Automation – Page 185
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ArticleNissan unveils new fuel-cell technology
Japan – The OEM announced that it is currently researching and developing a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system which runs on bioethanol electric power and is claimed to be a world-first for the automotive industry. Nissan says the technology will enable similar driving ranges to those of conventional vehicles, at ...
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ArticleMixing together at PaintExpo
At the latest coatings show, held in Karlsruhe, Germany, in April, companies from a range of industries converged to share ideas and innovations. AMS went to see what might be of interest to automotive playersOther shows have come and gone, but PaintExpo continues to develop as a forum for companies ...
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ArticleHonda Kumamoto resumes motorcycle production
Japan – The OEM says it has now completed the removal of debris and a damage assessment at those facilities which were most affected by the earthquakes in April, including the assembly hall. Production of Honda’s main motorcycle models recommenced on a small scale on June 6.Kumamoto suspended manufacturing on ...
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ArticleVW Puebla makes Tiguan LWB test BIW
Mexico – The first test body-in-white (BIW) for the Tiguan long wheelbase (LWB) was assembled on June 10 and used to check the calibration of bodyshop equipment and processes. The plant in south-central Mexico is due to launch full production of the model in the first quarter of 2017.The construction ...
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ArticleJLR opens factory at Itatiaia
Brazil – The plant in Rio de Janeiro State is Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) first wholly owned plant outside the UK and the first production centre opened by a UK automotive group in Latin America. The company invested 750m reais ($215.7m) in the factory and associated Education Business Partnership Centre.“Land ...
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Innovación en el acero
Mediante la producción de materiales más fuertes y versátiles, las siderúrgicas están ayudando a los OEM a hacer más con menos La industria del acero está innovando a un ritmo vertiginoso - y lo necesita. Su antiguo dominio en la industria del automóvil se encuentra bajo la amenaza de la ...
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Compañeros cobot
Cada vez es más habitual ver a los operadores humanos trabajar codo con codo con sus ‘colegas’ automatizados, aprovechando cada uno sus puntos fuertes y compartiendo la tarea en cuestiónLa concepción de robots como grandes y caras piezas de equipamiento destinadas a tareas arduas en entornos peligrosos ya no es ...
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Cobot companions
The sight of human operators working side by side with automated 'colleagues' is a growing one, each working to their strengths and sharing the task at handThe idea of robots as large, expensive pieces of equipment for arduous tasks in hazardous environments is no longer wholly valid. Though that scenario ...
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ArticleCobot companions
The sight of human operators working side by side with automated 'colleagues' is a growing one, each working to their strengths and sharing the task at handThe idea of robots as large, expensive pieces of equipment for arduous tasks in hazardous environments is no longer wholly valid. Though that scenario ...
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- 协作机器人伙伴
