Watch: Assembly Lines in Action—Hyundai, Lexus and Honda

May 17, 2023

May 17, 2023

Welcome to MetalForming Automotive, the latest enewsletter from MetalForming magazine and the Precision Metalforming Association. In each monthly MetalForming Automotive you’ll find a variety of news and information from this quickly evolving industry, including links to the latest information from our industry partners: AISI, Automation Alley, CAR and MEMA (formerly OESA).

Please share any questions or comments by emailing editorial director Brad Kuvin.

Early this year Hyundai launched production of the electric Genesis GV70, in Montgomery, AL—the first U.S. Hyundai plant—built on an existing modular platform. It features an enhanced body-frame structure with a good dose of ultrahigh-strength and hot-stamped steel. I’ve seen plenty of automated production lines, but not like this one. The line is featured in this all-encompassing video, which also provides an up-close look at the production lines of the Honda MDX and Lexus RX hybrid.

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Watch: EV-Seat Teardown Compares Seats from Rivian, Tesla, Hyundai

From Inside EVs comes this deep dive into the front seats of the Rivian R1S and R1T, the Tesla Model S, and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Included in the nearly 21-min. review are looks at the engineered steel frames, including the tubular structures supporting the headrests.

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Registration Open for PMA’s Automotive Conference

PMA’s 30th annual Automotive Parts Suppliers Conference is headed to Greenville, SC, October 26-27. This popular event features presentations and roundtable discussions with industry leaders on the latest advancements and outlook for the automotive industry, as well as many networking opportunities. Following the conclusion of the conference, attendees will have the option to participate in a special BMW driving experience. Learn More

Nearshoring and Beyond: Hot Topics for Automotive Companies Operating in Mexico

Any company operating or considering operating in Mexico should evaluate the pros and cons of manufacturing in Mexico and be aware of the key developments highlighted in this National Law Review article. It discusses several recent Mexican labor regulations that automotive-industry suppliers must understand, as well as the most recent interpretation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement´s (USMCA’s) Automotive Rules of Origin, and new requirements concerning transparency of ownership.

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PMA Membership

Position your company as an industry leader when you utilize PMA resources—ITR Econ Trends reports, trade publications, One Voice and FABTECH trade shows. A PMA membership will provide your company and all of its employees with a range of valuable industry resources that are designed to help you become more connected, more informed, more efficient, more competitive and ultimately more profitable.

Cleveland-Cliffs Trials Carbon-Friendly Blast-Furnace Technology for Making Automotive Steels

On May 8, Cleveland-Cliffs successfully completed a hydrogen-injection trial at its Middletown Works blast furnace in Southwest Ohio. Injection of hydrogen into the blast furnace acts as an iron-reducing agent. The trial represents the first use of the carbon-friendly technology in the Americas and is a “significant step toward the future decarbonization of blast furnaces,” according to a Green Car Congress article, “necessary for the continued service of the most quality-intensive steel applications, particularly for the automotive industry.”

Hydrogen was used as a partial substitute for the coke required for iron reduction, the article adds, resulting in the release of water vapor instead of carbon dioxide—and with no impact to product quality or operating efficiency.