Automation – Page 126
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Article5-axis horizontal machining centre
A new, horizontal-spindle machining centre for 5-sided and simultaneous 5-axis machining, the HF 5500, has been launched by Heller alongside the smaller HF 3500 version. With a 900 x 950 x 900mm work envelope and a maximum pallet load of 750kg, the larger machine offers approximately 200mm extra travel in ...
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ArticlePSA adds third team at Mangualde
A third team will help Mangualde meet demand for the Peugeot Partner and Citroen Berlingo modelsPortugal - PSA will create a third production team at its Mangualde plant creating up to 225 jobs from April 2018.The decision to step up volume is a response to the growth in demand ...
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ArticleSkoda takes Karoq to second line
Mladá Boleslav makes 320 Karoqs each dayCzech Republic – Skoda has introduced a second line for its new Karoq compact SUV, supplementing the original production operations at Kvasiny.Reacting to high demand for the model, the company has invested around €16.6m ($20.3m) in the new Karoq production line at its ...
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ArticleGurpratap Boparai to lead Skoda India
India – As of 2 April 2018, Gurpratap Boparai will be the managing director of Skoda Auto India. Boparai, who was most recently CEO of Fiat India Automobile, will be reporting directly to Škoda CEO Bernhard Maier.The Volkswagen Group recently commissioned Škoda Auto to evaluate a global architecture for volume ...
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ArticleToyota-Mazda JV opts for Alabama site
US – Toyota and Mazda have chosen Alabama for a new $1.6bn plant they will run together, which will make 300,000 vehicles a year. The investment will be split evenly between the two OEMs.The plant in Huntsville, where Toyota already has a large engine plant, will benefit from an existing ...
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ArticleRenault Trucks takes 'mixed reality' test
France - A team of researchers at Renault Trucks is examining potential benefits from 'mixed reality' technology for the heavy-vehicle maker's engine manufacturing operations.Working in cooperation with virtual- and augmented-reality specialists Immersion, the team has set up a prototype system that uses holographic techniques in a quality control process at ...
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ArticleNem tão esnobe que não possa fazer esforço
A Porsche vem expandindo sua produção e alcançando resultados recordes - com alguma assistência das instalações do Grupo VolkswagenTanto um nome emblemático na indústria automotiva como uma parte central do Grupo Volkswagen, a Porsche vem facilitando a sua crescente produção nos últimos anos, dependendo fortemente dos recursos do Grupo e ...
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ArticleResolução russa
A indústria automotiva da Rússia está expressando com cautela a confiança novamente, depois que o mercado de automóveis emergiu de uma queda de três anosAs vendas aumentaram na Rússia todos os meses nos últimos oito meses, à medida que o país se adapta ao seu novo normal econômico dos baixos ...
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ArticleMore job cuts at Ellesmere Port
Vauxhall Motors has announced it is making a further 250 redundancies at its Ellesmere Port plant in the UK. The latest announcement comes on top of the 400 redundancies announced in October last year, at which point the carmaker also revealed plans to move Astra production at Ellesmere Port to ...
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ArticleSuccess hinges on AM
Simufact’s Michael Wohlmuth and Michael Tran describe LightHinge+, a co-engineering project that used the extended possibilities of additive production to develop a lightweight solution with fewer components and simpler assembly One of the main advantages of additive manufacturing (AM) is the near-unlimited freedom in design due to die-less production. ...
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ArticleThe secret behind the shine
ABB Robotics is helping Audi achieve high levels of quality and consistency in its sealing and coating operationWith automated painting processes at Audi’s plant in Changchun, China, clean and shining Audi A4Ls are rolling out one by one. This paintshop includes under-body coating, interior seam sealing, cosmetic sealing and three ...
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ArticleA tradition of high precision
Polydec’s operations producing small, high-precision components rely heavily on more than 30 Deco, EvoDeco and SwissNano machines from TornosMore than 50% of the world’s automobiles contain parts that were manufactured in the Swiss town of Biel/Bienne by Polydec SA. Although the municipality is best known for watchmaking, and home to ...
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ArticleLong live the ROI
Sames Kremlin’s Christophe Denis-Bosio discusses automotive paintshop solutions that offer the optimal return on investmentBudget constraints, risk mitigation, proven technology, Return On Investment… every purchaser faces these questions when it comes to making an investment decision, whether in greenfield or brownfield. Regardless of the degree of investment, there are many ...
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Article
A tradition of high precision
Polydec’s operations producing small, high-precision components rely heavily on more than 30 Deco, EvoDeco and SwissNano machines from TornosMore than 50% of the world’s automobiles contain parts that were manufactured in the Swiss town of Biel/Bienne by Polydec SA. Although the municipality is best known for watchmaking, and home to ...
