All articles by Nick Holt – Page 18
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ArticleAlabama: Um doce lar para Honda
A fábrica de Lincoln do OEM atualizou motor e transmissão e capacidades de estampagem com maior automaçãoA Honda Manufacturing de Alabama (HMA) foi selecionada para fazer o Acura MDX, que é o produto mais técnico construído na fábrica.Classificada como uma instalação de leve, HMA constrói três modelos: Odyssey, Pilot e ...
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ArticleUn dulce hogar para Honda
La marca ha actualizado con una mayor automatización sus capacidades de trenes de potencia y estampado en la planta de Lincoln Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA) ha sido seleccionada para producir el Acura MDX, el producto más técnico producido en la planta. HMA está clasificada como una planta para camionetas ...
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ArticleDriving Honda
I’m occasionally offered the opportunity to receive advance copies of books, but unfortunately most of the time the subject isn’t relevant to my work. That’s not to say they aren’t automotive related, it’s just that they don’t cover my specific area of interest. Working on an automotive title, it’s often ...
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Article阿拉巴马: 本田的安乐窝
该原始设备制造商在Lincon的工厂，已经以更高的自动化升级了动力系统和冲压生产线 阿拉巴马的本田制造厂（HMA），被选中制造Acura MDX车型，这是工厂里技术性最高的产品制造。HMA工厂被列入轻型车制造厂的行列，主要制造三种车型：Odyssey，Pilot和MDX。 工厂里一直为国内巨大的皮卡车市场生产Ridgeline汽车，但是为了准备推出全新皮卡车，所有生产都将停止。 工厂占地1,300英亩，厂房设施占地超过300万平方英尺，拥有4,000名员工。除了汽车生产，工厂还拥有400,000平方英尺的动力系统生产车间，每年共生产340,000部汽车和发动机。工厂最近引进自动化水平更高的程序，极大推动了V6发动机的生产。 HMA公司总裁Jeff Tomlo说，“目前的发动机生产将搬到新工厂的一个生产线上，在那里可以根据要求，比如车型变体，在第一生产新或第二生产线上进行生产。现在发动机生产的自动化水平在32-35%之间，所以算是人力密集型操作。新设施的自动化水平达到65-70%；几乎是原来的2倍。这将成为本田工厂里自动化水平最高的发动机装配线之一。” 他继续说道：“自动化可以实现进一步的质量检验和核查，而且由于发动机变得越来越复杂，而且变型也越来越多，这个生产线的增加能使我们灵活制造不同类型的发动机，而不需要做很多修改。” 工程技术实力Lincoln的制造车间包括：一个适用钢和铝的冲裁生产线；冲压；焊接；喷漆；注塑模具；铸铝；铝和亚铁加工；汽车组件和装配；发动机装配；车辆实验；和质量保证。 这个生产线反映了本田公司的垂直一体化制造工艺。虽然公司已经与外部供应商之间建立了强大的长期合作关系，但是公司将一直利用其发达的工程技术实力；现场铸铝和注塑模具（有3个模具用于保险杠和仪表板生产）就是个好例子。 本田想要在厂内保留复杂的装配工艺的意愿已经非常明显。仪表盘 — 通常是由主要供应商装配，然后运送到其他原始设备制造商的生产线上 — 是在本田Lincoln工厂装配而成，每件只需23分钟的程序。 伺服控制冲压操作是在以液压操作的两个AIDA冲压线上进行，现在又有一个额外新的伺服冲床作补充，这能在强钢成型时提供更强的控制。压力机为以4个阶段锻造class-A面板，具有自动化处理与堆叠操作的特点；冲模转换能在7至8分钟内完成。然后由转包商完成较小的子结构冲压工作。 汽车车体修理厂实现了高度自动化（80-90%），有200个机器人实行操作和焊接，每天能生产1,500个单位。在这里人工操作相对少的工作就是，将车门搬到一个旋转站，然后（由机器人）完成焊接。 与许多原始设备制造商相同，本田在Lincoln实行准时制零部件送递程序，在现场保留4小时工作量的零部件。整个车辆生产量都在送递之前进行跟踪监测（这是质量控制程序的一部分）。目前，HMA制造车辆中大约有10%是预定出口的。 HMA的大事年表 1999 — 宣布了斥资4亿美元在阿拉巴马建新厂的计划 2000 — Lincoln工厂破土动工 2001 — 第一辆Odyssey微型客车走下生产线 2002 — 宣布斥资4.2亿美元进行扩大建设；添加第3条生产线 2004 — 在Lincoln工厂的第2条生产线上进行试选车型的量产 2005 — 工厂创下生产达到500,000辆的里程碑 2006 — Lincoln工厂生产出第1百万辆汽车 2008 — Ridgeline的生产转到HMA；第2生产线上增加了Accord ...
