Automation – Page 122
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ArticleJoined-up thinking
The welding of plastics and other non-metallic materials is now well established as a fabrication technique for automotive componentsThe welding of non-metallic materials is frequently used to create parts such as cabin consoles, lights and mirror assemblies, intake manifolds and fluid reservoirs, including fuel tanks. However, despite being a common ...
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Article
追逐第三名
印度的汽车销量激增，让许多实力制造商受益，但是对那些跃跃欲试的新手来说仍然充满了玄机据瑞典分析公司AID提供的数据，去年印度奥兰加巴德开始生产Audi A4，印度的乘用车市场里首次充斥着300万辆车，比2016年增长了9%。因此，印度就可以放心追逐新的目标，即赶超德国和日本，位居全球第三大汽车市场，仅次于中国和美国。去年，日本市场的销量超过500万辆，虽然还有很长的路要走，但分析师和制造商认为，印度想要赶超日本还是大有可能的，尤其日本市场还很有可能出现萧条。新贵起亚（Kia）公司在印度投资兴建新厂，因为公司认为印度将会在2020年成为乘用车销量第三名。UBS银行集团的分析机构预测，到2021年轻型车销量（包括厢式车）会突破500万辆；总部在英国的分析公司LMC Auto预测，到2024年这个数字会达到660万辆。加上印度的出口地理位置极佳，成为汽车投资的热门地点。EY公司分析师在去年印度就业市场调查中写道，“印度的中产阶级比例增加，城市化程度提高，而且印度市场的渗透率较低，因此成为全球最有潜力的汽车市场之一。”调查中提到，印度是全球汽车拥有率最低的国家之一，每千人拥有18辆汽车，而中国是69辆，美国为786辆。投资滚滚而来正如上面所述，起亚开始在Andhra Pradesh省东南部建设工厂，定于2019年开始投产，年产量将达到300,000辆。工厂占地213万平方米，包括一个冲压车间和喷漆车间，计划制造紧凑型轿车和SUV。工厂总投资11亿美元，其中包括一个供应商园区。起亚的姊妹公司，现代汽车是印度第二大乘用车制造商。LMC称，在未来的四年里，公司计划投资7.8亿美元推车8款新车型。市场领军铃木汽车（Suzuki）正在Gujarat省的Hansalpur建设第二家装配厂，年产量将达到250,000辆。此外，公司还计划建设发动机厂和变速器厂，定于2019年开始投产。而第三家工厂也在计划当中，该厂投资5.85亿美元，公司每年总产量将达到750,000辆。据LMC计算，公司的总投资额也将达到20亿美元。铃木还将与东芝和电装公司合作投资1.79亿美元，建设电池组厂。铃木及其合作商马鲁帝在印度西北部Haryana省已经拥有两家装配厂了。塔塔汽车在改善汽车业务状况的过程中，进行投资6.24亿美元 — 其中的3.9亿美元投资汽车业（不包括Jaguar Land Rover），2.34亿美元投资卡车。此外，菲亚特克莱斯勒投资2.34亿美元，在塔塔-菲亚特Ranjangoan工厂制造Jeep Compass汽车，从2017年开始向全球销售。LMC称，公司今年预计会推出一款新车。 针对印度，雷诺推出 Captur SUV，在低造价 B0平台上制造，而不是欧洲版平台PSA将拿出1亿美元（初期投资），与CK Birla Group建立合资公司，后者是Hindustan Motors的母公司。Hindustan Motors金奈工厂预计从2020-2021年开始投产。PSA已经从Hindustan手中购买了Ambassador汽车名称。马恒达&马恒达公司计划向Pune汽车制造商和Igatpuri发动机厂投资2,400万美元，预计在今年晚些时候推出U321 MPV项目。中国巨头上汽公司已经证实，将会收购通用汽车旗下Halol装配厂，并在未来五年里投资3.11亿美元，制造MG系列汽车。据LMC称，这会招来物价中国汽车供应商 —Yanfeng Automotive Interiors, Huichoung, Wuling Industry, LingYun Industrial Co以及Sevic公司，投资额将达到1.55亿美元。印度市场的挑战印度乘用车市场对成熟制造商来说游刃有余，但是对新进制造商来说却是一块难啃的骨头。去年，马鲁帝-铃木对市场加大力度，销量增长了15%，市场份额也达到50%，总销量达到160万辆。位居第二的是现代汽车，据销售整合网站Bestsellingcarsblog.comt透露，公司销量增长近五十万辆。塔塔乘用车销量也增长，接近170,000辆，位居第五，仅次于马恒达和本田。但是雷诺的光景却不佳，销量比前一年下降了15%。