Welcome to the inaugural issue of 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 OESA.
Please share any questions or comments by emailing editorial director Brad Kuvin. |
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| ArcelorMittal Introducing Multi-Part integrated EV-BIW Solutions |
ArcelorMittal Global R&D teams have partnered with ArcelorMittal Tailored Blanks to develop a new Multi Part Integration (MPI) concept, designed to simplify body-in-white (BIW) manufacturing and reduce assembly complexity. The concept combines laser-welded blank (LWB) technology with ArcelorMittal’s second-generation press-hardened steels.
Watch a video describing the use of the MPI on an H-frame prototyped in China by Voyah. |
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| Jumpstart Your Metal AM |
| With
the largest build envelope in its class and the same laser power as our
larger metal printers, the DMP Flex 200 offers outstanding accuracy,
repeatability, and surface finish. Perfect for R&D, prototyping,
academia, and small part production, this compact workhorse empowers you
to achieve your metal AM goals. |
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| Automotive OEM Profit Margins Continue to Exceed Those of their Suppliers, but the Gap is Shrinking |
Automakers’ profit margins were nearly 3 percentage points higher than suppliers’ in Q3 2022, according to a study from Bain & Co. “For two decades leading up to 2019, automotive suppliers’ EBIT margins were on average 1 to 2 percentage points higher than those of OEMs,” the report notes. “Then came massive supply-chain disruptions with the Covid-19 pandemic and global chip shortage, plus higher raw-material and energy prices, and now rising borrowing costs and wage bills due to inflation. Automotive OEMs were able to ride out the supply shortage by focusing production on the highest-margin models and raising prices, but suppliers had no such strategic options.
“Nevertheless, the margin gap between OEMs and suppliers shrank in the third quarter,” the report continues. “It marked the third straight quarterly margin decline for OEMs.” |
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| Podcast: S&P Global Mobility Forecasts 83.6M Units in 2023 as Light-Vehicle Market Cautiously Recovers |
Global
new light vehicle sales will reach nearly 83.6 million units in 2023, a
5.6-percent increase year-over-year, according to a new forecast by
S&P Global Mobility, a provider of vehicle information, analytics
and solutions. The auto industry continues to navigate supply-chain
challenges while confronted by several markets facing deteriorating
economic conditions and fading pent-up demand. As semiconductor
availability plays out, demand destruction is expected to take a more
fundamental role in 2023, impacting production and the inventory
restocking cycle.
Included are market-by-market forecasts for Europe, China and the United States: “U.S. sales volumes are expected to reach 14.8 million units in 2023,” says the report, “an estimated increase of 7.0 percent from the projected 2022 level of 13.8 million units.” |
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| If It’s Dallas, It’s Innovative by Design |
| Dallas Industries has an innovative approach to press feedlines and equipment, such as feeds, straighteners, reels, cradles and controls. Innovations such as three styles of SpaceSaver™ lines which cut floor space requirements and the ProfileSelect™ software and SyncLoop™ line controls that provide a smooth feed motion while reducing stress on the material and mechanical components. |
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| Autonomous Mobile Robots Increase Efficiency, Improve Morale at Denso |
| The
Denso 800,000-sq.-ft. powertrain-component production facility in
Athens, TN, has deployed six MiR250 autonomous mobile robots to
transport materials. The firm also has the robots operating in two other
U.S. locations, as well as in three facilities in Europe and two in
Asia. |
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| Qualification Process When Using Sustainable Metal Powders for AM in a Production Environment |
| Sustainability
and recycling have been grabbing headlines not only in conventional
manufacturing but also in additive manufacturing (AM). During a free 6K
webinar hosted by 3D Metal Printing and powered by MetalForming,
on February 16, learn from Dr. Behrang Poorganji, vice president of
materials technology at Morf3D, the specific requirements that metal-AM
players, including OEMs, are looking for to satisfy demanding
applications and sustainability initiatives. |
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| Blockchain Market to Surge—How to Prepare |
The blockchain market is predicted to explode--from $4.9 billion in 2021 to $67.4 billion by 2026, providing companies up and down the supply chain with a “shared digital ledger…creating a single source of truth across a supply-chain network that lets all participants view and securely validate transactions.”
So notes this informative article from Plante Moran, delving into topics such as:
- Smart contracts—“They remove any uncertainty about which version of a contract the parties are held to,” the article reads; “reduce delays caused by payment approval hierarchy; eliminate processing times for orders and payments; and automatically create a comprehensive audit trail.”
- Inventory traceability—"By collecting temperature, location and other vital data along the supply chain, traceability, quality control and early detection of problems all improve.”
- Data protection—"Private blockchain addresses (data security) concerns by restricting records to a defined group, such as primary members in a specific supply chain or industry. Traditional security methods, such as access control lists, user rights or data encryption, protect the data.”
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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. |
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