人类操作员与自动化“同事”肩并肩工作的情景日渐普遍，双方各司其职，携手完工。 曾经人们以为机器人是庞大而高安的设备，应用于艰难任务和危险环境的论述已经不成立的。尽管这种情况还是存在，但是机器人与人类操作员一同工作的协作式机器人在敏捷性任务中的应用不断增加。 这就发生在汽车制造业，第一个采用协作式机器人，或者叫cobot的公司是Skoda在捷克的Vrchlabi工厂。从2012年起来，工厂从汽车装配厂已经转型成为变速箱制造厂。工厂目前在DQ 200直推7速变速箱的生产上，雇佣了大约1,000人。工厂初期投资大2.45亿欧元（约合2.765亿美元）。2014年每天产量从1,000个提高到1,500个。今年，公司有投资2,500万欧元，每年产量提高到2,000个，总产量已经突破100万大关。 从去年年末开始，人类操作员迎来了新的Kuka LBR iiwa7轴轻型机器人。及掐人的重量只有23.9公斤，只用于完成一项特殊任务，即插入传动装置活塞。Skoda公司认为，这需要准确性和精密传输能力的紧密结合。 Skoda Vrchiabi工厂的厂长Ivan Slimák说，“新的轻型机器人对我们Vrchlabi工厂的变速器生产具有创新性意义。机器人能使我们复杂的生产不走变得更加简单，更加安全。我们在生产数字化的道路上大踏步前进。使用新的轻型机器人，我们Vrchilabi工厂内部联系地更加紧密。” The gripper that akkuteam uses has sealing foam and suction resistors to lift batteries from the top rather than the sides 采用这种生产方法，是因为传动装置活塞对灰尘、油脂，甚至肉眼看不到的细小损坏都极其敏感。如果出现任何损坏，活塞就不能正常工作，对整个变速箱非常不利。但是，采用机器人就可以避免这种损坏。这就是他们在“质量”保证上采用机器人协作的原因。当然，这也可以免除人类操作员的单调作业。 此外，除了公司里总体的创新热情之外，Vrchilabi工厂本身也从转变生产变速箱以来，不断采用新技术。公司称，这种情况下，公司决定实行新的生产方法的试用结果得到了保障。公司证实，最新在另一个生产线上采用了3D扫描仪，第二种机器人已经准备在夏季加入程序安装。 当然，机器人有时显然是高强度操作中最理想的选择，因为有些事情，人类无法承受。机械操作产生大量的灰尘，最近安装的铝材零部件压铸件的研磨操作，就可以提现目前的高效率可靠性的基准了。 保证可行性 这种零部件的生产似乎是简单任务，但是当德国汽车组件制造商想要安装新的机器人单元加工底盘组件时发现，这个系统使用率达到百分之99.65。挑起这个难题的公司是德国籍公司AutomationRobotic(AR)，在巴伐利亚的Massing。 据AR总监Alexander Steiger，该系统事实上结合了4个设计与执行单元。每个都是专门用于单一零部件，并供应给戴姆勒汽车。举例来说，其中一个使用6轴Yaskawa机器人 — 一种大型MS 80W和一个小型MH 50 — ...
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ArticleBoler-Davis to replace DeLuca at GM
US – Jim DeLuca is retiring after a 37-year career encompassing manufacturing, labour relations and quality. Alicia Boler-Davis will take over as executive vice-president, Global Manufacturing, with the transition beginning immediately.In her new role, Boler-Davis will report to Mary Barra, chairman and CEO, and lead 180,000 employees at 171 facilities ...
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ArticleFrancavilla in charge of GM's quality
US – As vice-president, Global Quality, Tony Francavilla will report to Mary Barra, chairman and CEO. His appointment is effective immediately.“Tony’s diverse technical expertise and global leadership experience position him well to further accelerate GM’s progress in every aspect of vehicle quality,” commented Barra. The company’s new head of quality ...
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ArticleMobile 3D imager
Faro says its Factory Robo-Imager Mobile combines a 3D imager with a human-collaborative robot, integrated on a mobile station. The company says this system utilises its Factory Array Imager, a metrology-grade 3D scanner with blue light technology, capable of capturing accurate, repeatable and detailed measurement data for dimensional inspection and ...
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ArticleIntegrated park-brake caliper
920 Engineering has launched a new, fully integrated park-brake caliper, which the company claims offers automotive manufacturers a complete, opposed piston, foundation brake system with a number of advantages.The company says this product is designed to reduce mass and improving braking system performance and incorporates a fully integrated, park brake ...
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ArticleSMMT members plan to invest £225m
UK – The figure, equivalent to $325.3m, was revealed after research by ComRes, which surveyed 112 supply chain companies within the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The proportion planning to invest in their businesses over the next three years stood at 94%.Of the companies planning to invest, 79% ...
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ArticleNAA companies invested £22m in 2015
UK – The investments in the north of the UK, equivalent to $40m, were made by small- and medium-sized enterprises, including niche vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. In addition, at least 341 jobs were created last year, according to the Northern Automotive Alliance (NAA), which supports the growth of such companies ...
