Latest News & Features – Page 147
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ArticleBMW partners with Oxford Brookes University
UK – The university is now accepting applications for its BSc (Hons) Business and Automotive Management, which has been developed in collaboration with the OEM. The four-year course prepares students for a career in the automotive industry and is tailored to suit the needs of BMW as an employer.Students will ...
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Schuler to install press line at FAW-VW Qingdao
China – The company will supply a press line with ServoDirect technology and a servo tryout press, to fulfil an order valued in the double-digit, million-euro range. With a total force of 81,000kN, the servo press line will mainly be used to produce car body parts such as bonnets and ...
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New digital tools
Building on its MyTrumpf customer portal (www.uk.mytrumpf.com), Trumpf says it has introduced a number of new digital tools to help users get the best return from their machine investment.For smart phone and tablet users there are three new mobile apps. The BendGuide and PunchGuide apps enable machine operators to calculate ...
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Rapid drying metal process cleaner
Quaker Chemical has developed QUAKERCLEAN 680 VDA, a new fast drying process cleaner, which it claims delivers a consistent, imperceptible film that protects against corrosion.The company says this process cleaner is suitable for any application that requires minimal residue after the final wash process and will clean and protect ferrous ...
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Automated decorative strip system
AWL-Techniek says it has built a fully automated system for the assembly of decorative strips for car windows. In three stages, both the strips and assembly clips are provided with primer, hardener and glue. Each layer is checked separately for quality. After the clips have been mounted, the extensions for ...
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ArticleBentley turns out first Bentayga
UK – The vehicle was handbuilt during 130 hours at the manufacturer’s Crewe plant, which will now begin full production. Deliveries will commence in January 2016.The Bentayga is part of a £840m ($1.3 billion) investment programme which has seen the creation of 1,500 jobs plus new facilities at Crew, including ...
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Toyota starts new Innova production, Karawang
Indonesia – Plant 1 has become the first facility worldwide to make the model, after an investment of five trillion Indonesian rupiah ($361,000). Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN) has also taken steps to increase the number of its suppliers in the area, resulting in a local content level of 85%.“This ...
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ArticleSteering the right course
AMS takes a look at the customisation of EPS systems to meet vehicle-makers' production requirements According to Paul Poirel, chief product engineer Europe at Nexteer, the technology that electronic power steering (EPS) systems feature has implications not just for their own manufacture but also for the assembly operations carried out ...
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Audi tests ‘medical’ gloves in assembly
Germany – The ‘production orthoses’, which are claimed to reduce pressure stress by more than 50%, are being trialled at Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm in Germany, Brussels in Belgium and Győr in Hungary. Audi plans to introduce the gloves to series production later this year.Audi says its car-door assembly workers install ...
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Skoda Mladá Boleslav celebrates 12m milestone
Czech Republic – The cumulative production total at the OEM’s main plant, which has been operating since 1905, was reached this month. Mladá Boleslav is currently undergoing a modernisation and expansion programme which will see its capacity increase still further.The factory currently makes six Skoda models: the Octavia, the Octavia ...
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JLR’s new EMC to double in size
UK – A £450m ($678m) investment will increase the footprint of its Engine Manufacturing Centre (EMC) in Wolverhampton, which opened last year, to 200,000sq.m. The OEM said the greater capacity will support its “product offensive”.The EMC was established to make Ingenium engines and is Jaguar Land Rover’s first in-house engine ...
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ArticleFiat Melfi: The billion-euro factory
FCA has revived its plant in southern Italy with a massive investment to create state-of-the-art facilitiesThe workforce at Fiat Melfi in Italy gave a huge cheer when, back in 2012, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) head Sergio Marchionne announced that the ailing plant was to receive a €1billion ($1.1 billion) investment ...
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ArticleThe billion euro plant
FCA has invested heavily in its plant at Melfi to create a state-of-the-art production facilityThe workforce at Fiat’s Melfi factory gave a huge cheer when, back in 2012, FCA head Sergio Marchionne announced that the ailing plant was to receive a €1 billion (£700 million) investment to make two new ...
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ArticleVW Wolfsburg now using smart eyewear
Germany – Following a three-month pilot phase, the plant is rolling out 3D glasses to logistics personnel for use during order picking. Volkswagen says the aim is to improve process security in production.The smart eyewear enables personnel to keep both hands free while working, displaying information such as part numbers ...
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ArticleBrexit: The automotive angle
Last week I travelled to Birmingham for Aston University’s Centre for Europe debate on the UK's upcoming EU referendum and its implications for the automotive industry. No firm conclusions were reached, although the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) chief executive, Mike Hawes, strongly reiterated the pro-EU membership line ...
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ArticleChina steamrolls on
Demand for cars is growing despite the economic slowdown – and domestic OEM are getting competitiveOvercapacity problem worsensPremium makers struggleHeavy-truck makers sufferOpportunities open up for EVsMotorcycle-makers challenged by IndiaDemand for cars in China is still growing despite a wider economic slowdown in the country, but the near-term prospects of global ...
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ArticleChinese dragon rolls on
Demand for cars is growing despite the economic slowdown – and domestic OEM are getting competitiveOvercapacity problem worsensPremium makers struggleHeavy-truck makers sufferOpportunities open up for EVsMotorcycle-makers challenged by IndiaDemand for cars in China is still growing despite a wider economic slowdown in the country, but the near-term prospects of global ...
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ArticleFord hails 3D printing in production
US – In celebrating the 25-year anniversary of the technology, the OEM said it has “played a key role” in the development of three well-known models: the GT, the Mondeo Vignale and the Focus RS. Also used on other Ford vehicles, 3D printing speeds up part prototyping, enabling designers and ...
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Hofmann and Järvklo join VW board
Germany – Replacing Berthold Huber and Hartmut Meine, who recently resigned, Jörg Hofmann and Johan Järvklo took up their mandates on November 20 and 22 respectively. Hofmann is first chairman of IG Metall, while Järvklo represents the Swedish Metal Workers’ Union at Scania.Hans Pötsch, chairman of the supervisory board, thanked ...
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ArticleNissan Canton starts making new Titan XD
US – The 2016 Nissan Titan XD full-size pick-up truck, powered by Cummins technology, will go on sale in late 2015. Job one at the Mississippi plant was a Forged Copper Platinum Reserve model.“It has been a long, hard journey getting to today,” said José Muñoz, executive vice-president, Nissan Motor ...