Automation – Page 213
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ArticleThe tide is turning against diesel
The Volkswagen emissions scandal is arguably the biggest and most serious issue the industry has faced for years – in fact, ever. Corporate responsibility? A sham. Sustainability? Ditto. Customer trust? Damaged beyond repair. VW might go bankrupt with all the fines and legal suits that are around the corner.That, at ...
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ArticleEditor's note: Rising higher
At a time of renewed confidence for the automotive industry in North America comes the news that one manufacturer, Volkswagen, has been misleading US regulators over vehicle emissions. While other OEMs have experienced damaging scandals in the recent past, it is difficult to think of anything more likely to repel ...
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ArticleGM to build solar array at Warren
US – The 800KW installation, constructed on 4.25 acres of land in collaboration with DTE Energy, will have 2,800 panels capable of generating around 1m KWh of electricity per year. The array at Warren Transmission Plant will be GM’s largest in Michigan.“By supporting this project and making renewable energy commitments ...
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ArticleMagneti Marelli JV's new AMT plant
India – The factory is near New Delhi, in the same area as the company’s manufacturing facility for powertrain electronic control units, and has the capacity to produce 280,000 robotised gearboxes or automated manual transmissions (AMTs) per year. The new plant covers 7,500 sq.m, including production lines and office space, ...
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ArticleGAC FCA makes first Jeep Cherokee
China – Marking the start of local production at GAC Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (GAC FCA), the first SUV rolled off the assembly line at the Changsha plant. The milestone vehicle featured a 2.4-litre engine and will soon be followed by a 2.0-litre model. Full production is due in November, with ...
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ArticleThermoplastic oil tank for dry sump engines
A thermoplastic oil tank for dry sump engines has been developed by Hummel-Formen, Germany. The reservoir, which weighs around 2.6kg, is made from Ultramid A3WG7, a BASF polyamide 66 with 35% glass fiber reinforcement which is resistant to oil and thermal aging. The tank is claimed to be 59% lighter ...
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ArticleAdded fibre
OEMs are now using composites in wider applications and higher volumes to assist vehicle light weightingEarlier this year, BMW announced that it would make extensive use of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) in the chassis of the next generation of its 7 Series luxury sedan. The new models will be up ...
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Article掺加纤维
在原始设备制造商的努力下，复合材料的使用变得更加广泛，数量更多，从而减轻汽车重量今年早些时候，宝马公司宣布，要在新一代7系列豪华轿车的底盘上，广泛利用碳纤维增强塑料（CFRP）。新车型的重量达到130公斤，比原来的车型更轻，同时在乘客舒适度和安全设备上还有提高。除了能够降低能源消耗和二氧化碳排放，还能降低汽车的惯性重心，并提高操作性能。据SGL集团（宝马CFRP项目主要合作商）首席执行官Jürgen Köhler称，“在BMW7系列上使用碳纤维产品，是碳材料在汽车业里大范围系列应用的里程碑。”混合材料方案车辆是在混合材料“碳芯”汽车结构的基础上制造的。在乘用车单位上，比如中立柱的结构因素上使用CFRP，会提高乘用车的总强度和抗扭弯。因此，乘用车钢板因素的配置是可以调整的，可以明显降低车身重量。CFRP还应用在车辆混合顶棚构架上。碳纤维的应用将由SGL Automotive Carbon Fiber公司开发（SGL-ACF）— 是BMW和SGL集团的合资公司 — 地点是在华盛顿州Moses Lake工厂。工厂在过去几年内的生产力稳步提高。初加工品是这些纤维利用全自动纺织生产工艺制造而成。然后，初加工品将直接送到宝马集团，并及工程CFRP零部件。CFRP is used in the hybrid roof frame of the new BMW 7 SeriesSGL集团在德国Wackersdorf工厂也提供碳纤维面料，以及回收材料。集团与BMW集团一同开发，将这些回收碳纤维产品用于C-柱和保护罩分割物上。宝马公司称，制造i3和i8车型上使用的CFRP密集材料过程的经验 — 以及相关基础设施 — 是结果如此成功的关键。新款BMW7系列使用了大量的额碳纤维，成为汽车业使用第二多的系列CFRP生产项目，仅次于i系列车型。设计，生产和装配CFRP材料的硬度和轻度，使其成为生产汽车结构组件的理想材料。但是广泛使用需要在零部件的设计，生产和装配上进行全新的改变 — 这对汽车制造商来说是个极大的投资。2010年宣布出售Lamborghini的Sesto Elemento，这是扩大使用CFRP最激动人心的案例。