雷诺成为印度成功的典范，2015年在推出Kwid微型SUV之后，尽管成果不显著，但一直坚持不懈。雷诺公司称，公司成功的秘诀在于低成本和高本地化率，但是2017款Kwid销量下降了13%，从前十名中淘汰出来。印度消费者可能更加青睐低廉价汽车，但是又喜欢新东西。LMC Automotive高级经理Ammar Master说，“印度汽车制造商要不断更新产品才能维持竞争力。”雷诺最近刚刚推出Captur SUV，这是在低成本B0平台上制造的汽车，没有采用精密的欧洲版本，而且计划2019年在Kwid基础上推出新款SUV。据LMC预测，这款汽车会再次推动销量。Master预测称，此举或让雷诺获得两位数增长率。通用汽车（General Motors）却逆向而行。公司去年宣布，2018年会从印度汽车市场全部撤出，只留下Talegaon工厂作为地区出口基地，比如向拉美地区出口。通用汽车因为Chevrolet在印度的惨谈经营，最终决定退出。美国对手公司福特汽车（Ford）尽管错失市场增长潮流，但是仍然决定留守阵地，2017年交付率仅增长1%，共销售87,588辆汽车，位列第八。Master说，“像福特这样的公司已经在印度几十年了，但是市场占有率仍然微不足道。过去外国制造商认为，全球成功战略可以在印度复制，但是实际情况却差强人意。外国制造商不得不更多地考虑当地情况，很多公司已经采取措施。”合作关系福特公司已经与马恒达集团建立合作关系，去年宣布要一同合作进行电气化、产品开发、移动项目和联网汽车项目。福特公司还说，他们将一同完成“采购并提高商业效率”。3年之后，双方公司将决定是否要继续合约。马恒达公司（是韩国双龙母公司）在印度以SUV车著称，但是唯一生产电动车的制造商。政府机构National Institution for Transforming India去年预测，到2030年印度将有44%的汽车实现电气化（纯电动或混合电动车）。福特的举动也算精明。但是目前，福特将印度作为出口基地也算顺风顺水：2017年，公司的两家装配厂制造了262,784辆汽车，其中三分之二以上都用于出口，包括向欧洲出口Ka+汽车，向美国出口EcoSport汽车。大众公司在与铃木联手失败之后，还在试图在印度寻找合作伙伴，但是公司的这个目标始终无法实现。去年，公司宣称与塔塔汽车达成协议，开发低成本汽车，而大众的Skoda品牌似乎要被拆装了。有消息来源向路透社透露，其中的主要问题是调节塔塔AMP平台的成本。2017年，公司Pune工厂创造单年产量最高纪录，150,150辆，但仍然算不上多。 印度普纳梅赛德斯-奔驰工厂生产紧凑车大众的时代还没到来，因为公司还在印度制造造价高昂的平台；或许有一天会成为少数几家能从即将重创汽车业的严厉立法制度中存活的公司之一。LMC公司的Master说，“行业目前面临的头等大事就是严厉的规定”，其中包括2019年开始强制实行气囊及座椅提醒系统，现有车型从2019年开始强制进行前端和侧边碰撞试验。还有一个重大考验就是从2020年开始实行Bharat第六阶段排放规定（相当于Euro 6）。Master强调，这些会大幅提高汽车成本，预计最小型汽油机车成本会提高6%，而最小型柴油机车成本会提高两位数。梅赛德斯已经提前两年就在S-级豪华轿车中退出Bharat IV版本，清洁度要高出当地汽车好几个档次。梅赛德斯-奔驰印度公司首席执行官Roland Folger在去年启动仪式上说，“我们坚信，我们为给其他制造商引进BS VI汽车扫平了道路。”Premium 销售业绩Premium公司在印度装配进口装备，去年一切顺利。沃尔沃成为最后晋级高档的汽车公司，在印度建厂之后，从去年开始在Bangalore工厂装配XC90大型SUV。公司还在计划其他车型，因为据公司预测，印度的高端车市场将迎来快速增长局面。Premium最畅销的梅赛德斯创造新纪录，共售出15,330辆，增幅达16%。普纳工厂建于2009年，制造E-级轿车和各种SUV汽车。位列第二的宝马汽车也迎来销量9,800辆的光景，增幅25%。X1和X5款SUV的市场需求非常大，这些车是在金奈工厂装配的。当地装配的Audi汽车来自斯柯达Aurangabad工厂，2016年惨淡收场，去年也是表现平平。高端车增长最快的当属Jaguar Land Rover，涨幅达到49%，共售出3,954辆汽车。公司（母公司是当地汽车巨头塔塔汽车）从2011年开始在普纳工厂装配汽车。高端车和主流汽车制造商都从SUV销量增长中获利，这是印度及其他地区的共同趋势。AID数据显示，2017年SUV汽车和越野车销量增长了20%，市场占有率为29%。这让塔塔等制造商收益，塔塔紧凑型SUV使公司的汽车业增长了19%。而旗下微型车Nano却完全相反，共出售2,585辆，降幅达到75%。这款自称全球最便宜的汽车没能在“低价车”风行的印度大卖，足以让印度的汽车制造商困惑。印度汽车制造商的机械化据咨询公司EY一位分析员去年发表的调查报告，印度一年的汽车产量大约2,400万辆，包括摩托车产量，直接间接员工数量达到1,000-1,300万人。尽管行业投资不断增加，但是自动化的发展会降低就业率，并明显改变劳动力的作用。在汽车业内，自动化已经变得举足轻重。EY公司预测，年度的汽车车体修理厂和喷漆厂经实现自动化95%，预计到2020年会达到100%。EY在The Future of Jobs in Inida里面称，到2022年，制造商与供应商公司里15-20%的岗位都将面临取消威胁。而装配厂只有20%的自动化，但EY预测称，机器人在装配物流中的使用率会提高，节约成本10-20%，库存率降低30-50%。机器人的脚步已经无法停止。接受EY调查的汽车公司高管中，有一半的人认为安装机器人的主要障碍是投资回报率，这在冲上低价的印度市场里是一个难点。EY报告总结称：“至少在未来的几年里，印度的低成本劳动仍然是印度制造竞争力的主要支撑。”