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ArticleVoith prepares to open wheel/tyre plant
UK – The facility in Coventry will be inaugurated in September, replacing a 30-year-old operation nearby. The new factory is intended to supply premium brands such as Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) as well as high-volume manufacturers such Vauxhall.“Our new plant covering 150,000sq.ft is over 50% bigger, and the investment in ...
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ArticleFord makes major leadership changes
US – The appointments in the OEM’s China, India, Global Strategy and Finance teams are aimed at enhancing the reporting of its Chinese operations and expanding its business model “to be both an auto and mobility company”, according to a statement released today.“As our growth plans in China have developed, ...
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- 钢铁在行动
通过生产更强更万能的材料，钢铁制造商帮助汽车制造商达到事半功倍的效果。钢铁业正在急速革新 — 确实也需要这样。在汽车制造业不断追寻轻质材料的当下，钢铁业长期以来的主导地位也是岌岌可危。为了应对全球各个地区不断严格的排放标准，以及燃油效率规定，所有的OEM制造商都在估量轻质材料，比如铝，碳纤维增强塑料（CFRP），以减少汽车的结构重量。这些材料一定要坚固，才能在撞车事故中保护乘客，而且还要便宜，才能批量生产。有些OEM制造商已经跃跃欲试了。2014年，福特公司在畅销的F-150汽车的车身制造上采用了铝，而不是钢材。2015年。宝马公司在7 Series轿车的空间构架上采用了CFRP材料。为此，钢材制造商大力投资，生产更强更柔软的钢材，让汽车制造商使事半功倍。 In 2015, BMW started using CFRP for its 7 Series spaceframe全球汽车公司ArcelorMittal的执行副总裁，Brian Aranha说：“福特的举动让我们有些吃惊。然是，钢材对汽车制造业的影响仍然是无法撼动的。在未来的十年里，钢材仍然不会输给铝。关键是，钢材目前还是比铝和CFRP拥有更多的优势：就是更便宜。”他接着说：“我们的钢材方案能够减少成本，也能减少重量。即便是在高成本领域，目前的价格也是在每公斤1.5欧元（约合1.7美元）以下。相反，采用铝的话，在重量上每节省一公斤，根据印工，成本要增加3欧元到15欧元。”正因为如此，每辆车上，钢材的重量仍然有60%，而OEM制造商也通过采用他们的产品，成功减轻了车重。这一点已经在2016年1月举行的北美国际汽车展上得到验证，在媒体与行业回顾周里，展露45款新车和概念车。AHSS主导市场ArcelorMittal北美公司间全球汽车部门的首席市场官Brad Davey说：“如果你看看展示厅，就会看到一辆新车接着一辆，占据主导的材料是先进高强钢（AHSS）。”举例来说，2016年款Honda Civic — 北美汽车年 — 的车身就含有59%的高强钢，和14%的超高强钢。之前的车型中，这两种材料的比率为55%和1%。新款汽车的体积大了，更兼顾了，但重量却减少了31公斤。采用这种刚才的新车有：雪佛兰的Camaro, Malibu 和Cruz; Chrysler Town & Country; 日产公司Murano, Maxima和Titan; GMC Acadia; 4款梅赛德斯 – M, GL, C和 GLE; Lexus RX350; BMW’s X3, 4, 5和6 系列。"在未来的10年里，钢材不会输给像铝这样的材料的" – Brian Aranha, ArcelorMittal采用钢材的汽车仍然占据2016年度汽车奖项的主导。胜出的是新款Opel Astra，比老款汽车轻了200公斤。在白车身和构架上大量采用AHSS，就能减重20%（77公斤）。另外50公斤减重来自底盘采用了高强钢和UHSS。此外，UHSS及轻质聚氨酯泡沫，减少了Astra前座椅和后座椅10%的重量。2016年Car ...
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ArticleSteel’s in motion
By producing stronger and more versatile materials, steel-makers are helping OEMs to do more with lessThe steel industry is innovating at a furious pace – and it needs to. Its long-standing dominance in the automotive industry is coming under threat from a variety of lightweight alternatives. In response to increasingly ...