Toolmakers all over the globe compete for tooling projects, whether it be tooling for a local Tier 1 supplier or an international customer. Die Engineering Pty Ltd (Brisbane, Australia, http://www.dieengineering.com.au) is no exception and relies on sheet metal forming simulation services from http://www.stampingsimulation.com to tool up complex drawn sheet metal parts in record quick time and on budget.

Die Engineering has introduced sheet metal forming simulation on all but the most simple tooling projects, to get ahead of the competition and avoid a slow death, like many local toolmakers in Australia have unfortunately suffered.The most recent success for Die Engineering and StampingSimulation.com was a deep drawn front bumper reinforcement for the next model Toyota Camry. The product design called for a 590MPa Tensile Strength Japanese steel and other toolmakers had quoted the part to be drawn in a minimum of two stages. Die Engineering was able to determine in less than 24 hours, with simulation, that the product was feasible with just one draw and used the simulation results to ensure they quoted the best price for a feasible tool. No guess work and no added “fat” which may have made their quotation uncompetitive.

Needless to say, Die Engineering won the job and proceeded with the tool design based on the simulations provided at quotation. To be successful in the press, it was critical to use simulation to “validate” the final tool design, a virtual tryout using StampingSimulation.com’s SimulateLite Service. In addition, a sample of 590MPa production material was sent for uni-axial tensile strain testing at ThyssenKrupp Steel Services (Detroit, MI, USA). The data from this test was available in less than 24 hours and fed into the simulation, to ensure the most accurate simulation result was realized.“It was critical for the timing and cost of the project that we make acceptable parts at first tool tryout. But since we had used simulation, we knew the required binder force and to use lubrication to make a successful part. We found that our first part split! Quickly, we checked our blank size on the shop floor and realized we had cut the trial blank larger than the simulation determined. So a simple blank size adjustment and we made acceptable parts during our first tool tryout, no splits and no wrinkles. The press operator (the customer) couldn’t believe his eyes.” Paul Elliston, Die Engineering Director.

It was estimated that at least 4 or 5 days was saved in the press by using simulation early in the project and by simulating the final tool design. In fact, the job would have been lost at quotation if it was not determined that the product was feasible in one draw. “We had to be quick with simulation at quotation, to avoid being dead in the press.” The total cost of simulation on this project was US$1,628 for a single stage draw development with final validation and material testing, using AutoForm-Incremental simulation provided by StampingSimulation.com Pty Ltd.

AutoForm-Incremental simulation result showing Forming Limit Information.

The AutoForm-Incremental simulation shows every step of the draw process, using tool design data.

Drawn parts produced at the first tool tryout.

Drawn parts produced at the first tool tryout.

Draw tool in press at the first tool tryout, with successful drawn part in the tool. 

100 new manufacturing jobs appear to be headed to Dowagiac, with the job creation slated to start by the end of this year.

The project cleared a huge hurdle on Tuesday with the approval of state tax credits for Premier Tool and Die.

About four years ago, Premier shut down its zinc die casting operations because a lot of that work began going to China.

Now, some of the work is coming back home, according to Premier Chief Financial Officer Steve Endres, and Premier is in a hurry to re-establish the line in Dowagiac.

Endres says about 80 percent of the work on the new line will be done on behalf of Benton Harbor based appliance giant Whirlpool.

“100 jobs is very significant, it will, between the jobs that they already have and the new ones that they're creating, they'll be one of the top five employers when it’s all said and done,” said Dowagiac City Manager Kevin Anderson.

Premier already operates one plant in Dowagiac where approximately 60 people are employed. While those jobs arrived about a year later than expected, the new project promises to deliver quickly.

“They’ve got some new contracts that they'll be needing to fulfill,” said Anderson. “So we're looking forward to them getting in there and doing some clean up work on that site, and uh, really by the time we get to the end of the year having those jobs in place.”

Plans call for Premier to put the zinc line in a vacant factory that used to house ICG and Du-well. Premier plans to spend $3.2 million on the project. Premier’s Michigan state tax credits could be worth up to $862,000 over the next five years.

Dowagiac was apparently competing with sites in New York and Ohio for the new jobs.

The news was received well at Bakeman Barbers in downtown Dowagiac. “Well it’s better than 100 going out, right, and Dowagiac can definitely use the work,” said Pat Bakeman. “Hopefully they’ll hire local people.”

Barbershop customer Tim Hippensteel agreed. “There’s a lot of machinists, a lot of good machine operators and around the area that are good at that sort of thing, and a lot of them are cutting grass and doing jobs like that because there just aren’t the positions for them anymore.”

The much-awaited Volkswagen Vento finally entered India and the pricing seems to be quite reasonable for a car packed with so many features. Volkswagen claims that the Vento has been strapped with the best-in-class features and German engineering and believes that it will set a benchmark in its segment. The car has been built exclusively for India and auto maker is confident the new car will add strength to its inventory. Here’s a note on the car; its features and pricing.

Volkswagen had committed to India that it would offer quality products at low prices and the Vento happens to be an extension of that commitment. The Vento sedan comes in both petrol and diesel versions. The petrol Vento has been strapped with a 1.6-litre motor that expels 103 bhp at 5250 rpm and maximum torque of 153 NM at 3800 rpm. This engine has been coupled with a 5-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic transmission which deliver 15.83 kmpl and 14.4 kmpl respectively.

