uebkula

Continual improvements are important instruments for achieving higher competitiveness in the automotive industry. With the automotive industry being so dependent upon its manufacturing performance, adopting new tooling developments is vital. There are many examples that prove the benefits of this approach. The automotive industry is focused on cost reduction and it has every reason for pursuing this vital direction. Cost per Component Today there is a growing focus on the cost per component along with a more collaborative approach with suppliers on a long term basis to find the ideal tooling solution for component solutions. Auto manufacturers are looking increasingly to work with competent suppliers of cutting tools and manufacturing equipment to achieve optimal processes on components. In the world of machining components, how does this work? Here are some examples where Sandvik Coromant, the global market leader in cutting tools, contributed to increasing productivity. When turning transmission components in soft stage (Green turning), the indexable inserts with the Wiper technology persuaded engineers at a German manufacturer that there was considerable room for optimisation in an application they thought of as optimal. Initial improvements due to this cutting tool development provided the grounds for the machine shop to proceed with implementing the Wiper inserts on a wider scale. To start with, it was the machining of axle flanges that was improved. The flanges were machined on a double-spindle machine and production engineers wanted to arrive at the best combination of productivity and quality consistency. The Wiper insert provided just that. By allowing the feed rate in machining to be raised from 0.18 to 0.4 mm/rev combined with a surface finish improvement of RZ 16 to 8 microns the production time was reduced by 30%. By also applying the right finishing grade for steel, GC4005, the tool-life was also lengthened. The machine shop manufactures well over eight-hundred thousand components annually and the improvements gained through the application of more modern turning tools have had a considerable impact on the total production costs of the components. This, in the area of green turning, which is generally thought of in the automotive industry as well exploited with regards to productivity. Wiper improved turning potential Another example of where the Wiper inserts dramatically improved turning was at a US manufacturer. Changes to operations involved in the machining of gear components included optimising operations with Wiper inserts as well as increasing cutting speeds with new inserts. Low-carbon steel forging gear blanks are demanding to machine because of the softness and smearing tendencies of the material. Poor chip control and built-up edges are typical factors that limit performance and the machine shop was having production problems due to poor machining. As part of collaboration with Sandvik Coromant as a qualified tool supplier, a productivity improvement team worked with the engineers at the customer to improve performance and reduce component scrap. Tests in the low-carbon steel showed that the Wiper geometry WM in combination with GC2015, normally a stainless steel insert grade, proved to be the ideal insert for the application. By increasing the feed rate, without deteriorating the surface finish, the effect on production of the parts was a shorter machining time enabling the same machines to make more components per shift. With the proposed improvements, programmers were able to increase cutting speed by 20%, to reduce machining time. Tool-life increased from 350 to 600 components per cutting edge and chip control was improved. Altogether, this contributed to 25% improvement in productivity. Future trends and special needs Continuous improvements are a vital part of competitiveness in the automotive industry. With growing flexibility there is also more room to take advantage of cutting tool developments and to let these have more impact on productivity, process security and quality consistency. Maintaining good practice with leading edge technology is becoming a critical ingredient for manufacturers within the auto industry to compete globally. The machining of compact graphite iron and bi-metals are two examples of emerging material areas, which require cutting tool solutions which will provide the performance and quality results sought by the industry. The complexity of efficiently machining castings like Bi-metal machining in engine blocks, where aluminium and cast-iron is machined simultaneously, with a reliable production process needs in-depth R&D and resources. Indexable insert geometry and grade is still very much a technology with potentials for providing important user benefits.

electricity saving device Homeowners Store and Reuse Pre-Purchased Energy With DCS Energy's New 'Miser' SOUTH GLASTONBURY, Conn. announced that, it will release the DCS Energy Miser, which is installed on a home or business electrical panel and is capable of reducing home energy use by up to 20 percent and more. "Most homeowners throughout the U.S. must contend with fluctuations in energy rates during the peak winter and summer months that, oftentimes, increase their utility bills, " said Craig Bradway, president and owner of DCS Energy and DataComm Services. "The Energy Miser, " he said, "helps mitigate the effects of rate increases on homeowners by helping them to both reduce their energy consumption and store energy they've already purchased or allowed into their homes." The DCS Energy Miser uses capacitors and a regulator to help inductive motors in a home - or energy hogs - (e.g., refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, heat pumps, fans, washers, dryers and dishwashers) run more efficiently and at cooler temperatures. "We wanted to make it easy for every homeowner to do his or her part to conserve energy, " Bradway said. Bradway added that each DCS Energy Miser can prevent up to 6, 000 pounds of carbon a year from a home's electrical generation needs that would be released by power plants. "A person would have to plant three full-grown trees a year to basically create the same positive effect on the environment, " he said. Homeowners who use the Energy Miser must have a switch-controlled circuit breaker that contains a 110/220 electric system and a 20-amp breaker strictly dedicated to the Energy Miser. DCS Energy offers a one-year warranty and a 60-day money-back guarantee on the Miser. Some homeowners may be eligible for a five-hundred-dollar residential tax credit for energy efficiency as well as a twenty-five-dollar rebate from the energy conservation fund. The company also offers a plan for businesses to install a solar energy system and receive at least a 66-percent return on investment (ROI) in the first year and 100-percent ROI within five years. The DCS Energy Miser is being sold for $499 residential to $899 commercial with a tax rebate program installed. Some Energy Miser users may need to incur charges for additional materials and labor for installation. About DCS Energy DCS Energy was created in 2006 as a division of DataComm Services LLC to provide energy solutions for both homeowners and business owners. Depending on usage The Miser can pay for itself within months not years Not Including the Huge Tax Rebate Applied.

