Automation – Page 183
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ArticleSheet metal forming simulation software
ESI claims its Die Starter simulation software enables die face designers to reduce the number of iterations needed to establish a feasible tool design. The company says this system automatically designs the first complete die face including binder, addendum, bead centreline and blank contour, while taking into account minimal material ...
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ArticleLight work of heavy loads
KUKA Robotics and Boll Automation use Binspect vision system to optimise production of axles for commercial vehicles, helping to reduce the physical strain on employees and to increase efficiencyIn recent decades, commercial vehicle manufacturers have experienced rapid changes in the production of axles. The demands on drive-train modules in terms ...
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ArticleMonitoring vital statistics
As OEMs look to reduce energy consumption in their paintshops, the latest software can improve efficiencyPaintshops account for the greatest energy use at any automotive manufacturing operation – around 70%, says Bill Sarver, senior consultant, Global Automotive at Rockwell Automation – and that makes efficiency in this area crucial to ...
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ArticleResistance welding system
Amada Miyachi Europe says its AWS3 Active Welding System 3, offers an integrated resistance welding solution that provides process control, monitoring, and quality analysis. The company says the system is available in either servo-motorised or pneumatic versions and can be used alone as a benchtop system or integrated into a ...
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ArticleMeasuring high-precision master workpieces
The VideoCheck V HA is traceable and can be used to calibrate the calibration masters at the factory, say Werth. If the quality management system requires a DAkkS certificate, the machine can be calibrated by the company's own DAkkS lab in accordance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025.The system features a ...
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ArticlePanamera made completely at Leipzig
Germany – The Porsche factory in Saxony will take over the production and painting of the new-generation bodies-in-white from Volkswagen Hanover, which has held this responsibility since the launch of the model in 2009. Previously, Leipzig undertook the pre-assembly and final assembly.Porsche has spent around €500m ($556.4m) on a fourth ...
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ArticleJones to direct VW’s car division
UK – Effective from July 4, Alison Jones will replace Alex Smith as brand director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars. Smith is moving to a role elsewhere in the industry.Jones has spent ten of her 18 years at the Group with the Volkswagen brand, holding management and head-of positions in Retailer ...
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ArticleMetrology meets automation
Portable systems have made high-accuracy measurement possible across all plant areas – the next step in this evolution is the integration of metrology with automationFrom the progressive assembly line to lean manufacturing principles, the automotive industry has always led the way in manufacturing technology. As the industry faces ever shorter ...
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ArticleNissan cuts CO2 emissions by 22.4%
Japan – The figure was revealed on the publication of the Nissan’s annual Sustainability Report. The OEM said that progress has been accelerated by the Nissan Green Program which was introduced in 2002; the most recent version, NGP2016, laid out ambitious targets to reduce environmental impact and resource consumption by ...
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ArticleFord of Europe now landfill-free
UK – The OEM says it has eliminated the 6,000 tonnes of waste per annum which were previously sent to landfill from manufacturing operations involved in the production of 1.2m vehicles. The target was achieved over a period of five years.Ford employed innovative strategies to avoid creating waste, such as ...
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ArticleThyssenkrupp's damper systems plant
Mexico – The company has announced that it will build a new facility at San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, where it has been constructing a plant for cylinder-head covers with integrated camshafts since the beginning of the year. Investment in the site will total €150m ($166.7m).Thyssenkrupp’s components manufacturing complex ...
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ArticleTaking a shine to plastics
As tighter legislation restricts the use of traditional electroplating materials, a new method of plastics metallisation developed by Oerlikon Balzers could provide an alternative with wide-ranging benefitsIt’s an inescapable fact: human beings like shiny things. As such, automotive designers are increasingly using parts with the appearance of metal to make ...
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ArticleAchieving Acura-cy
As production of the 2017 Acura NSX ramps up at the dedicated Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio, AMS investigates what technologies and processes are required to generate a finish fit for a supercarA Japanese supercar is being manufactured in rural America. The first-generation Honda NSX, which is sold under the ...
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ArticleInterview: Klemens Bartmann, Axalta
As the coatings company turns 150 years old, its global technology director reflects on the sector’s trends, challenges and opportunities – including new materials, environmental concerns and multi-functionality Klemens Bartmann, Axalta Coating SystemsJoanne Perry (JP): Can you briefly outline the differences in requirements between coatings for light vehicles and those ...
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ArticleNissan’s domestic production drops
Japan – The OEM released output figures for May showing a decrease of 2.5% year-on-year to 65,309 units. Production outside Japan was relatively stable, rising just 0.9% to 370,000 units, but enabled Nissan to claim a record for May, and its 13th consecutive monthly increase.Global production totalled 435,938 units (+0.4%), ...