The diesel Vento too gets a 1.6 litre motor which spews out 103 bhp at 4400 rpm and a maximum torque of 1500-2500 rpm. Here, in the diesel Vento, the engine has been mated with a 5-speed manual slush box. The diesel variant delivers mileage of 20.54 kmpl. Both, the petrol and diesel Vento are available in the country as Trendline and Highline variants.

The interiors come loaded with comfort features. There is a storage section in the front doors where a 1 litre bottle fits in easily. There’s also space in the glove box for sunglass storage. The arm rests in the front and rear, foldable roof handles with coat hooks, cup holders and Livon fabric upholstery speak of the high design quality that Volkswagen has used for the Vento.

On the outside, the Vento gets body coloured bumpers and door handles. The chrome accentuation on the grille adds a sophisticated finish to the exteriors. The mirrors in the Highline variant and rough road package with enhanced ground clearance make the car look aggressive. The Vento’s partially zinc coated body comes backed with a 6-year anti-rust warranty.

The Volkswagen Vento also emphasizes on passenger safety. The Highline comes strapped with ABS, airbags in the front for driver and co-driver, anti-theft alarm system with interior surveillance and back up alarm to ensure maximum safety.

The Vento Highline comes with an adjustable front co-driver seat from the rear to add to comfort. For entertainment on the drive, a CD MP3 player with 4 speakers seems to be good enough. The Vento Highline also comes with electrically adjustable outside mirrors, climatronic automatic A/C with rear AC vents and a remote control for central locking.

The new car comes with a host of other useful features like a multi-function information display including door opening warning, height-adjustable driver seat and an adjustable steering wheel that enhance driving experience. Be it comfort, safety, space or style; the Vento has it all.

The new car that’s available to customers starting September 6, 2010 has driven into India with prices Rs 6.99 Lakh for the 1.6 Trendline Petrol manual, Rs 8.23 Lakh for the 1.6 Highline Petrol manual, Rs 9.21 Lakh for the 1.6 Highline Petrol automatic, Rs 7.99 lakh for the 1.6 Trendline TDI Diesel manual and Rs 9.23 Lakh for the 1.6 Highline TDI Diesel manual, ex showroom New Delhi.

Fischer Tool & Die Corp. will add 34,000 square feet to its factory in the Bedford Industrial Park, and add as many as nine workers under a $5 million expansion, company officials said.

An expansion project at York-based Tooling Dynamics was approved this week by York City Council.The $980,000 addition to the micro-precision metal stamping operation on Vogelsong Road will allow the company to add 30 to 40 new jobs for machinists and high-skilled maintenance workers, said Bob Updike, president and owner.

Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s largest automaker, added 1,000 workers to build Tacoma pickups at its San Antonio truck plant and is using the factory’s full capacity for the first time after a rocky start.

The company yesterday marked the start of compact Tacoma production in the plant built to make only larger Tundra pickups when it opened in late 2006. Lower demand for Tundras than Toyota expected and the closing of its former California joint- venture plant this year led it to move Tacoma output to Texas at a cost of $100 million.

“No one forecast the overall collapse of the U.S. market in 2008, and certainly we didn’t anticipate full-size trucks would fall as much as they did,” Jim Lentz, Toyota’s U.S. sales chief, told reporters yesterday at the factory. The company’s current 270,000-unit North American pickup run rate, including 50,000 Tacomas built in Mexico, “looks about right,” he said.

Toyota planned to sell at least 200,000 Tundras a year when it began building the truck in 2006 in both Texas and Indiana. Sales missed that target in the model’s first full year, and U.S. volume shrank in subsequent years as fuel prices rose to a record in 2008 and later as the recession curbed demand.

The addition of Tacoma raised investment in the Texas plant to $1.4 billion, Atsushi Niimi, executive vice president for global manufacturing, said yesterday in an interview in San Antonio. It may take a decade to recoup that investment, compared with seven years for most Toyota plants, he said.

Tough Competition

U.S. sales of full-size pickups, dominated by trucks from Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co., may total 1.4 million to 1.5 million this year, Lentz said. Tundra sales through July rose 29 percent to 54,515.

The Toyota City, Japan-based company sold 79,385 Tundras in the U.S. last year, down from 196,555 in 2007, the first full year after it was redesigned to compete with models from Ford and GM. Toyota’s U.S. sales unit is based in Torrance, California.

Toyota’s American depositary receipts, each equal to two ordinary shares, rose 28 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $72.52 yesterday in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. They have declined 13.8 percent this year.

Lentz said he doesn’t expect the San Antonio plant to be enlarged anytime soon. Toyota had said in October that it would hire 850 for the additional work. The number increased after Toyota discovered Tacoma assembly required more manpower than planned, said Dan Antis, plant manager.

Plant Utilization

San Antonio is building trucks at a rate that would allow the plant to make a combined 220,000 Tundras and Tacomas annually, Antis said. Official capacity for the factory remains 200,000 trucks a year, said Tania Saldana, a Toyota spokeswoman.

Toyota now employees 2,800 people at the factory. About 2,500 more work there for suppliers located on site, Antis said.

