Automation – Page 199
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ArticleShear possibilities
Research by the University of Strathclyde offers a way to produce a new type of lightweight tailored blankThe use of tailored blanks is now well established in automotive manufacturing. The most obvious benefit gained from this process is weight-saving, for example to produce extra strength in particular areas of the ...
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Article
- 剪出完美
Strathclyde大学的研究提供了一个生产新型轻型焊拼板的方法焊拼板的使用在汽车制造业已经趋近完善，其最大的好处就是能够减轻重量，比如说要生产加长的特殊工件，只需要在这些部分增加厚度即可。到目前为止，为了实现这个目标，已经采用了很多的方法。最常用的方法就使使用焊接。第一个方法就是通过将一个金属提到另一个金属板来在特定位置上增加厚度。第二个方法就是将相同厚度不同的材料边对边的进行焊接，来形成统一的表面，但是在不同的地方拥有不同的性质。两种方法的结果都是生产焊拼板（TWB）。还有一个方法就是制造不同厚度单一金属复合材料面板，通过轧制方法将滚筒之间的缝隙填补。而且，这个也叫焊拼板（TRB）不幸的是，这两个方法都有缺点。焊接不同材料会使工件产生不一致性，但是炸制工艺能够产生过长过后的过度区域。还有一个完全不用的方法就是使用有针对性的热处理，产生不同的材料性质。从表面上看，这种方法潜力无限，理论上能够制造统一材料厚度，本土化性能特质，以及均匀的复合材料。然而，事实上，这个程序很难控制；加热金属能够产生内倾性，总体上能提高温度。探索新的焊拼板类型因此，有没有方法能够达到这个理想目标呢？目前还没有，但是如果目前的研究还将在英国Glasgow的Strathclyde大学进行的话，这个目标会在不愿的奖励实现。I-ECAP最有前途的产品是在保持厚度的同时产生不同的性能上面提到的研究是由制造与工程管理学院设计系Dr Andrzej Rosochowski领导，探索一种更有潜力的工艺，被称作I-ECAP，用来生产新型焊拼板。Rosochowski称I-ECAP为一种“剧烈塑性变形流程”，用以生产长块、板材和金属板，拥有良好的内部节后，强度高，而且还保留足够的延展性。到目前为止，该工艺显示出高效益，能够用5种不同材料制造不同后的面板，这五种材料有：铝、镁、铜、铁和钛。但是，他很有信心的说，这种工艺能够用来制造相同厚度不同强度的焊拼板，能够综合使用性与统一性。制造一种超细颗粒结构Rosochowski在ECAP基础上解释了一种良好的制造流程。其中就使用了冲压机推动一个立方体或圆柱形的金属坯料，穿过一个恒定外形的输入通道，然后再穿过90度的角度，然后再穿过一个相同形状的输出通道。材料的塑性变形是由一个简单的薄板，顺着对角面着过去。目标就是在及你数内制造一个超细颗粒结构，将原来的颗粒大小改变，宽度上小于1微米。为了实现这个目标，这个流程要重复很多遍，在通道之间旋转坯料，让材料性能平均分布。总之，这种工艺在设备需要和程序上都能提供相对直接的优点，但是缺点就是，由于坯料很短，因此在工件末端无法使用，非常浪费材料。而且，Rosochowski称，在非常长的工件上使用这个工序不现实。在长条板材上，他说当长度和宽度比率超过6:1时，就很难达到有效实现。使用ECAP工序相比之下，I-ECAP是新宠。该工序仅仅拥有10年的历史，欧洲和美国的专利是在2012年和2014年注册的，而且都是以Rosochowski的名字注册的，尽管他说这是与华沙大学Lech Olejnik教授一同研究的。和传统的ECAP一样，这个工艺还涉及将坯料推进输入通道和输出通道，转90度。区别主要是2个特殊方面。第一个是，材料通过流程要经过一系列步骤（而不是单一连续的），因此被称为“增值的”。除了使用流程中坯料后端的反作用力，第二个主要区别就是I-ECAP在坯料表面进行进一步轧制，在坯料停止的地方进行90度旋转。就是这种进一步轧制为整个流程提供了质量与灵活性。这个活动中的压力很大。在钛的例子上，每个轮回需要30吨的压力，持续2秒钟。但是Rosochowski称，在报的板材上进一步发展应用，能够促进高频率低压力的使用。 New research could improve tailored blanks正如Rosochowski称，在单个工件上反复使用这个工艺，最终能使“整个数量”的内部结构根据需要进行改变，但是这种工艺板材的生产在厚度上相同或各异。由于工件变形的主要形式仅仅是剪切，那么这也是板材焊拼板的起源。Rosochowski称，他是在15年前开始探索这个方法，并延伸到金属结构的最初工作。他说，他对“通过改变颗粒结构来改进金属性能”的潜力非常感兴趣。他说，一旦颗粒尺寸可以减小到微米水平，金属物理性能的可能性很高。他说，两个区域的连接非常近，因为金属结构工艺会改变性能，在不损坏的情况下拉伸经书。在处理之前，大多数金属的颗粒结构都在20-300微米左右。保持一致厚度在过去的5年里，Rosochowski开始意识到，I-ECAP方法不仅能够改变金属颗粒结构和性能，还能改变厚度。然而，这个工艺最令人兴奋的性能就是能够制造能更多样而厚度一直的焊拼板。他说，这是因为工件工件厚度一直，根本上会使制造环境更加简洁。然而，这种方法还能使材料应用效率自大话，因为板材能够很薄，同时又能保持关键区域的强度。材料内部强度能够被极大提高。有个极端的例子就是 — 铜 — Rosochowski说，实验室里发现能够提高300%。到目前为止，所有的工作都是在实验室里进行。但是Rosochowski称，他要将探索结果应用到工业技术上。他说，“我正在寻找合作伙伴，募集基金”。他相信，基础方法论已经证明，生产不同厚度的焊拼板是可以的，但是他承认，生产不同性能相同厚度板材的方法还有待改进。不管怎么说，汽车制造业都将是这行技术在工业未来发展中重点应用目标。
