All Maintenance articles – Page 23
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ArticleEquipped for the job
Latest welding developments, highlighting the focus on automated function and flexibilityIn the automotive sector, welding is very much about automation. Long periods of unmanned operations demand special requirements, not least reliability. With this in mind, Fronius has just introduced its second generation Contec nozzle technology for arc welding. In automated ...
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ArticleA world of welding
Steed Webzell reveals the high levels of innovation being applied to welding processes in automotive manufacturingWelding remains the dominant joining technology for the automotive manufacturing sector but developments in technology, equipment, quality control and automation are crucial to evolving more efficient processes to produce ever lighter and stronger compOnents and ...
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ArticleBlossoming jv partnerships in China
General MotorsVolkswagon - kit plants and regional coverageDongfeng and its new venturesStamping automation and paintshopGAC-HondaAs foreign carmakers are required to create partnerships, joint ventures (JVs) are among the largest Chinese companies and multinationals and, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), foreign companies manufacturing in China through JVs ...
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ArticleFull steam ahead for pre-paint parts cleaning
New steam generating techniquesEffective cleaning with steam and airAlready proven in series production operationAPS reports on a new chemical-free process that uses saturated steam and high-velocity air to remove contamination reliably, quickly and cost-effectivelyImproved sustainability, increased cost-effectiveness and constant quality optimisation are some of the most important aims of the ...
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ArticleBlue oval goes green in India
When the Ford India Sanand plant is completed in 2014 , it will have a capacity to produce 300,000 passenger cars per year. The existing Chennai plant and this newly developed plant have joint production capacity of 500,000 units per year with a capability to further expand to meet cycle ...
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ArticleHeavy work, made light
The diversity of off-highway vehicle manufacturing makes for complex production logistics, reports Sharon ClancyThe introduction of EU Stage IIIB and US (EPA) Tier 4 emissions legislations in 2011 led to the introduction of more sophisticated powertrain systems. As is the case with many commercial vehicle manufacturing operations, to achieve the ...
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ArticleHeavy pressure to restructure
Sharon Clancy looks at how manufacturers of heavyweight vehicles are restructuring their operations in the wake of economic downturns and greater legislative pressureThe 2008 economic crisis decimated global sales of commercial vehicles, particularly in Europe and Latin America. Asia and North America started to recover in 2011 but only in ...
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ArticleFlexible philosophy at Ford
Mike Farish takes a close-up look at how devolved management helps Ford operate highly flexible production on its powertrain linesOpened ten years ago at a cost of £325m, the Ford Dagenham Diesel Centre (DDC) comprises a climate-controlled production hall with 44,530 square metres of floor space for diesel engines plus ...
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ArticleA Formula One finish for the road
Ron Dennis and the birth of the chrome racecarProduction paint for road supercarsClean and open paintshop designPartnering for optimum colour consistencyAdvanced booth design and low bake ovensChrome paint on road carsAkzoNobel won the contract to supply paint for McLaren road cars partly through its experience with the chrome finish on ...
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ArticleSafety laser scanners reporting via EtherNet/IP
OMRON’s STI OS32C-DM safety laser scanners enable users to check the operating state, analyse the cause of an emergency stop via LAN, and take corrective action, even in large-scale applications with multiple scanners.The company says an updated confi guration tool now provides a “maintenance access level” that enables the user ...
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ArticleNew Horizon for modular resistance welders
Miyachi Europe says its New Horizon resistance welding equipment allows users to create the best solution for their individual application through the use of a selection of modular components.Users can choose from a total of 24 modules to configure up to 400 weld heads and weld pincers, and the company ...
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ArticlePaint trends - balancing appearance and sustainability
More eco-friendly pre-treatmentMaterial and application advantagesEnergy efficient dryingUV-tech – the forgotten magic?Customisation and coatingWhether it is the auto body, the interior or the optimisation of the qualitative properties of the paint, coating is one of the challenges faced by the automotive industry and its suppliers. On the one hand, this ...
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ArticleExpending to save
Mark Venables reports on how OEMs are controlling their energy use throughout the manufacturing process using a combination of increased visualisation and energy efficient equipmentOEMs have been trying to reduce the input costs of energy by generating their own through co-generation plants, solar panels and wind turbines. This generation drive ...
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ArticleHandling with care
Robots, handling systems and windscreens are superficially the same as they always were, but automotive glass installation today is a very different to even a decade ago.With auto manufacturers controlling manufacturing processes more closely in order to eliminate gaps as much as possible, glass manufacturers too have had to develop ...
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ArticleOnline service for robots
‘Local’ goes globalDirect to the cellDesign-for-maintenance and enhanced remote diagnostics are just two of the latest trends in robot service and support, as Steed Webzell discovers.Robots work hard: it’s one of the main reasons they’re deployed, after all. As a result, alongside the critical nature of the operations they perform, ...
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ArticleAll up for grabs in robot R&D
Steed Webzell talks to technology vendors about which OEM criteria are driving their innovations in robot design and developmentUnimation installed the world’s first industrial robot in 1961 on a production line at the GM Ternstedt plant in Trenton, New Jersey. Obeying step-by-step commands stored on a magnetic drum, the robot’s ...
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ArticleAdvance of the robot
Steed Webzell looks at changes in robotic automation, revealing a sector rich in innovation and one that is witnessing rapid developments in both software and hardware.Ruthless production schedules combined with demand for unerring repeatability mean that common robot tasks in automotive manufacturing have developed far beyond spot welding to encompass ...
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Article
Bearings to prevent mechanical breakdown in linear guide systems
Linear bearings supplier igus UK has produced drylin T, a range of linear guide systems that it says are chip and debris resistant, maintenance free and 100% lubrication free.The products’ design consists of six sliding pads made from the iglidur J plastic bearing material and a rail and carriage made ...
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ArticleEngine room of Toyota UK
AMS interviewed Richard Kenworthy, director engine manufacturing division and Tony Walker, deputy managing director corporate, production control, to find out more about operations at Toyota’s Deeside engine plant.AMS: Can you explain how Toyota’s philosophy of continuous development in its manufacturing processes is carried out and outline what Deeside contributed to ...
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ArticleLightweight luxury
With lightweighting in vehicle construction being a hot topic, AMS visited longtime aluminium users Jaguar at the company’s Castle Bromwich facility to see how they produce luxury cars from this materialJaguar’s new all-aluminium sports car, the F-Type, has been making the headlines recently, but it’s only the most recent vehicle ...