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Article
Transição do Sistema Swift
Quando uma empresa precisa substituir um grande sistema de TI relacionado à fabricação, tem que encontrar uma maneira que tenha mínimo impacto negativo sobre os cronogramas de produção.Quando uma empresa precisa substituir um grande sistema de TI relacionado à fabricação, tem que encontrar uma maneira que tenha mínimo impacto negativo ...
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Article
Índia Influente
O setor de componentes automotivos da Índia está curtindo seu novo lugar no cenário internacionalMudanças no setor indiano de componente levaram ao crescimento do papel das suas empresas em todo o mundo nos últimos anos. Da mesma forma, fornecedores europeus, japoneses e norte-americanos mudaram-se para a Índia. Até cerca de ...
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Article
快速系统切换
当公司需要更换大型制造 IT 系统时，必须找到一个对生产计划负面影响最小的方法。汽车制造业的任何人都不喜欢停机一词。计划年休以外的任何生产中断都会快速带来六七位数甚至更高的收入损失。印度汽车制造商 Tata Motors 在十年前面临的正是这类难题，当时公司计划更换浦那工厂已运行六年的用于生产 Zest、Bolt 和 Indica 汽车的旧制造执行系统 (MES)。据 Satarupa Roy Sarkar (Tata Motors IT) 称，现有系统不仅不定期出现服务器故障，而且发现生产线缺陷时应对速度也过慢。他表示“我们需要系统更快应对，并且提供自动提醒和可跟踪通信”。但 Tata 很快认识到，解决方案的核心部分是安装更现代化的全新 MES。“除了提高生产性能，我们还希望对两个全新姊妹厂的应用、流程和技术实行标准化”，Tata Motors 首席信息官 Jagdish Belwal 表示。考虑到公司已经在两个新工厂使用 Rockwell Automation 的 FactoryTalk ProductionCentre (FTPC) MES，公司决定将浦那也改为 FTPC。通常这种规模（包括六条组装线车间和 93 个功能的服务器安装、网络冗余以及应用切换）的项目会带来长时间停机。Tata 选择在工厂运行时在线进行，停机和生产影响极小或没有。公司组建了一支仅 20 人的迁移团队，成员包括 Tata 的技术与咨询服务部门代表、Mestech Services 当地系统集成人员和 Rockwell 系统集成人员，以及 Tata Motors 自身的业务 IT 团队。检查与平衡团队拥有丰富的经验非常有必要，因为迁移过程中需要处理一些意外问题。“我们先简单假定，当系统工作并且一切信息可见时，我们不需要深入定义所需检查与平衡”，Belwal ...
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影响力越来越大的印度
印度汽车组件制造业对其在国际市场的新地位感到欢欣鼓舞印度组件制造业变革推动其公司近年来在全球的地位不断提高。此外，欧洲、日本和美洲供应商也转向印度。直到大约十年前，印度汽车组件行业还只是全球工业体系中的边缘角色。但是，据印度经济时报称，自 2005 年起，印度组件公司参与国外近 100 件并购案，据称交易金额达 22 亿美元；由于其中一些交易的价格并未正式公布，这些交易的实际价值还要更高。此外，2005 到 2010 年进行了近 70 笔交易，总价值 10 亿美元，2011 到 2015 年仅进行约 30 笔交易，但总价值更高，达到 12 亿美元。每笔并购的平均价值明显上升，而随着并购的进行，印度公司在国际市场的影响力和自信也在提升。通过并购成为全球参与者近年来存在一个最明显的趋势，一些印度组件公司通过一系列大型或小型并购向海外转战。例如，Motherson Sumi 收购 Visiocorp（前车镜公司 Schefenacker）、内饰供应商 Scherer & Trier 以及保险杠制造商 Peguform 的一部分；Varroc 收购 Visteon 的全球照明业务；Amtek 收购多家锻造铸造公司，如德国的 Neumayer Tekfor、Zelter 和 Rege，以及日本公司 Asahi Tec 的铸造、锻造和加工业务；Uno Minda 收购 Clarton Horn（喇叭制造商）和汽车车灯制造商 Rinder（均在西班牙）。这只是印度公司为进入全球市场进行的国际并购案的一部分。 Bosch 计划在印度投资 1.71 ...
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ArticleMcLaren’s new engineering apprentices
UK – The carmaker has launched a three-year NVQ Level 3 programme, initially with an intake of 15 students but with potential for an increase at a later date. McLaren Automotive’s first engineering apprenticeship scheme, introduced one year earlier than scheduled, complements existing graduate and work-placement programmes.“Since McLaren Automotive launched ...