All Lightweighting articles – Page 9
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ArticleExplosive growth of plastic parts drives new processes
Adding protection and beautyFaster finishes with fewer stepsUV technology joins a new clearcoatSolvent still a solutionAll that glitters is not chromePerfection in preparation Steam heatAs OEMs strive to develop cleaner and more efficient vehicles and increasingly turn to lightweight materials, the finishing industry is developing systems to keep the quality ...
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ArticleLightweight powertrains
Strength and resilienceMaterial substitutionBodywork and chassis are not the only parts of the car that make use of aluminium. The powertrain has been revolutionised over the past 10 years or so. Before then, engine blocks and gearbox casings were either steel or iron. Not so any more. “We wouldn’t think ...
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Article
Editor's Note: Cutting edge
Making ‘cuts’ seems to be the automotive manufacturing solution of the moment; whether it’s cutting weight from a vehicle, perhaps most dramatically exemplified by the new Range Rover, or cutting production in the case of many of the European OEMs in the face of a lifeless market. Lightweighting vehicles (a ...
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ArticleIn the comfort zone for assembly
Full scale testsComplete measurementErgonomic pitfallParts presentationReducing non-value-adding timeSupply chain focusHuman modelling moduleOne of the persistent bugbears of the automotive manufacturing industry, most obviously in actual vehicle assembly operations, is the incidence of musculo-skeletal disorders (MSDs) – in layman’s terms, pulled muscles and twisted joints – among assembly workers.Someone who confirms ...
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ArticleManufacturing with UHSS
Definition and familiesProduction methodsUsage – where and when?Joining and fasteningHigher strengthCorrosive influenceElectric lightThe pressure on reduce weight, while maintaining strength and improving safety, continues to drive the development and usage of advanced materials. Along with engineering plastics, engineered metals are enjoying a raised profile and being employed in more areas ...
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ArticlePlastic in flux as usage stalls
Reduced demand?Innovation in seatingRecyclingNew technologies and processesHow to handle a polymerUnderhood, mechanical and bodyworke-vehicles: challenge and opportunityThe advance of engineering plastics such as PA6 and PA66 polyamides, the improvement in touch and feel, and the development of engineering materials with high heat tolerance, rigidity, impact strength and corrosion resistance, has ...
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ArticleSolutions on show at Automatica
The potential of the robotic co-workerAutomotion and the challenge of alternative power sourcesMaterial gainsMan and machineThis year’s Automatica, taking place in Munich from 22025 May, will allow visitors can follow complete value-added chains—from components to system, and from application to services—to gain a comprehensive view of new developments and their ...
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ArticlePlastic not always so fantastic
Looks good, feels goodLightweighting limitationsOut with the old, in with the newMaterials and mouldsEV efficiency – wheels and wiresFor many in the industry, both engineers and pundits, the greatest opportunity offered by plastics in automotive construction is metal replacement. However, it is not necessarily as simple as a straightforward swap; ...
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ArticleGetting it together
Ruari McCallion reports that new technologies and techniques in vehicle production are being blended with established methods in the modern assembly line, but new vehicle platforms may require a change in the balanceReduced plastic usage - for nowMixing in adhesivesThe right specificationThe old reliables still do the jobCold comfortDeveloping effective ...
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ArticleAluminium gets tough
Research into steel substitutionRecycling aluminium for automotive usageStadco predicts increased aluminium usageTesting to continueAMC takes shapeBreakthrough weight savingsThe advantages to be gained from using aluminium to build cars – whether as body panels, chassis solutions or powertrains – are now widely recognised. The material is significantly lighter than sheet steel, ...
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ArticleAluminium futures
Adhesive bonding for high-volume productionInnovation in traditional applicationsFormability issuesStabilized aluminium foam and impact absorptionEnd-of-life considerationsEvaluating future potentialNew joining techniques and recent advances in forming technology for aluminium, and how new aluminium products can match steel in crash safety performanceIn this energy-conscious age, automotive manufacturers want materials that can project them ...
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ArticleLightweight robots bring new excitement
Engineers and inventorsThe robot touchTrig-by-contactNew robot – new materialsMotion control mechanismEfficiencies in cost and capacityA saturated market?Kuka Roboter, the robotics division of Kuka, offers equipment to suit almost any production requirement. Such flexibility has won the company an impressive client list: Audi, BMW, Daimler, Ford, Opel, Porsche and Volkswagen are ...
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ArticleVariations on a theme
Reducing cost in paint use and maintenanceParallel power in paint linesLess paint lost and rapid colour change possibleInside and outsideAdaptable and agileLight weight and high efficiencyLightweighting the robot armSpace-saving interfacing simplifies maintenanceEisenmann has been working hard to meet the challenges of today’s paintshop according to Ralph Meier, head of the ...
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ArticleGreen materials from start to finish
Lightweighting by JSPEnvironmental swings and roundaboutsMaterial reuse at FordRecycling carbon fibreThe bigger pictureFlexible polymerThe quest for higher quality at the same price point or retained quality at a lower cost has driven the automotive industry forward for a century. Yet in recent times, the game has dramatically changed. Through a ...
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ArticleLightweighting the perfect body
Stiffness benefitsMulti-metal motorsBreaking the weight spiralAudi accelerates its aluminium expertiseCentre of excellenceDownmarket gainsAluminium may be the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust, but it still has a long way to go if it is to replace steel as the default material for car body construction. However, some applications engineers ...
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ArticlePerformance and a greener world
Lightweight MercedesMaster of lightweightingLeightweight construction experienceAudi cuts the fatThe SuperLIGHT-CAR project lighter and leanerIn the past, aluminium chassis and bodyframing has tended to be the preserve of supercars and advanced prototypes. Increasingly, with the pressure of high fuel prices and demands for cleaner-running vehicles, OEMs are looking to the ...
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ArticleLightweight vehicles mean longlife conveyors
Need for flex – small platform sharingGM’s commodity approachMasters of global material movementConsider the changes in vehicle sizes and weights over the last few years. The Mercedes-Benz W140 (1991-1998) S-Class saloon weighed approximately 2,000kg, depending on specification; the W220 (1999-2006) around 1,800kg, and the latest model, the W221, has remained ...
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ArticleTailor made by laser
New laser joining techniques, steel grades, and how laser ablation can improve welded joinsLaser dominationFull process cost is keyPreparing to weldAchieving parity of speedThe concept of the tailored blank is generally acknowledged to have its origins back in the 1980s in the German automotive sector. Its central idea is extremely ...
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ArticleMetton lightweighting in the hood
Vehicle makers are continually looking at ways to reduce the weight of their products, thereby decreasing costs but, at the same time, improving efficiency for consumers. Heavy duty rigs dressed in Metton are becoming the lightweight champions of the worldCycle times have been reducedSeasonal effects on materialsThe challenges of using ...
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ArticleA heavy demand for lightweight construction
Making steel high strength means lightening the load for carmakers, and applications are extending to stamped and rolled components.Structure and safetyThe steel revolutionManufacturing concernsHigh-strength in actionAnother GalaxyIn modern vehicle manufacturing the demand for lightweight, high-strength steels, including the latest dual-phase materials, is increasing because of the overall blend of structural, ...