Higher production in Texas, and increases at other Toyota plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, will boost the company’s plant utilization in the region to 90 percent this year, Steve St. Angelo, chief quality officer and executive vice president for North America manufacturing, said this week at an automotive conference in Acme, Michigan.

Overall use of existing Toyota production lines in North America should rise to 100 percent in 2011, St. Angelo said.

The recession that began in 2008 and falling auto sales in 2009 cut Toyota’s plant-utilization rate to about 70 percent for much of 2009. Production at San Antonio stopped for three months in 2008, before the factory reopened late that year.

President Obama visits GM and Chrysler auto plants in Detroit on Friday to call attention to the successes — so far — of the bailed-out companies.

And while he's likely to acknowledge that the decision to bail out the companies was widely unpopular outside the industrial Midwest, he's expected to make the case that government investment led to a stronger national economy overall.

Chrysler's Jefferson North Assembly plant on Detroit's east side is adding 1,100 jobs and a second shift to produce the new Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Bernie Kitter says that in the 15 years he's worked at the massive facility, the shifts have dwindled from three to just one. He hopes the president's visit means the plant is on the upswing.

"The mood's very upbeat. We're looking forward to him visiting," Kitter says. "We've worked very hard to come out of this post-bankruptcy."

One of the provisions of Chrysler's government-sponsored bankruptcy was a shotgun wedding with Italian automaker Fiat. Kitter says the transition to Fiat management has been smooth.

"Fiat's brought some new technology to Chrysler as a whole. And then we've implemented a new manufacturing process … world-class manufacturing. And it has made a big difference at the plant," he says. "It's made a tremendous difference at the plant."

Bad Could Have Been Worse

En route to his second stop — at GM's Hamtramck Assembly plant — Obama will pass abandoned warehouses and decayed factories that now make up much of Detroit's industrial landscape. It's a reminder that even as GM and Chrysler make tentative comebacks, there is still a lot of room for a full recovery.

The Administration's Outlook For U.S. AutomakersRead the White House report: Rebuilding the American Auto Industry and view an interactive map.

Hamtramck is a small working-class enclave within the city of Detroit. Nearly everyone here still calls Hamtramck Assembly the "Poletown" plant, after the neighborhood that was bulldozed to make way for it in the early 1980s.

Poletown will stay open during the usual two-week summer shutdown to meet growing demand for some GM models. The company is also investing $100 million in the plant, which is getting ready to produce the much-anticipated Chevy Volt, GM's new electric car.

About a mile north of the plant at Cafe 1923, barista Jennifer Pearson says customers offer up a lot of opinions about the state of the auto industry.

"It's a big issue around here. I mean the reason Hamtramck existed is because of the auto industry," she says. "And so with the ups and downs, we feel it maybe more than most places."

Despite the good news at Poletown, Pearson says the industry's recent crisis has left Hamtramck with a visible sense of loss. While a White House report touts the 55,000 jobs the industry has added in the past year, that's a small dent in the 334,000 jobs the auto sector shed in 2008 alone.

Mail carrier Tony Wagner says while Michigan is still reeling from the auto crisis, government intervention prevented something far worse.

"If you had said, 'You know GM and Chrysler are going to go bankrupt.' I would have thought this whole state would have completely collapsed into a sinkhole," he says. "And it's been bad, but not as bad as I would have expected. So I've got to give a little grudging credit to the way they've pulled it off."

In a recent analysis of the health of the Canadian auto manufacturing industry a year after the government bailout of General Motors and Chrysler, Dennis DesRosiers, Canada’s leading automotive industry analyst, made a number of insightful observations.He noted that GM and Chrysler appear to be making progress in their efforts to emerge from bankruptcy protection. Ford Motors is gaining market share and the three domestic manufacturers collectively appear to be competing more effectively against some imported brands.

After a painful period of downsizing, the Detroit Three have reduced their production costs and have not been hit by a supplier failure for several months.While there have been several positive developments in the auto sector over the past year, according to DesRosiers, there is one essential missing element: jobs.

Despite the billions spent by governments on both sides of the border keeping GM and Chrysler afloat and subsidizing Ford, based on Statistics Canada data, year-to-date employment in automotive manufacturing in Canada is down by 9,500.Moreover, this is the fifth consecutive year that employment in the auto sector has declined.

On a year-to-date basis, employment is down across all four major subsectors of automotive manufacturing, led by the parts sector (-5,813) and followed by the motor vehicle body and trailer sector (-1,771); the tool, die and mold sector (- 1,430); and the motor vehicle assembly sector (-524).Although the pattern of job losses across all sectors is a source of serious concern, according to DesRosiers, it is particularly troubling that employment in the highly skilled tool, die and mold sector has suffered so much over the past four years.

Compared to the other sub-sectors, employment in this one had been quite stable, and it appears that these skills are likely going to remain in Canada, unlike jobs in the lower skilled sub-sectors, such as vehicle assembly.The bottom line of DesRosier’s analysis is that Canadian politicians should be quite concerned about the steady shrinkage of the automotive sector in general, and the tool, die and mold sub-sector in particular.

Clearly throwing more money at the sector is not a particularly useful remedy for its problems.

Economic news has been up and down for some time now. Mostly it's been down, but we occasionally see sparks that give us hope. One of those sparks is news that General Motors is turning a healthy profit this quarter. Chrysler and Ford are doing better, too. This is a wonderful story that we hope keeps going and going.

