All Systems articles
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ArticleViewed from the “lighthouse”: Renault plants connected to smart production
Recognised by the WEF Global Lighthouse Network, Renault’s deep dive into industry 4.0 has launched a plethora of active improvement projects
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Article
Your webinar questions answered: How tier 1 suppliers are responding to tough headwinds
You asked, we answer. We return to the questions from our audience that we didn’t have time to answer in our live webinar, ranging from which parts of automotive tier 1 suppliers’ business models are at risk of commodification, to how tier suppliers are changing manufacturing processes
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Article
Digital tools connect plants to low energy operations
Big opportunities to reduce energy consumption in car manufacturing facilities are waiting to be explored. AMS looks at carmakers taking the path to becoming more eco-friendly
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Article
Is Sony’s Vision S a scary sight, or a revelation for carmakers and suppliers?
Should automotive manufacturers fear or embrace this surprise announcement from the consumer technology giant?
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Article
Setting the pace – AP Racing speeds up smart production
A new €1m assembly line is helping UK-based high-performance brake component supplier AP Racing take a smarter approach to production
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Analysis
Tier Supplier Profit Analysis: Mitigating Margin Compression and Manufacturing Costs
Automotive tier 1 suppliers are facing unprecedented industry transformation in electrification along with economic uncertainty. Download this report on the top 20 global suppliers for a deep analysis of their historic margins, as well as solutions for how suppliers could cope with growing pressures and changes in manufacturing across the supply base
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Article
Building Volkswagen’s Industrial Cloud
Volkswagen Group’s landmark project with Amazon Web Services will help to connect all its global factories, and eventually the supply chain as well. At the core of the project is a drive to establish a standard software stack that will transform the way production IT is developed and implemented across Volkswagen locations.
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Article
Suppliers will charge the change: opportunities in the EV value chain
While much focus is put on OEM plans to launch more electric vehicles, a great deal of the technology, value, production and services will come from both existing and emerging suppliers across the value chain. We expect many new opportunities for these companies over the next decade.
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Article
A proactive approach
Predictive maintenance offers big gains in production efficiency. Mike Farish looks at some examples of how these systems have been developed and applied
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Article
Parts sorting and storage system
Said to have been developed to meet the needs of the automotive industry, Daifuku’s SPDR temporary storage and sortation systems for spare parts features an automated robotic arm, which automatically lowers and raises to grasp a range of tote sizes, and it’s claimed is suitable for kitting operations. Daifuku says ...
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Article
New piston developments
MAHLE says it is developing a new generation of piston coatings that are intended to guide and reduce the heat entering the pistons. The company claims this initially reduces the demand for piston cooling, and the increased exhaust gas temperature allows a higher quantity of energy to be extracted by ...
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Article
Variable valve timing system
Variable valve timing that is adapted to the different engine operating conditions can be achieved with its Shifting Roller system, claims Mahle. It features an adjustable cam follower, that can be brought into contact with one of the two cam lobes, which have different profiles, says the company. Depending on ...
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Article
Sealant dispensing system
The preeflow eco-DUO600 is a volumetric metering, mixing and dispensing unit which uses a progressive cavity pump principle to deliver precise amounts of the mixed sealant, says Intertronics. The company claims these systems provide precision control of the material output (which can be dynamically changed). This means that the FIP ...
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Article
Assembly line automation
Nextsense says its Calipri systems can be used to monitor the process of car assembly from body-in-white to end-of-line final assembly. The company claims its fully automatic C12 cobot systems allows human workers and robots to work side by side in a continuous production line – without separation, mechanical barriers ...
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Article
Shift of power
Emobility may be flourishing but the internal combustion engine still has a long way to run. Gareth Price speaks to leading powertrain component suppliers endeavouring to make a smooth transition
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Article
On a twinning streak
Creating a digital twin of manufacturing operations can deliver development and efficiency benefits. Mike Farish reports
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Article
At the leading edge
Steed Webzell looks at edge computing and the hardware requirements for those looking to digitally monitor, measure or control their machining operations Certain terms surrounding digitisation have become pretty familiar over the past 5-10 years: Internet of Things, Industry 4.0 (I4.0), edge computing, big data, smart factory, artificial intelligence ...
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Article
Augmented assistance
Visit any car manufacturing plant in the world and the majority of production equipment will be similar. The real differences between factories are the human workers and the way in which technology is used to optimise their environment
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Article
New foam for instrument panels
A new series of systems in its Elastoflex E product group now allows weight reductions and foam densities of around 120g/L without sacrificing any of the material characteristics, claims BASF. Up to 30% of the foam weight is saved, says the company, depending on the component geometry. This Thin-Light system ...
