Automotive Aluminum Extrusion Market Grows
Automotive Aluminum Extrusion Market Grows Read More »
AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT
Schuler Acquires Leading Die Manufacturer AWEBA
Schuler AG, the market leader in forming equipment, is to take over the die construction specialist AWEBA and thus greatly expand its activities in this business field. Based in Aue, Germany, the AWEBA Group is one of the world’s leading full-service providers of dies and fixtures. Under the terms of the purchase agreement, Schuler will acquire a 100 percent stake in AWEBA Werkzeugbau GmbH Aue.
The transaction is still subject to the approval of the relevant anti-trust authorities. AWEBA Werkzeugbau GmbH was previously held by private and institutional investors. The parties have agreed not to disclose any details about the purchase agreement.
AWEBA was founded in 1882 as “Bernhard Hiltmann Spezialfabrik für Schnitt und Stanzwerkzeug”. The company today supplies international customers in the automotive and electrical industries, as well as machine and plant manufacturers. The product portfolio includes forming, cutting, hydroforming, and die-casting dies, as well as fixtures and a comprehensive range of services.
In fiscal year 2015, the AWEBA Group generated sales revenue of around € 60 million.
Schuler CEO Stefan Klebert commented: “We are delighted to add a successfully managed company like AWEBA to our Group. With its high level of expertise in research and development and excellent engineering know-how, the company is a perfect fit for Schuler. The acquisition is part of our growth strategy. AWEBA complements our product portfolio in forming technology in line with market requirements and will expand and strengthen our existing activities in die construction.”
The AWEBA Group employs around 600 people, including almost 200 highly skilled engineers and toolmakers. The company owns 40 valuable patents in the field of die manufacturing.
AWEBA CEO Udo Binder stated: “Becoming a member of the Schuler Group opens up tremendous opportunities for the further expansion of AWEBA. Schuler’s global market standing will enable us to quickly grow our international presence and enhance our profile as a global system supplier. This gives AWEBA growth opportunities which would not have been achievable without Schuler.”
The AWEBA takeover is Schuler’s second major acquisition in the last twelve months. Last year, the company acquired a majority stake in the Chinese press manufacturer Yadon with annual sales of around € 110 million.
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Bodycote To Open New Heat Treatment Facility in Mexico
Bodycote, the world’s largest thermal processing services provider, today announces the company will open a new, state-of-the-art heat treatment plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
Mexico is one of the largest automotive manufacturing countries in the western hemisphere, with many of the world’s leading car manufacturers investing in manufacturing and assembly plants.
Bodycote’s latest investment, a 100,0002ft facility, established to serve the country’s extensive and growing automotive supply chain, will be capable of supporting large automotive projects and providing the necessary heat treatment services for technologically advanced components, such as complicated transmissions.
The plant, which will be TS 16949 certified as well as holding all required OEM quality approvals, will offer a wide range of heat treatment processes, including low pressure carburizing, ferritic nitrocarburizing, and Bodycote’s proprietary Corr-I-Dur® process.
In addition to the existing Silao and Empalme plants, the San Luis Potosi facility will be Bodycote’s third plant in Mexico and will be able to provide customers with complementary services and qualified backup to the existing sites, if needed. It is scheduled to be fully operational by fourth quarter.
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GM Dumps Korea as Source for 2017 Holden Commodore
Source: Wheels
“The same factor that pushed General Motors to quit building the Holden Commodore in Australia – the high cost of labour – appears to have led it to dump a decision to build the first-ever fully imported Holden Commodore in Korea.”
Read More: GM Dumps Korea as Source for 2017 Holden Commodore
GM Dumps Korea as Source for 2017 Holden Commodore Read More »
Alcoa Unveils Four New Specialty Alloys
Source: Alcoa
“Lightweight, high-performance metals leader Alcoa (NYSE:AA) today launched a family of innovative foundry alloys designed to meet the growing need for both part performance and lightweighting in the automotive industry and beyond.”