According to a New York Times story, Ford made more money in the first six months of this year than it has in the last five years combined. Chrysler is hiring new workers and G.M. is profitable and getting ready for a huge public stock offering.

It's too early to say all is well with U.S. automakers, but there are some promising signs that they've done necessary changes to become healthy again.

Strangely enough, GOP critics of Washington, D.C.'s bailout for the auto industry are keeping quiet, or trying to say it's too early to tell if this recovery. We agree, it's way too early to know if these profits are just a fluke or the beginning of something great. Several business experts believe this is a real change. We hope so.

These experts say that American automakers have cut employees, models that don't sell well and tossed many of those costly rebates they were using to sell cars. That's made the companies much more profitable.

Perhaps the most important thing these automakers have done is bring non-automotive CEOs in to change the direction of these companies. They are seeing inefficiencies that inside folks cannot. The sacred cows are being slaughtered and business is running better as a result. The gap between American autoworkers' pay compared to Japanese autoworkers has narrowed to just a few dollars.

We are excited to see that American automakers apparently have turned things around so quickly. We need our country to be makers of things, not just brokers. Auto manufacturing has been a huge part of our economy. It's not as big these days because foreign automakers account for more than half the cars sold here, but it's still large.

Let's hope this continues to improve, and not care a lick who gets credit for it. That doesn't matter. Putting people back to work and showing the world that American manufacturing can compete is what's most important.

Cimatron Limited (Nasdaq: CIMT), a leading provider of integrated CAD/CAM solutions for mold, tool and die makers as well as manufacturers of discrete parts, announced it will sponsor a live webinar hosted by MetalForming Magazine on July 22, for die makers looking to increase efficiency, cut costs and be more competitive. Registration is at http://www.cimatrontech.com.Rezmin Tool and Die recently achieved a 25-30% more efficient process, a 30% reduction in costs, as well as improved quoting and better quality products, after implementing organizational changes to its operations. In a live webinar, Rezmin's Co-Owner, Zelko Rezler, will explain how this was done, providing real-life, practical advice for die makers.

Rezmin Tool and Die recently achieved a 25-30% more efficient process, a 30% reduction in costs, as well as improved quoting and better quality products, after implementing organizational changes to its operations. In a live webinar, Rezmin's Co-Owner, Zelko Rezler, will explain how this was done, providing real-life, practical advice for die makers.Rezmin - based in Ontario, Canada - is a producer of long-lasting, high quality progressive and transfer dies, catering primarily to tier-one automotive suppliers. Founded in 1996, Rezmin recently evaluated its processes in an attempt to offer its high quality products at more competitive prices, with shorter delivery times.
Changes to Rezmin's processes included implementation of faster, more accurate quoting, moving to 3D design, machining using 4 and 5 Axis machines, and modifying the NC programming process. CimatronE's integrated CAD/CAM solution for die making played a big part in streamlining these changes, which eventually led to a dramatic increase in the efficiency of Rezmin's tool shop.To learn more and register for the online seminar, log on to http://www.cimatrontech.com. The live webinar will take place on July 22nd, but visitors to the site will be able to view it at any time.
About CimatronWith over 25 years of experience and more than 40,000 installations worldwide, Cimatron is a leading provider of integrated, CAD/CAM solutions for mold, tool and die makers as well as manufacturers of discrete parts. Cimatron is committed to providing comprehensive, cost-effective solutions that streamline manufacturing cycles, enable collaboration with outside vendors, and ultimately shorten product delivery time.
The Cimatron product line includes the CimatronE and GibbsCAM brands with solutions for mold design, die design, electrodes design, 2.5 to 5 axes milling, wire EDM, turn, Mill-turn, rotary milling, multi-task machining, and tombstone machining. Cimatron's subsidiaries and extensive distribution network serve and support customers in the automotive, aerospace, medical, consumer plastics, electronics, and other industries in over 40 countries worldwide.Cimatron's shares are publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol CIMT. For more information, please visit the Company's web site at: http://www.cimatron.com

The National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA) and the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) today called on the U.S. Senate to act immediately on the need to pass the Small Business Lending Fund Act, a bill that would help small and medium sized manufacturers access credit needed to help finance their day-to-day operations, invest in expansion of domestic operations and ensure that a disruption in the critical supply chain does not occur.

The bill, already passed by the House, creates a $30 billion lending pool that community bankers can use for small businesses, and $12 billion in tax incentives.

"In the past week, the Senate has passed bills addressing Wall Street reform and extending unemployment benefits," said PMA President Bill Gaskin. "It's now time for the Senate to focus on helping the backbone of the U.S. economy, small and medium sized manufacturers. We are the engine that will boost employment and lead this country out of the current economic crisis but this can't be done if our members can't access the credit needed to invest in our businesses."

"Small and medium sized manufacturers continue to bear the brunt of the financial crisis - trapped between their customers and creditors," continued Gaskin. "We need this bill passed now because traditional lenders have either drastically reduced lines of credit or denied loans to companies that are healthy or temporarily impaired due to the global economic crisis."

"If Senators want to help our manufacturers, this is the bill to support," added NTMA COO Rob Akers. "The loan facility is critical so that we can gain access to the credit needed to operate our companies. The bill uses already appropriated Treasury funds."