Sesto Elemento的562bhp V10是在Gallardo的基础上，用CFRP结构制造。999公斤的汽车能达到100公里/小时，在2.5秒中内就能达到300公里/小时的速度。为了把这种性能发挥的更高程度，Sesto Elemento的生产使Lamborghini的工程师们有机会测试各种技术，应用于今后CFRP零部件的制造商。公司在CFRP技术应用于汽车上历史很长。2001年到2010年，在Murciélago的生产中大约使用了31%的碳纤维增强环氧预浸料。这些材料继而应用于所有外部车体板材，以及内部结构零部件上，最后接合到钢材空间构架上。成本与数量在制造这个汽车的过程中，Lamborghini公司强调，为这些结构铺上CFRP板层，以及常常的高压热加工所产生的高成本。但是公司认为这个工艺适合Murciélago，每年的生产率大概会达到400辆。The Alpha Romeo 4C weighs 895kg and features extensive aluminium and low-density sheet-moulding compoundMurciélago的后续产品Aventador于2011年3月在Geneva车展中亮相，全复合材料构架设计上含有50%的碳纤维。这个设计极大提高了扭转刚度，比Murciélago在碰撞方面显示出更佳的性能。Aventador的CFRP组件每年的产量大约是800个，大部分是利用液体树脂工艺制造，比如真空辅助树脂传递模塑（VaRTM），以及树脂传递模塑（RTM）上。Lamborghini公司认为这些技术在这些数量上是搞笑的，但对更高数量的生产来说，需要开发新的技术。锻造复合材料Lamborghini采用的革新技术当时还有所谓了锻造复合材料，在汽车结构和悬挂摆臂上使用。这是与高尔夫俱乐部制造商Callaway一同合作开发，不连续的纤维增强材料适用于高产量CFRP零部件的生产。锻造复合材料是在碳纤维增强模压塑料板材（CFSMC）的基础上而成，有Quantum Composites公司提供。该材料是由25.4mm长的碳纤维短麻屑（占材料重量的53%）构成，随意分布在两层乙烯基酯树脂中间的衬垫上。这些材料经过滚筒压缩称板材形状，再卷起来，成为标准预浸材料。这个材料用于配对金属工具热压工艺中的压塑法。它能承受大约132-160摄氏度，6.9-10.3MPa的压力，加工时间在3至5分钟。Lamborghini公司称，这种材料能大幅度降低生产循环时间，以及复杂的三维零部件的需要（这在持续的碳叠层组合材料中不典型）。公司利用锻造复合材料，降低了Sesto Elemento悬架控制手臂重量，与铝材质大约轻27%。该材料出现在2010年版Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera上。此外，这些零部件的生产只需要6分钟。自开发Sesto ...
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ArticlePorsche reports sustainability progress
Germany – Assessors from TÜV Süd have again certified the OEM’s facilities at Zuffenhausen, Sachsenheim and Weissach according to ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 as well as the European Eco-management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).Zuffenhausen, which has been rated by EMAS since 1996, is currently building a new engine plant at ...
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ArticleFCA Kokomo earns Bronze WCM status
US – The facility in Indiana has become the 11th North American location to be recognised in this way – and the first involved in die casting. Kokomo also joins two transmission plants in Indiana which were given Bronze status last year.Kokomo Casting underwent a two-day audit, during which it ...
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ArticleEnhanced performance for plastics machining
MAPAL claims it has developed a new drill optimised to overcome the challenges of thermoplastics drilling. The Mono-Plastic-Drill is suited for use with PEEK, POM or PA 6, as well as other materials with low thermal conductivity and low melting temperature that make machining difficult.The company says the drill has ...
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ArticleVolvo’s new platform for compact cars
Sweden – The Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), a smaller version of the OEM’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), will be introduced in 2017 and will allow a wide range of powertrains, electrical systems and technologies to be fitted on the same platform, creating significant economies of scale and a more streamlined ...
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ArticleGKN breaks ground at Guanajuato
Mexico – After becoming fully operational in April 2016, the $17.5m, 12,000 sq.m facility at Villagran will produce up to 1m propshafts per year for customers including Audi, BMW, FCA, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Volkswagen. The plant will boast constant velocity joint machining capabilities and a new painting line.“The ...
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ArticleFord Europe celebrates energy savings
UK – The company says it is on track to achieve a 25% reduction in energy use per vehicle produced in comparison with 2011 levels, following £20m of investments to target waste. Ford says its European plants will now be saving 800GWh per year, or a similar amount to the ...
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ArticleVW's platforms to perform?
