All Casting/Forging articles – Page 3
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ArticleSmartly pressed
OEMs and suppliers are teaming up to design and construct a state-of-art press shops, duly networked for an industry 4.0 approach More on Stamping Ford Saarlouis Gestamp Constellium, Georgia Skoda Mlade BoleslavArguably the main technological factor most commonly associated with metal pressing and forming equipment is ...
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ArticleMaking metal add up
Additively manufactured metal parts present a challenge for high-volume production but at the other end of the scale, engineers are successfully developing the process for specialist, low volume parts. Mike Farish reportsAll over the automotive industry companies are exploring the potential of additive techniques to make parts in polymers and ...
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ArticleFrom prototype to production
The use of additive manufacturing technologies has now moved passed their initial application area of just ‘rapid prototyping’ While now seeing use in limited production roles, additive techniques are still being put to use in new and innovative ways as product development tools. One example is the Plastics 3D Printing ...
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ArticleMagna opens aluminium casting facility
UK - The supplier has opened a new aluminium casting facility in Telford, England, in order to provide structural castings to Jaguar Land Rover. The facility covers 225,000 sq.m and will employ around 300 people."With this new aluminium casting facility, we have established a world-class centre of excellence to bring ...
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ArticleTracking and training
Digital technologies are providing new training solutions for the automotive industry. Nick Holt reportsEye tracking systems are now being successfully used to create training programs that reduce errors in manufacturing operations. Mike Bartel, senior research developer at Tobii Pro Insights provided an overview of what this technology offers: “Eye tracking ...
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ArticleAluminium allegiance
Industry analysts are predicting a growth phase for aluminium content in the vehicle material mix. AMS reports on the new grades and applications that underpin this claim
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ArticleWelding simulations for sheet metal structures
Welding 7 is the latest version of Simufact’s software for the simulation of welding processes, which the company claims offers shorter processing times, more accurate results, and a more intuitive operational use. Functions include solid-shell elements, simplified calculation methods for resistance spot welding processes and the more flexible consideration of ...
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ArticleSuccess hinges on AM
Simufact’s Michael Wohlmuth and Michael Tran describe LightHinge+, a co-engineering project that used the extended possibilities of additive production to develop a lightweight solution with fewer components and simpler assembly One of the main advantages of additive manufacturing (AM) is the near-unlimited freedom in design due to die-less production. ...
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ArticleSpain’s rising star
Renault’s Valladolid plant is piloting some of the latest digital manufacturing technologiesThe Spanish plant has become a star in Renault’s production network for making one of the brand’s most successful new-segment launches: the Captur small SUV. Since start of production in 2013, the car has passed the ‘1m built’ milestone ...
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ArticleNew aspects
GOM’s 3D Metrology Conference continued the tradition of showcasing the latest in industrial 3D metrology, inspection and testing to automotive manufacturing professionals from around the worldWith more than 750 visitors from more than 50 countries, the GOM Conference proved again to be an established forum for experts in metrology, quality ...
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ArticleCleaning and machining
The Bonderite duaLCys process has been used in a precision tool, machining project at German customer Mapal, claims Henkel. The company says the process can be tailored to the customer’s needs across their value chain from casting and machining to assembly. One of the stated benefits is the recycling of ...
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ArticleThe stage to engage
The continually restructuring tier supply environment is witnessing record M&A activity amid rapid technological changeTier one suppliers currently face a bewildering mix of challenges, some long-term and some short-term in impact. This has always been the case, but the pace of change and the scale of adjustment required now are ...
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ArticleSteel town
ArcelorMittal’s Indiana Harbor steel mill has needed to change with the times. AMS paid a visitArcelorMittal employs over 4,200 people at its Indiana Harbor facility, which has been the site of steel making for over 100 years. According to Wendell Carter, long-serving steel man, vice-president and general manager: “Indiana Harbor ...
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ArticleHonda Anna reaches 25m engines
US – The milestone unit, built on Line 4, was a 1.5-litre turbo for a 2018 Accord made at Marysville Auto Plant, also in Ohio. Honda’s largest engine factory worldwide has reached this cumulative total after 32 years of operation.Anna Engine Plant recently received investment of $47m to introduce engines ...
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ArticleGM goes green in Ohio and Indiana
US – The OEM announced that its manufacturing facilities in the two states will by powered by 100% renewable energy, through the purchase of 200MW from wind farms. When the turbines come online at the end of 2018, renewable energy will account for 20% of GM’s global electricity consumption.The 200MW ...
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ArticleAutonomy drive
Suzuki has stayed independent of big joint ventures despite becoming increasingly dependent on markets outside JapanIn an industry where mergers and collaborations between major players are increasingly common, Suzuki remains something of an outlier. It has largely eschewed wide-ranging, large-scale alliances with other vehicle companies, especially since its joint venture ...
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ArticleNissan Tochigi's human touch
Automotive manufacturing is known for its robotics, but Nissan’s ‘master craftsmen’ show that there is still a place for human skill. AMS went to see them at work on the GTR and Infiniti models made at Tochigi, JapanMost countries value luxury products, but few cherish the beauty of production quite ...
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ArticleOpen-door opportunity
Much R&D work has been done to reduce the weight of vehicle structures, but closures still represent a significant opportunity for weight savingsClosures are mounted after body assembly and can be built up off-line, meaning that they can be made of entirely different materials, such as aluminium, to the vehicle’s ...
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ArticleGrowth and innovation
Reduced costs, recyclability and new joining technologies are driving the use of aluminium in automotive structuresFord's switch from steel to aluminium for the body of its F-Series trucks was called its ‘billion-dollar gamble’. But the carmaker felt that the opportunity to shed some 300kg of weight from the vehicle was ...
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Article
Desbancando ineficiências
Inovações de ferramentas combinadas com parcerias de fornecedores estão se provando importantes para o ganho competitivo em oficinas de máquinas automotivas em todo o mundoA fábrica de motores da Ford Bridgend, no Reino Unido, que produz mais de 750.000 motores a gasolina por ano, se envolveu em uma parceria de ...