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ArticleAlabama: A sweet home for Honda
The OEM's Lincoln plant has upgraded its powertrain and stamping capabilities with greater automation Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA) was selected to make the Acura MDX, which is the most technical product built at the plant. Classed as a light-truck facility, HMA builds three models: Odyssey, Pilot and MDX.The plant ...
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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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ArticleFabrics of the future
Multiaxial reinforcement manufacturer Formax is tailoring lightweight materials to automotive needs If you think of carbon fibre you more than likely envision the familiar woven sheet, but there is more to this high-tech, lightweight material – as a visit to multiaxial reinforcement manufacturer Formax reveals. Based in Leicestershire, UK, the ...
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ArticleEditor's note: Going global
I can’t claim authoritative knowledge of the economic theories of globalisation, but I would think automotive manufacturing is a good example of their practical application. Vehicle platforms, production processes and technologies that are transferable on a worldwide scale have long been a major driver in the development of new models ...
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ArticleTravel blog: In the Bombay mix
Travelling on the roads in India is a mixture of joy and terror. Firstly, the joy part: the roads here are filled (quite literally) with a wide variety of vehicle types, representing different decades and varying degrees of road-worthiness.From seemingly ancient trucks inching their way up the slightest incline, to ...
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ArticleEditor's note: Ranging far and wide
Electric vehicles (EVs) continue to be a curiosity. Not from the point of view of the vehicle-makers, who between them have invested considerable amounts in developing cars that capture the interest of their environmentally conscious customers; or not, as the case may be. Put simply, there is a lack of ...
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ArticleMecanizado: torneado de piezas de acero
La necesidad de mejoras en los procesos de mecanizado en los talleres de automoción han llevado a varios desarrollos en herramientas para el torneado de piezas de acero Se ha hablado mucho sobre técnicas de torneado en duro durante los últimos años, pero el torneado del acero no endurecido ...
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ArticleEditor's note: Taking a chance
Since the financial implosion in 2008 we have become used to reading about astronomical sums of money being spent and lost. So much so that I think we have become blasé about these figures. Millions of euros or dollars now seem like pocket change and it takes hundreds of millions ...
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Tactile feedback robots for assembly & machining applications
ABB Robotics has introduced Integrated Force Control, a consolidation of software features that were available separately in either the machining or assembly Force Control offerings into a single base module. The company says robots with Integrated Force Control react to their surroundings and deviate from their programmed path or speed ...
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ArticleEditor's note: Winds of change
Big changes are underway – highlighted by the formation of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. I discussed collaborations and partnerships in my last note, and commented that there were still many questions surrounding this tie-up. Glenn Brooks’ article highlights the current level of platform/production line sharing but it’s safe to assume that ...
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Audi plans investment programme of over €20 billion
Germany – The company says its extensive investment programme (between 2014 – 2018), will be directed at new models, innovations and the expansion of its worldwide production network. German sites will benefit with more than half of the planned investment going to the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm sites. At the same ...
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ArticleEnhanced machining software
SolidCAM says it has made enhancements to the latest versions of its iMachining 3D, HSM and Simultaneous 5-Axis modules, which, it claims, are particularly beneficial for mold and insert machining.iMachining 3D automatically produces a complete, ready to run CNC program, with optimal cutting conditions to rough, rest rough and semi-finish ...
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ArticlePrecision power scope
Yokogawa says its PX8000 combines power-analyser and oscilloscope technologies. It has 12-bit resolution with 100MS/s sampling and 20MHz bandwidth. This means that the PX8000 can be used for accurate measurement of inverter pulse shapes. A choice of input modules covers voltage, current and sensor measurements at voltages up to ...
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ArticleEditor's note: Sucessful collaboration
The partnering of brands and big companies is nothing new in the automotive industry. In fact the proliferation of joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions makes it hard to keep track of exactly who owns what share of whom. It’s often the failed partnerships that stick in the memory but ...
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Article
Part perfect BAD FORMATTING
sold to a private firm was its RideDynamics and Brakes unit, whichbecame BWI Group. Julian Buckleyfinds out what BWI has to offercarmakers by way of new parttechnology, while also examining thecompany’s production set up.Under GM, Delphi was of the world’s largestautomotive part manufacturers. After beingmade a fully-independent company in 1999,the ...