"The time for talk is over," concluded Akers. "Congress talks a good game about supporting manufacturing in this country. It's time for them to show it by passing this bill."

Kathleen Matthews, tooling manager with Pano Cap Canada Ltd., Kitchener, ON, attended her first Joint Open House earlier this year May 5 and 6, and she’s glad she did.

Not only did she find the machines she was looking for, she was the winner of a draw for a 42 in. Samsung flat screen tv. Matthews qualified for the draw because she attended all five open house locations—DMG Canada, Mississauga; Elliott Matsuura Canada, Oakville, ON; EMEC Machine Tools, Ferro Technique and SST-Canada, all based in Mississauga, ON. 

Matthews says she prefers the Joint Open House approach versus attending a trade show.

“It was a good way to talk to different people and learn about the different technologies from several builders. Not only is this more cost effective than attending a trade show, it’s more convenient and it’s better. I can see the facility, meet the technical people and get a good sense of the technical support a supplier can offer if we choose to purchase a machine. You can’t get that from a trade show.”

A licensed mould and die maker from St. Clair College who apprenticed at tool and mould shops in Windsor, ON, Matthews is responsible for the mould shop and the tool and die shop at the Kitchener operation. She says she was impressed that competitors chose to get together to showcase their machinery.

“It’s nice to see that these suppliers are confident enough in their machine tools to stand side by side with competitors and have people like me see what everyone has to offer before we make a decision to purchase a machine.”

Pano Cap is a German-owned manufacturer of injection moulded plastic caps and closures with operations in Canada, South America and Europe.

“We’re outsourcing some work right now and we want to bring it all in-house and add more machinery, more tools and more manpower,” says Matthews.

Some tool and die manufacturers are asking the city to give them tax breaks as they seek to retool their operations.At least one company, and possibly as many as three, could file requests over the next couple of months to be included in tool and die renaissance recovery zones, as city officials consider a policy dealing with them.

"This is one of the ways I can possibly see helping us reinvest in technology and equipment," said Bob Aylsworth, operations manager for BuhlerPrince Inc.The diecast machine manufacturer has seen its work force fall from 109 employees to 69 during the past three years, a result of the economic downturn and competitive pressure from lower-cost firms in China and other countries.

BuhlerPrince could save up to $140,000 in taxes, most of them from the Michigan Business Tax, if it gets approval to join a tool and die renaissance recovery zone, which could waive almost all local and state taxes for up to 15 years.The company is seeking to join a zone that includes companies in Macomb, Berrien and St. Joseph counties, said consultant Cindy LaGrow.

"Most of these companies are heavy on the medical (equipment) side, heavy on defense, or heavy on (automotive)," she said, noting that one of the purposes for the recovery zone designation is for companies to share information and ideas for new business.BuhlerPrince, which has delayed investing $11 million in new machinery and equipment at its facility at 670 Windcrest Drive by two years, has slashed costs to stay competitive.

"We've done layoffs; we've frozen wages; we've had salary concessions; we've increased health insurance co-pays," Aylsworth said.Two Holland firms already are in tool and die recovery zones, although one of them, LS Mold Inc., has its six-year tax abatement expiring at the end of the year. The family owned company is expected to seek another designation, said Dan Kolean, an accountant for LS Mold.

"The first time, it kept them in business," Kolean said. "The second time, I think it can help them expand."LS Mold, which employs 22 people, could save almost $39,000 in taxes with a new renaissance zone designation. Another company, STM Manufacturing, received a six-year tax break from the city in 2007 but will soon begin paying a portion of its local and state taxes next year, with that amount to increase in 25 percent increments annually, said Greg Robinson, assistant city manager.

Under the proposed policy, the city could approve a resolution of support for a tool and die renaissance zone for between 5 and 15 years, as long as it is current on its property taxes and complies with state requirements. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has the final say on renaissance zone requests, LaGrow said.City Council members aren't expected to decide on the tool and die policy until next month, but some expressed concerns about granting additional tax incentives while trying make sure they have enough revenues to provide services.

"If a fire breaks out, (the company will) expect the fire truck to roll up, and if there's a break-in, they expect the police," Mayor Pro Tem Bob Vande Vusse said.

Taiwan exported US$1.029 billion of machine tools in the first five months, up 45% year-on-year from US$710 million, according to customs-cleared statistics compiled by the Taiwan Machine Tool Foundation (TMTF). 

Exports of metal-cutting machine tools came to US$789.67 million, up 47.2% and that for metal-forming machine tools amounted to US$239.48 million, up 38%.

Exports of machining centers grew 69.3% year-on-year in the first five months, lathes jumped 7.3%; grinding machines up 78.9%; drilling, boring and milling machines up 58.5%; presses and shearing machines up 31.3%; and other metal-forming machines up 65.7%.

China and Hong Kong together was the largest export outlet by absorbing US$482.73 million of Taiwan-made machine tools in the first five months, up 108% from a year earlier and accounting for a whopping 46.9% of the total exports. The U.S. was second at US$44.4 million, down 34.3% and commanding 4.3%. India was third with US$43.81 million, up 107% and accounting for 4.3%.

Other major export outlets in the same period, in descending order, were Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia, South Korea, Turkey, Indonesia, Vietnam, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan and Australia.

