All Stellantis articles – Page 11
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ArticleJoining 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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ArticleFCA hails first Indian Jeep compass
India – The milestone vehicle rolled off the assembly line at the Ranjangaon factory near Pune, a joint venture between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Fiat India Automobiles Private Limited (FIAPL). The Jeep Compass is expected to enter full production in July, serving both local and global demand.“The establishment of ...
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ArticleOportunidade de porta aberta
Muito trabalho de P&D tem sido feito para reduzir o peso das estruturas de veículos, mas os sistemas de fechamento ainda representam uma oportunidade significativa para economias de pesoOs fechamentos são montados após a montagem da carroceria e podem ser construídos off-line, o que significa que eles podem ser feitos ...
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Article
Una nueva puerta para reducir peso
La investigación y el desarrollo han conseguido reducir el peso estructural de los automóviles, pero todavía hay mucho margen en los sistemas de cierreLos cierres se montan después del ensamblado de la carrocería y se pueden construir fuera de la línea, lo que significa que pueden producirse en materiales diferentes ...
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Article
- 车门面临的机遇
在降低汽车构架重量方面已经进行了大量的研发，但是闭合器仍然是重量减轻技术的重头戏。汽车装配完成之后会安装闭合器，这样汽车才能走下生产线。安装到汽车构架上的闭合器可以使用完全不同的材料，比如铝材。对于车门，减重绝对是一点一点累积起来的。在2017年北美国际汽车展上，Magna International公司宣布，与美国能源部（DoE）、FCA US和内饰专家Grupo Antolin合作，开发一种铝加强车门构架，要比Chrysler 200车门的重量轻42.5%。Magna International负责政府合作的高级经理Tim Skszek说，如果把4个车门都算在内，总重量要比Chrysler 200轻50公斤。此外他还指出，制造车门的材料很容易获得，而且可以利用原有制造工艺制造，不需要明显提高生产成本，或改变汽车车体修理厂的基础设施。这种个车门构架适用于70%的轻型汽车市场。完胜增值成本这个项目没到10个月就完成了。该项目获得美国能源部部分资金支持。能源部想要为成本效益手段提供资金，满足不断严格的美国环境及能源规定要求。与奖励相关指导方针规定，与现行2016生产车门（增值成本不会超过每磅5美元）总体上要降低42.5%的成本。Skszek说，这要比制造商所能接受的成本要高一些，但是技术评估还不成熟。Magna获得这个项目之后，就开始选择合作伙伴。公司在2014年，与美国能源部和福特公司（Ford）合作，展示了混合材料轻型汽车（MMLV）的开发技术诀窍。