Automation – Page 383
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Uddeholm launches new steel product
Uddeholm has replaced its Ramax LH product with RoyAlloy stainless steel. Delivered from Edro Specialty Steels, a division of the Voestalpine Group, Uddeholm will act as the exclusive global distributor of the new product. RoyAlloy is a pre-hardened, corrosion-resistant holder steel specifi cally designed for plastic mould base applications. It ...
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Article
New injection moulding system for Ultramid tubing
Teklas has introduced a new water-assisted injection moulding technology (WIT) for the production of hollow plastic parts. The system is currently used to manufacture tubing using BASF’s Ultramid A3HG6, a glass fi bre-reinforced polyamide specially developed for the WIT process. The new system delivers superior inner and outer surfaces, as ...
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ArticleZebra Technologies launches the WhereLAN III asset tracking system
Zebra Technologies has introduced WhereLAN III, the company’s thirdgeneration real-time location system (RTLS) sensor. WhereLAN III offers a one-metre accuracy level, more than double that of the previous generation, which delivers an improved level of real-time asset management and a signifi cantly decreased total cost of ownership. The new system ...
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ArticleMetal moves at METAV
ChironILT – Industrie Luftfilter- TechnikMAGOptrisTornosThe fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany, will again serve as the marketplace for modern production engineering. Examples from the entire spectrum of manufacturing technology will be on display, focusing on: machine tools; production systems; high-precision tools; automated material flows; computer technology; and industrial electronics and accessories.Starting on ...
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ArticleEfficient handling of metal sheets
Improved dynamic handling, decreased costsAdaptability and flexibilityLong-lasting and environmentally friendlyWith the introduction of the SAXM series of suction pads, German vacuum technology provider J. Schmalz is seeking to set new standards in sheet metal processing.The requirements of the automotive and sheet metal industries are increasing in complexity, due in large ...
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ArticleGrowing gains in South Korea
Hyundai MotorKia MotorsGM KoreaRenault Samsung MotorsSsangYong MotorExpanding union powerTear gas and riot policeKorean EV production nears 1m units per annumProduction plants in South Korea are running at near capacity to meet global demand, but dealing with local unions is still proving problematic as the five in-country OEMs attempt to adjust ...
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ArticleDirty work in the clean-up
PCB sludgeTaking chargeActioning clean upVisible improvementTypical problemsOne of the biggest clean-up projects involving a redundant automotive manufacturing site in the United States – at least as far as its $120 million predicted cost is concerned – is currently taking place at the former General Motors Massena aluminium diecasting plant in ...
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ArticleBattle royale between steel and aluminium
Material selectionOptimum multi-material solutionsLightweight materials impact NVHHigh-strength applicationsMulti-material futureBody closures offer future potentialStrength is rarely the deciding factorNew forces for changeAlternative vehicle architectures and electric powerSustainability of manufacturing operationsOver recent years, the on-going contest between lobbyists working on behalf of the steel and aluminium industries has become increasingly raucous as ...
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ArticleFor good measure
Innovations deliver alternativesStyling and partsWith so much emphasis on putting the ‘rapid’ into rapid prototyping, no one wants to spend unnecessary time in the metrology lab waiting for measurement results. Yet quality control results must still be reliable, as the data will be used to shape product designs and help ...
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ArticleFrom virtual, to reality
Eliminating trial and errorJLR part productionHaving a fully-rendered CAD model on the screen is one thing, but holding a part and assembling it with other prototypes reveals a whole new set of information. An example of this rapid prototyping (RP) in action can be seen at the Jaguar Land Rover ...
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ArticleTotal digital for the new Focus
Improved collaborationCut to sizePLM cuts costsVirtual design drives improved efficiencyWith ever-closer links between 3D simulation tools and factory floor automation, major PLM vendors have pushed digital manufacturing technology from the fringe to the mainstream. Ford is one carmaker that has taken full advantage of such software, an example of which ...
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Editor's Note: Cost over safety
It is said by many that travel is the next best thing to formal education, meaning that experiencing different cultures is only a little less mind expanding than a good teacher presenting interesting subject matter.Having been to Brazil a few times this year, with the last trip quickly followed by ...
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ArticlePaint process for fantastic plastic
One of the world’s largest automotive rearview mirror manufacturers has combined Indian architectural design with a high-efficiency, ‘green’ paint system at its new facility in Hungary. Faster colour changes with minimum paint lossEnergy-saving operationsSMR Automotive Mirror Technology Hungary is investing in a completely new plant in order to increase its ...
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Article
Yang, co-CEO of Hyundai Motor resigns
Seoul, South Korea – Steve Yang, co-CEO of Hyundai Motor, has resigned his position for personal reasons. Under Yang, Hyundai became a global player in the automotive industry, making great gains in regional market.Hyundai’s domestic and foreign sales heads will share Yang’s responsibilities. Health issues forced Yang to resign, but ...
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Article
David Schoch named as CEO of Ford China
Detroit, MI. – Ford has named David Schoch, who was previously controller of Ford of the Americas, as CEO of Ford China. According to the company, he will oversee an ambitious growth programme designed to challenge incountry rivals including GM, VW and Toyota.Schoch joined Ford in 1977 as a financial ...
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Bentley Motors takes on board Rolf Frech
Crewe, UK – Bentley Motors has appointed Rolf Frech as its new Board Member for Engineering. Frech joins from Porsche, where he was Director for Complete Vehicle Engineering and Quality.He succeeds Dr Ulrich Eichhorn, who is to become a managing director with Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA), the German Automotive Industry ...
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Provost is the CEO of Renault Samsung Motors
Paris, France – Renault has selected Francois Provost, former COO of Renault Russia, as the new CEO of its subsidiary Renault Samsung Motors. He replaces Jean- Marie Hurgier, who had been head of the South Korean subsidiary since 2006.Provost joined Renault in 2002 after serving in the French government. In ...
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ArticleThe power of nature
Glenn Brooks examines developments in alternative power generation at vehicle and powertrain production plants in Europe, the US and Brazil, as well as a particularly innovative facility currently under construction in North AfricaToyota's UK 'eco-friendly'The world's largest solar roofSolar power for Chevrolet Volt plantVolkswagen's hydropower initiativeZero-emissions car plantZero discharge, zero ...
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ArticleGetting it together
Ruari McCallion reports that new technologies and techniques in vehicle production are being blended with established methods in the modern assembly line, but new vehicle platforms may require a change in the balanceReduced plastic usage - for nowMixing in adhesivesThe right specificationThe old reliables still do the jobCold comfortDeveloping effective ...
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ArticleVital afterthought
Matt Youson reports that while testing equipment is sometimes omitted from an integrator’s plan of action, the installations are a ‘must have’ in terms of automotive productionInnomech - identifying probelmsFederal-Mogul - quality at speedIntegrating test and inspection technology into a production line, instead of relying on a third-party lab, has ...