All Ford articles – Page 40
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ArticleFollow the light
As the global vehicle manufacturing business suffers, Nissan’s light commercial vehicle division is bucking the trend, investing heavily in new plants and product programmes from North Africa to North America. Andy Palmer, the head of this business unit, explains how Nissan plans to leapfrog its rivals to become the number ...
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ArticleEditor's Note: US government must rescue carmakers
As much as independent spectators to the current turmoil might consider the likelihood of any American carmaker’s bankruptcy as just comeuppance for rampant overproduction and profligate spending, the truth of the matter is that the 2.5m Americans that work directly or indirectly in the industry do not deserve to be ...
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ArticleSimultaneous engineering at AES
Combining the advanced engineering expertise of CATIA and DELMIA is yielding impressive results for AESUtilising 3D models and robot simulations in key processesModel simulations with fewer steps and greater accuracyProspects for the futureBuilding on its core competence in automotive plant engineering, AES has set up overseas bases in Thailand, China, ...
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ArticleThe right chemistry for cleaning
Cleaner running applies as much to manufacturing processes as to finished automotive products – more so, in the case of water and chemicals used in manufacturingWhat are the alternatives?The sweet smell of successWhen plastic is not so fantasticZero is the new heroKind on the balance sheetWater on the brainEvery drop ...
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ArticleClearly visible benefits
Solutions that cover and facilitate whole product lifecycle processes are growing in importance, and the main driver is visualisation technology.Factory planningVisualisation is entering a new dimension that goes beyond mere photorealistic product imagery. So far, designers have primarily concentrated on visualising product concepts, prototypes and finished products. Now, the trend ...
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ArticleFrom art to part
Time-to-market pressure has never been greater, which is why new technology to shorten this critical process is becoming more impressiveCost-saving prototype designLet’s get physical3D printingYears ago, the beginning of any new automotive project was called the ‘fuzzy front end’. No one really knew how much time would be required to ...
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Article
Nair is the new Vice-President for Ford Asia Pacific and Africa
Bangkok, Thailand – Bangkok, Thailand – Ford has appointed Raj Nair as the new Vice-President of Operations for Asia Pacific and Africa, while Jeffrey Wellman has been appointed Executive Director of Purchasing for the region.They will be based in the Asia Pacific and Africa headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, Nair reporting ...
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Mondragon takes the President and CEO post of Ford Canada
Ontario, Canada – David Mondragon has taken up his new post as President and CEO of Ford Motor Company of Canada. “It’s an exciting time to join Ford of Canada as we accelerate plans to introduce new fuel-efficient vehicles, especially small cars and crossovers, which are exactly what Canadian consumers ...
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ArticleThe steel age for ArcelorMittal
The search for new marketsProducing lighter, stronger steelTailor-made steel solutionsThe coating process – a challenge for the futureArcelorMittal is continuing to develop stronger, lighter steels for use in the automotive industry. A looks at the latest materials, and seeing what the future holds for steel"The three most important factors in ...
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ArticleMaking light work of heavy equipment
Adapting to current economic conditionsFacility investment to improve efficiencyFarm and construction equipment innovationsDeveloping the product rangeJCB launches first in-house diesel engineGuarding against excessive complexityLessons for carmakersAs carmakers search for solutions to help steer them through tough economic conditions, there are lessons from recent innovations by agricultural and construction equipment manufacturersIt’s ...
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ArticleKemppi’s weld time measuring device aids productivity
Kemppi (UK) Ltd has launched ArcTimer, a small, easy-to-use device that is attached to the welding cable or the earth cable from an MMA, MIG or TIG welding machine to measure the actual welding time of the machine. Welding is labour intensive and the ability to determine the welding time, ...
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ArticleDriven to automation
There’s no shortage of innovative ideas and must-see presentations at this year’s SPS/IPC/Drives Electric Automation show in Nuremberg, from 25-27 November.The chance to see what’s new, compare notes and extend, strengthen and reinforce networks in today’s challenging market conditions isn’t to be lightly passed up. Probably the best opportunity this ...
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ArticleGoing in the white direction
Splitting, thinning and wrinklingPressing mattersMoving things alongLaser-based welding controls the heatExtending the focusing lengthTechnology streaks aheadTests show positive resultsAdjustable system is requiredThe need for speedAdding a dimensionEnhanced inspection measurementsAs a vehicle’s largest structure, the body-in-white is deserving of the attention it receives from a process optimisation perspective. AMS looks at ...
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ArticleFuture perfect for GM in South Africa
Different plants, similar challengesSourcing local suppliersTaking advantage of export marketsCatering for the local marketGood prospects for the futureDespite fluctuating demand, high inflation and volatile currencies, General Motors South Africa is optimistic about future prospectsBefore being appointed Vice-President of Manufacturing for General Motors South Africa, Rick Demuynck was head of the ...
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ArticleAt the ready at Vauxhall
Putting people firstGlobal Compact VehicleCutting the fatGreen can mean good businessSomething old, something newDespite tough economic conditions in Europe, Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant is prepared to face the future head on, as plant director Tom Schmidt, explainsThe first car produced by Vauxhall, in 1903, was a 5bhp (4kW) model that ...
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ArticleEditor's Note: Order of the day
Sales figures from America and Europe are no less than shocking, but for all the doom and gloom, there are still some carmakers managing to buck the trend. According to reports, Ferrari is expecting record sales for 2008; Audi CEO Rupert Stadler is forecasting the same for the German carmaker, ...
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Article
Focus software adds speed and versatility
Metris has released Focus Scan 5.1 and Inspection 9.1, which streamline the digital inspection process and embed it into the CAD-centric design-throughmanufacturing process, saving both time and money. Metris Focus is a fully-featured software suite for point cloud data acquisition and inspection. For non-contact 3D metrology applications, Focus drives the ...
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ArticleMisumi offers new linear motion systems
With the new LX Series range of linear motion units, MISUMI Europa offers compact ‘ready-tofit’ systems for applications with high precision and efficiency requirements. Due to the high number of options available, they are suitable for use in many industrial spheres, including single-or multi-axle applications in feeder units, adhesive dispensers ...
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ArticleEnergy for welding robots
Fronius’s new system package and its variants are designed for use with a combination of standard process arm robots and the tried and tested TransPuls Synergic welding systems. The system packages offer the user such benefi ts as cheaper, simpler and more reliable robot programming, reduced robot loading and therefore ...
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ArticleWear-free scanning – even with rough surfaces
Only the different gloss level of the surface shows that the ruby stylus of the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) must scan a rough surface. “This is often not good for the stylus,” according to Dr Frank Richter, responsible for stylus production at Carl Zeiss. “When measuring very hard materials, the ...