Automation – Page 198
-
Article
GM Europa - dias melhores virão?
Depois de tempos difíceis a GM espera estabilidade e rentabilidade na Europa As operações europeias da GM tem estado deficitárias há algum tempo, mas existem sinais de que poderia estar se aproximando de seu alvo imediato de reequelibrio, e possivelmente lucro este ano. As operações europeias da GM mantiveram perda ...
-
ArticleModular rear axle system
ZF is using a new modular rear axle concept to demonstrate the benefits of a modular system architecture. The company claims this solution enables a vehicle with a twist beam axle or link SLA rear axle to be converted to a steerable rear axle concept with just a few modifications ...
-
ArticleWinkelmann to lead Quattro
Germany – Replacing Heinz Hollerweger, who has spent 40 years with Audi, Stephan Winkelmann will become CEO of the premium OEM’s wholly owned subsidiary, which makes the high-performance R and RS models. He has served as president and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini since January 2005.As CEO, Winkelmann guided Lamborghini through ...
-
ArticleNissan announces Brexit opposition
UK – In a statement, the company said it “will not be pro-actively supporting any political campaign” before the country’s referendum on EU membership, but quoted CEO Carlos Ghosn making his views clear.“Our preference as a business is, of course, that the UK stays within Europe – it makes the ...
-
ArticleRolls-Royce to lay Phantom to rest
UK – The current model will end production this year, following the recent announcement that Rolls-Royce has started testing its new, aluminium architecture which will underpin all future vehicles from 2018. The maker also confirmed that the Phantom coupe and drophead coupe will not be renewed.The seventh-generation Phantom started production ...
-
ArticleThe true forming limit
Elongation doesn’t tell the whole story about forming high-strength steel As ultra-high strength steel becomes even more widespread in automotive applications, crash safety will continue to increase, component weight will go down further and many OEMs will benefit. Others will not. Some manufacturers are not taking full advantage of ...
-
ArticleAutomated quality control
The strategic orientation towards full-field and non-contact optical measuring technology is one of the key elements of Opel’s car body engineering quality assurance Opel CEO Dr Neumann sees the ATOS ScanBox 7260 in action, guided by Dirk Kissinger, project manager for car body measuring technologyIn the future, Opel press shops ...
-
ArticleThyssenKrupp’s new Eastern European plant
Hungary – Starting this spring, the €100m ($110m) factory will be constructed in Jászfényszaru, with a production launch planned for 2018. It will make electronic power-assisted steering systems and cylinder-head covers with integrated camshafts.Karsten Kroos, CEO of ThyssenKrupp’s Components Technology division, said the investment “follows our strategy towards standardisation and ...
-
Article
GM Europa, ¿un futuro mejor?
Después de pasar años difíciles, el constructor espera estabilidad y rentabilidad en Europa Las operaciones europeas de GM han sido deficitarias durante algún tiempo, pero todo apunta a que, próximamente, alcance el punto de equilibrio, o que incluso alcance beneficios este año. Las operaciones de la marca en Europa permanecieron ...
-
Article
Nuevas posibilidades de corte
La investigación realizada por la Universidad de Strathclyde ofrece una forma de producir un nuevo tipo de piezas ligeras a medida. Hoy en día, el uso de piezas a medida es una realidad establecida en la industria automotriz. Cabe destacar como ventaja importante de este proceso la reducción de peso, ...
-
ArticleShielding progress
The latest technologies are designed to better protect the welding zone from oxidation. AMS takes a lookAs well as protecting the molten metal and heat-affected areas of the workpiece against the ambient atmosphere, the right welding process gas can increase the welding speed and/or improve the mechanical properties of the ...
-
Article1,000kg payload robot
Kawasaki Robotics says it has added a 1,000kg payload robot to its M-Series range. The company claims the new MG10HL's compact design maintains rigidity and accuracy throughout its motion range, and allows applications such as handling automotive floor pans, or complete bodies, between processes to be carried out safely, quickly ...
-
ArticleEditor's note: A new era?
Are we entering a new era of robotics and automation in vehicle manufacturing? This was the central topic at a recent conference held by the Automatica show organisers, and it generated some interesting ideas. We are all aware that the increasing level of automation makes some people feel uneasy because ...
-
ArticleNew range of thread milling cutters
Toolex claims its new thread milling cutters avoid the problems of breakage and swarf clogging. The company goes on to say that the new tools simplify thread cutting as internal and external threads, both right-hand and left-hand, can be cut using the same tool.The new range covers 14 sizes, from ...
