All Lightweighting articles – Page 7
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WebinarManufacturing technologies for hybrid lightweight
At the very cutting edge of design, material mixes are becoming ever more prevalent and, in order to stay ahead of the curve, you’ll need to be utilising this technology to its maximum potential.Some of the key benefits of this new materials approach are:Improved ductilityimproved stiffness and increased strengthIncreased reliability ...
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ArticleWelding for lightweights
With the automotive industry’s shift toward lighter materials, demands on welding technology are changingThe reasons behind the increasing demand for aluminium within the automotive industry are well documented: the material is around one-third the weight of steel, which in turn leads to fuel consumption advantages and, hopefully, higher sales at ...
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ArticleNew binder for automotive lightweight composites
BASF claims its new low-emission Acrodur Power 2750 X binder, helps produce cost-efficient lightweight composites with integrated functions and a higher share of natural fibres. The product is designed for the production of natural fibre composites for automotive lightweight applications, such as interior car door panels or shelves. The company ...
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ArticleInterview: Atterby and Burton at Luxus
Peter Atterby, managing director, and Terry Burton, technical manager, discuss Luxus' commercialisation of a new range of lightweight polypropylene polymers for interior trim, featuring up to 60% recycled contentJoanne Perry (JP): Luxus has been supplying thermoplastic materials to the automotive industry for 30 years. Which of today’s models feature Luxus ...
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ArticleThe aluminium age
The main alternative to steel is becoming more popular with vehicle-makers for its lightweighting potential but there are challenges in its wider use, including the need to secure a steady supply of recycled contentThe use of aluminium in automotive applications is poised to explode over the next five to ten ...
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ArticleLightweight tooling for automation lines
DE-STA-CO says it has added more than 150 parts to its Accelerate collection of lightweight tooling. The collection was expanded with additional options to increase automated press room stamping line speed. New elements include: Crossbar and tri-axis transfer press components Clamp blocks, T-clamps and parallel clamp Sheet metal gripper ...
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Article
Lightweight tooling for automation lines
DE-STA-CO says it has added more than 150 parts to its Accelerate collection of lightweight tooling. The collection was expanded with additional options to increase automated press room stamping line speed.New elements include: Crossbar and tri-axis transfer press components Clamp blocks, T-clamps and parallel clamp Sheet metal gripper mounting brackets ...
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Article
Lightweight tooling for automation lines
DE-STA-CO says it has added more than 150 parts to its Accelerate collection of lightweight tooling. The collection was expanded with additional options to increase automated press room stamping line speed.New elements include: Crossbar and tri-axis transfer press components Clamp blocks, T-clamps and parallel clamp Sheet metal gripper mounting brackets ...
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ArticleLightweight leaf spring
A fibre-reinforced composite leaf spring based on the polyurethane matrix resin Loctite MAX 2 from Henkel is being used in the chassis of the new Volvo XC90. In its alliance with Benteler-SGL to develop large-scale production of a composite leaf spring for Volvo Cars, Henkel has contributed its process know-how ...
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ArticleCan steel keep its edge?
The ArcelorMittal finishing plant at Calvert, Alabama, is claimed to be one of the most advanced in the world – supplying the automotive industry in North America with the latest high-strength steelsArcelorMittal's Calvert plant is relatively new, built in 2009 and originally owned by ThyssenKrupp. ArcelorMittal and joint venture partner ...
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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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WebinarWEBINAR: Comau – lightweighting
Automotive manufacturing relies on the use of efficient, high-volume processes which guarantee productivity and quality. In practical terms, this can be translated into effective performance-based body-in-white solutions that deliver speed, precision and the flexibility to handle the growing use of multiple materials.In an exclusive Comau webinar on November 20, Martin ...
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WebinarAutodesk: Explore and validate vehicle lightweighting with plastics
Improved vehicle performance is required to meet increasing fuel efficiency regulation requirements. The use of plastics within vehicles continues to increase, due to the benefits of design styling, weight reduction and manufacturing efficiencies. Plastics represent upwards of 50% of a typical vehicles volume, but only accounts for approximately ...
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WebinarWebinar: Vehicle lightweighting
Improved vehicle performance is required to meet increasing fuel efficiency regulation requirements. The use of plastics within vehicles continues to increase, due to the benefits of design styling, weight reduction and manufacturing efficiencies. Plastics represent upwards of 50% of a typical vehicles volume, but only accounts for approximately 10% of ...
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ArticleMeet the metalworkers
The biennial AMB Show in Stuttgart from September 16-20 should bring together some important exhibitors for the automotive industry Located in the Baden-Wurttemberg Province, at the very heart of the German engineering and metalworking industries, the biennial AMB Show brings together exhibitors and visitors from around the world; but while ...
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ArticleMulti-material, lightweight car concept unveiled
US – The project by Ford and Magna International, which was co-funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE), used advanced material solutions to achieve a weight saving of almost 25% compared with the industry standard.The multi-material, lightweight vehicle (MMLV) concept is based on the production version of a 2013 ...
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ArticleThe aluminium boom
As OEMs seek to reduce the fuel consumption and emissions of their vehicles, the lightweight material is becoming an increasingly important solution“In the next five years, you'll see more high-volume, mass-market cars with all-aluminium bodies”. This prediction was made in 2012 by Randall Scheps, marketing director of automotive sheet at ...
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ArticleHigh-strength steel: Strong, lightweight & cost effective
SSAB discusses the benefits of using advanced high-strength steel in vehicle structures “When it comes to cost efficiency, environmental issues and value for money, nothing can compete with advanced-high strength steel [AHSS]. The only problem we have today is that our top product could probably use a more sexy image”. ...
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ArticleSpecial production of lightweight E-Type
UK – Jaguar is to build six reproductions of the original, lightweight E-type that was created in 1963. The original objective of the company’s lightweight E-Type project was to build 18 special GT cars, but only 12 were eventually made. These new cars are the ‘missing’ six vehicles from the ...
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WebinarTrumpf: Laser applications for future lightweight materials
Lightweight design has become increasingly important in many industries. In automotive, it reduces the vehicle weight to meet CO2-emission regulations, and increases the dynamic and speed of machines which, in turn, improves performance.New materials like plastics, fiber-reinforced plastics and hybrid materials with combinations of plastic and metal fulfil the requirements ...