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ArticleNissan Sandouville to make NV300
France – The next-generation light commercial vehicle will be made at the Renault plant in the north-west of the country, following a three-year upgrade which cost €230m ($252m). NV300 production will raise the factory’s output by 100,000 units between 2016 and 2026.“The production of the Nissan NV300 at the Sandouville ...
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ArticleWalker to guide Hyundai in Western Region
US – As general manager, Kimberly Walker will lead the operations of 165 dealerships across 12 states, reporting to Derrick Hatami, vice-president of National Sales at Hyundai. Her appointment will be effective from March 1.Walker joined Hyundai in 2006, working in assurance products and consumer affairs before being named director ...
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ArticleNew version of cutting software
ESAB has released its Columbus CAD/CAM Nesting Software version 1.3, which it claims has been optimised for plasma, oxy-fuel, laser and waterjet cutting. The company says that a key new function is the Job Wizard, which automatically creates NC programs from customer orders. For the parts and plates within a ...
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ArticleAstra Sports Tourer leaves Ellesmere
UK – The first vehicle to roll off the line at Vauxhall’s Cheshire plant was an Elite 1.6CDTi. Ellesmere Port was allocated production of the new model from among GM’s European plants.“This first Astra Sports Tourer marks another milestone in the great history of Vauxhall manufacturing in the North West,” ...
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ArticlePeel to ring the changes at Peugeot UK
UK – Currently CEO of Peugeot Citroen Retail Group UK, David Peel will replace Neil Moscrop, who is retiring as brand director Peugeot UK at the end of March, after 36 years of service. The handover will take place progressively next month.“The Peugeot product range has recently completed an accelerated ...