Alcoa Unveils Four New Specialty Alloys Read More »
In-House Heat Treatment Process Works Too Well
Source: Today’s Motor Vehicles
“We developed our own hot-stamping process to be cost competitive,” says Elie Mordovanaki, general manager of operations and engineering for Merit Technologies Worldwide, GNS America’s hot-stamping division. “However, mechanical trimming is not optimal after the heat treating process takes place.”
Read More: Laser Cutting Supports Hot Stamping
In-House Heat Treatment Process Works Too Well Read More »
Ipsen Ships Seven Vacuum Furnaces
Ipsen recently shipped seven furnaces around the globe, which will be used to support the Aerospace, Automotive and Power industries. This selection of shipments included both custom-built furnaces and standard TITAN® furnaces that were sent to customers in Alabama, California, Missouri and Texas, as well as China and Japan.
The equipment shipped ranged from a vertical, bottom-loading MetalMaster® with an 84″ x 84″ (2,134 mm x 2,134 mm) molybdenum hot zone traveling to California to a TITAN® H2 vacuum furnace that was sent to Japan. Other furnaces shipped included horizontal MetalMaster furnaces, H2- and H4-sized furnaces from Ipsen’s TITAN line and a Global Vertical furnace from Ipsen’s TurboTreater® line. Overall, these shipments represent Ipsen’s ability to provide sophisticated and intuitive heat-treating solutions through an all-inclusive product line that supports various applications and processes.
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Hitachi Metals Automotive Components to Be Division of Waupaca Foundry
Waupaca Foundry Inc., Waupaca, Wisconsin, announced it will merge with Hitachi Metals Automotive Components USA LLC (HMAC). The merger is part of a larger reorganization within Hitachi Metals Foundry America designed to position the integrated organization for growth and meet customer demand.
According to a news release, Waupaca Foundry will assume the assets and liabilities of HMAC. Both companies are currently subsidiaries of Hitachi Metals Foundry America (HMFA). After the merger, HMAC will become a division of Waupaca Foundry, but will continue to operate under the HMAC name.
Subject to customary conditions, the merger is expected to be complete on April 1.
Daily operations at Waupaca will not be impacted, and the merger is part of the firms’ strategic alignment.
“The merger with HMAC allows us to further integrate castings and value added services for our customers in diverse markets,” said Gary Gigante, CEO, Waupaca Foundry. “We are committed to being the world’s leading casting solutions provider, and this is a critical step in achieving that goal.”
In 2014, Hitachi Metals Ltd. purchased Waupaca Foundry from KPS Capital Partners LP, a New York-based private equity firm.
Waupaca Foundry produces gray iron, ductile iron and austempered ductile iron castings and employs more than 3,900 people at six manufacturing facilities, including three in Waupaca and others in Marinette, Wisconsin; Tell City, Indiana; and Etowah, Tennessee.
HMAC produces cast, machined and assembled ductile iron suspension and exhaust components for global automotive OEMs. It currently operates a machine and assembly plant in Effingham, Illinois, as well as a ductile iron casting facility in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania.
The company employs 485 people across all locations.
“This reorganization further unites Hitachi Metals’ product design engineering expertise and materials development with Waupaca Foundry’s manufacturing excellence,” said Eddie Nakano, president and CEO, HMFA. “The merger will unite an experienced leadership team that is focused on delivering the most innovative products and technology to a growing base of global customers.”
HMAC CEO Mike Nikolai said the merger is a response to increased customer demand.
“Centralizing machine and assembly operations allows us to be more flexible in meeting the evolving demands of our customers,” Nikolai said. “We’ve already increased overall operational capacity and are positioning our organizations for long-term, sustainable growth.”
Hitachi Metals Automotive Components to Be Division of Waupaca Foundry Read More »
Industrial Batch Ovens to Automotive Supplier
Wisconsin Oven Corporation announced the shipment of two (2) direct gas fired batch ovens to a leading automotive supplier for tempering tire molds. The tempering process of the molds results in a longer mold life. This industrial oven was designed with the load capacity of 6,000 pounds and provides easy access of loading and unloading of tire molds by fork truck.