The TMTF`s tallies also show Taiwan imported US$215.18 million of machine tools in the first five months, up 64.8% year-on-year. Of this, imports for metal-cutting machine tools came to US$176.47 million, up 70.6% and that for metal-forming machine tools amounted to US$38.71 million, up 42.9%.

Japan was the largest supplier by selling US$129.71 million of machine tools to Taiwan in the first five months, up 130% year-on-year and accounting for 60.3% of the total imports. Germany was second at US$19.91 million, down 15.3% and commanding 9.3%. China and Hong Kong together were third with US$12.9 million, up 40.8% and commanding 6%.  

B&H Tool of Richmond has received a $2.3 million low-interest loan from the federal government that will keep the metal stamping business in operation and its more than 80 local workers employed.

The firm, which stamps metal parts for the automotive industry, also employs more than 30 in Rockcastle County. Its weekly payroll in Madison County is $50,000, with the Rockcastle payroll totaling $20,000 a week, said its president, Sammy Hammons.

B&H, on Lancaster Road, makes parts mostly for Toyota and Honda, but also for General Motors and Ford, he said.

Federal and local officials, including U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, D-Sixth District, met Monday morning with B&H Tool’s workers and management to celebrate the transaction.

The loan, with a 20-year payback, was funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as the “Stimulus Bill,” and came through the Dept. of Agriculture’s Rural Development program with coordination by the Kentucky Highlands Investment Corp.

B&H Tool is using the money to pay off higher interest short-term loans from private lenders, Hammons said. Most of those loans were made in 2006 near the height of an economic boom when B&H employed about 160 and had the best year since it was founded in 2006, he said.

“The bottom dropped out of the market in 2007,” Hammons said, and the firm had to layoff workers as it experienced its worst year ever.

The following year was about as bad, but the market started to pick up in 2009, Hammons said. Still, “If Kentucky Highlands had not come to the rescue,” Hammons said, B&H might not have survived, because the manufacturer’s “long suffering” private lenders were running out of patience.

Jerry Ricketts, president of London-based Kentucky Highlands, praised Hammons as the kind of entrepreneur “that eastern Kentucky has too few of. If each our counties had 10 entrepreneurs like Sammy Hammons, we’d have no unemployment problem.”

Chandler also praised Hammons and his employees.

“This is the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression,” the congressman said. “Anybody who can survive in this economy is doing something right.”

In addition to being a great day for B&H Tool, Chandler said Monday also was a great day for the federal government.

Although the federal government and the stimulus act have been much maligned, Monday’s announcement shows how both have been able to keep businesses in operation and workers employed, he said.

The survival of manufacturing firms such as B&H Tool are important for the nation’s future, Chandler said.

“America can’t be strong if we don’t make things,” he said. “Government assistance, however, does no good unless it goes to good people like the fine folks of B&H Tool.”

Register Online for FabTech 2010 (November 2-4, Georgie Atlanta) and use Priority Code FB10 to get free entry!

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Marini Tool and Die Co. said Tuesday it is proceeding with an expansion to its Racine plant at 5100 21st St.

The 10,000-square-foot expansion will be used for additional manufacturing and warehouse space, while adding another truck dock for shipping and receiving. The structure was designed for future expansion to the west.

Founded in 1952 as a tool and die shop, Marini Tool provides precision machining, assembly, design, fixture and tooling services to Fortune 500 companies, including many of Wisconsin's largest manufacturers.

Chrysler Canada is spending $27.2 million on new technology for its auto parts casting plant in Toronto, preserving the factory’s 280 jobs.

The plant in Etobicoke, which currently produces aluminum die castings and pistons, is being prepared to make vehicle suspension parts called crossmembers starting in the third quarter of 2011, Chrysler said Thursday.

“We welcome this investment in the Etobicoke Casting Plant as it is an acknowledgment of the high-quality components produced by our skilled workforce for many years,” said Michael Butz, manager of the west-end plant.

“Being able to expand our part portfolio better aligns with Chrysler’s long-term product strategy, which ensures the future for this facility.”

Canadian Auto Workers president Ken Lewenza said he was “thrilled” with the investment.

“This will help preserve and enhance jobs in the city and give a greater measure of security to our members and their families well into the future,” he said.

Chrysler employs about 7,500 people at assembly plants in Brampton and Windsor, as well as the Etobicoke casting plant.

The Brampton plant has been the source of much speculation ever since Chrysler LLC emerged from U.S. bankruptcy protection with the help of its new partner, Italian automaker Fiat.

Rumour has it the plant will begin building a small number of Fiat’s Lancia-brand luxury vehicles beginning in 2012.

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, who took the reins at Chrysler last year after the Italian automaker took a controlling stake in the struggling company, is notoriously secretive about his product plans.

But Marchionne has said he has not ruled out manufacturing Fiats in Brampton, including Alfa Romeo-brand vehicles. The Brampton plant now builds the Chrysler 300C, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger. It is running on two shifts and has about 800 workers on layoff.

Rockford Toolcraft has avoided laying off any of its over 260 workers and has added 15 workers and hours of overtime since January.

Without tool and dye makers and metal stamping there would be no cars, no airplanes you would still be riding a horse."

You might ask why a successful company like Rockford Toolcraft would want to change the way its does things

Metal products are taken all over the world. We're more in a global situation which when you put the word global in front of it means lower cost."Jerry Busse says because he has to, in order to stay competitive. When times got tough several years ago he knew "wait and see" was no longer a business option. So he looked for new opportunities.

