All Materials articles – Page 7
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ArticlePower from plastics
James Bakewell speaks to thermoset plastics specialists Pieter Vanderstraeten and Hendrik De Keyser about the increasing scope for composite powertrain components While the use of advanced composites in structural applications has hogged the limelight in recent years, these lightweight materials also have many advantages for the manufacture of components for ...
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ArticleFord automates hot-forming process
Germany - Ford has integrated a automated hot-forming line at its Saarlouis plant, which is located two hours south west of Frankfurt, where it makes the Focus. The company says it is the first time this process has been automated.It works by subjecting boron steel to temperatures of up to ...
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WebinarHow can 3rd generation steel be a problem solver?
SSAB recently launched its metal-coated Docol 600DH and Docol 800DH steel for trials. These are 3rd generation steels that provide improved formability and good weldability. This webinar discusses the 3rd generation steel product development at SSAB and ask what solutions these materials can deliver in high volume ...
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ArticleWhite light
Michael Nash visits Constellium’s new plant in White, Georgia, from where it supplies BMW with aluminium crash management systemsThe rise of electrification is having a huge impact on vehicle manufacturers and their product portfolios, with many promising to launch a wide variety of new battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid ...
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ArticleSchedules to keep
Raffaello Lepratti, vice-president of business development and marketing at Siemens, outlines the company’s SIMATIC IT Preactor planning and scheduling solutionCar buyers’ tastes are becoming more diversified. They are attracted by design and performances, but also by region-specific features and a touch of uniqueness. Cars are one of the few mass ...
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ArticleUniti announces production plans
UK - The Swedish start-up has revealed its intension to build a "pilot production plant" at Silverstone Park in the UK. It will be used to make the Uniti One - a small pure electric car designed for city driving."The UK’s approach to vehicle production, with its focus on light-weighting ...
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ArticleOlympus white paper: Automotive QC, a closer look
Microscopes fulfil a range of different roles in automotive QC: confirming the shape of components, detecting cracks or flaws, and identifying contamination. Due to their versatility, confocal and cleanliness microscopes add precision and reliability to many aspects of QC inspectionsEvery car contains precision components that need to be free of ...
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ArticleGrid reference
Mike Farish visits Williams Advanced Engineering to see how the company delivers a distinctive F1 take on an innovative electric vehicle platformOne of the implications of the growth of the market for electric vehicles is the opportunity it provides for newcomers possibly to become major players in the automotive industry ...
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ArticleExtreme flexibility is essential
KUKA offers numerous solutions that are helping vehicle manufacturers to tackle several challenges The automotive industry is undergoing the biggest transformation in its history. Megatrends such as digitisation, autonomous driving and e-mobility have significant implications not only for manufacturers but also for suppliers. What is required are smart production ...
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Article3D focus-variation measuring instrument
Said to be suited to production measurement, the µCMM 3D focus-variation system offers users the advantages of tactile coordinate measuring technology with optical surface measurement to measure dimensions, position, shape and surface finish of components with the one optical sensor, claims Alicona.The company says it provides the ability to measure ...
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ArticleFact, not fiction
Mike Farish reports on a sci-fi inspired additive technique that’s gaining interest with automotive manufacturers New items of technology often get hyped as being like something from science fiction, but in the case of one of the most innovative and unusual additive techniques now on the market, continuous liquid interface ...
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ArticleMaking metal add up
Additively manufactured metal parts present a challenge for high-volume production but at the other end of the scale, engineers are successfully developing the process for specialist, low volume parts. Mike Farish reportsAll over the automotive industry companies are exploring the potential of additive techniques to make parts in polymers and ...
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ArticleWaste not…
Karen McCandless reports on vehicle-maker recycling projects ranging from plastic bottles to electric vehicle batteries As vehicle production numbers continue to increase, up from 11.9m in 2013 to 17m in 2017, so do the automotive industry’s waste management efforts continue to improve. The waste generated per unit produced in the ...
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ArticleFrom prototypes to production
The use of additive manufacturing technologies has now expanded beyond their initial ‘rapid prototyping’ exclusivity. Mike Farish provides an insight As well as being used in limited production roles, additive techniques are still being applied in new and innovative ways as product development tools. One example is at the Plastics ...
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ArticleRobotic materials handling for industrial saws
Kasto claims it can implement combined storage and sawing systems for its customers in which all processes are automated, from storage of the raw material to retrieval of the cut parts. The company says control software can be linked to existing ERP systems offering improved transparency and efficiency. Also the ...
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ArticleExpanding and restructuring
As the move to electrified and autonomous vehicles accelerates, Toyota is expanding in both technology areas and restructuring its operations. Ian Henry reports Toyota is making a number of key organisational changes to simplify and rationalise its operations in response to the fast-changing automotive market. As of the end of ...
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WebinarLower weight and higher strength in tubular vehicle structures
This webinar provides an overview for automotive manufacturers looking to make effective use of high strength tubular structures in modern vehicle design. The presentation examines the possibilities offered by these materials as a high strength and low weight alternative in various structural applications. About the ...
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Article
E-mobility and the role of steel
With electrification shaping ideas in future vehicle structure design, ArcelorMittal explains why advanced steel grades remain the materials of choice While sales of battery electric vehicles (BEV) are still far behind conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, BEV technology and sales continue to improve at a rapid pace. Globally, BEV ...
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Article
Guiding lights for a smarter paintshop
System experts at Dürr have developed a digital maintenance assistant designed to keep automotive paintshops in full effect With its digital@Dürr concept, Dürr is delivering an important smart factory module. In future, the company will be supporting customers in maintaining painting and sealing robots using a digital maintenance assistant. With ...
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Article
Welcoming arms for Kirchhoff
Dermot Healy speaks to CMM programmer James Mitchell about working with Faro Technologies at the Kirchhoff Automotive plant in Lansing, MichiganKirchhoff Automotive is one of the leading global suppliers of body structures, sub-assemblies and stamped products to major automotive manufacturers. Working closely with manufacturers from an early design stage the ...