Latest News & Features – Page 97
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ArticleGordon Murray’s new manufacturing company
UK – The business, Gordon Murray Automotive, will produce limited-run models, beginning with a car launched under a new brand which will “buck the current trend for ever more complicated and heavy vehicles”, according to a statement. Vehicles will be built using a new version of Gordon Murray Design’s iStream ...
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Article
Smith takes American COO role at Hyundai
US – As chief operating officer (COO), Brian Smith will look after all aspects of the OEM’s operations in America, including corporate and strategic direction, sales, marketing, customer satisfaction and dealer development. He will report to Kenny Lee, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America.Smith has spent more than 30 ...
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ArticleWinkelmann named as Bugatti leader
France – Replacing Wolfgang Dürheimer, who is retiring after five years as president, Stephan Winkelmann will take over on January 1. Winkelmann has served the Volkswagen Group as managing director of Audi since 2016.Before taking the role at Audi, Winkelmann was president and CEO of Lamborghini for 11 years. He ...
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ArticleToyota responds to Kobe quality issues
Japan – The vehicle-maker said it had examined data provided by Kobe Steel, which has admitted quality violations in aluminium and copper products, and “confirmed that the materials satisfy applicable statutory standards, and our own internal standard, for key safety and durability requirements for vehicles”. However, Toyota emphasised that its ...
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Article8-spindle multi for turn-milling components
German turning machine builder, Index, says it has launched a second 8-spindle CNC multi-spindle automatic, designated MS40-8, that is capable of turn-milling components from bar up to 40mm diameter. CNC multis normally have six spindles. The two additional stations offer the manufacture of components of higher complexity in the short ...
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ArticlePlug & play process automation
The Simatic PCS 7 Plant Automation Accelerator is a cross-system engineering tool for planners and automation specialists, says Siemens. The company claims the object-oriented approach of the system enables users to work on a central data platform, delivering integrated planning based on an electronic workflow, starting with plant engineering through ...
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ArticleVolvo plans Polestar plant in Chengdu
China – The Swedish company and its Chinese owner, Geely Holding, announced that together they will invest 5 billion yuan ($754.5m) to support Polestar’s product, brand and industrial development, which will include the establishment of a manufacturing facility in Chengdu. The Polestar 1 hybrid coupe will be made there from ...
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ArticleMazda Hofu starts making new CX-5
Japan – Plant 2 in Yamaguchi Prefecture has joined Hiroshima Plant and other facilities in China and Malaysia as a producer of the new model. Mazda said this will enable it to “flexibly and rapidly” meet growing global demand for crossovers.At the production launch, Hidenori Kawakami, executive officer and plant ...
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ArticleIacovelli to replace Klebert at Schuler
Germany – Schuler said that CEO Stefan Klebert “is not extending his contract and will leave the company by mutual consent” on April 24, 2018, the day of the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting. His successor, Domenico Iacovelli, has served as deputy CEO since 2007.Klebert joined Schuler on October 1, 2010. The ...
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ArticlePower measurement software
Yokogawa says its new WTViewerE software provides PC connectivity for the company’s power analysers – including the WT3000E, WT1800E, WT500 and WT300E models - via Ethernet, USB, GPIB or RS232 interfaces. The company claims this connectivity allows users to control, monitor, collect and analyse measurement data, and save measurements remotely.WTViewerE ...
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Article
Composites take shape
Pressing and forming technology for composite materials are a key part of modern automotive production. Andrew Williams looks at the latest developmentsWhen manufacturing composite parts, companies throughout the automotive supply chain commonly rely on hydraulic press systems, which are generally far better at increasing the curing time of materials compared ...
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ArticleOff the grid
By convention, single-seater cars are machines for the racing circuit but one family business is striving to create and manufacture the exceptionSingle seater cars are usually machines for the race track only but there can be exceptions. One of them is the BAC Mono, made by small UK company Briggs ...
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ArticleMaster piecers
AMS reports on the techniques used in the typically bespoke but ever larger-scale production of blanksIn itself, the term ‘blanking’ denotes something fairly straightforward and unexceptional – creating flat shapes out of sheet metal that may then be subjected to some further process such as bending. But companies wanting to ...
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ArticleFord Craiova starts making EcoSport
Romania – The company said that it switched to European production in place of exports from Chennai, India, in order to meet rising demand. The change required an investment of €200m ($235.8m).“EcoSport is another example of how Ford is growing our business on our strengths, including world-class SUVs,” said Steven ...
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ArticleDigital infrastructure
Smart Ecosystem 4.0 offers a cloud-based hardware and software infrastructure that includes components equipped with sensors through to digital services, claims Schaeffler. The company says its aim is to transform conventional mechanical products and integrate them into the digital world and it has recently presented a rolling bearing system that ...
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ArticleHonda Anna reaches 25m engines
US – The milestone unit, built on Line 4, was a 1.5-litre turbo for a 2018 Accord made at Marysville Auto Plant, also in Ohio. Honda’s largest engine factory worldwide has reached this cumulative total after 32 years of operation.Anna Engine Plant recently received investment of $47m to introduce engines ...
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ArticleRenault evolves its Drive strategy
Having driven the change, Renault is now driving into the future – according to its new strategic strapline. Just a few days after Ford announced its latest corporate strategy under new CEO Jim Hackett, Renault’s long-standing leader, Carlos Ghosn, announced its own strategic plan. According to the CEO, Renault had ...
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ArticleFletcher to deliver GM’s EV strategy
US – In the newly created role of vice-president, Global Electric Vehicle Programmes, Pamela Fletcher will execute the OEM’s plans for an electrified vehicle line up, including the launch of more than 20 pure electric vehicles (EVs) by 2023. She will report to Doug Parks, vice-president, Autonomous and Electric Vehicle ...
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ArticleKobe investigates quality violations
Metal producer Kobe Steel has admitted delivering aluminium and copper products in the past year which did not meet specifications agreed with customers, leaving Japanese car manufacturers concerned about the impact on their own output. Kobe is conducting internal quality and government-ordered safety checks, but has already stated that affected ...
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ArticleAction plan for Czech auto industry
Czech Republic – With key themes of electromobility, autonomous driving and digitalisation, the memorandum between the government and the Association of Czech Automobile Industry (AutoSAP) has been hailed by Skoda, the main automotive manufacturer in the country and a member of AutoSAP. Skoda worked with other organisations to help shape ...