" it used to be I was after high volume parts hundreds of thousand per year or millions that work has seemed to disappear now people are after smaller amounts of parts in a quicker time frame."

The tool and die shop cuts and bends metal used in many different sectors including automotive and farming. In an environment of declining prices and shrinking volumes, Rockford Toolcraft has managed to stay busy, the biggest growth is in agriculture.

"The farm implements are very much in demand and that's the hot market for us right now."

But this "success story" goes well beyond carrying out day-to-day operations. Busse thinks the key to successful manufacturing today is keeping customers needs in mind.

" We make extra effort to please them so they will come back and buy more from us that's always been our strategy from day one."

A strategy he hopes will help the manufacturer maintain its lead for years to come.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is looking to Ford Motor Company to help the state's unemployment rate. More than 10 percent of Illinoisans were unemployed last month. Ford has announced it will create 1,200 new jobs by manufacturing its Explorer SUV at a South Side Chicago assembly plant. Governor Quinn says the production will have a big economic impact on the state.

QUINN: We have a lot of suppliers for the automotive industry all over Illinois. When Ford grows and adds 1,200 new manufacturing jobs, that's a lot of other supply and contracting jobs. Thousands of jobs. So it's really a key part of our economy.

In the current edition, there is an excellent article written by Art Hendrick. It's a good insight in to how in fact, Simulation is indeed always perfect, but the material properties that clients provide/enter are not always accurate - and that is where the problems can start. Here is what Art says:

The simulation is perfect: Based on the data entered in to the computer and the mathematical data that the computer is using, the results will be accurate. COmputers don't make mistakes.

The problem is insufficient data. Very simply, the computer is not perfectly replicating what might actually be happening in the die and press.

You can read the full article at: Stamping Journal

Tesla Motors will produce electric Rav4 crossover SUVs for Toyota Motor Co. beginning in 2012, the two companies announced Friday.

Toyota (TM) announced in May that it planned to invest $50 million in Tesla Motors (TSLA) upon the completion of the electric car maker's initial public offering, which took place on June 29.

A fleet of electric Rav4 prototypes will be delivered later this year, the two automakers said. The first prototype has already been built, the said, and is undergoing evaluation.

"Tesla seeks to learn and benefit from Toyota's engineering, manufacturing, and production expertise, while Toyota aims to learn from Tesla's EV technology, daring spirit, quick decision-making, and flexibility," the automakers said in the joint announcement.

Tesla currently sells the Tesla Roadster, a two-seat electric sports car that sells for over $100,000. In 2012, Tesla plans to begin production of the Model S, an electric sedan capable of seating up to seven people. That car will be built at a Fremont, Calif., plant that had been jointly operated by Toyota and General Motors prior to GM's bankruptcy.

Toyota used an earlier version of the Rav4 as an electric vehicle in the 1990s during a time that California required automakers to sell vehicles with engines that produced zero emissions. That electric Rav4 competed against General Motors' EV1 electric car.

Some of those electric Rav4s are still in operation, including several that Toyota uses at its Newark, N.J., port facilities.

Toyota, which is already the industry leader in gas-electric hybrid cars, is also looking for other partners to develop future alternative fuel technologies. In fact, collaboration with other companies is expected to be a key part of Toyota's alternative fuel strategy, company executives have said.

Toyota executives have, in the past, expressed doubts about the market potential for purely electric cars. They cited the vehicles' high cost, relatively short driving distance, long charging times and questionable battery technology.

Last year, Toyota revealed a concept version of a tiny electric "city car" with a 40-mile range. That car was under development, Toyota said at the time, and intended primarily for short-term rental use within cities.

Toyota plans to introduce a plug-in version of the Toyota Prius hybrid car in 2011, but that vehicle would still use a gasoline engine as its primary power source. 

The Government is providing a £360 million loan guarantee for Ford´s £450 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB). Ford is investing £1.5 billion over the next five years for the development of a new generation of environmentally friendly engines and vehicle technologies.

he Dunton site is one of four that will benefit from the investment which will also safeguard around 2,800 skilled jobs. The others are Ford´s manufacturing plants in Dagenham, Southampton and Bridgend in South Wales.

The Minister, who was also accompanied by EIB Vice President Simon Brooks, toured the laboratories where engineers put vehicles and engines through rigorous testing from extreme climates to crash simulators.

Business Minister Mark Prisk said: "Ford has an impressive track record in research and development. Its investment of £1.5 billion over the next five years is a great opportunity to take the lead in developing low carbon manufacturing. This backing from the Government will help to ensure the long term success of manufacturing in the UK and make sure we are at the forefront of new technologies."

European Investment Bank Vice President Simon Brooks said: "The European Investment Bank is pleased to support Ford´s cutting-edge engine research and development in Dunton and Dagenham and the company´s upgrading of manufacturing operations in Bridgend, Southampton and Dagenham, in particular through the European Clean Transport Facility. A new generation of low-emission engines and more fuel-efficient vehicles will develop new skills and innovation across the United Kingdom, and these new vehicles will make a significant contribution to combating climate change."

