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Manufacturing

GM and LG agree $2.3 billion partnership to mass-produce car battery cells

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General Motors and LG Chem have agreed a partnership to mass-produce battery cells for future electric vehicles.

Together, the companies will invest up to a total of $2.3 billion through a new, equally owned joint venture company.

The joint venture will establish a battery cell assembly plant on a greenfield manufacturing site in the Lordstown area of Northeast Ohio that will create more than 1,100 new jobs. [Read more…] about GM and LG agree $2.3 billion partnership to mass-produce car battery cells

Hanwha to supply $300 million of aircraft engine components to GE

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Hanwha Aerospace has signed a $300 million contract to supply cutting-edge aircraft engine components to General Electric, the US conglomerate and one of the leading aircraft engine manufacturers in the world and a top supplier for Boeing.

Hanwha Aerospace will supply GE with 46 types of engine components for GE’s GE9X and LEAP engine.

The GE9X is GE’s most advanced engine and expected to enter commercial production in 2020 while the LEAP is the world’s best-selling aircraft engine. [Read more…] about Hanwha to supply $300 million of aircraft engine components to GE

Velo3D ships seventh Sapphire printer to aerospace production customer

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Velo3D, a manufacturer of metal additive manufacturing systems or 3D printers, has delivered its seventh Sapphire printer to its largest production customer, which has already ordered a total of 12 systems in the past year.

All previously installed systems are in full production creating mission-critical parts for aerospace applications. The balance of the systems will ship before the end of Q1 2020.

The combination of 12 systems and their productivity makes this one of the largest concentrations of metal additive-manufacturing capacity in the world. [Read more…] about Velo3D ships seventh Sapphire printer to aerospace production customer

Worldwide semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales jump 12 percent

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Worldwide semiconductor equipment manufacturers posted third-quarter 2019 billings of $14.9 billion, a quarter-over-quarter increase of 12 percent but down 6 percent from the third quarter of 2018.

This is according to data collated by SEMI, the global industry association representing the electronics manufacturing and design supply chain, reported today.

The data are gathered jointly with the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan from more than 80 global equipment companies that provide data on a monthly basis. [Read more…] about Worldwide semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales jump 12 percent

Siemens further expands portfolio and partnerships for industrialized additive manufacturing

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Siemens is further expanding its portfolio and partnerships for industrialized additive manufacturing (AM).

The engineering giant is exhibiting at Formnext 2019 under the slogan “Thinking industrialized Additive Manufacturing further!”.

Formnext is regarded as the leading global trade fair dedicated to additive manufacturing and all of its upstream and downstream processes. [Read more…] about Siemens further expands portfolio and partnerships for industrialized additive manufacturing

HP expands and enriches its 3D printing ecosystem

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HP has launched a series of new subscriptions and services to help customers “more easily integrate 3D printing into their digital manufacturing strategies”.

HP also unveiled a series of expanded industrial partnerships and is showcasing innovative new applications and use cases with industry leaders such as Siemens, Volkswagen, and many more.

Ramon Pastor, interim president of 3D printing and digital manufacturing, HP, says: “The journey to digital manufacturing requires much more than just technology. [Read more…] about HP expands and enriches its 3D printing ecosystem

Essentium research shows industrial-scale 3D printing moving into mainstream manufacturing

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Essentium, a leading innovator in industrial additive manufacturing, has released the first in a series of findings from independent global research on the current and future use of industrial 3D printing.

The study reveals a significant increase in the use of large-scale additive manufacturing (AM).

The number of manufacturers using 3D printing for full-scale production has doubled compared to last year (40 per cent in 2019; 21 per cent in 2018). [Read more…] about Essentium research shows industrial-scale 3D printing moving into mainstream manufacturing

Bosch ‘poised for leap’ in e-mobility with new silicon carbide semiconductors

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Bosch says it is poised to make a technological “leap” in electric mobility as a result of developing new silicon carbide semiconductors.

The vast majority of semiconductors today are made using common silicon, which makes up 25 per cent of Earth’s crust, but silicon carbide is generally made from an extremely rare mineral called “moissanite”.

Bosch is secretive about its technology, but Harold Kroeger, member of the Bosch board of management, says: “Silicon carbide semiconductors will transform e-mobility.” [Read more…] about Bosch ‘poised for leap’ in e-mobility with new silicon carbide semiconductors

BMW orders €10 billion of battery cells for its 25 models of electric car

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BMW has placed orders for around €10 billion worth of battery cells for its planned line-up of 25 electric car models by 2023

The BMW Group is forging ahead with electromobility and deepening its existing business relationships with battery cell manufacturers Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and Samsung SDI.

The original CATL order volume of €4 billion agreed in mid-2018 will now be increased to €7.3 billion (contract duration from 2020 to 2031), with €4.5 billion for the BMW Group and €2.8 billion for the Chinese production site of the BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture in Shenyang.

The BMW Group is the first customer of the CATL battery cell plant currently under construction in Erfurt, Germany. [Read more…] about BMW orders €10 billion of battery cells for its 25 models of electric car

Festo to distribute Magswitch magnetic gripping and clamping solutions

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Festo is now offering Magswitch switchable magnetic gripping and clamping solutions to automotive and original equipment manufacturers through a new distribution agreement.

Magswitch says its automation solutions are “designed to last the life of a production line”, and says its equipment can lower energy costs by as much as 90 per cent.

It also says that throughput can be increased by up to 30 per cent, and capital costs reduced as much as 25 per cent compared to systems using vacuum cups and pneumatic and electric grippers or clamps. [Read more…] about Festo to distribute Magswitch magnetic gripping and clamping solutions