这种汽车的车门由挤压铝板材，高压真空镁压铸零部件和钢板，以及结构型胶黏剂、自冲铆钉、单面铆钉和螺栓制造而成。车门要比2012款Ford Fusion轻33%。Magna Exteriors and Cosma分公司Magna Closures全程参与该项目。Grupo Antolin在轻型内饰制造方面拥有丰富的经验。因此，FCA已经使用铝材来降低汽车的重量。2017款Chrysler Pacifica（重为1,957公斤），比Town & Country小型货车轻113公斤。FCA仅仅是在滑动边门上采用铝材踏板就减重约18公斤。工程师在前悬架上采用铝材转向节和铝材控制杆，并在汽车提升式门上采用轻型金属，进一步减轻重量。评估构架选项有了联合装配，几个合作方开始评估四种构架。Skszek说：“我们评估了一个炭纤维增强材料设计，一个铝材冲压增强设计，一个铝镁组浇设计，还有一个聚合物（用于各种技术，铸件、挤制加工和冲压用于一个车门上）”最后的选择证明是最有效的。白车门减重占到项目总体的45%。Skszek说：“这种设计从金属方面来看是全铝材；三种的不同的合金和三种不同的工艺。”A柱结构被Skszek称为“车门的结构墙角石”，是由Cosma公司的Aural-2合金（AlSi10Mg）制造而成，据说能够承受120MPa的强度，抗拉强度为180Mpa，延长10%。这种结构使采用Cosma公司的高品质铸造高压真空压铸工艺，这是在2012年公司收购BDW技术之后获得的。传统的高压压铸工艺一般用于制造复杂的零部件，围壁厚度为3-8毫米。这些零部件需要很少的抛光处理，因此适合于高产量制造。使用这个公益，经书溶液就可以高速注入到模具当中，腔体当中的空气就停留在铝，形成气孔，影响零部件成品的抗拉强度和延伸率 — 从而限制了结构应用。此外，这些零部件的热处理能够引发更多的瑕疵，比如气泡。使用High-Q-Cast工艺，就可以在金属溶液注入之前就形成真空，从而最大限度减小孔隙的产生，提高机械性能。成品零部件就可以进行热处理，适合用于各种结合操作。 The door-in-white (DiW) accounts for 45% of the mass reduction achieved by the projectMagna目前在英国Telford建造高强度真空压铸工厂，用以支持Jaguar Land Rover公司。工厂的生产将于2018年开始。Skszek还说：“Magna在全球拥有5家能够制造这种零部件的工厂。我们在过去3年左右的时间里发展了这种生产能力，为全球供应这些零部件。传统应用主要是在车身结构和底盘上。”车门上部结构和铰链加固结构使对Al 6063-T6挤压制造而成，而Al 5182冲压品用在B柱、内加固、门栓加固、内外面板、内外腰线上。据Skszek称，螺栓式的腰线设计师独一无二的。这种设计用于结构加固，在装配过程中，内部腰线是最后安装的，这样，车门组件就很容易安装了，腰线可以保证所有事情都各就各位。热板及冷模压工艺防撞梁连接着A柱铸件中心和车门底端，以及B柱，传统上是用硼钢通过7xxx系列铝热成型而成。Skszek说，“热板材冷压铸工艺是由Cosma公司在2012年开发，能够提高5xxx系列铝材和镁内板的成型。”使用这个工艺，非石墨基润滑剂首次用于铝板材，进行干燥处理。板材就会放在两个热盘中间，以250摄氏度左右的温度加热，然后由机器人送到冲压模具里。模具经过加热，并在室温条件下运行。在系列生产中，这些模具将需要冷却，并保持这个温度。在传统机械肘杆式冲床上已不成型的速度为160mm.s-1。在零部件完全冷却之后，就会进行冲孔及修正操作，润滑剂可以通过加压水溶液来冲洗。Skszek总结说：“7xxx铝材车门横梁的使用可以减轻1.34公斤的重量，这是相对于硼钢横梁而言的。”这些组件通过电阻凸焊工艺（有Magna附属供应商Arplas开发）接合。电阻凸焊是电阻焊接的变体，电流集中在接触表面上，经过投影在3个接合零部件当中的1个上面成型。这种工艺的关键就是讲热能集中在板材的配合面上，将零部件的整体加热最小化，完成精确的接合不同的材质，这些材料的冶金和多种焊接成型同时完成。Skszek说：“这种工艺的一个好处就是，你可以降低凸缘的宽度。通常你会需要0.5英尺宽，或者12mm凸缘的焊接点，才能接合零部件。这种工艺可以极大降低图元的宽度，达到3或4mm，这样你就能够避免外部块的形成。”智能技术上位使用Magna公司的出品的SmartLatch电子门闩系统 — 首次用于宝马i8混合动力跑车上 — 避免车门使用棒条体你和杠杆，形成独特的带有综合玻璃向导的车载模块。总体来说，门闩系统和成型技术能够降低13%的总重量。Grupo Antolin制造内饰组件。公司使用先进的成型工艺 — 比如Trexel公司的MuCell微型注塑工艺 — 其中的聚合物能够降低7%的总重。"这种（车门）设计从金属方面来看是全铝而机构；三种不同的合金和三种不同的工艺" - Tim Skszek, ...
