All Press and stamping articles – Page 22
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ArticleTailor made by laser
New laser joining techniques, steel grades, and how laser ablation can improve welded joinsLaser dominationFull process cost is keyPreparing to weldAchieving parity of speedThe concept of the tailored blank is generally acknowledged to have its origins back in the 1980s in the German automotive sector. Its central idea is extremely ...
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ArticleEasyBlank enhanced with feasibility assessment
AutoForm Engineering, a leading supplier of software solutions for the sheet metal forming industry, has announced an enhanced version of EasyBlank. This version provides a quick feasibility evaluation of the part that also includes a forming limit diagram (FLD). Users of EasyBlank can now check their product for stamping concerns ...
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ArticleSimultaneous engineering at AES
Combining the advanced engineering expertise of CATIA and DELMIA is yielding impressive results for AESUtilising 3D models and robot simulations in key processesModel simulations with fewer steps and greater accuracyProspects for the futureBuilding on its core competence in automotive plant engineering, AES has set up overseas bases in Thailand, China, ...
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ArticleThe steel age for ArcelorMittal
The search for new marketsProducing lighter, stronger steelTailor-made steel solutionsThe coating process – a challenge for the futureArcelorMittal is continuing to develop stronger, lighter steels for use in the automotive industry. A looks at the latest materials, and seeing what the future holds for steel"The three most important factors in ...
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ArticleGoing in the white direction
Splitting, thinning and wrinklingPressing mattersMoving things alongLaser-based welding controls the heatExtending the focusing lengthTechnology streaks aheadTests show positive resultsAdjustable system is requiredThe need for speedAdding a dimensionEnhanced inspection measurementsAs a vehicle’s largest structure, the body-in-white is deserving of the attention it receives from a process optimisation perspective. AMS looks at ...
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ArticleThe Indian juggernaut
Mercedes-Benz – the road to full manufacturingBMW looks to local marketsGM launches second plant in TalegaonFord undertakes powertrain expansionMahindra & Mahindra goes globalBajaj Auto’s new-age philosophyAs carmakers and suppliers around the world re-assess their position in the global market and adjust to economic uncertainty, India’s key automotive players have plans ...
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ArticleSafety comes first
Different safety needs for automationSelf-installation systemWithout the right level of protection, assembly can be a hazardous place. Thankfully there is a plethora of barrier-free innovations designed to make even the most automated lines safe for all workersFor all its benefits, it is easy to forget that with automation comes the ...
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ArticleLaser-sharp products
A full range of products on showGiving a flawless appearanceCutting maintenance costsThis year’s Euroblech exhibition, running from 21-25 October in Hanover, Germany, will again be the world’s leading sheet metalworking show. A preview of some of the products and services that will be shownMore than 140 companies, from Italy, Taiwan ...
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ArticleMaking the best of India
Turning Tata aroundNew challengesGlobal reachWhat India lacks in infrastructure it makes up for in engineering talent and resourceful enthusiasm. In this first of two reports on the region, AMS looks at Tata Motors and talks to Eric Vas about the manufacturing challenges of this rapidly growing marketAs one drives through ...
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ArticleFit for automated purpose
Greater product varietyDevelopments in weldingReprogrammable robotic devicesClose co-operation between user and supplierThere was a time when ‘hard’ automation – tailor-made, dedicated installations – was the trend, but things are moving to a more flexible approachIt appears that the use of robots in the automotive manufacturing sector is entering an unpredictable ...
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ArticleKeep on rolling
Conveyors should be seen as fixturesCapacity issues caused problemsSkid system used as a bufferHigh flexibility and rapid cycle timesConveyors can seem a humdrum type of factory equipment - a moving track transporting a load from one place to another within a production environment. The operational variables also seem straightforward – ...
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ArticleCrisis? What crisis?
National boomAsset managementRevising the supplyRebalancing the lineRobot sourcingBigger flex and alcoholPetrol preferenceLocation, location, locationPersonal space issuesManufacturing – Argentina-styleNew credit laws have led to a boom in demand for new cars in Brazil, while Argentina is still on the rebound from the 2001 financial crisis. What does this mean for manufacturing ...
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ArticleTier suppliers under pressure
Cost of raw materials is relentlessThe supplier base is shrinkingAssembly integrationLife’s a batchGetting up close and personalConsolidation could be the new trendThe economic downswing means that more than ever, Tier Ones in the automotive sector are fighting for business, but there are a few success stories out thereThe ongoing, and ...
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ArticleWasting away
Reduction is increasingBalancing the conflictWaste not, want notMetal and plasticFluids – the environment’s worst enemyUsing recycled materialsInformed workforceOutsourcing waste managementTough regulations on recycling are coming into force on an almost monthly basis, but for vehicle makers waste management is not a new idea. Some have been sorting the swarf from ...
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ArticleAdding a bit of local colour at Toyota
Localising TPSEuropean supplyLean productionOne model diversityPotential beyond YarisFocus on the localLevels of automationEnvironmental challengesDesign for the futureThe Toyota Production System is a global success thanks to its customisation on a local level, and nowhere is this more evident than at the company’s Valenciennes plant in France. AMS talks to TMMF ...
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ArticleWired into automation
This year’s METAV show will take place from March 31-April 4. The trade fair is the largest international technology showcase in Germany and features the latest in manufacturing technology and automationThe 2008 edition of the METAV show should be very attractive for both visitors and exhibitors, as it coincides with ...
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ArticleHinrichs wants a revolution in robotics
Forefront of efficiencyCompetitive operatingPriorities for recoveryThe role of robotsQuality gainsPlanning and programmingParamount safetyRobot wish listJoe Hinrichs has got a wish list. He wants to see robots on the shopfloor that will revolutionise productivity and offer new levels of skilled automation and safety. AMS talks to him about the future of ...
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ArticleFrom strength to strength
A future for steelSteel innovationsFlat carbon steelQuiet SteelSmooth high strengthCross-car beamSteel solutionsSpecialist high-strength steels are helping engineers and designers save weight while meeting stringent performance and safety targetsWhen you talk to carmakers around the world the theme of high-strength steels as the preferred material for carmakers in terms of performance, ...
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ArticleDigital modelling for stamping
Life-cycle harmonyDecision drivers and dependencies in vehicle development life cycleTechnology enablersHolistic benefitsVirtual die technology embraced in the past decade has grown by quantum leaps, and those who embraced the technology in the early stages of its development are starting to realise superiority in competitiveness, productivity and profit margins.Stamping dies are ...
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ArticleHigh stakes and great expectations
Processes are digitally unifiedWork sharing from a global perspectiveVirtual assessment roomsFord’s virtual builds win plauditsProduct development cycles are reducedPressure pointsLean is the new themeDigital manufacturing is only now coming in to its own, and carmakers are using the virtual factory to assist in reducing time to market of products.But this ...