Market trends and business perspectives
by Sam Francis
Industrial robot manufacturer Kuka says it has received an order in the “single-digit million euro range” from the Korean automotive supplier Donghee Industrial.
The order was booked in the second quarter of 2019.
Donghee relies on robot-based friction stir welding from Kuka in the area of electric mobility. [Read more…] about Kuka receives large order from Donghee for robotic welding systems
by Keyam
General Motors has announced the second major expansion of its full-size pickup production capacity this year: a $150 million investment at Flint Assembly to increase production of the all-new Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra heavy-duty pickups.
This news follows GM’s announcement last month to expand light-duty, full-size pickup production capacity in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in response to strong customer demand.
GM has invested more than $1.6 billion in the Flint Assembly since 2013, enabling an increase in the truck plant’s production capacity of the all-new Chevrolet and GMC HD pickups by about 40,000 vehicles annually, including more crew cab models and diesels. [Read more…] about GM to invest $150 million in Flint truck assembly plant
by Anna
Groupe PSA has started production at the Kenitra plant in Morocco. The project was launched with the signing of an agreement between Groupe PSA and the Kingdom of Morocco on 19 June 2015.
Four years on, the factory is up and running and includes the roll-out of a complete ecosystem for Groupe PSA in Morocco, with a steering centre based in Casablanca for the Middle East and Africa region and an operational R&D centre.
Groupe PSA has a network of 62 local suppliers, with 27 new supplier sites set up to meet the needs of the Kenitra plant.
[Read more…] about PSA starts production at Kenitra plant in Morocco
Precision and efficiency have become the leading demands for manufacturing. Modern equipment is rapidly changing.
New, sturdier and harder materials are used, complex geometries with tight tolerances and fine surface finishes are required and all of that has to be done at a faster pace.
This race toward product perfection involves using professional custom machining services for more and more industries for a lot of different purposes. Let’s see, which modern industries simply can’t manage without custom machining. [Read more…] about 5 Industries That Can’t Do Without Custom Machining
Volume Graphics, a provider of industrial computed tomography software, is partnering in a second joint project on “rapid tooling” with companies from a wide range of industries.
The company’s partnership is with the Kunststoff-Institut, in Germany.
As a project partner, Volume Graphics brings expertise in quality assurance and process optimization to the team via its advanced industrial computed tomography (CT) data-analysis software.
Christof Reinhart, CEO of Volume Graphics, says: “Working on this project with Kunststoff-Institut and partners is very important to us because we are convinced that industrial computed tomography can advance the future of rapid tooling. [Read more…] about Volume Graphics partners with industry consortium to improve rapid-prototyping of plastic mold inserts
by Anna
Audi is embracing virtual reality (VR) with the Audi e-tron GT concept car. Using VR glasses and controllers, employees from various departments test all assembly processes entirely virtually.
Audi has developed in-house software for the process, which relies on 360-degree scans that provide a three-dimensional indoor map. The technology is being used for the first time at the Neckarsulm site.
Workflows along the assembly line and the associated logistics processes are being tested in “3P workshops”. 3P stands for the Production Preparation Process, and is used for process validation.
[Read more…] about Audi virtually tests assembly processes for concept car
by Sam Francis
Kuka has developed a mobile robot for semiconductor production. The system integrates a robotic arm with an autonomous wheeled platform.
Kuka says it developed the system because the production of semiconductors is particularly complex.
Until now there was no mobile, automated semiconductor production system that enabled component transfer from one step to the next. That has now changed with the Kuka wafer handling solution. [Read more…] about Kuka develops mobile robot for semiconductor production
The Mercedes-Benz plant at Wörth has shipped its 750,000th truck assembly kit.
Called the CKD Centre, for “Completely Knocked Down”, the Wörth facility in Germany sent the 750,000th truck kit to South Africa.
The item was packed in a 40-foot sea container for its journey overseas. It will be shipped to Rotterdam before it embarks to Port Elizabeth, in South Africa, its destination country. [Read more…] about Mercedes-Benz plant ships 750,000th truck assembly kit
ThyssenKrupp is investing €80 million into building what the company describes as “the world’s most advanced forging line” in Homburg, in Germany.
The investment is to expand a front axle production facility for trucks, for which long-term customer contracts have been signed, says the industrial giant.
ThyssenKrupp says its decision to build the new forging line represents “the biggest single investment ever made at its Homburg site. [Read more…] about ThyssenKrupp invests €80 million in ‘world’s most advanced forging line’
SEAT has invested €57 million in a new metal press and two new hot stamping lines for its factory in Barcelona.
The new PXL press installed in SEAT Barcelona involved an investment of just over €31 million and it will boost the productivity of this metal press compared to the previous ones thanks to greater automation and manufacturing speed, as well as an advanced robot system.
A little over €25 million was also invested in two new hot stamping lines that will also help increase efficiency, speed and precision in the production process. [Read more…] about SEAT invests €57 million in its factory in Barcelona
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