Automation – Page 160
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ArticleSaving energy
Whether lowering emissions, going landfill-free, reusing water or harnessing renewables, sustainability and energy management has long been a top priority for carmakersSustainability and energy management: these are the buzzwords that have dominated automotive manufacturing over the past decade. How many major automotive manufacturers can you think of that don’t have ...
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ArticleAudi and FAW agree growth plan
China – The two companies have defined 21 key strategic areas with associated targets over the next ten years. This will include the expansion of Audi’s model line-up through local production at FAW VW; a dedicated business for mobility and digital services; and increased collaboration in financial services.The expanded local ...
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ArticleAutomation system design software
To help streamline the design and configuration process for automation systems faster, Rockwell Automation says it has enhanced its Software Studio 5000 integrated development environment.The company says the Studio 5000 Architect application can now collaboratively exchange data with other engineering tools, such as EPLAN and AutoCAD, and with the new ...
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ArticleNew compact pressure sensor
Festo’s new compact pressure sensor, SPAN, adds to its range of sensors for process and factory automation applications. The company says this unit is easy to set up, use and maintain, and is IP40 certified for protection against outside ingress.Applications are said to include supply pressure monitoring, vacuum monitoring, leak ...
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ArticleTouch and go
The diversity of parts produced by automotive tier suppliers sees them use both contact and non-contact measurement techniquesCompanies involved in contact and non-contact measurement operations have to make a fundamental decision about the type of coordinate technology they will utilise – either a contact technique involving a touch probe or ...
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ArticleThe Trump factor
Donald Trump has arguably had more impact on manufacturing strategy than any US president in a very long time; and that is even before he has taken office. During his election campaign he lambasted US vehicle-makers, especially Ford, for building cars in Mexico, threatening to rip up the North American ...
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ArticleGestamp to open aluminium plant, Nitra
Slovakia – The €133m ($140.8m) facility will supply carmakers including Jaguar Land Rover, which is building a factory in the country. More than 80% of the output will be aluminium-based.The plant will cover 42,400 sq.m and start production in 2018, focusing on products which reduce vehicle weight while maintaining safety. ...
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ArticlePlasma cutting power source
The iSeries of power sources for automated plasma cutting is part of ESAB’s integrated system of components that it claims deliver higher productivity and lower cutting costs.Featuring its HeavyCut technology to improve cut quality and precision performance, ESAB says the iSeries cut quality enables parts to go directly from the ...
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ArticleBarometric pressure sensor
Bosch has launched the SMP580, a new barometric pressure sensor for ambient pressure and temperature measurement in automotive engine management applications. The company claims the SMP580 is the smallest sensor of its type available on the market - measuring 4.9 x 3.9 x 1.5mm³.According to Bosch the new sensor delivers ...
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ArticleHeat treatment for aluminium components
Schwartz claims it has introduced a number of technical improvements on its heat treatment equipment. To reduce power consumption and lower emissions at the operator's site, the company says its equipment now features furnace casings, ensuring leak-tightness and low energy losses.The conveyors are claimed to be universally suitable for different ...
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ArticleRobot dispensing system
Amada Miyachi Europe says it has combined its standard desktop XYZ fluid dispensing systems with JANOME Industrial Equipment desktop robots to offers a range of robot dispensing system options that can be customised for use in a number of industries, including automotive.Applications include: dispensing solder paste, silicone for gasketing and ...
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ArticleVision of the future
OEMs' use of optical metrology techniques in fully automated robotic cells has increased significantly in the last couple of years aided by the development of a number of essential technical capabilitiesVolkswagen’s latest plant at Wrzesnia in Poland is one site where the use of vision-based inspection systems for quality control ...