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ArticleA race for third place
India’s vehicle sales are booming to the benefit of a handful of established manufacturers, but it’s still a tricky market for those on the sidelinesLast year, India’s passenger vehicle market cracked 3m units for the first time, up 9% on 2016, according to data from Swedish analyst firm AID. That ...
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ArticleHonda marks production milestone
US - It was the first Japanese OEM to make cars in the US when production began at the Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio back in 1982. Since then, Honda has established four other plants across the country, and has recently recorded its best ever annual sales figure at 1,641,429 ...
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ArticleToyota announces Auris production
UK - The third generation Auris will be built at Toyota Manufacturing UK's (TMUK) plant in Burnaston, Derbyshire. Established in 1989, the facility was recently upgraded with a £240m (US$330m) investment to house the production of vehicles based on the OEM's new global architecture (TNGA) platform."Producing TNGA-based vehicles locally is ...
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ArticleLightweighting with laser-welded blanks
The latest generation of steels brings new opportunities for OEMs Laser-welded blanks (LWB) give automotive engineers the chance to design lightweight parts that ensure the right steel is in the right place for safety and performance. Combining LWBs with new hot-stamping grades, such as Usibor 2000 and Ductibor ...
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ArticleSteel going strong
ArcelorMittal provides an insight into how the trend of electrification will impact steel demand in vehicle design Last year marked the first on in which global sales of electrified vehicles exceeded one million units. Although the numbers are still a long way behind sales volumes of conventional internal combustion ...
