All articles by ams_Markvenables – Page 2
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ArticleAdaptive assembly
As powertrain options proliferate, automotive OEMs are adopting a flexible approach to the assembly processThere is little doubt that powertrain assembly is bearing the brunt of the global drive to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. Automotive OEMs are devoting huge resources to developing more efficient powertrains and these are ...
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ArticleSmyrna setting standards
A look inside Nissan’s Smyrna paintshop, opened earlier this year with the aim of setting new standards for quality, efficiency and environmental ‘footprint’Setting new benchmarksBASF’s three-wet processAutomated sealingThe Nissan Green Program 2016Paint 4 is one of threeAn energy-efficient futureNissan’s Smyrna plant in Tennessee is one of three operations in the ...
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ArticleTesting times for training
OEMs’ workers must help to deliver higher volume and quality in a globalised industryDemand for improved quality and higher production targets means that the training of workers and the constant refreshment of their skills is a crucial component of any vehicle-maker’s business strategy. It is not just the manufacturing processes ...
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ArticleCrafted with care
Mark Venables takes a look at the manufacturing methods in use at motorcycle maker KTM – a company where automation is kept to a minimumIn 1934 Hans Trunkenpolz opened a motorcycle repair shop in Mattighofen, Austria, selling DKW bikes. By 1951 believed he could do better himself and two years ...
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ArticleNew RFID on the block
From the year 2000 onwards RFID technology started to significantly impact manufacturing efficiency. M2M represents the next step, AMS reportsRFID is fantastic at providing basic information, but due to the need for all items to be scanned individually it also creates a bottleneck at control points. However, the latest M2M ...
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ArticleComposites come of age
BMW, Ford and Renault are incorporating composites and plastics in new modelsTo demonstrate that reduced weight and increased fuel efficiency are boosting the use of composites beyond their traditional use in niche manufacturing, look no further than BMW’s use of composites in its new i-series models; Ford’s inclusion of integrated ...
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ArticleMass is the driver for composites
Though tooling costs and shorter production runs bring advantages, reduced mass is pushing developmentCompared to steel or aluminium body structures the number one advantage of composites is mass reduction. “That is really the single most important driving factor that is leading to the drive to include more composites,” says Will ...
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ArticleFibre is in fashion
Once the domain of high-performance sports cars, recent developments have increased composite use in high volume manufacturingThere are two very distinct parts of the automotive industry; those two sectors have vastly differing challenges and have approached the use of composites in differing ways. We are, of course talking about the ...
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ArticleBlue oval goes green in India
When the Ford India Sanand plant is completed in 2014 , it will have a capacity to produce 300,000 passenger cars per year. The existing Chennai plant and this newly developed plant have joint production capacity of 500,000 units per year with a capability to further expand to meet cycle ...
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ArticleThe Think Blue paintshop – an holistic approach
Eco robots help aim for a green targetHumidity control the key to successWaterless process drives plastic perfectionWhen Volkswagen opens its fully automatic paint shop for plastic parts at its Wolfsburg plant, it will be claimed as one of the most efficient units in the world.Bumpers, fuel tank covers and small ...
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ArticleForging strength to save weight
Mark Venables discovers how OEMs are applying new high-strength steels to different areas of the vehicle structureVolkswagen is increasingly using new high strength steel to make cars lighter and comply with strict emissions rules, confounding forecasts that aluminium would be the metal of choice for reducing weight. The German carmaker ...
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Making the grade with steel CHECK INTRO - SAME AS OTHER STORY
Steel makers are developing new grades and coatings that can help the automotive industry reduce weight without compromising safetyThere is a significant need within the automotive industry to find ways of increasing safety in a crash situation, using lightweight designs,” explains Anke Meyer, marketing manager at SSAB. One of the ...
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Steel crazy after all these years CHECK INTRO - DUPLICATE WITH OTHER STORY
Steelmakers are developing innovative new processes and coatings to meet changing demandsThere is a significant need within the automotive industry to find ways of increasing safety in a crash situation, using lightweight designs,” explains Anke Meyer, marketing manager at SSAB. One of the solutions is electro-galvanised steels such as SSAB’s ...
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ArticlePressing matters
Mark Venables reveals how continued innovation in the manufacture, properties and application of new steel grades is evolving vehicle structuresThe steel used in automotive production today bears little resemblance to that used 20 or even 10 years ago. This ubiquitous material has been continually re-invented, engineering new grades and gauges. ...
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ArticleEnergy as an asset
Energy management has become a key criteria for tier suppliers’ equipment and systemsThe rush to implement renewable energy sources – in the form of solar panels, wind turbines, or co-generation plants – has gone some way to stemming the rising energy costs of auto production, but not far enough. OEMs ...
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ArticleExpending to save
Mark Venables reports on how OEMs are controlling their energy use throughout the manufacturing process using a combination of increased visualisation and energy efficient equipmentOEMs have been trying to reduce the input costs of energy by generating their own through co-generation plants, solar panels and wind turbines. This generation drive ...
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ArticleDrivers of reduction
OEMs have been installing renewable energy sources to reduce energy costs and comply with legislation but the focus is now moving to the manufacturing process itselfPSA Peugeot-Citroën has stated that by 2015 it wants to reduce energy consumption during manufacturing to 2MW per vehicle. GM has also set aggressive targets ...
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ArticleEnd of the line?
Need for flexibilityMachining centresFlexible transfer linesMatching industry demandsIntegrated modulesPerfect matchCycle-time savingsContinuous performanceModular evolutionFlex flow extensionNew methods for machiningDrivetrain machiningStandards and specificationHybrid transfer linesFlexible Manufacturing has transformed the traditional transfer line and machine providers are now offering cell-based, hybrid systems to meet the demands of cost saving and batch production. AMS ...
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ArticleThe demands of machining
Investment saves money in the long runForging flexible machiningThe cost of flexibilityIt’s a grind for crankshaftsLinear drive technologyYou’re only as good as the last great production run you had, and in an increasingly competitive market, having the right machines and processes to do the right job is criticalWith its reputation ...
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ArticlePutting the fact in factory
Just the factsMining for informationOperator and process practicesPatterns with raw dataAll kinds of dataUser relevanceComparative analysis and benchmarkingInformation is crucial in today’s lean manufacturing environment, but the amount of data generated by resource planning software can often be bewildering and even counter productive. AMS looks at why it’s important to ...
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