Sheet Metal Stamping Simulation

Toyota’s Mississippi plant has been a victim of the drama in the automotive industry, and it hasn’t even opened yet. Though Toyota has switched its product plans numerous times and stalled building progress, the automaker has now set firm plans to finish the facility that will begin building the Corolla in late 2011.

This is a video of typical draw tool with a lower cushion. The pressure for the binder is supplied by the press machine's hydraulic cushion, instead of using nitrogen gas springs.

This is typical for larger parts when more than 100 tons of binder pressure is needed. It also allows the binder pressure to be adjusted up or down easily, for best results during tryout.

German based auto supplier, Tube Technology Systems AG has announced plans to locate its North American manufacturing operations in Auburn. Tube Technology Systems Inc. will produce brake tubes for the automotive industry. The company was awarded a contract from Volkswagen as a supplier for the first vehicle that will be manufactured in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The initial investment by Tube Technology Systems Inc. is approximately $1.4 million. Eight jobs will be created in Auburn in the first stage of this project.

Nissan is building a facility to produce batteries for its LEAF zero-emission vehicle. The vehicle, which will run solely on electric power, and its batteries will be built in Smyrna, Tennessee beginning in 2012. The company will create 1,300 jobs to staff the plant. Nissan’s investment in the production site totals $1.7 billion.

Participants who attended a Federal Reserve automotive industry forum last week are upbeat about the economic outlook, seeing continued growth and declining unemployment this year and next.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Monday that attendees at its Detroit Automotive Outlook Symposium expect growth rates of 3.1% this year and in 2011 for the U.S. economy.

The new Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) Web site, http://www.pma.org, brings a world of value to metalforming professionals looking to quickly find solutions to business and industry challenges, locate technical training and engage in peer-to-peer collaboration.

PMA has overhauled the entire navigation of its Web site into a simplified, easy-to-use structure. A rebuilt search feature allows visitors not only to search within PMA resources, but also to search throughout the metalforming industry, filtering out unrelated content typical of generic searches. 

Multipress Inc., a Columbus, OH manufacturer with a 50-year history of producing custom presses for the metalworking industry, was recently contacted by a customer with a requirement for a 50-ton deep-draw press. In this new application the customer specifications included:

Closed-loop proportional servo control of pressure for hold down (clamping) tooling to allow for variable pressure settings throughout the press work stroke for precise metal flow through the die when forming;

• Infinitely adjustable closed loop control of position and velocity of the pressing cylinder in pressing parts through the forming die;
• Manual joystick control of the pressing cylinder for both manual tooling setup and part adjustment during part prototyping; and
• Programmable communications with the press' supervisory PLC.

IF THE founders of Global Harvest Precision (GHP) had their way, the word 'no' would be removed from the dictionary. The company aims to be the industry's best metal stamping contractor, while continuing to manufacture high-quality parts at low prices. And it uses its flexibility as an SME to provide any and every kind of equipment a customer may need.

The company was founded in December 2002 by former machinists Tony Cheng and Lim Bee Hua. The two had prior experience in the industry with Ee Cheng Metal- Works, which began in 1972 but collapsed in 2000 after it continued to suffer from the 1997 economic crisis. Learning from this setback, the duo made a comeback with GHP; taking with them the team, experience, contacts and partners from their previous company.

When Gloria Georger stopped before what looked like massive rolls of duct tape, so did her entourage of mostly male middle managers.

"Not everyone likes to come in here and work in the noisy, oily environment that we have," Georger said above the din of crashing metal. As if part of a synchronized dance, giant robotic presses were hammering the rolls of steel into automobile doors, hoods and fenders.

Thank you to everyone that came and visited us at both MetalForm Mexico and Eastec. It has been a hectic few weeks for us travelling all over the country side to do these shows and meet with new (and existing clients). Don't forget, we will also be at Fabtech later on this year.

Chattanooga's drive to land Volkswagen had hit a pothole.

In May 2008, VW site selectors visiting the city had told local economic developers that Enterprise South industrial park was third in a three-city sweepstakes for a new $1 billion assembly plant.

Just hours later -- two years ago this week -- the decision was made to mobilize city and Hamilton County work forces and start to clear the wooded tract so VW officials could better see the property.

Tesla Motors has acquired the recently closed NUMMI factory in Fremont, California were they will be begin manufacturing their Model S sedan and the other future vehicle models. The NUMMI plant was closed in April of 2010 by Toyota who had the Corolla and Tacoma automobiles manufactured at this plant.

According to a report in the L.A. Times, city officials from Downey, California are disappointed about Tesla Motors acquiring the Northern California location. The Southern California city officials were hoping that Tesla Motors would have signed a lease agreement this Friday for a closed facility location that used to manufacturer space shuttle parts.

Maruti Suzuki India has denied reports suggesting usage of the Volkswagen manufacturing unit near Chakan. Volkswagen has a 19.9% stake in Japanese auto maker Suzuki. Citing current circumstances, Business Standard reported Maruti Suzuki India using VW’s unit near Pune to manufacture their own vehicles.

Flanked by dozens of auto workers at Ford Motor Co.’s Claycomo plant, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on Tuesday urged the General Assembly to pass legislation to provide the automaker incentives to bring a new vehicle to the plant.

Nixon made his pitch for the Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act as the legislature’s current session is set to end Friday evening.

Last year, when the U.S. Department of Energy was doling out its first batch of massive low-interest loan guarantees to car companies under the banner of the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) Program, it very blatantly left out General Motors and Chrysler — almost entirely due to their miserable financial situations.

But it seems both companies have turned things around enough to qualify for forthcoming rounds of federal stimulus funding, according to DOE senior advisor Matt Rogers. The department is even working closely with the relevant groups to make sure their applications for the money are up to snuff. Obviously, the government has a stake in seeing these companies gear up production of their greener vehicles — particularly GM’s Chevy Volt, which has been positioned as one of the most consumer-friendly options in this field.