die grinder To "have your cake and eat it too" is something most gearheads aspire to achieve when building their perfect rides. Not too long ago, cars could only be built for one purpose. If you wanted to go drag racing, you set the car up to hook hard and go straight. But if you also wanted to go through some tight curves, you were either out of luck or had some serious chassis redesign ahead of you. The trend today, however, is to build street machines that do everything well. We want to go fast in a straight line but also have fun on the road on the way to the dragstrip. Lucky for us companies are starting to offer products which make this possible. Shocks are a big part of how your car is going to react to these different environments. Of course, there is the option of swapping them at the track, and in most cases this is not too difficult to do. But thanks to QA1 Motorsports, there's a better option. The company's shocks feature an external knob that allows the shocks' dampening to be adjusted at 12 different rates. Turn the knob counter-clockwise to the No. 1 position and the shock is at its softest setting. Turn it 12 clicks clockwise and it's at the stiffest. These aluminum-bodied, rebuildable shocks are designed to replace most stock musclecar applications, so we figured that our '70 Monte Carlo would be a perfect candidate to test them on. When we got the shocks, we were immediately impressed with their build quality. The shock bodies are machined from lightweight billet aluminum and then clear anodized. Adding to the shock's strength, the 5/8-inch piston rod is hard-chromed. Our Monte Carlo's suspension has been rebuilt with polyurethane bushings and tuned with Hotchkis coils, trailing arms, and sway bars. We tested it a few months ago, checking its performance with different-size tires and decided to stick with the 17-inch Yokohama AVS S/Ts for this test, as well. We took the Monte and the shocks over to Hotchkis Performance and installed them. The day of the testing the weather did not look promising. The track surface was wet and the sky was cloudy. Luckily, a few hours later the track had dried out and we were ready to run. The temperature stayed cool and kept the track a little cooler, which might have contributed to our speeds being a little off from the last time we tested (during a warm SoCal day). But by the end of the session the new shocks more than made up for it. The QA1s worked very well and the Monte performed great. It's a fun car to shoot through the slalom and take out on the road. We have some more suspension mods in mind, so we will continue to play with the shocks' adjustments to see how our new modifications react. Hopefully we'll get a new engine in so we have some power to actually test them out on the dragstrip.

truck spare parts Thousands of trucks from Navistar Defense, LLC will support rebuilding and security efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq as the U.S. Army today awarded Navistar Defense a multi-year contract valued at nearly $1.3 billion. The U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command awarded Navistar Defense a follow-on contract to provide Medium Tactical Vehicles and spare parts to the Afghanistan National Police, Afghan National Army and the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. Previously known as International Military and Government, LLC, Navistar Defense is an affiliate of Navistar International Corporation. Under the multi-year contract, Navistar will supply tactical vehicles built on Navistar’s severe service International 7000 Series platform. It follows a $430 million contract awarded in 2005 to Navistar by TACOM for more than 2,900 vehicles and spare parts. “This contract award reflects Navistar’s strong performance in providing quality vehicles and reliable service to the military;” said Archie Massicotte, president, Navistar Defense. “We have stepped up to the challenge to become a leader. We continue to deliver on our commitment to provide the U.S. military and allies with a comprehensive value solution that includes military vehicles, and worldwide parts and field service support.” The three-year contract is valued at $1,282,939,624 for 7,072 vehicles and parts. Approximately half of the order will be delivered during the first year of the contract with nearly 1,000 units expected to be delivered in fiscal year 2008. Navistar will supply several vehicle variants, including General Troop Transporter, POL vehicles (petroleum, oil and lubricant), water tankers, wreckers and hazardous material trucks. In addition, Navistar will supply all required spare parts necessary to support several years of scheduled maintenance. View Video Log of Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Debut Navistar and teammate BAE Systems unveiled their Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) design in February. JLTV is the U.S. multi-service initiative for fielding a family of future light tactical vehicles. BAE Systems and Navistar announced their collaboration in October 2007 to take advantage of combined capabilities that most effectively support the JLTV program. To view the video log of the JLTV unveiling, visit www.navistar.com/newsroom. Navistar International Corporation (Other OTC: NAVZ) is a holding company whose wholly owned subsidiaries produce International brand commercial and military trucks, MaxxForce brand diesel engines, IC brand school and commercial buses, and Workhorse brand chassis for motor homes and step vans. It also is a private-label designer and manufacturer of diesel engines for the pickup truck, van and SUV markets. The company also provides truck and diesel engine parts and service.