Each tempering batch oven has a maximum operating temperature rating of 800°F, work chamber dimensions of 5’0”W x 5’0”L x 8’0”H, and a 6” reinforced insulated floor. The recirculation system utilizes combination airflow which provides both horizontal and vertical upward airflow to maximize heating rates and temperature uniformity of the product. The batch oven is equipped with a 10,850 CFM @ 15 HP belt-driven blower. Supply air is delivered through fully adjustable boxed ducts and side-mounted along the length on each side of the work chambers. The heating system features an industrial air heat burner rated at 850,000 BTU per hour.
“Designing a solution for our customers that improves their production process is always a top priority. Improved work flow and ease of loading/unloading was a focus for this project to increase production efficiencies.” Tom Trueman, Senior Application Engineer, Wisconsin Oven Corporation
Unique features of these tempering batch ovens include:
- Load capacity to 6,000 pounds
- 575-volt electrical capacity
- Operating temperatures to 800° F
- 3/16” plate construction for durability
- High volume of air flow; 10,850 CFM
- Motorized dampers for quick cool down
- Natural gas fired
- Programmable controller
- Meets all Canadian requirements – CUL, CSA TSSA
- Field inspection provided by a trained factory technician
- Temperature triggered door locks with safety pull cord
Industrial Batch Ovens to Automotive Supplier Read More »
StrikoWestofen Furnace Systems to be Installed in the USA for the First Time
For its new project in Michigan (USA), the Chinese automotive wheel manufacturer CITIC Dicastal has decided on StrikoMelter melting furnaces built by StrikoWestofen Asia (Taicang). The highly global orientation of the Gummersbach subsidiary had a crucial role to play in this decision: the interaction of modern technology from Germany, efficient production in China and reliable on-site service in the USA was a convincing proposition for the leading manufacturer worldwide of aluminium wheels. With this large-scale contract, StrikoWestofen was able to assert itself against the Japanese, Chinese and American competition. It means that StrikoWestofen systems manufactured in China will be taken into operation in the USA for the first time in 2016.
International call for tenders: in its search for modern thermal process technology, the Chinese wheel manufacturer CITIC Dicastal made high technical demands on the bidders. The leading manufacturer worldwide of aluminium wheels was in search of especially energy-efficient melting systems with low metal loss for a new project in Michigan (USA). Here StrikoWestofen Asia (Taicang) was able to assert itself against the Japanese, Chinese and American competition.
Melting and recycling efficiently
CITIC Dicastal Wheel Manufacturing supplies companies from the automotive sector such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Ford and Toyota, making it one of the leading suppliers of cast aluminium components worldwide. Since as early as 2013, the company has based production at its site in Ningbo (Zhèjiāng Province) on the reliable performance of six StrikoMelter melting furnaces built by StrikoWestofen Asia. In the current call for tenders, too, the high-quality systems and the comprehensive range of services offered by the Asian subsidiary of StrikoWestofen (Gummersbach) were a convincing proposition for the Chinese supplier: the three new StrikoMelter which CITIC Dicastal is ordering for the USA provide the option of chip recycling. “The main factors influencing the decision were the efficient use of energy, the minimal metal loss and the extremely low emission values,” explains Rainer Erdmann, Managing Director of StrikoWestofen Asia. The high system availability convinced the wheel manufacturer too. Also, the option of independently recycling aluminium chips additionally provides for maximum metal yield and a highly economical mode of operation.
Global all-round service
However, the international orientation of the StrikoWestofen Group also had a special role to play in the investment decision of CITIC Dicastal. The optimum cooperation between the various locations – StrikoWestofen (Germany), StrikoWestofen Asia (China) and StrikoDynarad (Michigan, USA) – combines the best from three continents: modern technology from Germany, efficient production in China and reliable installation and on-site service in the USA. Thanks to the company’s local presence in Michigan, Dicastal permanently benefits from the extended service and spare parts program in OEM quality offered by StrikoWestofen. Original spare parts and the company’s own technicians are available at short notice at all times. The new StrikoMelter are to be delivered in summer 2016. “Then StrikoWestofen furnace systems manufactured in China will be put to work in the USA for the first time,” Erdmann adds. This intercontinental cooperation of one manufacturer therefore has an especially pioneering role for the entire automotive supply industry.
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