All articles by luis
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ArticleA future European giant?
New models and increased market share: Ian Henry reports on PSA’s improving fortunes under Carlos Tavares’ leadership When Carlos Tavares arrived at PSA from Renault in 2014, he set about turning around the loss-making company. His plan, embodied under the strapline ‘Back in the Race’, aimed to restore PSA to ...
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Volando libre
Suzuki se ha mantenido al margen de las grandes asociaciones de empresas a pesar de depender cada vez más de los mercados fuera de JapónLas colaboraciones y fusiones son cada vez más frecuentes en el sector automotriz, pero Suzuki permanece independiente. Hasta el momento ha evitado las grandes alianzas con ...
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ArticleGestionando la complejidad
AMS entrevista a Leah Bruce, directora gerente de producción de motores diesel en Ford, para conocer los planes de la empresa sobre la producción de motores diesel ¿Dónde encajan los motores diesel en la estrategia de trenes de potencia de Ford? Leah Bruce: Desde el punto de vista de la ...
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A cut above the rest
A new digital approach to leather cutting is establishing greater levels of equipment reliability and material throughput making it a more viable option for the volume production of car interior elementsNormally any visible blemish on an automotive component is a reason for instant rejection. But there is one circumstance in ...
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Joining forces
Complex parts, precision fits, no margin for error; it’s no wonder automation is such a vital ingredient of successful powertrain assembly linesModern lines are faster, safer and more reliable than ever before, thanks in large part to automation. While intensive, dedicated lines designed for high-volume throughput were the preserve of ...
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An order for progress
After the dips in demand of recent years, car makers in Brazil and Argentina anticipate an upturn in market fortunes and a boost in vehicle productionEmbattled vehicle makers operating in Brazil are predicting a return to growth in 2017 after the market sunk last year to nearly half its 2012 ...
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Lands of opportunity
The strong growth in production seen in Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia means eastern Europe is still a big attraction for OEMsIn the late 1990s and early 2000s, Eastern Europe up to the Russian border received substantial investment from European, Japanese and Korean vehicle companies seeking low ...
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Workforce of the future
Brian Fortney, global business lead, Workforce and Training Services, at Rockwell Automation tells AMS how automotive companies can prepare for a digitally connected era – and the arrival of the millennial generationJoanne Perry (JP): Can you explain what OEMs normally ask Rockwell to do as a training provider?Brian Fortney (BF): ...
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Layer upon layer
Researchers at Ford Dearborn are keen to see additive manufacturing move on from its prototyping origins and into the mainstream volume production processIn itself, there is nothing new about the automotive industry’s use of the set of techniques generally known as additive manufacturing or 3D printing, in which objects are ...
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Korea: A question of cost
The country’s automotive industry is once again fighting its recurring battle with the unions as it struggles to balance workers’ wage demands with the need to cap costs in an expensive country to build carsUnions have forced a series of stoppages this year at Korea’s biggest carmaker, Hyundai Motor, to ...
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Aluminium with form
New forming processes will further unlock the potential of aluminium as lightweight material for automotive structuresProduction operations have started with a new technique that promises major increases in the benefits that can be obtained through lightweighting using aluminium in vehicle body structures.Impression Technologies (ITL) was set up a little over ...
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Putting in a shift
OEMs are keeping options open on transmission supply. Many are moving from an established in-house option and increasingly looking to source externally Body panels, engines and transmissions are the three fundamental component areas that the major car makers tend to produce in-house. However, behind this established pattern there is a ...
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Small motors, big potential
An innovative electric drive, which promises significant savings in space and weight for off-road vehicle applications, could be on the market before too longCollaboration between US transmission specialist Oerlikon Fairfield and the UK’s Ashwoods Electrical Motors, has led to the development of a new, ultra-compact device that is up to ...
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Toyota aims for top slot
Toyota is by some distance the largest Japanese vehicle company but on the global stage it is engaged in a battle for primacy, alongside GM and the VW GroupGlobal production in 2015 totalled nearly 8.7m vehicles under the Toyota name, a fall of just over 290,000 units, damaging its attempt ...
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Real recycling
An innovative, closed-loop, aluminium recycling project for series vehicle production continues to developThe RealCar (short for: REcycled ALuminium CAR) programme has aimed to address two major challenges currently facing the automotive industry, namely sustainability and weight reduction. The project is a collaboration between Jaguar Land Rover, Innovate UK, Novelis, Zyomax, ...
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Creating kerb appeal
Optare build bespoke buses, but the firm faces similar challenges to high volume car manufacturersBespoke isn’t necessarily the term you would associate with mass market public transport, but according to Optare president, Graham Belgum, it’s a key USP for the company’s work with public transport providers. Criteria such as low ...
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The plan for Japan
In the face of a strengthening yen and falling home sales, Japan is battling to keep its internationally admired vehicle production network relevant and cost-effectiveThe country last year made 9.28m vehicles, putting it in third place globally behind China and the US. However, the overall number was down 5% on ...
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Heading in all directions
While Mercedes has invested in and modernised its domestic plants, it is outside Germany where the most significant expansion of production has taken placeWithin Germany, Mercedes-Benz operates three car plants – Sindelfingen, Bremen and Rastatt – and two van plants – Düsseldorf, the main Sprinter plant, with special editions and ...
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A call for Quality
GM India plans to focus its production at Talegaon as they increase output and add new models This year the plant may become the company’s only production facility in India as it plans to closes the older Halol site in Gujarat. But this isn’t a reduction in operations, far from ...