half of 2016, when it will produce passenger car radial tyres, including winter tyres, for the Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Capacity is expected to reach 12,000 units per day by the second half of ...
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ArticleInterview with Kenichiro Saruwatari, Mazda Motor Europe
Mazda Motor Europe’s new vice-president of R&D, Kenichiro Saruwatari, leads a team of 80 engineers at its R&D centre in Oberursel, Germany. He took up his post in February, after spending almost five years as programme manager at Mazda Motor Corporation’s Product Division in Japan. Saruwatari joined the company in ...
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ArticleChina’s production power continues
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of China to global carmakers. Growth in the country has continued unabated, with total vehicle sales hitting 20mIt’s only going to get bigger. Global analyst IHS Automotive forecasts production within China to reach 30m by 2020, up from 22m vehicles last year, and ...
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ArticleRenewable energy for manufacturing
Andrew Williams looks at examples of renewable energy sources being adopted by OEMs, the type of technology used to generate power and the emissions reduction resultsNissan MexicoAn innovative energy project has recently been completed by Nissan Mexico at its Aguascalientes 1 manufacturing plant, which generates power from two separate renewable ...
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ArticleDaimler acquires lithium-ion battery manufacturers
Germany – The vehicle-maker will become the sole owner of Li-Tec Battery and Deutsche ACCUmotive after buying all of the shares held by Evonik (50.1% and 10% respectively). Details of the acquisition have not been released. Daimler and Evonik previously collaborated on developing the serial production of lithium-ion battery cells ...
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ArticleHankook’s Ventus S1 evo2 set for BMW 4-Series Coupe
Germany – The UHP tyre will be fitted as original equipment after Hankook was selected by BMW as a supplier for its new model. The tyres will be provided in size 225/50 R 17 W.The 4-Series Coupe will be the sixth BMW model to be produced with Hankook tyres, after ...
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ArticleHow an i3 is born
At a cost of €400m, BMW has expanded in Leipzig so that its new, “born electric” models can be made in a simpler and more modern way than conventional vehiclesIn this article...CFRP productionMaking thermoplasticsBodyshopBody assemblyDrivetrain assemblyMarriage and final assemblyWhat does the future of mobility look like? BMW asked itself this ...
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Daihatsu announces new COPEN technology
Japan – The structure of the updated COPEN, called the ‘D-Frame’, will consist of an advanced framework of resin outer body panels, providing rigidity but also freedom of materials and design. The DRESSFORMATION interior and exterior components can be selected by customers to suit their preferences.The new-concept D-Frame chassis, with ...
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ArticleContiTech buys Inotec and PTG
Germany – The two companies, which are long-time suppliers to the tyre manufacturer, have expertise in blow-moulding technology. Continental says the acquisition will create a new technology centre for its blow-molding business, complementing the in-house machine and plant engineering team at ContiMachinery.“The market for plastic charge-air hoses and clean-air hoses ...
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ArticleAutomated welding tip & gas nozzle changer
Carl Cloos claims that its SpareMatic tool eliminates non-productive time on robot-welding systems, caused by replacing worn welding components. Using an automatic, operator-free process the changer replaces the wearing parts of the torch with new ones. The company says an integrated torch cleaner and measurement module offer improved welding results ...
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ArticleHigh-volume production hydroforming press
A new four-column hydroforming press system designed for running high-volume production and reducing cycle times has been introduced by Interlaken Technology.The company says it offers this new hydroforming press system in clamp forces from 250 to 5,000 tons. It features multi-channel closed loop control system which can be programmed to ...
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ArticleNew solid wire bulk packaging
ESAB says its new Jumbo Marathon Pac 2 is a GMAW bulk wire drum system suitable for continuous, high-volume welding applications.The company claims this wire drum system features an all-new de-coiling system that reduces feeding stops for continuous, trouble-free operation. Available in an “endless” version to form a continuous, in-line ...
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ArticleZF stops making six-speed automatic transmission
Germany – The last such transmission for passenger cars, in this case a Jaguar model, rolled off the assembly line at the company’s Saarbrücken plant earlier this month, bringing the total to more than 7m produced over the past 13 years.The six-speed automatic transmission entered into production in 2001. Michael ...
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MMPC acquires old Ford site at Santa Rosa
The Philippines – The 21-hectare manufacturing plant in the Greenfield Automotive Park will enable Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) to relocate from its existing 18-hectare facility in Cainta. The acquisition is part of the Japanese parent company’s strategy to boost sales and production capacity up to the end of fiscal ...