All Systems articles
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ArticleGlobal suppliers need modularity and flexibility in the EV age
Electric vehicles bring with them high development costs and large expenses for retooling plants. To get around that, OEMs and tier suppliers must work together to develop flexible, modular production systems, according to panellists from ZF and ABB at last week’s AMS Livestream on electrification.
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Article
Watch: Robotic Sanding Made Easy with ATI’s AOV-10 and 3M Abrasives
The Compliant Orbital Sander is the ideal solution for robotic surface treatment.
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Article
Securing semiconductor supply
A shortage of semiconductors is hampering global automotive production around the world. Bettina Weiss, chief of staff and global smart mobility lead at electronics association SEMI, tells Marcus Williams why this is happening and why OEMs need to forge more direct links with the chip manufacturers
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Article
AI and automation in automotive production need people and quality data to succeed
Experts from BMW, Ford, Symbio Robotics and Cosmo Tech discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in automotive production need fast ramp-up times and adoption by employees to succeed. High-quality data and use of simulation are also key.
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Article
Watch: ATI’s AOV-10 Robotic Sander and 3M Abrasives can reshape material removal processes
The AOV-10 Axially-Compliant Random Orbital Sander from ATI Industrial Automation is the ideal robotic solution for surface preparation and finishing. The compact and lightweight design suits a variety of robot sizes and types, including collaborative robots. The AOV-10 also features built-in compliance which overcomes process variation due to part misalignment, part geometry inconsistency, or robot path deviations. This streamlines the programming process and improves overall process quality of sanding and finishing operations.
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Article
Viewed 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
