All Joining articles – Page 6
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ArticleBeaming with benefits
Clean, flexible and able to provide quality assurance data, laser technology is now proving effective in welding plasticsA recent report released by Credence Research suggests that the US welding equipment industry for plastics is undergoing a period of explosive growth. The industry was valued at $595.3m in 2015, and the ...
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ArticleUnder the spotlight
With current demand for lightweighting so voracious, there are many applications in which OEMs are looking to spot weld mixed-material assemblies Trumpf's I-PFO is suited to the laser welding of doors, seats, sun roofs and other large body partsWith high thermal and electrical conductivity plus the very high electrical resistance ...
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Article
Mazda Hofu to make new CX-5
Japan – The plant in Yamaguchi prefecture will start producing the vehicle in November, joining the Ujina factory in Hiroshima where it is already manufactured. Mazda says the production launch is in response to growing worldwide demand for SUVs.“As with the CX-3, starting production of the CX-5 at Hofu Plant ...
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ArticleUnder contract
Valmet Automotive is experiencing rapid growth with a new Daimler contract to build its GLC SUV, partnership with a leading Chinese battery supplier and engineering acquisitions in EuropeIt might have been a chilly -12°C outside the Uusikaupunki plant on the day of our visit, but things are certainly heating up ...
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ArticleToyota makes American appointments
US – The changes, effective from April 1, are intended to “strengthen regional integration in North America”, according to Jim Lentz, Toyota’s CEO for the area. The company announced in April 2014 that it was establishing new headquarters at Plano, Texas, for its North American manufacturing, sales and marketing and ...
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ArticleA world of possibilities
Advanced high-strength steel offers advantages for cost and sustainability in automotive manufacturing Looking into the future of automotive manufacturing, some challenges are clear. Vehicle weight, environmental impact and the number of injuries due to accidents must all be reduced, yet costs cannot be allowed to rise. Advanced high-strength steel ...
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ArticleToyota gives Thomas group VP role
US – As group vice-president (VP), chief compliance officer for Toyota Motor North America (TMNA), Jacqueline Thomas will lead multiple departments: internal audit; compliance and ethics; regulatory compliance; customs/trade compliance; and assurance. Thomas will continue to report to Jim Lentz, CEO of TMNA.Thomas joined Toyota in 1999 as a financial ...
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ArticlePerfectly crafted
As demand for light commercial vehicles grows, Volkswagen sees its new facility in Poland as a laboratory for future LCV manufacturing operations with 70% of production tailored to customer specificationThe gala opening of VW’s new production facility at Wrzesnia revealed a very impressive, state-of-the-art factory, albeit at the time producing ...
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Article
Raciocínio de princípio
Investir €500 milhões para expandir sua operação em Leipzig significa que, pela primeira vez, a Porsche pode ter três modelos em uma única rota através de estações idênticasDesde que a produção do Macan começou em 2014, a Porsche Leipzig tem operado como uma instalação de produção de pleno direito com ...
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ArticleBack on track
Automotive manufacturers operating in South-East Asia are seeing the gloom lift as the car market begins growing again after a troubling couple of yearsWith the exception of Thailand and, to a lesser extent, Indonesia, both of which build vehicles for export, local production in South-East Asia is mainly aimed at ...
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Article
- 原则推理
