New whitepaper: BASF and Catena-X: Creating a more connected and efficient automotive industry This whitepaper provides an in-depth look at how BASF, as a top 30 global automotive supplier, is leveraging Catena-X to enhance supply chain transparency, ensure regulatory compliance, and drive efficiency.
Skoda expands manufacturing operations with new Vietnam assembly plant Skoda has officially begun local assembly of its Kushaq SUV and Slavia sedan at a newly established facility in Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province. Developed in partnership with Thanh Cong Group, the plant marks a significant step in Skoda’s global expansion, strengthening its foothold in Southeast Asia’s rapidly growing automotive market. Nick Holt
Audi is transforming vehicle production with AI-powered image processing, eliminating errors and setting new standards for quality control and smart factory innovation Artificial intelligence is accelerating transformation in automotive production. Audi’s Industrial Computer Vision is proving how AI-driven image processing enhances quality control, minimises defects and paves the way for scalable smart factory innovation. Ronja Schmiedchen
Quality control: 3D vision inspection systems LMI Technologies offers insights into current trends in automotive quality control requirements and the technology solutions available. AMS
The future of Ford in a flash of lightning The Ford Dearborn Truck Plant is a benchmark for managing complexity, quality and software, and is setting standards for the future. Plant manager Corey Williams shares learnings and lean principles across ICE production and fast-growing EV output at the plant’s newly expanded Rouge Electric Vehicle Center Christopher Ludwig
Material matters: body, forming and process transformation Michel Peña at Teknia, Jesse Paegle at ArcelorMittal and Jonas Adolfsson at SSAB joined the seventh panel at Automotive Evolution Europe to discuss how new technology and materials are ushering in new innovations in manufacturing. Christopher Ludwig
Adjusting to a new climate: Alternative powertrain testing Development and production of new powertrains continues at pace, but robust testing processes are key to ensuring performance and efficiency. AMS visited a newly upgraded test facility to get an insight into the equipment and process requirements for electric and fuel cell powertrains Mike Farish
Watch: New magic in the dark art of lightweighting Ignacio, Jérôme and Prof. Volk explain the magic behind the art of lighweighting all whilst factoring in cost, performance, safety concerns and the impact on manufacturing process. Nick Holt
What wireless battery management systems mean for sustainable EV manufacturing As the demand for EVs rises and OEMs rapidly roll out units, battery component manufacturers are looking to develop vital electrification ecosystems. A factor that is increasingly central to the manufacturing of EVs is a battery framework that simplifies the production process for new sustainable models. Jason Dunn
Scaling battery pack production Increasing production of battery enclosures at scale will be essential to launching EVs in line with targets. ABB’s Patrick Matthews and Zeiss’s Paulo Cruz discuss automation and quality control opportunities. AMS
Getting giga with it – ramping up battery cell production Manufacturers require huge investment and must carefully consider production locations and technology to build batteries at ‘giga scale’, reveal leaders from Italvolt, AMTE Power and Zeiss AMS
Stress test: new modelling approach for component fatigue testing The development of lightweight structures and components for electric vehicles has created a demand for more comprehensive and up to date test and measurement processes to evaluate component fatigue and service life. Nick Holt spoke with Lucia Barbu, research professor and project coordinator at Fatigue4light to get some insight into the challenges and solutions Nick Holt
Electrification and digitalisation go hand in hand at Ford and VW As the automotive industry electrifies, manufacturing is changing dramatically and OEMs are using big data to keep pace with that change. Increasingly moving into the world of tech, old quality control processes may no longer suffice since a lot of EV components cannot be reworked like traditional equivalents. Manufacturing has to be ultra-precise like never before. Illya Verpraet
Watch: Electrifying Production – How to build an electric future (Pt.2) In the second part of our Electrifying Production Livestream series, AMS explores how OEMs are ramping up EV production through modular strategies, data analytics and advanced joining and metrology tools. Featuring Volkswagen Group, Ford, Renishaw and Atlas Copco. AMS
AI and automation in automotive production need people and quality data to succeed In the automotive industry’s relentless quest for efficiency, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) may seem like silver bullets, and panellists at the recent AMS livestream hour agreed that these rapidly improving technologies can indeed bring enormous benefits. However, the road to successful automation is one with a fair few obstacles. Illya Verpraet
Measure for measure: as vehicle tech advances, so do the test methods To improve vehicle and component quality, and reduce time to market for new models, testing technologies need to be smarter and faster Mike Farish
Passing the test As modern vehicles become more sophisticated, production testing technologies and processes need to keep up. Mike Farish looks at developments with both carmakers and tier suppliers Mike Farish
