Assembly
TPCA at Kolin, Czech Republic
Toyota Peugeot Citroën Automobile (TPCA) is a joint venture of Toyota and PSA currently assembles the platform-sharing A-segment cars - Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 and Citroën C1. In 2019, a total of 199,000 vehicles were produced at the plant located at Kolin in central Czech Republic. Last year, it was ...
Hitting the reset button
Given the scale and scope of its current restructuring programme, a very different Ford will eventually emerge. Ian Henry looks into the changes being made
At Liberty to explore
Honda has a big presence in the North American market, a key part of its recent strategy has been to build big cars to meet consumer demand. Michael Nash visits the company’s East Liberty facility in Ohio
No room for error
Monitoring the complex geometrics of the car body exterior in early development stages can raise the quality and avoid misalignment. Nextsense’s Calipri range is helping to fill the gaps
Nafta aftermath
A new trade deal era will reconfigure Mexico’s automotive industry relations with the US, Nick Gibbs reports
US plants – stick or twist?
Several carmakers have recently outlined plans to alter their production activities in the US. Some announcements have been positive, with large investments being made to build new facilities as well as upgrade existing ones. Others have detailed plant closures.
Look to the future, it’s only just begun – AMS Podcast Episode 03
With absolutely no apologies for quoting Slade, AMS Editor Nick Holt and AMS Deputy Editor Gareth Price see this Christmas as the ideal time to look back at a selection of topics featured in AMS magazine during 2018.
FFC/FPC connectors
Two FFC/FPC connectors designed for the growing information market needs of automakers are now available from Molex. The Easy-On FFC/FPC connectors are offered in 0.5mm pitch and 1.0mm pitch forms and both feature a double-bottom contact terminal design that removes dust and contaminants from the connection, claims the company.
Ford invests in EV and AV production
US - Ford has said it will spend US$900m on its facilities in Michigan in order to ready for the production of both electric and autonomous vehicles. This is the latest in a string of investments that the OEM has recently announced it will make in US plants.
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 ...
Muscovite foresight
Preparing assembly operations for a new SUV, Renault Moscow plant director Jean-Louis Theron tells Nick Gibbs about investments in automation and a renewed focus on quality
The imitation game
Working with a local robotics start-up in Germany, Volkswagen is exploring a new programming technique that allows assembly workers to teach a cobot all the right moves
PSA's Poissy plant to add model
France - Groupe PSA has revealed that it will start making the new Opel/Vauxhall B-SUV at its Poissy plant, which is located about an hour north west of the French capital Paris. As a result, the facility will become the first to assemble a vehicle based on the company’s common ...
On a twinning streak
Creating a digital twin of manufacturing operations can deliver development and efficiency benefits. Mike Farish reports
Eaton and Cummins venture forth
To face an ever-widening array challenges, automotive manufacturing has seen numerous instances of partnerships, alliances, mergers and acquisitions entered into as a means to stay healthy
Scania sets sights on Thailand
Thailand - Scania has opened a new assembly facility for truck cabs, truck chassis and bus chassis in the Bangkok Free Trade Zone, Thailand. The Swedish OEM says that the move is an important part of its plan to strengthen its presence in the region.
VW sets out Wolfsburg upgrade
Germany - New bodyshop AGVs, more automated assembly stations and a series of ergonomic measures will feature in a major upgrade at Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg plant
Corolla confidence
Upgrade and investments at Burnaston see Toyota start production of the new Corolla in the UK, despite all the turmoil of Brexit
In our next issue...
Coming soon in our March-April issue…