-
ArticleSkoda Vrchlabí makes 1m DQ 200 gearboxes
Czech Republic – Production began in September 2012 and during this year the plant will reach a daily capacity of 2,000 units. The half-million mark was reached in October 2014.“In preparing for DQ 200 production, Skoda and the Volkswagen Group invested a total of €245m [$270.1m] into reconstructing the production ...
-
ArticleGM Europe – better days ahead?
After enduring some difficult years, the vehicle-maker looks forward to stability and profitability in EuropeGM’s European operations have been loss-making for some time, but the signs are that it could be nearing its immediate target of breaking even, and possibly head into profit this year. The carmaker’s European operations remained ...
-
Article
通用欧洲 — 前途是否更美好？
通用经过了一段困难时期之后，希望在欧洲实现稳定发展和利润通用在欧洲的工厂已经亏损很长时间，但是有迹象表明，工厂正在接近破冰，而且明年可能就达到赢利。通用欧洲工厂在2015年第三季度仍然亏损，第二季度基本达到平衡；第三季度相比前年同期损失了3亿美元，比第二季度损失2亿美元。这种进步在欧洲销量不断增长的背景下还是很客观的，尽管公司在俄罗斯的业务不断下滑。2015年下半年的数据显示，在此亏损的原因是公司关闭的俄罗斯的业务，并推出了新款Astra。2015年第三季度，通用欧洲亏损2亿美元，是前年亏损的一半。在决定将俄罗斯业务融进欧洲业务之后，首席执行官Karl Thomas Neumann发现已经出现明显增长 — 俄罗斯市场的低迷让通用重新陷入思考；事实上，最让通用心痛的就是由于俄罗斯经济的衰退而决定完全撤出，关闭圣彼得堡工厂，将零部件供应转给第三方装配商，比如Opel车型来自德国，Chevrolet车型来自韩国，在地方的生产只剩下与AvtoVAZ的合资公司，生产Lada和Chevrolet Niva小型SUV。在3月份举行的日内瓦汽车展上，Neumann称俄罗斯为“巨大的问题”，并于2015年初将生产从3班制减少到1班制。在俄罗斯的成本然而，不管是这个原因，还是增加收入都不是通用公司在日内瓦汽车展刚结束就决定退出俄罗斯决定的根本原因。去年中期，圣彼得堡工厂关门歇业，通用的发言人称，还没有计划要重新启动生产。通用也没有在俄罗斯供应链进行很大的投资，无法完成本地化目标，因此也没有在俄罗斯市场投资商费工夫。在这种情况下，要继续留在俄罗斯就要以后每年白白浪费6亿美元。幸运的是，Opel/Vauxhall品牌已经从俄罗斯公司关门中得到补偿。比如6月份，欧洲销量同比前年增长9%，市场份额达到近6.4%。整年销量增长3%，超过582,000辆，半年的欧洲市场份额近6%。销量和市场份额出现增长的重要因素就是Opel新推出的小型车KARL，到6月末为止，公司已经得到超过30,000订单。然而，KARL并不是产自欧洲，而是韩国。Karl Thomas Neumann对日内瓦汽车展的日这门说，如果能在欧洲每年出售100,000辆KARL汽车，从持续发展的角度来说，实现欧洲本地生产就可以提到议程上来。如果那样的话，生产就可能在德国的Eisenach或西班牙的Zaragosa，这是通用欧洲最大的两家小型车工厂。新款Astra汽车于2015年9月开始生产，已经收到超过30,000个订单，在媒体中的口碑也非常不错。 Luton is the last van plant in the UK, producing the Vivaro在英国的制造通用在英国拥有两家汽车制造厂，一个在英格兰西北部的Ellesmere Port，另一个在伦敦北部的Luton。Luton是英国最后一个敞篷车制造厂，生产Vivaro汽车。这款车主要是由雷诺开发的。有些Vivaro版本是雷诺在Sandouville工厂（在法国西北部）为通用制造的，这是因为高顶棚无法在Luton的冲压车间完成。Luton工厂雇佣大约1,200名员工，目前的产量为每年约65-70,000辆。过去，Lutong工厂还为日产和雷诺生产Vivaro汽车，而且产量很高，2007年的产量超过了95,000辆。但是，自从去年开始生产最新版X82(从2014年第二季度开始)，Luton就只生产Vauxhall和Opel版本，而法国Sandouville工厂就负责全部的雷诺。Bochum工厂关门之后，德国就只有两家汽车厂（Russelsheim和Eisenach），以及1个发动机和组件厂（在Kaiserlautern）。Russelsheim是Opel的老家；而且还有通用欧洲总部和研发中心，这个中心生产了Insignia和通用的一个主要变速器。汽车和变速器工厂的工人大约有3,800人，其中的7,300人都在研发中心和总部。Russelsheiim是Opel的出发地，从1862年开始生产缝纫机；第一辆Opel汽车是于1899年在Russelsheim生产。除了Insignia，工厂目前制造Zafira MPV，之后Zafira的生产将于2017年转到法国的PSA工厂。