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Article
遥远的距离
索格菲集团在威尔士特里迪迦工厂生产燃油及空气混合过滤系统，公司扬言已经配备了大阵容制造技术在威尔士峡谷的边缘，加迪夫以北几英里的地方，就是汽车制造活动场所。据特里迪迦工厂厂长Chris Jones称，工厂制造燃油及空气混合过滤系统，用于乘用车、商务车和越野车，可以覆盖500个产品系列下的1,200个不同的产品。这个占地15,000平方米的工厂拥有大约300名工人，换班制也非常不同，每周工作4天（从周一到周四，每天9.25个工作小时）。如果需求增加的话，就会有晚班（从下午4.45到9.15）和夜班（从9.15到凌晨7.00）。除了正常的一周4日工作之外，周五、周六和周日还有12小时工作班，必要的时候还有周末晚班。Jones称，这种换班制提高了生产灵活性，应对生产高峰和低谷。制造作业现场呈现完美的垂直一体化，注塑模型、钢铁冲压，加上装配和测试流程一应俱全。Jones举例Nissan Qashqai进气系统，解释称工厂生产完整的一套，共有18个注塑冲压件，用于生产塑料组件，只有一个外部采购的，用于橡胶管道和一小小型固定设备。复杂的产品和工艺有一点很清楚，就是需要一些复杂的产品和工艺才能完成生产。Jones提到了合并柴油过滤系统中灌液泵和和加热器所需要的制造工艺，后者需要用到复杂精致的激光焊接工艺。他强调说，这里用到的非常特别，不是利用激光加热两个零部件然后冲压到一起，这里的制造工艺使用非常特殊透明的的塑料组件，激光的光传导通过光盘的底部，并焊接到另一个塑料零部件上。这是非常关键的工艺，确保不会产生污染或泄露。Jones还指出，安全问题是索菲个制造厂的第一要点，而工厂的事故率每年都在下降，从而提高了工作表现。工厂鼓励工人报告任何与安全相关的实践或“未遂事故”。正如Jones强调的那样，这些事情将来可能会演变称严重的事故。还有一个例子就是工厂每个月使用行为审计监控，查看工人的操作和思考方式是否与工厂安全相关。通过使用分层审核（LPA），工作效率也得到提高。每周一次审计，核查所有的生产部门是否都符合质量控制计划，然后在每个部门的不同工作站之间穿梭。此外，公司现在实行快速反应质控（QRQC）。这些“工具”用于公益和安全问题。任何与操作有关的问题都记录在一个相关部门对应的“QRQC”板上；一旦板上增加了什么事情，这个区域负责人必须联系相关团队，进行必要的调查，保证这个问题完满解决。所有的活动和日起都记录在板子上。这种透明的操作保证任何问题都可以立即得到回应。另一个可视性流程就是“贴红签”；如果有一个工人发现了问题，或者什么东西已经磨损无法正常作业，他们就会在机器或组件上贴上红签，让维护团队发现并注意。Jones承认，开始的时候他对这种方法是否会见效表示怀疑，但是现在已经“100%肯定”这些措施对质量和生产的积极影响。他表示，工厂现在的故障率低于百万分之一，令人惊叹。事实上，他说：“我们现在工作中的故障零部件数量十亿当中只有几个，目前的具体数据为1ppm。”尽管在装饰和设备方面，汽车业为客户提供了更多的选择，但是制造商的发动机阵容还是区域合理化，因此索格菲在制造操作方面，并没有因需求而受到太多变体及变化的影响。但Jones指出，过滤和冷却系统必须采用新的燃油机冷却剂。举例来说，生物燃料；尽管这对环境更加有力，但是对过滤外壳却具有不利影响。Jones称，有些公司的柴油过滤外壳需要使用铝涂层，才能该保护外壳不受到生物燃料的腐蚀性。同样，橡胶垫也要换成更加昂贵的耐化学性氟橡胶密封圈。特里迪迦工厂采用精益流程，依赖供应商和组件。工厂试图采用搬运箱来运输零部件，这不需要拆箱就能迅速轻松地从保存去运输到电动运输机上，运输机在整个生产区循环，将搬运箱送到相关工作站。将所需零部件送到工作站只需要20分钟的时间；当完成所有的运送之后，就会回到保存区，进行下一轮零部件运输。Jones说，这种不间断流程可以保证不管数量多少的材料，都可以才第一时间送达。清洁与质量生产区的参观当然还包括清洁室。这是一个封闭的环境，用于装配柴油过滤系统。正如上面所提到的那样，复杂程度在这里也是再次体现。看似很小而简单的操作，但需要绝对的细心；一个小型但非常关键的接地棒通过人工放进机械力，然后进行自动化装配到一个精密的视觉系统中，然后检查是否形成一个小型圆环；这对保证过滤外壳的正确密封非常关键。这个部门的生产操作采用了很多自动化可视系统，在蒸锅流程中进行质量控制检查，有些装配操作甚至需要多个视觉检车。 生产操作使用到大量的自动化可视系统，对整个流程进行质量控制和检查这里从头到尾都非常重视质量控制，而Jones称，装配工人的肉眼检查还不够。一旦装配完成，过滤系统还要经过空气注入检测，因此需要坚固；然后过滤器需要加压并检查是否存在泄漏。Jones称，这种检查是这个特殊生产线上的瓶颈，必须要做，而且要缓速地做。他解释说，“为了质量控制，我们必须一件一件地做。我们想要避免过滤器装配中出现堆积现象，因为这样会出问题的。”装配操作是劳动力密集型工作与精密自动化设备之间的有趣微妙的接合。装配线需要的额很多小型零部件都需要人力给予巨大的精力完成的，这样才能保证操作员迅速、高效而无误差完成。据Jones称，2018年工厂还要投资提高自动化水平。但是，效率可以通过其他低成本途径实现。Jones称，这是索格菲精益系统（SES）的一部分，公司通过这个系统完成POP分析，为工作流定时，监控不同的工作站，检查是否存在不平衡工作流。他说，“这非常令人惊奇，这种流程让我大开眼界，而且不需要太大的投资。”他引用了一个例子，方针工作站的成果体现了减少零部件包装尺寸的好处，便于生产线运输，而且改变了设备布置。实行这些措施的结果，生产力提高了33%，地面空间占用率降低25%。