All Press and stamping articles – Page 12
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ArticleBodyshop of the future
In order to turn its bestselling F-150 into an aluminium vehicle, Ford first had to transform the bodyshop"It’s extremely quiet, it’s clean, it’s small” – this seems like a modest description for the home of the automotive manufacturing innovation that has perhaps caused more noise than any other over the ...
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ArticleVW Puebla pushes on
A veteran of vehicle production in the country, VW is nonetheless still expanding at Puebla – adding a new bodyshop for the Golf last year and another for the Tiguan that will open in 2017. AMS went to look aroundAt 550,000 sq.m on 3m sq.m of land, VW Puebla is ...
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ArticleA magnet for manufacturing
Low-cost labour and free-trade deals are attracting investment in Mexico by global OEMs and suppliersVehicle production is booming in Mexico. In 2014, a record 3.22m vehicles were made there, an increase of nearly 10% on 2013. Much of the rising production was in response to strong demand from the US ...
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ArticleIntegrating electrification
OEMs face the challenge of assimilating a growing number of electric vehicles and assemblies into their production operations. Volkswagen and Renault have each taken the plunge with the e-up! and the ZoeFive kilometres from the heart of the Slovakian capital, on the north bank of the Danube, is the Volkswagen ...
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ArticleNissan's A-team in Mexico
As the Japanese OEM adds new facilities for Infiniti and Mercedes production at its complex in the north-central state of Aguascalientes, AMS examines the reasons behind the long-standing success of this operationNissan is close to hitting capacity in Mexico again thanks to the continuing success of its Aguascalientes manufacturing complex ...
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ArticleLDT: GM's Delta force
As GM splashes the cash across North America, AMS goes to see $583m worth of improvements to the OEM’s newest factory in the region – including a new bodyshop capable of mixed-material joining methodsLansing Delta Township (LDT) in Michigan is General Motors’ newest plant in North America, opened in 2006 ...
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ArticleFord, Alcoa collaborate on aluminium
US – The OEM had already selected Alcoa’s Micromill product for its aluminium-bodied 2016 F-150 pick-up truck, but the two companies have now also entered a joint development agreement to expand the range of next-generation aluminium alloys for automotive components.Micromill was made public in December 2014 and is claimed to ...
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ArticleTesting the water
Hydroforming is making quite a splash among automotive companies seeking to produce lightweight yet robust components which also meet stringent safety requirements; AMS reviews the latest techniquesThe fact that Vari-Form has been selected by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) US as its 2015 Supply Chain Management Supplier of the Year speaks ...
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ArticleHonda: Getting Fit in Mexico
The Japanese OEM has designated its Mexican factory at Celaya as its centre of small-car production in the Americas – while a new transmission plant will take its total investment in the region to $21 billionWith the opening of its Celaya plant in central Mexico at the start of last ...
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ArticleIndia: The last BRIC standing
As other emerging markets decline, India is still seeing significant investment by global vehicle-makers Vehicle-makers are stepping up their campaigns to crack the difficult Indian automotive market after the country became the most promising of the emerging BRIC nations following market collapses in Brazil and Russia and a cooling in ...
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ArticleStamp of approval
Chang Tiejun, body area manager at Changan Mazda's Nanjing facility, discusses the challenges of keeping pace with demand, handling changing materials and vehicle architectures, and planning for the futureAMS: Do you have both blanking and stamping operations here at Nanjing?Chang Tiejun (CT): We only have stamping operations at this location; ...
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ArticleSaltillo South Engine gains WCM Bronze
Mexico – The FCA facility in Coahuila has become the third in the country and the tenth in North America to achieve this World Class Manufacturing (WCM) status, five years after implementing the system.Saltillo South Engine Plant (SSEP) assembles the 3.6-litre Pentastar V-6 engine, which powers the Dodge Journey, Dodge ...
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ArticleSteel: Stronger and lighter
Wider application of UHSS and AHSS is making vehicle structures much lighter, and the next generation of steel grades promise even greater weight reduction – perhaps challenging the rise of aluminiumAs far as lightweight materials are concerned, ultra-high and advanced high-strength steels (UHSS and AHSS) are quite good value for ...
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ArticleTravel blog: Upscaling cowboys to carmakers in Guanajuato
Two out of three restaurants at my hotel in Mexico City are Japanese. This fact is rather more significant than how it impinges on my dining options: why Japanese, why here? Because there are Japanese companies and Japanese people and it makes sense for there to be sushi. A good ...
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ArticleFCA's $166m for stamping at Sterling Heights
US – The company says its investment in three new press lines will upgrade the 50-year-old facility to meet increased demand. The new lines are currently being installed and are expected to begin production in the fourth quarter of 2015, supplying seven plants in the US, Canada and Mexico. They ...
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ArticleTravel blog: Reborn in Dearborn
For some it would be an almost spiritual experience, but for me yesterday’s visit to Ford at the place where it all began (more or less), was about appreciating the enduring human capacity for innovation; from the first moving assembly lines to the robotised manufacturing methods of the 21st century, ...
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ArticleSteel solutions
Producers of steel are developing innovative solutions to meet the vehicle lightweighting challengeOEMs have to strike a balance when selecting the right materials for their vehicles. These materials need to be strong enough to protect passengers in the event of a collision, yet light enough to reduce CO2 emissions and ...
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ArticleVW, Gestamp expand at Chattanooga
US – The further collaboration will involve an extension of Gestamp’s existing plant at Chattanooga and the construction of a stamping facility in Enterprise South for the production of Class-A parts including external metal skin for Volkswagen’s upcoming midsize SUV. The development will add 510 jobs at the site in ...
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ArticleFord's annual sustainability report
US – The OEM’s 16th such publication highlights environmental achievements at its manufacturing facilities plus mobility experiments to tackle transportation challenges and address future trends, in line with the Ford Smart Mobility plan.Ford is targeting a drop of 30% in CO2 emissions per vehicle produced by 2025 worldwide, and from ...
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Webinar
ArcelorMittal: Laser Welded Blanks – A key enabler to lighter and stronger automotive steel solutions
How can ArcelorMittal Tailored Blanks help carmakers achieve their weight, safety and cost targets?In this webinar we focused on the benefits of LWB’s applications: Highlighting the advantages of LWBs in combination with hot stamping technology Showcasing the weight saving potential of LWBs by showing examples of innovative solutionsSpecialists outlined ...