这主要是因为GM和PSA的合作关系不断弱化，因而Opel Zaragosa工厂将生产新一代Citroën C3 Picasso，而西班牙的PSA工厂将生产Citroën Berlingo，出售时要使用Opel和Vauxhall Combo品牌。德国工厂面临的挑战尽管Insignia（生产与Ford Mondeo和Volkswagen Passat同样高水平的D-段汽车）的生产有进步，而且很快还有北美版Buick汽车和大型SUV加入，但是Russelsheim还无法避免平衡存货和需求的困境；从2015年7月到年末，工厂计划暂停生产15天。尽管如此，2015年5月，在保证工厂长期未来的同时，开始斥资2.1亿欧元建设新的发动机开发中心。这个中心计划与2017年开始生产，能够容纳超过43个最新款发动机测试平台。在Eisenach，Opel生产Adam和Corsa汽车，后者的产量依赖Mokka和Meriva融入Zaragosa的程度。1990年10月，Opel Vectras在附近的老厂里装配，当时Opel与Automobilwerk Eisenach（一家德国的老公司）联盟；Opel搬到Eisenach，该公司正在转移到东德（这时，Volkawagen转移到Mosel，而BMW在东德开设一家工具与组件厂）。1991年，一家全新工厂在Eisenach落成，从1992年9月开始生产Corsa和Astra汽车；Vectra装配厂早几个月建成，为劳动力也转移到新厂争取到时间，之后生产迅速提高。从此，Corsa一直在Eisenach生产，而Astra的生产一直延续到2010年。 Eisenach received €8m to modernise its paintshop in 2013Adam小型车的生产始于2013年初，2014年Eisenach共生产了近59,000辆Adam汽车，以及60,000辆Corsa汽车。2013年，工厂获得了800万欧元的投资，对喷漆厂进行现代化改造。这是Adam所获1.9亿欧元投资中份额最大的。随着Adam和变体车型需求的增长，加上Corsa需求的增长，2015年4月，Opel公司决定在Eisenach增加一班生产，员工也增加了近400人，共达到1,800人。数个月后，俄罗斯市场的需求打击了通用欧洲的底线，导致公司宣布对Eisenach和Russelsheim工厂的生产时间缩短。Eisenach生产的Corsa汽车以全散件送到俄罗斯，Eisenach在2015年7月到12月间共减少了25个工作日，第3班生产始终没有提上日程。在之后的经济危机中，有人认为Eisenach可能会由于欧洲市场的需求而减产，甚至关门。到目前为止，Bochum工厂关门Eisenach仍然在通用欧洲旗下不倒。在Kaiserslautern，通用员工约为2,200人；这是通用在德国唯一的发动机工厂，是1996年开始生产的。2013年，公司获得了1.3亿欧元，用于新款Euro 6条令下2.0升柴油发动机的生产，并从2014年10月开始生产。投资还用于生产车体和前座结构，最近还推出D2 Astra和下一代E2 Insignia计划。新款2.0升发动机被安装到Insignia汽车和Zafira汽车上。工厂还生产车轴和底盘零部件，用于目前的Insignia和新车型上。2013年，该发动机工厂制造了135,000台发动机，2014年则超过了150,000台。 Demand has been rising for the Opel ...
-
ArticleGM pours $148m into Spring Hill
US – The money will be spent on repurposing flexible machining and assembly equipment to build Small Block 6.2-litre V8 engines for the first time at the Tennessee plant. The engines will meet high demand in the truck and SUV market.“The flexibility of Spring Hill’s engine machining and assembly equipment ...
-
ArticleSeat announces top appointments
UK – Steve Catlin becomes head of Sales Operations, Ben Fish is now head of Planning and Supply and Andrew Tracey takes over as head of Marketing, within the region.Catlin moves from his current role as head of Group Fleet Services at Volkswagen UK, having joined the Group last year ...
-
ArticleNew range of composite PTFE bearings
Saint-Gobain says it has developed a new range of customisable composite bearings. Features include aluminium encapsulation with a steel support, which acts as a cathode to prevent rust, while scoring exposes the core material when in contact with steel housings, to minimise electrical conductivity issues.The company says it has developed ...