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Article
展望未来
近几年来，随着很多关键技术能力的发展，光学测量技术在全自动机器人单元中的作用不断明显大众在波兰弗热希尼亚的最新工厂使用视觉监管系统，进行质量控制，应用已经入一定的深度了。这一消息得到了可视系统供应商GOM公司高级应用工厂是Sebastian Reiss的证实。公司在工厂装备了离线测量室，工厂使用了很多该技术。Reiss强调称，工厂采用3双机器人单元，适用GOM公司开发的ATOS ScanBox Series 8扫描系统，进行整车车身扫描；两个机器人单元使用了ScanBox 6130光学测量机械，用于小型悬吊零部件，比如将车门安装到选装检测台面；以及几个用于检查小型零部件的人工操作ATOX系统。顶级技术应用所有5个ScanBox系统都使用了三重扫描传感器（Triple Scan Sensor），可以输送工业组件3维测量数据和分析，比如金属面板零部件、工具和模具。人工操作也同样如此。Reiss说，这个光学检测水平代表了目前最“顶级”的技术应用 — 他说这非常简单，“完全接受”光学，摒弃接触式技术。因此，Reiss预计，检测室里约80%的检测工作都使用光学技术完成的。他解释说，单元里车身和零部件“全功能向度”都是靠这种方式检测的。这个系统潜力巨大，一旦工厂全面实施，不仅能够实现统计处理控制（SPC）计划，还能测量完整车身，支持综合性“程序优化”。 ScanBoxes, using GOM’s Triple Scan Sensor, have been installed at VW Wrzesnia尽管如此，GOM公司销售总监Dirk Behring说，这种水平的光学测量系统探索相对新颖，暗示说由于速度，汽车业目前正在调整使用技术。Behring说，在全自动机器人单元中精确使用官学测量技术，始于4年前。他还补充说，这种趋势在过去的几年里不断明显，比如大众弗热希尼亚工厂就代表目前最先进的技术。Behring说，提高此类系统的应用是可能的，因为很多主要技术能力都在不断开发。他特别提到了两个。第一个是测量金属板零部件准确率在提高。在弗热希尼亚，他们努力将偏差缩到“0.15mm以下”。第二个是毒素提高了，光学系统就可以编程，测量特殊的零部件，由于传统接触式技术。Behring说，就第二点说，比如Crafter汽车（在弗热希尼亚生产），编程一个接触式CMM进行白车身全身检测，“大概至少需要一周”。他说：“你必须决定要测量的所有点，然后教系统运行，探测这些点。”但有了现代光学系统，比如咋弗热希尼亚，非接触式技术能力，以及技术自带计算传感器位置的“自动教学”能力，使这个过程不超过1天。他说，“这在编程和使用上都跨得多。这是自动化工艺，用户可独立完成。”系列测量的完整结构弗热希尼亚工厂在大众使用光学检测技术过程中的先锋地位得到大众公司质量系统分析主管Drik Rieckmann的证实。这是公司首次从一开始就有效建立这种水平的应用。他说：“其他工厂也有光学系统，但只用于分析。弗热希尼亚是我们首次在创建系列测量之后就形成完整结构。”"在编程和使用上，现代光学系统要比接触式CMM快得多。这是一种自动加工，用户可独立完成" - Dirk Behring, GOMRieckmann证实，技术只用于尺寸测量，涉及买进零部件和金属片装配，达到整车水平。但这些技术并没有用于动力系统领域。他说，主要优点就是大众获得“更加完整的”测量数据，能够监管“临近的零部件和几何结构”。从更广泛的水平上看，他说弗热希尼亚工厂的一个特点就是所生产车辆的边特很多。在这种情况下，使用光学技术“就更加容易线下检测和比较不同的几何结构”。这样“我们就能看到所发生的的事情。”最后，这种技术将为公司提供更高水平的信息，反过来也能更快地纠正错误。这就是他所说的“一步抵达未来”。测量系统卖家Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence公司已经与机器人供应商Comau公司合作了几年，现在开发出他们所说的“能够用机器人技术检测汽车车体和零部件配额的先进应用。”这个系统基于摄影测量传感器，应用于机器人，直接在生产线内部操作，这代表摄影测量技术最先进的发展。据Hesagon意大利公司市场部经理Levio Valetti说，项目创造出一个系统，能够更快地产生结果，在简述扮和车体生产超过过程中，进行及其精确地的测量。他解释说，之前公司能够以一两个方式，对汽车车体、汽车外板和金属片零部件进行良好的质量检测。第一种方法就是使用手动工具，比如内卡规或更大的标尺，还有防止可视系统的测量隧道。可是现在，他们使用水平杆测量机器进行更加精确的测量 — 要两个这种机器，汽车车体生产线每一侧放一个 — 可能用到接触式或非接触式传感技术，而非接触式更可能用到激光。但是这些技术都遇到相同的问题 — 控制和测量阶段太长了，无法跟上汽车生产线的速度。可视系统的机器人平台Valetti观察到，汽车业通常见到的高频率生产线根本不能满足质量控制测量中水平杆操作30-45分钟的常规要求。因此，为了满足这些要求，Hexagon公司决定开发机器人潜力，并向Comau公司提出合作要求。正如Valetti指出的：“机器人已经应用于焊接、装卸、喷漆等很多工作领域。我们为什么不能将它用于质量控制呢？”Hexagon公司和Comau公司因此合作创造他们认为的一种光学方案，用于汽车外板、钢材车体、车体零部件和组件等领域。该方案使用白光系统，通过一个传感器，进行3D照相 — 每个维度都是500mm — 共使用3个摄像头。这个系统能够获得非常精确的3D图像，突出结构光的模型。然后像素画图像就转变成数不清的点。通过一系列的拍照，这个系统能够重新生产物体的几何结构，而且及其精确，足可以与相关CAD模型进行比较，估算变体，在控制阶段之后判断通过还是否决。在这个阶段，机器人速度是最关键的。Valetti说，“机器迅速地从一个点移动到轨道上的另一点，抓拍所有所需图像，重建目标。这样，就可以在短时间内搜集庞大的数据，计算机获得数据之后就可以去除多余的图像，又快有准确地进行重建。”他进一步解释说，这个系统能够确定表面形状和尺寸、几何要素和偏差，但表面光洁度确定并不是很好。"汽车车体线内需要确定的主要特点可以在两秒以内进行测量，这与装配线标准循环时间相一致。" - Levio Valetti, Hexagon Manufacturing IntelligenceValetti说，对每个测量循环来说，“我们用参考设备核对传感器及机器人系统，这个设备之前就放在测量站里，与汽车车体内放置的其他东西放在一起。这样，这个系统根据每个车体进行调整和重置，避免产生有误图像和不准确测量结果的风险。”他还补充说，照相机系统曝光时间是有一百分之一秒，这是目前市场中其他系统的十分之一。他肯定地说，“要避免任何出现模糊图像的风险，生成高质量点。”Valetti说，使用机器人的重要一点就是方便了运输传感器抵达目的地，这在之前根本无法做到。他承认说，只靠他们自己，机器人无法保证足够的准确率。他说，“准确率要求汽车车体的核对要比标准机器人定位能力高得多。因此在这种情况下，主要技术发展取决于系统是否能稳定校对整个机器人传感参考值，并最终获得加高的系统准确率。”但这里绝对不需要任何订制机器人。他肯定地说，“一个标准铰链式机器人能够进行这种应用，与生产线所需负荷一致。”Valetti还强调，该系统满足与当今行业生产线速度保持一致的基本标准。他说，“循环时间只是需要确定的众多特色功能之一。汽车车体线内需要确定的主要特点可以在两秒以内进行测量，这与装配线标准循环时间相一致。” Comau and Hexagon’s ...
