Materials Innovation and Lightweighting – Page 9
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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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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 ...
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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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ArticleAbsorbing competition
Lightweighting is driving continuous improvement in all materials, but especially steelLighter weight equals less power equals lower carbon emissions. The equation is simple and the quest to find ever-lighter materials for use in automotive production is unending. Aluminium is a lot lighter, plastics are both lighter and easier to form ...
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ArticleAudi teams up with TU Dresden
Germany – The two organisations entered into the strategic partnership “with the goal of making further progress with technical innovations” in areas such as lightweight construction and manufacturing technology. The research will take place at the Technical University of Dresden. As a result of prior co-operation, four doctoral students are ...
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ArticleSternberg to lead DuPont research
US – As global automotive technology director, Jeffrey Sternberg will develop DuPont’s portfolio of renewably sourced materials and fuels for the industry.DuPont currently offers 100 product families for automotive applications and is looking to expand its lightweighting solutions, working with vehicle-makers and tier one component manufacturers. One recent project with ...
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ArticleThe sum of its parts
As OEMs increasingly explore the use of additive manufacturing in production Mike Farish discusses its unique advantagesThe 2014 Chevrolet Malibu from General Motors boasts several neat features intended to increase driver and passenger convenience as well as vehicle appearance and performance. On the former count, there is a redesigned centre ...