Ford of Britain chairman, Joe Greenwell, said: "This European Investment Bank loan, and the loan guarantee from the UK Government, will help to unlock up to £1.5 billion in low-carbon and environmentally friendly engine and vehicle technology investment over the next 5 years. This is a testament to the skills and capabilities of our UK workforce and demonstrates the scale of our commitment to Britain."

BANGKOK, June 24 (Bernama) -- Ford Motor Company is investing US$450 million for its passenger vehicle manufacturing plant in Rayong with initial production of 150,000 cars annually beginning 2012.

Ford's president and chief executive officer Alan Mulally said the facility would build the next-generation Ford Focus with 85 per cent of the total production for export market in the Asia-Pacific region and the balance for local market.

"This investment underscores our long-term commitment to Thailand and its role as a global production and export hub for Ford," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford's group vice president and president for Asia Pacific and Africa.

The decision to build its new plant was supported by Thailand's world-class automotive industry and logistics and export infrastructure, he told a press conference here today.

He said the next-generation Focus would be built on the company's new global C-car platform which would eventually result in up to two million Ford vehicles per year sold in markets around the world.

The C-car segment is currently the world's largest vehicle segment and is projected to account for nearly 28 per cent of global passenger car sales by 2013.

Hinrichs said the new 750,000-square metre assembly plant in Rayong, which is 100 per cent owned by Ford, would be fully integrated to support body assembly, paint, trim and final assembly.

He said Ford planned to purchase up to US$800 million worth of local components through Thailand's supplier network to support production at the new facility.

The new facility has the potential to support up to 11,000 new jobs, including up to 2,200 direct jobs with Ford and 8,800 indirect jobs through its supplier and dealer networks, he added.

Despite the recent's political turmoil in this country, Hinrichs said the company decided to invest in Thailand after taking into consideration its long-term prospects with the support from Thai government, export infrastructure, raw material supplies, logistics support and skilled workforce.

Furthermore, Ford has been operating in this country with a joint venture with Mazda since October 2007 to produce 175,000 pickups (Ford Rangers) and 100,000 small cars (Ford Fiesta) annually from their US$500 million plant at AutoAlliance Thailand in Rayong, he said.

He also said that Ford operations at AutoAlliance Thailand would continue and the new plant would be located close to the existing plant, about 10-minute drive.

IT has been said that one of the ways the UK can drive itself out of its economic woes is through making innovative new products which the rest of the world wants.

And yesterday, a prime example drove off the production line at Toyota's Burnaston factory.

Through a haze of dry ice and camera flashes, the first hybrid Auris, or the Auris Hybrid Synergy Drive to give it its official title, glided into view before an assembled audience of around 300 people.

They included Toyota top brass, senior politicians and leading local business figures.


The car was greeted with loud applause, though it made hardly a sound.

That is because the hybrid Auris runs on electric power at speeds below 30mph, before the petrol engine kicks in.

The start of production of the car is not only a landmark for Toyota but also for the British automotive industry.

Burnaston is the first factory in Europe to start producing a hybrid car.

And as 80 per cent of vehicles produced at Burnaston are exported to the continent, the Derbyshire-built hybrid Auris will be driven by motorists across Europe, as well as in the UK.

Toyota's choice of Burnaston out of nine European factories also underlines the confidence the Japanese manufacturer has in the site.

The decision was a welcome boost for the 3,500 employees.

Toyota's woes over the past 18 months or so have been well documented.

Falling production volumes caused by the global economic downturn and negative publicity over an issue with the brake pedal on some models, which resulted in the recall of millions of vehicles, put the company under pressure.

Winning the hybrid Auris work came at the right time.

Jason Dupres, 33, of Willington, a production group leader at the factory, said: "It's a big boost for the staff.

"Production volumes were cut but we were far from idle. We were training all the time. Thanks to that, we have been able to hit the ground running with the hybrid Auris.

"We're really confident the public will like this car, particularly after they drive it and see how economical it is."

Tim Allsop, 37, of Belper, team leader in assembly pilot, was involved in making changes to the production process so that Burnaston could build the hybrid Auris.

He said: "The fact that Toyota chose us reassures us that this factory has a future.

"We're very proud that we're the first in Europe to mass produce a hybrid and I believe we are a step ahead of the competition."

These sentiments were echoed by Tony Walker, deputy managing director of Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK.

Toyota has had to slash production at Burnaston from about 280,000 vehicles to around half that number.

According to Mr Walker, the sales target for the hybrid Auris this year is 14,000 and next year 30,000.

He said: "For our factory, these are sales that we otherwise would not have had. I'm confident that the hybrid Auris will prove to the consumer that technology in eco-cars has advanced."

At the launch, attended by Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills Vince Cable, senior Toyota executives heaped praise on the Burnaston workforce, as well as those at the firm's engine-making plant at Deeside, North Wales.

Although Burnaston has a new car to get its teeth into, the company still needs to cut its workforce down by about 750 because of the fall in production volumes, something which Toyota hopes to achieve this year through voluntary redundancy.

Dr Cable said that the hybrid Auris would help protect some positions.

He said: "More British exports is what we want to see. We can be leaders in high-value manufacturing and low-carbon technology. This new car is the future."

The task of unveiling the hybrid Auris was left to Katsunori Kojima, managing director of Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK.

After the applause, he said: "Doesn't it look good? I hope you will buy one!"