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ArticleOpen-door opportunity
Much R&D work has been done to reduce the weight of vehicle structures, but closures still represent a significant opportunity for weight savingsClosures are mounted after body assembly and can be built up off-line, meaning that they can be made of entirely different materials, such as aluminium, to the vehicle’s ...
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ArticleMinding Maserati
A pre-treatment technology from Chemetall is helping the luxury carmaker reduce environmental impact levels at its Grugliasco plantAs a brand, Maserati stands for a tradition of high-performance cars – style, performance, luxury and safety. It is a marque that underlines the FCA strategy for responsible production practices. To further support ...
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ArticleFCA makes British management changes
UK – Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) said the appointments would take place with immediate effect. Andrew Ashley, managing director of the UK division, said the company is “now aligned with the needs of both our customers and our dealer partners”.The appointments include:Alejandro Noriega as country manager, Fiat and Abarth, overseeing ...
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ArticleUltralight door module
Magna International, in cooperation with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and partners FCA US and Grupo Antolin, has developed a new, ultralight door architecture that it’s claimed achieves over 42% mass savings compared to an average current production door.The company says a key innovation includes integration of its SmartLatch ...
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Article
Uma ordem para o progresso
Após as quedas na demanda dos últimos anos, os fabricantes de automóveis no Brasil e Argentina antecipam um aumento nas fortunas do mercado e um aumento na produção de veículosFabricantes de veículos em apuros que operam no Brasil estão prevendo um retorno ao crescimento em 2017, após o mercado ter ...
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ArticleBuscando la recuperación
Tras las caídas en la demanda de los últimos años, los fabricantes de automóviles de Brasil y Argentina anticipan una recuperación en el mercado y un aumento en la producción de vehículosLos fabricantes de vehículos que operan en Brasil pronostican un retorno al crecimiento en 2017, después de que el ...
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Article
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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ArticleFCA US to open new training facility
US – The OEM will unveil its fourth World Class Manufacturing Academy (WCMA) site at Tipton, Indiana, this March. The $2.1m centre, funded by FCA US and Unite Automobile Workers (UAW), will serve personnel from the Tipton Transmission Plant (TTP) and the UAW National Training Center (NTC) Kokomo.“FCA US and ...
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ArticleAn 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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ArticleGestamp’s new hot-stamping plant, Pune
India – The dedicated facility, which cost €36m ($38.5m), is the supplier’s first of this type in the country and will serve Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Ford and Tata. The plant has started to manufacture previous series and will enter full production in May this year.“The installation of a technology ...
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ArticleThe Trump factor
Donald Trump has arguably had more impact on manufacturing strategy than any US president in a very long time; and that is even before he has taken office. During his election campaign he lambasted US vehicle-makers, especially Ford, for building cars in Mexico, threatening to rip up the North American ...
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ArticleFCA makes senior appointments
US – Daphne Zheng now becomes chief operating officer (COO) in China; Paul Alcala is COO in Asia Pacific excluding China; and Davide Mele is deputy COO Latin America. The appointments are with immediate effect.Zheng has served Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) for more than eight years, most recently as managing ...
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ArticleTransfer of power
GKN is supporting the growth in electric and hybrid vehicle production with the development of its eDrive powertrainsThe company has spent the past 15 years acquiring the production experience needed to transfer the technology from niche vehicles to high-volume mass-market applications,” says Peter Moelgg, All-Wheel & E-Drive CEO at GKN ...
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ArticleFastening future
Following the lead of their automotive customers, fastening technology specialists are responding to industry demands to find innovation in weight, strength and performanceAs OEMs develop lightweight construction and optimised materials, the challenge for fastening specialists is to provide solutions as small, light and adaptable ideas without compromising on strength. Profil’s ...
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ArticleShifting priorities
OEMs are keeping their options open on transmission supply, with many moving away from established in-house production and looking to source externallyBody panels, engines and transmissions are the fundamental component areas that the major carmakers tend to produce in-house. However, behind this established pattern lies a changing supply network for ...