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ArticleDegen takes BMW Spartanburg role
US – As vice-president of Logistics and Production Steering, Gerald Degen succeeds Philip Heinrichsdorff, who returns to Germany to look after material control and delivery assurance for the BMW Group. Degen has already served the company for 18 years.Degen began his career at BMW’s German manufacturing operations, first as a ...
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ArticleRaphael is new Genesis GM in America
US – Effective March 1, Erwin Raphael will serve as general manager for the brand, responsible for the strategic direction and management of operations in the US, including sales and marketing. He will report to Dave Zuchowski, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America.Raphael will form a team to introduce ...
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ArticleLighting the way
OEMs and tier suppliers are developing new vehicle lighting systems such as OLEDs and laser lightsFront and rear lights are generally manufactured in the same regions as the cars onto which they are fitted. There is limited international shipment of completed light assemblies, although there is a notable concentration of ...
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ArticlePowertrain simulation model
Federal-Mogul Powertrain claims to have developed a simplified transient dynamic simulation model of valve closing action in order to predict dynamic loading on engine valves.During the closing event, one side of the valve usually contacts the valve seat first, which can introduce heavy loading of the valve stem. This dynamic ...
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ArticleCO2 industrial cleaning process
BOC says its CRYOCLEAN snow+ systemcombines dry ice blasting (using CO2 dry ice crystals) with sand blasting to provide a flexible industrial cleaning method for a wide range of industry sectors including automotive, plastic manufacturing and steel. The company claims it can also be used in the additive manufacturing sector, ...
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ArticlePipe bending machine control system
Schwarze-Robitec says its NxG 2.0 high-performance control system makes it possible to create a network of bending machines within a company. In addition to a new operating concept, the company says further development of the NxG has made it possible to record and evaluate process data.Integrated sensors provide information about ...
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ArticleMazda Ujina starts CX-9 manufacture
Japan – The three-row, mid-size crossover is now being made at Ujina Plant No.1 at Hiroshima, with the first units destined for the US and Canada. Mazda says the CX-9 has been tailored for the North American market, which it expects to account for 80% of the forecast global sales ...
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ArticleRenault makes senior appointments
France – Stefan Mueller, executive vice-president (EVP) and chairman of Europe Region, will become EVP, chief performance officer (CPO); Jean-Christophe Kugler, senior vice-president and chairman of Eurasia Region will replace Mueller as EVP and chairman of Europe, also joining the executive committee; Denis Le Vot, SVP, Sales and Marketing for ...
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ArticleElix to set up new compounding line
Spain – The company says its facility at Tarragona will incorporate state-of-the-art technologies for thermoplastics compounding, focusing on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and ABS blends. The investment will support Elix Polymers’ strategic objective to become a leading producer of high-quality, pre-coloured ABS resin and tailor-made materials for automotive and other ...
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ArticleMitsubishi to grow at Santa Rosa
Philippines – The company is joining the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) established by the government to attract investment, stimulate demand and introduce regulations which will revitalise the national automotive industry, to the extent that it develops into a regional hub. As a result, Mitsubishi will expand its local production ...
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Article
Coogan's Subaru sustainability role
US – Reporting to the manager of environmental partnerships, Denise Coogan will be responsible for leading the OEM’s external environmental and sustainability marketing programmes. She will occupy the role of manager of environmental partnerships.Subaru of America says that Coogan’s first task will be to provide expertise for its initiative to ...
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Article
Arrefecimento do custo de soldagem
Novas tecnologias prometem avançar técnicas de soldagem e reduzir o consumo de energiaCom até 5.000 pontos de solda em um carro de médio porte típico, os OEMs estão investindo nas mais recentes tecnologias de soldagem com poupança de energia para reduzir custos. O consumo de energia reduzido mostrou que este ...
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ArticleFord debuts production smartphone app
Spain – Accessed through a device worn on the wrist, the Android app helps line workers to make faster and more accurate quality checks. Ford says that at its Valencia plant the new technology has reduced human error by 7% and the length of vehicle checks by seven seconds.The Bluetooth-enabled ...