另一个日常质量、生产力流程就是15分钟的第一层维护。Jones解释说，这里需要暂停生产线，然后操作员出来清洁并检测设备，保证所有的公司都能正常运行，不会产生故障，影响下一个班的工作。促进预防性维修维护中保持低故障率的一个重大因素就是员工的培训。Jones说，重要的是操作员一定要具有很好的“节奏感”，才能避免“停起”问题。他强调说，尽管自动化流程非常高效，但是重新启动系统非常耗时，也是为什么说SMED工作站在减少更换时间方面那么重要的原因。这样，新进员工要经历平均两周的培训，时间长短要看他们会进入哪个工作站。此外，工厂上下的积极鼓励工人形成预防性维护的文化氛围；Jones称，工厂维护中的85%都是预防性的。特里迪迦工厂高速度质量维护与生产力需要不断改进流程，而Jones强调称，每年工厂都会投资引进新设备和技术，保持工厂的竞争力。工厂刚刚安装了新的人字形打褶生产线（生产纸质过滤介质），以及一个850吨压力机，用于未来生产进气总管。
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ArticleDegrees of separation
Sogefi’s plant in Tredegar, Wales, produces complex fuel and air filtration systems and boasts an impressive array of manufacturing technologiesOn the edge of the Welsh valleys, a few miles north of Cardiff, is the quiet location for a hive of automotive manufacturing activity. According to Chris Jones, plant director at ...
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ArticleEl deportivo que trabaja en equipo
Porsche está expandiendo su producción y está alcanzando resultados récord con ayuda de las instalaciones del Grupo VolkswagenPorsche es una marca icónica en la industria y una parte fundamental del Grupo Volkswagen, en los últimos años ha aumentado su producción gracias al uso de los recursos del Grupo mientras mantiene ...
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ArticleDeterminación rusa
La industria automotriz rusa muestra nuevamente su confianza con el resurgir de la industria automotriz después de tres años de crisisLas ventas han crecido cada mes en Rusia durante los últimos ocho meses a medida que el país se adapta a la nueva economía recuperada de los bajos precios del ...
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ArticlePSA expands Hordain LCV team
PSA LVC operations at Hordain, northern FranceFrance – Groupe PSA will introduce a fourth production team to its LVC operations at Hordain. The OEM says its decision has been prompted by strong demand for the Peugeot Expert and Citroën Jumpy (known as Dispatch in some markets), as well as ...
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ArticleAir release collet chuck
With the elimination of the drawtube Lexair claims its full-bore, fixed length, self-contained collet chuck allows full capacity spindle operation. The company says, spindle capacity is increased by up to 30%, and clamping pressure is unaffected by centrifugal force, regardless of RPM.The chuck uses air to release the work, rather ...