$85 million project to improve efficiency, flexibility.
March 29, 2017
Manufacturing Group Cars/Light trucks Industry news Manufacturing
Lincoln, Alabama – Honda Manufacturing of Alabama (HMA) is investing $85 million for the first of a multi-phase project to improve vehicle manufacturing flexibility, strengthen the logistic efficiency for future models, and prepare for future technologies. HMA builds four different light truck products – with sole responsibility for production of the Honda Odyssey, Pilot, and Ridgeline, as well as production of the Acura MDX.
The new investment includes a building expansion at the south end of Line 1 for HMA’s vehicle assembly operations. Construction for this initial phase of the project is expected to be completed in 2018.
“This significant financial investment in our Lincoln facility will enhance Honda’s manufacturing efficiency and flexibility to help us meet strong customer demand for our products and prepare us for future opportunities in our industry,” said HMA President Jeff Tomko.
In addition to production of the Odyssey minivan, Pilot sport utility vehicle, Ridgeline pickup truck, and Acura MDX luxury SUV, HMA builds the V-6 engines that power each vehicle. The $2.2 billion facility employs more than 4,500 associates at its current 3.7 million ft2 Lincoln facility, with the capacity to produce 340,000 vehicles and engines each year.
With this project, HMA’s total capital investment since 2011 exceeds $750 million, including the addition of more than 450 associates in Lincoln.
Source: Honda Manufacturing of Alabama
Collaboration between UL and EOS will provide additive manufacturing (AM) training, together with facility safety services to EOS clients.
March 28, 2017
Edited by Elizabeth Engler Modic 3D/Additive/Alternative Manufacturing
Officials from UL and EOS announce a joint collaboration in which UL will provide additive manufacturing (AM) training and facility safety services to EOS clients – with the goal of advancing quality and safety within the AM industry and enhance the EOS customer experience.
UL will provide to EOS clients the Applied AM Metals training – a 5-day hands-on custom course featuring EOS metal AM technology and focusing on process and material fundamentals, design, build planning, process parameters, critical safety factors, post-processing, and quality evaluation – along with AM metals training as well as facility safety services.
The course will be offered as an alternative to existing EOS Basic training and held at the UL Additive Manufacturing Competency Center (AMCC) in Louisville, Kentucky. EOS will offer the UL AM training and facility safety services to customers who are in the process of purchasing or have recently purchased EOS metal AM technology.
“With the significant growth of metal AM, particularly for production parts, the collaboration with EOS – a recognized industry leader – will help accelerate metal AM innovation in a safe and consistent manner while optimizing and protecting the customer’s AM investment,” states Simin Zhou, UL vice president of digital manufacturing.
“Safety management is the most essential thing any organization can do to protect its people and its AM investment,” says Glynn Fletcher, president, EOS North America. “The hands-on training UL has developed is a comprehensive program designed to ensure students focus not only on making great AM parts, but also to fully understand the unique safety requirements working with metal powder on machines like the EOS M 290.”
25-year company veteran added as a member of Group Executive Management.
March 28, 2017
Edited by Elizabeth Engler Modic Manufacturing People/Facilities Tooling/Cutting
Klas Forsström has been with the Sandvik group for approximately 25 years. Forsström is currently the president of Sandvik Coromant, a global leading supplier of metal cutting tools, where he has worked most of his career.
In addition, he has held managerial positions within other product areas such as Dormer and Sandvik Hard Materials (today Sandvik Hyperion). His work has been comprised of leading positions within several areas; research & development (R&D), marketing, business development, and sales.
“I am pleased that Klas Forsström will take on this new role since he is a very skilled and experienced business leader, which he has proved during many successful years with among others Sandvik Coromant. Now he gets a responsibility to lead the entire development of Sandvik Machining Solutions,” says Björn Rosengren, Sandvik’s president and CEO.
Forsström starts the new position April 1, 2017. He succeeds Jonas Gustavsson who at the same time is leaving the company for an external position. The recruitment of a new head of Sandvik Coromant has been initiated and, for the time being, Forsström will also remain in this position.
Sandvik Machining Solutions, comprised of Sandvik Coromant, Seco Tools, Dormer Pramet, Walter, Powder and Blanks Technology, as well as the new product area Additive Manufacturing, had sales of around 33 BSEK and approximately 18,000 employees in the 2016.
Growing use of dissimilar metals mandates new ways of detecting thermal expansion mismatches.
March 28, 2017
Edited by Robert Schoenberger