Latest News & Features – Page 134
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ArticleBearing in mind PTFE
Little attention is paid to the humble PTFE bearing, but this small part can affect assembly and performanceThe hinges on doors, bonnets and other car-body closures seem at first to be among the most straightforward elements of the componentry on any vehicle. But, as is often the case, the appearance ...
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ArticleEarthquakes disrupt Japan production
Japan – Vehicle-makers have been obliged to temporarily suspend production at a number of plants after earthquakes in the south of the country on April 14 and April 16.Honda initially announced a suspension of production until April 22 at its Kumamoto factory but has now extended this to April 28, ...
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ArticleFactory-wide metrological network
Etalon claims its Absolute Multiline Technology offers a measurement system for monitoring the geometric accuracy of machine tools by means of high-precision length measurements: An absolute distance interferometer measuring with sub-micrometer resolution serves as metrological centrepiece of a factory.The company says it connects with any number of machines via a ...
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Article
Bearing in mind PTFE
The hinges that allow doors, bonnets and other closures on a car to open and close seem at first sight to be among the most straightforward elements of the componentry on any vehicle. But, as is often the case, the appearance of simplicity can disguise a surprising amount of technical ...
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ArticleCutting it fine
There can be no let up in machine tool investment among companies which are keen to beat the competitionMachine tools are in a constant state of evolution as controls get smarter and spindle speeds and traverse rates get faster. In the automotive supply chain, this demands regular investment in the ...
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ArticleHonda reinvents assembly line
Thailand – The company has developed a mass-production vehicle assembly line which incorporates a 'flowing cell' system. Honda has named this the ARC (Assembly Revolution Cell) Line and introduced it to the new Prachinburi plant.Contrasting with conventional production in which one worker is responsible for a single installation task as ...
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ArticleHonda extends production stoppage
Japan – The company has said it will extend the halt of production operations at its Kumamoto factory (from its previously announced date of April 22) until April 28, in view of the extent of facility damage resulting from the Kumamoto earthquake.Operations at this plant will be reviewed after April ...
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Article
UK’s largest automotive cluster
UK – The first 12 months of the North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA) has seen it grow to become the UK’s largest automotive cluster group and it’s claimed one of the biggest in Europe. The industry-led cluster group it now has more than 130 members ranging from Nissan and Komatsu ...
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Grupo Antolin opens a new factory in China
China – The new plant, part of a joint venture with Dongfeng Visteon, will manufacture headliners and door panels for Renault, PSA, Nissan, Infiniti and Honda. The JV has invested more than €11m in the project that will expand employment to around 125 people by the end of the year.Currently ...
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ArticleCould Brexit mean business as usual?
As the UK's competing EU referendum campaigns gather speed, it is fascinating to ponder the impact a vote to leave would have on the automotive industry. About a year ago, I would have said that the so-called 'Brexit' would be unremittingly bad news for the UK's automotive manufacturing sector. Now, ...
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Article
EU referendum
As the UK‘s EU referendum campaigns gather speed, I am frequently asked for my views on the impact of a vote to leave on the industry. A year or so ago, I would have said that leaving the EU would be unremittingly bad news for the UK auto industry. Now, ...
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ArticleOerlikon Balzers expands at Bengaluru
India – The company has made a major investment in its new Automotive Solutions building, tripling the size of the existing service centre in Bengaluru. Oerlikon says the expansion will allow it to provide faster and better service, plus a wider portfolio, to customers for precision parts in a range ...
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AGVs find their way
Automated guided vehicles are carrying the assembly lines to a flexible futureHistorically, the automotive industry has relied heavily on the use of robotics technologies for pure manufacturing operations like assembly, welding and stamping – but in recent years other robotics applications such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) have become more ...
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Article
Cool down, clean up
Beside selecting the right coolant or cutting fluid for the material being machined, ensuring the fluid is kept clean for as long as possible is just as important, both for quality and cost savingMachine shops using water-based metalworking fluids are being urged to initiate a regular system cleaning regime, amid ...
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ArticleAGVs find their way
Automated guided vehicles are carrying assembly lines toward a more flexible futureHistorically, the automotive industry has relied heavily on the use of robotic technologies for pure manufacturing operations like assembly, welding and stamping, but in recent years other applications such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) have become more popular in ...
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ArticleSoftware to create fixturing set-ups
Renishaw is launching FixtureBuilder a 3D-modelling software package designed to allow the off-line creation and documentation of fixturing set-ups. The software can be used with a CAD model of the part to be inspected, which is imported into FixtureBuilder, so that the fixture can be built around it, claims the ...
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ArticleUltrasonic welding for automotive applications
Telsonic says its latest suite of ultrasonic welding systems have been used to produce a series of exterior and interior components, including sensor housings and switch bezels, for a number of current JLR models.The company claims ultrasonic welding offers precise and repeatable control of the joining process, ensuring that the ...
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WebinarArcelorMittal Webinar: ArcelorMittal’s S-in motion® Mid-size Sedan and SUV platform solutions
Since initial rollout, ArcelorMittal’s S-in motion® lightweight steel solutions have assisted OEMs achieve significant body-structure weight reductions in production vehicles. Building upon its existing C-segment Sedan and Pickup Truck solutions, the S-in motion® range is now being extended to Mid-size Sedans and SUVs for the first time in a ...
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ArticleNexteer announces European expansion
Poland – The motion control specialist will spend over $16m on building a third plant and on opening a technical centre in Tychy later this year. The company will add 100 engineers to its workforce and has already started the recruitment process.The new factory will boost Nexteer’s capacity to produce ...
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ArticleCool down, clean up
Beside selecting the right coolant or cutting fluid for the material being machined, ensuring that the fluid is kept clean for as long as possible is just as important, both for quality and cost savingMachine shops using water-based metalworking fluids are being urged to initiate a regular system-cleaning regime, amid ...