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ArticleWhat can steel do for chassis?
With high-tensile strength and an optimised microstructure, advanced high-strength steel grades can offer many advantages for chassis components Many factors are dictating the future of OEMs developing chassis components. Consumer trends, regulations and advancements in manufacturing technology are just a few of them. Developments in materials is another. ...
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ArticleReducing costs in welding aluminium
In an industry where everyone is looking for a more efficient vehicle, OEMs have started shifting their focus to aluminium as their material of choice, writes Lincoln Electric’s Mikael D. CarriereThe use of aluminium has continuously grown in the automotive industry in the last 40 years and it has recently ...
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ArticleLightweighting with laser-welded blanks
The latest generation of steels brings new opportunities for OEMs Laser-welded blanks (LWB) give automotive engineers the chance to design lightweight parts that ensure the right steel is in the right place for safety and performance. Combining LWBs with new hot-stamping grades, such as Usibor 2000 and Ductibor ...
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ArticleFord boosts SUV production by 25%
Dubai - The OEM has announced that it is increasing the production of two SUVs - the Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition - by 25% to meet "surging demand for both all-new models ahead of their arrival in the Middle East." The models are built at its Kentucky Truck Plant, ...
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Premium surface finish
Tata Steel says it has expanded its Serica premium surface finish portfolio for automotive exposed panels. With Serica 29 (0.29µm after forming), Serica 32 (0.32µm after forming) and Serica 35 (0.35µm after forming) the company claims carmakers can tune the required waviness level of their outer panels to minimise the ...
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ArticleOpen architecture industrial computers
The Allen-Bradley VersaView 5000 portfolio includes five products: VersaView 5400 display and non-display computers; VersaView 5200 display and non-display thin clients; and VersaView 5100 monitors, says Rockwell Automation.The company claims that when combined with FactoryTalk View Site Edition software in distributed applications, the VersaView 5400 industrial computers can provide cost-effective ...
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ArticlePredictive maintenance for robots
Mitsubishi Electric says it has developed a cloud-based predictive maintenance solution for robots that utilises the AI platform within IBM Watson. The platform uses predictive maintenance models, digital simulation and extrapolation of trends to provide maintenance information based on actual usage and wear characteristics.Communications between the robot and the user ...
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ArticleDaimler expands China production
Beijing - An investment of over 11.9 billion yuan (US$1.89 billion) will be used to expand Mercedes-Benz vehicle production in the country. A BAIC production facility located in the city's Shunyi district will be transferred to Beijing Benz Automotive Co. (BBAC), which is a joint venture (JV) between Daimler and ...
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ArticleGroupe PSA to share ASEAN plant
Malaysia - The French carmaker has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with Naza Corporation Holdings - a Malaysian business conglomerate that operates in a variety of industries, from education to automotive. As part of this, the two companies will work together to operate the Naza Automotive Manufacturing (NAM) plant ...
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ArticleNew welding technology
According to NIMAK its new generation of robot welding guns are designed to meet the requirements of multi-material mix and use in large-scale production for conventional steel applications. The company points out that these are based on a centralised motor and gear unit that reduces weight and lowers interference contours ...
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ArticleMini Electric to be built in China
Munich - The BMW Group has confirmed that the battery-electric Mini will be made in China as part of a new collaboration with Great Wall Motor. The news comes soon after the OEMs revealed that they were in talks regarding the formation of a partnership back in 2017."Next steps will ...
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ArticleKodiaq production starts in Russia
Russia - Volkswagen Group Rus recently announced the start of local Skoda Kodiaq production. The model is being made at the Gaz Group plant in Nizhny Novgorod, marking the next stage in a long-standing partnership between the two companies."We are proud that our partner has chosen GAZ production facility for ...
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ArticleAutomated steering technology
Nexteer Automotive says it has introduced two steering technologies that enable advanced safety and functions for Level 2-5 automated driving. The company claims its high availability Electric Power Steering (EPS) is designed for resilient operational availability and is optimised through additional redundancies in torque and position sensors, electronic control units, ...