All Ford articles – Page 43
-
ArticleUltimate simplicity and flexibility in handling systems from Geico
Geico’s patented conveyor system for pre-treatment and e-coat plants – J-Flex – has shown simple design, extreme planning fl exibility and effi cient production. It minimises the stress on the body whilst improving the treatment in the most hidden parts. In addition, the company’s DPH-06 new powder paint pump, has ...
-
ArticlePigs in the paint shop
VarioBell at Rehau Robots on the inside Plastic component supplier Rehau and BMW have both benefited from the latest paint line technology supplied by Eisenmann. And it’s based on a pigging system that enables rapid paint changes with little loss Surface finishing is one of ...
-
ArticleMix and match and measure
No more trial and errorProblem solvingThe growing catalogue of effect paints now flooding the automotive market means matching and measuring colour is more of a challenge than ever. X-Rite has come up with a new tool which it says will make the job easierX-Rite has launched its xDNA system with ...
-
ArticleSnow-jet cleaning system
System had to be reliable, above allFast and flexibleOptimum results with the patented cleaning headA subcontractor is using a CO2 snow-jet cleaning system integrated into the manufacturing process, instead of a powerwash system to clean plastic parts for the motor vehicle industry. This reduces both operating costs and rejects caused ...
-
ArticleNew methods for manufacturing
Welding robotsMilitary spaceframesThroat sizeMoulding the linerPUR skinLFI InmoldTaking out the VOCsBy-passing the bridgeResearch effortScanning for accuracyProduction futureTier suppliers and manufacturers of vehicles outside the passenger car market have long been pioneers in the adoption of new technologies. AMS examines some of the latest innovations and techniques being used to cut ...
-
ArticleKeeping things under control
Quick start upFast and flexibleABB has released its new IRC5P controller, an integrated system that makes painting processes more flexible, give users more control over the entire system and makes coating more efficientThe latest version of ABB’s PC-based software for configuring and operating painting installations – IRC5P – offers outstanding ...
-
ArticleFlexible friend at Magna Steyr
Lowering plant emissionsA complete solutionMatching market conditionsThe Chrysler assembly lineGlass applicationExperienced production line teamsCovering all the basesWhat is it about Magna Steyr that convinces OEMs to come to you to build their cars? Gerhard Stiegler, Vice-President of Operations does not hesitate with his answer. “Our flexibility, our range of services ...
-
ArticlePlasma for the perfect finish
Activating and cleaning surfacesBonding to polymerVehicle partsCorrosion protectionIf a brand is to score it needs to look good and this means that pre-treatment prior to the final surface coating is essential. One way to achieve this is through the high activation of surfaces using atmospheric pressure plasma. The process, using ...
-
ArticleEditor's Note: The cost of doing business
It is likely that surging material prices will have an increasingly detrimental effect on company profit margins. Prices of hot-rolled coil in the US and Europe have ranged from $1,100 to $1,200 per metric ton, and are anticipated to reach $1,500 by the end of 2008. Similarly, the price of ...
-
ArticleA new scheme for colour
Increasing demandThermoforming and mouldingLearning processHigh-volume productionPaint-free technology for automotive applications is moving forward at a rapid pace, driven by a need for environmentally-friendly and cost-effective alternatives to traditional painting operations. Paint films provide huge benefits, such as the elimination of paint lines and their associated emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds ...
-
ArticleKeeping down the costs
New campusEnergy savingsCost controlCool ideasSmaller boothsChemicals and coatingsPaint-shop experts Dürr and Eisenmann are maintaining their position in the market during these difficult times by embracing the energy-saving and sustainable technologyWhen 90 per cent of your business is accounted for by one industry you have to be certain that it is ...
-
ArticleGone in 60 seconds
Finding the energyThree-wetPride in the pre-treatmentLocal solutions to legislationScratching the surfaceFinding the right cureLessons in lightnessFord’s first Model Ts came in grey, red and Brewster Green, but the paint shop that Mark Nichols, the OEM's Technical Leader of Paint Research, knows is used to a lot more varietyThere is no ...
-
ArticleMaking a clean job of car coating
Efficient coatingOstrich feathersPowder coat expertiseRust never sleepsBMW’s Leipzig plant employs up-to date paint shop technology to ensure each car finishes up to the highest standard and does so with minimal environmental impactNowhere is this more obvious than in the paint shop, which backs modern processes with the latest environmental credentials, ...
-
ArticleLaser-sharp products
A full range of products on showGiving a flawless appearanceCutting maintenance costsThis year’s Euroblech exhibition, running from 21-25 October in Hanover, Germany, will again be the world’s leading sheet metalworking show. A preview of some of the products and services that will be shownMore than 140 companies, from Italy, Taiwan ...
-
ArticleMaking the best of India
Turning Tata aroundNew challengesGlobal reachWhat India lacks in infrastructure it makes up for in engineering talent and resourceful enthusiasm. In this first of two reports on the region, AMS looks at Tata Motors and talks to Eric Vas about the manufacturing challenges of this rapidly growing marketAs one drives through ...
-
ArticleGreen is the new brown
Sometimes it just isn’t possible to build on a brownfield site, so those building on greenfield sites must do so in an environmentally sensitive wayAs you might expect of a country as environmentally sensitive as Canada, the major OEMs and Tier Ones – most of which are concentrated in Ontario ...
-
ArticleMaterials bounce back
Sensitive material can add value downstreamWorking with software developersWaste not, want notNew possibilities with nanotechnologyBonding rubberMoulds and foamsAlternative challengesThose offering different materials to the automotive marketplace now need to argue a considerably more complex case than mere physical characteristics and priceAnyone tracing the history of material use in the automotive ...
-
ArticleBuilding the perfect Bentley
Building the Bentley Production SystemNew assembly linePenny for your thoughtsSetting the pacePull and feedQuality for tomorrowUK car production is a rare sight these days and it took a dramatic turn around in production processes to keep Bentley on British soil. AMS went to Crewe to talk to Senior Production Manager ...
-
ArticleHMS uses robotic program for simulation
Simulating complex toolingIt’s all in the retrofitToday’s production lines need to be flexible and adaptable, and one way of ensuring that the robotics is up to the job is to do 3D simulations using an innovative programFlexibility, affordability, and efficiency are key ingredients of today’s successful automotive assembly lines. In ...
-
ArticleFit for automated purpose
Greater product varietyDevelopments in weldingReprogrammable robotic devicesClose co-operation between user and supplierThere was a time when ‘hard’ automation – tailor-made, dedicated installations – was the trend, but things are moving to a more flexible approachIt appears that the use of robots in the automotive manufacturing sector is entering an unpredictable ...