All Automation articles – Page 17
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ArticleRaise a glass
The Transparent Factory, Volkswagen’s unconventional facility in Dresden has been repurposed to assemble the eGolf and become the showcase for the OEM’s e-mobility philosophyAfter 14 years of assembling high-powered, premium models, Volkswagen’s Dresden facility entered a new phase in the spring of 2016. With the Phaeton model discontinued and assembly ...
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ArticleExact and to the point
inos took on the task of integrating a new gap and flush system into an existing production line shared by two separate and distinct vehiclesAs modern vehicle design responds to the customers’ growing expectations on fit and finish quality, the demand grows for increasing sophistication in manufacturing techniques. Semi- or ...
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ArticleBack to the future
Designed in 1967, the K67 showcased how plastics could be used to create a stylish performance carThe automotive related headlines are full of forward looking statements; OEMs describing their brand’s vision of future mobility, new concepts of how they envision we will be moved around appearing at motor shows, ...
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ArticleSpotting an opportunity
Steed Webzell talks to major players in joining, automation and materials technologies to get their take on the future of spot welding ABB spot welding technology at Scania's plant in OskarshamnAccording to a Technavio 2017 report, spot welding is the most popular type of robotic welding, generating more than 48% ...
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ArticleCo-bots to help produce electric Golf
Germany - Volkswagen has recently established a new joint venture (JV) with a start-up called Wandelbots in a bid to establish test stations for collaborative robots at its Transparent Factory in Dresden. The idea is to use the co-bots during the final stages of electric Golf assembly, the production of ...
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ArticleLessons to learn
As the automotive industry changes, OEMs and Tier suppliers need to train and retain skilled work forces. Audi takes on approximately 800 apprentices at its two sites in Germany in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm each yearOptimising production processes is a never-ending task for vehicle makers and while automation offers some ...
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ArticleFuturistic assembly at 'Factory 56'
Mercedes-Benz is building a new vehicle assembly facility that will act as a blueprint for the future development of all its production sites. Michael Nash reports Assembly of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class at the company's Sindelfingen plantMercedes-Benz has long been a champion of flexible and efficient manufacturing techniques, carrying out numerous ...
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ArticleA race for third place
India’s vehicle sales are booming to the benefit of a handful of established manufacturers, but it’s still a tricky market for those on the sidelinesLast year, India’s passenger vehicle market cracked 3m units for the first time, up 9% on 2016, according to data from Swedish analyst firm AID. That ...
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ArticleReducing costs in welding aluminium
In an industry where everyone is looking for a more efficient vehicle, OEMs have started shifting their focus to aluminium as their material of choice, writes Lincoln Electric’s Mikael D. CarriereThe use of aluminium has continuously grown in the automotive industry in the last 40 years and it has recently ...
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ArticleOpen architecture industrial computers
The Allen-Bradley VersaView 5000 portfolio includes five products: VersaView 5400 display and non-display computers; VersaView 5200 display and non-display thin clients; and VersaView 5100 monitors, says Rockwell Automation.The company claims that when combined with FactoryTalk View Site Edition software in distributed applications, the VersaView 5400 industrial computers can provide cost-effective ...
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ArticleContando com os dados
A implementação de ferramentas digitais está transformando os processos de controle de qualidade nas operações de fabricaçãoOs gabaritos físicos agora estão sendo processados como modelos digitais e a Audi diz que está no caminho para representar um conceito que reside no mundo digital "virtual". A empresa agora está explorando o ...
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ArticleContando con los datos
La implementación de las herramientas digitales está transformando los procesos de control de calidad en las operaciones de producciónLos planos se generan primero como modelos digitales y Audi asegura que ya está desarrollando un concepto que reside en el mundo digital, 'virtual'. La marca explora ahora el concepto de ‘plantillas ...
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ArticleThe secret behind the shine
ABB Robotics is helping Audi achieve high levels of quality and consistency in its sealing and coating operationWith automated painting processes at Audi’s plant in Changchun, China, clean and shining Audi A4Ls are rolling out one by one. This paintshop includes under-body coating, interior seam sealing, cosmetic sealing and three ...
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ArticleDegrees of separation
Sogefi’s plant in Tredegar, Wales, produces complex fuel and air filtration systems and boasts an impressive array of manufacturing technologiesOn the edge of the Welsh valleys, a few miles north of Cardiff, is the quiet location for a hive of automotive manufacturing activity. According to Chris Jones, plant director at ...
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ArticlePSA expands Hordain LCV team
PSA LVC operations at Hordain, northern FranceFrance – Groupe PSA will introduce a fourth production team to its LVC operations at Hordain. The OEM says its decision has been prompted by strong demand for the Peugeot Expert and Citroën Jumpy (known as Dispatch in some markets), as well as ...
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ArticleThe case for carbon fibre
The launch of the i3 has changed the conversation about the future application of carbon fibre in vehicle structures
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ArticleSeeing things clearly
AMS reports on the most recent developments in the use of machine vision technology for quality control applications in automotive manufacturingIn response to rapid and sustained improvements in machine vision technologies, a growing number of automotive manufacturing OEMs and suppliers are now deploying such systems in a wider range of ...
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ArticleCounting on the data
The implementation of digital tools is transforming the quality control processes in manufacturing operationsPhysical jigs are now being rendered as digital models and Audi says it is well on the way to representing a concept that resides in the digital, ‘virtual’ world. The company is now exploiting the concept of ...
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ArticleAGVs set in motion
As Industry 4.0 kicks into even higher gear, AGV technology is helping to make it a smoother and more responsive upshiftEarlier this year, we discussed how automated guided vehicles, AGVs, are becoming fixtures of the automotive industry and how enterprise approaches and deployments were beginning to gain traction. A year ...
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ArticleTaking control
With the growth in automated assembly applications comes a demand for quality data and improved insightsThe prevalent dimensional control strategy of the automotive industry has been to incorporate various in-line and near-line measurement devices into production lines. Different approaches have been successfully implemented, from a few single cells along the ...