The OEM has introduced four vehicle platforms to maximise global production efficiency, but not without difficulty. AMS looks at the steps taken so far, the benefits still to come, and asks if the strategy will workIn February 2012, Volkswagen announced the latest incarnation of its platform strategy, encompassing four modular ...
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ArticleVolvo extends electrification strategy
Sweden – The OEM has announced that plug-in hybrids will be introduced across its entire range, in the expectation that electric vehicles will make up 10% of total car sales in the medium term. Volvo will also develop an entirely new range of electrified smaller cars, plus a fully electric ...
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ArticleKorea: Carmaking powerhouse
Now the fifth-biggest nation for automotive production, Korea's success lies in exports to global markets. Production and sales are still strong, but challenges include competition at home and localisation overseas South Korea has done staggeringly well to become a global automotive production powerhouse within the last 20 years, but the ...
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Article- 韩国：汽车制造王国
韩国目前是第五大汽车生产国，其成功的秘诀在于向全球市场出口。生产和销售虽仍非常强大，但还是存在一些挑战，比如国内的竞争以及海外的本地化进程 韩国在过去的20年里，艰难前行，终于成为全球汽车生产大国，但是在数量上已经处于瓶颈，出口车型有点落后于潮流，因为海外本地化程度不断提高，而国内高端品牌的崛起又很滞后。事实上，数据很惊人。去年，韩国共生产了4,524,932辆汽车和商务车（CV），而2003年的产量是320万辆 — 这对于只有5,000万人口的国家来说是个天文数字。与之成对比的是，英国（6,400万人口）去年生产了160万辆汽车和商用车。韩国目前是第五大汽车生产国，仅次于德国，领先于印度、墨西哥和巴西。 韩国成功的秘诀在于出口。去年450万辆的产量中，就有300多万辆出口海外；国内的销量有145万辆。2014年的产量在之前两年的平缓状态之后，有所回升，但是分析家们警告，前方道路还是很艰险的。韩国IHS Automotive公司生产分析师Ian Park说，“前方的困难有：国内市场的竞争激烈，而出口由于海外地方化而受到限制。” 今年8月份的出口稍有下降，而同比前年下降非常明显。据工贸部透露的数据，在营业额上下降了9%。7月份的数据显示，降幅为30%。部长对地方新闻Yonhap称，这是因为汇率的影响和俄罗斯及拉美地区市场的疲软。 韩国最大的汽车制造商，现代汽车在今年前半年的营业利润下降了17%，部长称新兴市场发展缓慢及汇率动荡是全球销量下降3.2%的“罪魁祸首”。就算是没有起亚，现代汽车在韩国也是主导企业。其母公司，现代汽车集团是韩国第三大“财阀”，在2014年2.229亿美元的利润中的52%就是从汽车领域获得的，汽车零部件约占21%。在韩国，现代和起亚各有3个工厂，生产规模都很庞大。举例来说，现代在Ulsan拥有5个独立的工厂，是全球最大的工厂，去年共生产了1,525,000辆汽车。 “韩国汽车制造商面临的困难有：国内市场竞争激烈，出口受到海外本地化生产的排挤” — Ian Park, IHS公司 但是现代（Hyundai）仍然继续海外扩张的步伐 — 在这过程中遇到很多挑战。今年前6个月，公司在国内共制造600,000辆，在国外制造了147万辆，但这两个数据都比2015年有所下降。最大的市场中国，吸收了22%的销量，其次是美国（15%），然后是韩国（14%）。公司在韩国占据47.2%的市场份额，欧洲为8%。现代也在印度发展，在该国成为仅次于Maruti Suzuki之后第二的制造商，目前还有望建造第三家工厂。此外，现代在中国也要建造新的工厂，而起亚则要在墨西哥建厂（2016年开始）。本地化发展是现代-起亚在海外成功的一个秘诀，但是对国内生产会有影响，因为像印度这样低成本国家 — 已经成为公司的出口中心 — 将来会有更大的发展。 2014年韩国汽车市场 The Korean automotive industry relies heavily on exports ...
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ArticleMulti-sensor 5-axis measurement system
Renishaw has launched REVO-2, a new improved version of its multi-sensor 5-axis measuring head for use on co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs). The company says REVO-2 and its new CMM controller UCC S5 offer enhanced power and communications capability to carry the latest REVO sensors such as the RVP vision measurement ...
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ArticleValve spring testing system
SAKOR Technologies has supplied a valve spring test system to SAIC Motor Corporation. The company says the new SAKOR test stand will be used for valve train development and testing, and the information will be used to improve valve spring design performance and durability.The SAKOR test stand system is equipped ...