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ArticleRenault starts making new Micra
France – Nissan’s Alliance partner has been making the fifth-generation model for the past few days at its factory in Flins. This marks the return of Micra production to Europe after a break of seven years and also the first time that a Nissan passenger car has been manufactured by ...
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ArticleFCA makes senior appointments
US – Daphne Zheng now becomes chief operating officer (COO) in China; Paul Alcala is COO in Asia Pacific excluding China; and Davide Mele is deputy COO Latin America. The appointments are with immediate effect.Zheng has served Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) for more than eight years, most recently as managing ...
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Article
Uma questão premente
Com as novas oportunidades que se abrem, o setor de prensagem e estampagem independente continua a evoluir.Tomadores de decisão focados em tecnologias exigentes impulsionadas por regulação - especialmente quanto às emissões, conectividade, carros autônomos e elétricos - limitações em termos de recursos e capacidades significa que novas oportunidades estão se ...
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Article
Raciocínio de princípio
Investir €500 milhões para expandir sua operação em Leipzig significa que, pela primeira vez, a Porsche pode ter três modelos em uma única rota através de estações idênticasDesde que a produção do Macan começou em 2014, a Porsche Leipzig tem operado como uma instalação de produção de pleno direito com ...
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Article
Una cuestión de prensado
Se abren nuevas oportunidades para el sector independiente de prensado y estampación que sigue evolucionandoLos constructores se centran en nuevas tecnologías exigentes y requeridas por las nuevas normativas, especialmente en lo referente a emisiones, conectividad y los vehículos autónomos y eléctricos. las limitaciones en términos de recursos y capacidades significan ...
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Article
Principios razonables
La inversión de 500 millones de euros para expandir sus instalaciones de Leipzig significa que Porshe generará tres modelos en una sola línea en estaciones idénticasDesde que comenzara la producción del Macan en 2014 Porsche Leipzig ha operado como una instalación de producción plena con un taller de pintura moderno ...
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ArticleBack on track
Automotive manufacturers operating in South-East Asia are seeing the gloom lift as the car market begins growing again after a troubling couple of yearsWith the exception of Thailand and, to a lesser extent, Indonesia, both of which build vehicles for export, local production in South-East Asia is mainly aimed at ...