保时捷向莱比锡工厂投资5亿欧元进行扩建，这是公司首次在一个生产线上生产3款车型自2014年保时捷莱比锡工厂开始Macan汽车以来，一直都是成熟的生产厂，拥有现代化喷漆车间和专门的汽车车体修理厂。对Panamera而言，白车身要在汉诺威大众工厂进行制造和喷漆，然后运送到Saxony工厂，进行预装配和总装配。现在，为了进行新一代Panamera完整的生产，保时捷进行了16年以来的第四次扩建，汽车车体修理厂扩大到56,000平方米。该项目投资5亿欧元，改装了装配线，升级基础设施，又产生600个工作岗位。这种稳步改进状态并没有影响公司理念或生产车型。莱比锡工厂与祖文浩森（在斯图加特附近，是911生产地）工厂的生产理念相同。品牌理念可追溯到公司创始人，Ferry Porsche，他一直坚信“一切都要极致”。Panamera汽车车体修理厂总经理Christoph Beerhalter说：“这里的生产特点就是流程透明化，并一贯实施精益生产原则。”"铝是要求非常高的一种材料。使用抛光板和抛光技术，产生的热量可能会是材料变形，要想避免这一点，就需要技术" - Christoph Beerhalter, 保时捷汽车以准时化顺序方式对预装配和特定车型组件进行送递，可以准确完成装配线订单 — 有时候会直接抵达规定地点和装配线。工厂不断进行改进，减少甚至消除浪费，并继续强调高质量。首要工作原则就是流程 — 智能物流和IT系统连接了所有创造价值过程。保时捷制造商根据“客户循环” — 生产数量 — 是制造汽车所有工艺的推动力。装配车间的员工们从物流供应中心拿到材料。然后，供应商提供高质量零部件，并满足即时需求，避免生产过剩和不必要的缓冲。最后，零错误原则保证高速而稳定的产品工艺，避免小失误。高度垂直整合Panamera的车体是在大众集团灵活的模块化标准装备（MSB）基础上制造的。莱比锡工厂新增的MSB汽车车体修理厂是由工厂控制系统监管，负责汽车订单中从第一个组件到白车身的各个方面。汽车车体是由430个独立零部件，通过热能机械接合方法组装而成，使用200多米长的粘合剂。MSB汽车车体修理厂平均每小时生产13个汽车车体。这里共有475个机器人和189名员工，建造汽车车体，垂直化整合率超过90%。Beerhalter说，“汽车车体的45%是由铝构成。铝成本很高，需要及高度的模具制造与表面抛光稳定性。”铝质外壳新款Panamera的整个外壳都是有铝构成的。汽车车体从下到上是由4个主要部分构成：底座、上层结构、附加零部件和表面加工。首先，车身前部平台、地板和车身后部组装在一起，构成底部线。侧板和顶棚附加在底座上，之后的建构城流程本位三大部分。在上层结构上，内侧壁被焊接到底座结构上。下一步是安装第二个上层结构，即外侧板 — 这些是外饰板，构成了Panamera设计的主要部分。第三部分，就是将汽车车体完整地安装到顶棚上。 The €500million investment created 600 new jobs and saw production at Porsche Leipzig rise to 650 cars per day在附加零部件生产线上，车门、后备箱、前翼、和阀盖（这些都是同步提前制造的）就被安装到车身上。机器人将车本和阀盖全自动安装起来，因为曲面之间紧密的间隙尺寸需要自动的方式。工人们使用一个半自动程序装配所有的附加零部件。第四个，也是最后一个部分就是表面加工。汽车制造商检测表面，如果需要还会进一步加工，并调整附加零部件。这个部分需要的员工最多，因为这部分需要手工技术和肉眼。Beerthalter说，“铝是要求非常高的材料，很难制成零部件，因为这需要非常熟练地应用抛光板和抛光技术 — 产生的热量可能使材料变形，想要避免这种情况就需要技术。”空调不仅能冷却这个繁忙而拥挤的生产线，而且让空气中的铝粉尘落下并提取出来。操作员和车辆分别推动皮带，使其倾斜，创造一种优质人体工学高度，适合安装车翼、阀盖和顶棚等。Beerhalter说，“之后就遇到另一个质量瓶颈。每个车体都需要检查，这就需要喷漆车间完成。” On average, 13 bodies are produced per hour in the ...
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ArticlePrincipled reasoning
Investing €500m to expand its operation at Leipzig means that, for the first time, Porsche can take three models on a single route through identical stationsSince production of the Macan began in 2014, Porsche Leipzig has operated as a fully-fledged production facility with a modern paintshop and a dedicated bodyshop. ...
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ArticleEnsuring global productivity
With low heat input, high welding speed and short weld-to-weld times, laser welding is helping meet the demand for increased output and use of lightweight materialsAs a system integrator of high-end automatic welding equipment, the Dutch company AWL-Techniek has grown into a global partner for its customers with branches in ...
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ArticleFitting rewards
ArcelorMittal’s stronger hot-stamping grades are ideal for laser-welded blank applications, leading to further weight reductions and increased safetyThe automotive industry faces two major challenges today: emissions reduction and improvement of safety standards. Reducing vehicle weight by using lighter materials is an obvious way to cut emissions, but steel offers unbeatable ...
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WebinarKUKA podcasts: A robotic future
Over the course of three podcasts Kuka’s Corporate Innovation manager, Dominik Boesl discusses the precedents, current trends and future innovations that have and will continue to shape the future of robotics. Dominik explains why today we are seen as a generation of “robotic-immigrants” ...
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Webinar
KUKA podcast: A robotic future, episode 2
Over the course of three podcasts Kuka’s Corporate Innovation manager, Dominik Boesl discusses the precedents, current trends and future innovations that have and will continue to shape the future of robotics.Dominik explains why today we are seen as a generation of “robotic-immigrants” but how our grandchildren will grow up as ...
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ArticleFastening future
Following the lead of their automotive customers, fastening technology specialists are responding to industry demands to find innovation in weight, strength and performanceAs OEMs develop lightweight construction and optimised materials, the challenge for fastening specialists is to provide solutions as small, light and adaptable ideas without compromising on strength. Profil’s ...
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ArticleRed E-volution
Latin America is joining Europe and Asia by jumping on the electric busIt looks like any of the other thousands of red double-decker buses proceeding through the loud traffic on London’s streets, but if you listen closely you’ll soon realise that some buses are different. Instead of the usual engine ...
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WebinarKUKA Webinar: Future of Robotics
We are all regularly presented with inventions and disruptive technology that prompt us to ask, are they fads or here to stay? Whether it was radio, micro-computers or even the internet, predicting which technology trends would become indispensable always made for fascinating discussion. In automotive manufacturing, an essential innovation under ...
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ArticleFastening future
Following the lead of their automotive customers, fastening technology specialists are responding to industry demands to find innovation in weight, strength and performanceAs OEMs develop lightweight construction and optimised materials, the challenge for fastening specialists is to provide solutions as small, light and adaptable ideas without compromising on strength. Profil’s ...