FACTORY AUTOMATION Automotive Production Automation Solutions Improving productivity ¡ Powertrain /// Press /// Weld /// Paint /// Energy saving /// Final assembly ///

Meeting < s III 1 5 challenges /// Meeting < s ///1 s cl today's challenges We recognise that the modern automo- tive plant is an extremely demanding manufacturing environment. Companies who face competition on a global scale have to be able to address today's busi- ness challenges head on while manag- ■ Increased production rates ■ Higher product quality ■ Greater production flexibility ■ Increased operational safety Meeting these requirements means look- ing at every aspect of the production cycle to see where productivity improve- ments can be made, driving down costs and improving plant performance....

allenges Meeting s///Toda challenges Meeting Today's energy prices have a significant impact on manufacturers' bottom lines, but reducing energy usage is also a prior- ity for every environmentally responsible company. Increasingly companies will be judged on their environmental creden- tials, which means both saving energy and minimising the production waste that impacts on the environment. Responsible manufacturers must also be able to show full traceability in the man- ufacture and distribution of their prod- ucts so that any problem that impacts on the safety of customers can be traced back...

Minimising downtime /// Maxii lising output /// Minimising downtime /// M Improving productivity Higher machine Manufacturing products which are right first time means adopting processes that take a right first time approach. In terms of machining, this means processes which assure quality and minimise scrap or costly rework. The key to delivering this high level of quality is increased machine accuracy, which in turn depends on more sophisticated and more responsive machine control. The ability to machine to greater accura- cy enables production rates to be pushed up without compromising quali-...

lìsìng output /// Minimising downtime /// Maxii lising output /// Minim Press accounts for a large proportion of cost; initially developing the dies; run- ning the plant and adapting it for model changes. Integrated automation aids both initial set up and on-going develop- Modern automation technology can be used to integrate control and safety func- tions into a single sophisticated system. This enhances overall efficiency and improves machine availability. Paint is a customer's first perception of vehicle quality. Manufacturers seek a competitive advantage with paint options. Environmental...

Integrated process /// Benefits ///1 itegrated process /// Benefits /// Integra Better operational Improving productivity depends not simply on the control and automation equipment on the plant floor, but also on the way in which it integrates with high- er level business systems to provide greater operational visibility. Driven by Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), this increased transparency provides the information necessary for informed deci- sion-making in real-time for all levels of personnel - from shop floor to top floor. MES applications contain the critical business processes for...

ted /// Benefits /// Plant c i /// E its /// F it optimisation /// B Leverage e-F<actory for a highly optimised plant Mitsubishi Electric's e-F@ctory concept for manufacturing systems provides a high degree of integration between usu- ally separate automation disciplines. The objective is to create a better platform for the automotive industry, reducing risk and total cost of ownership. Using common systems, protocols and networks, such as the open CC-Link net- work architecture. Mitsubishi completely integrates plant equipment with busi- ness processes, so that they function as a single entity....

Powertraìn /// Powertraìn /// Powertraìn /// Powertraìn /// Powertraìn /// Po High precision, high productivity Power train production is at the heart of plex multi-facetted operation embracing many different processes, such as CNC metal cutting, materials handling, sens- ing, test and measurement. In order to meet demanding productivity objec- tives, accuracy, repeatability, consistency and precision must all be to the highest Traditionally a plethora of technologies have been deployed within power train production - CNC machines, motion con- trol, tracking and tracing, gauging and measurement,...

wertraìn /// Powertraìn /// Powertraìn /// Powertraìn /// Powertraìn /// Powe With every machine and system on the production floor producing a stream of high speed data, analysing this to pro- duce appropriate and timely information is a major task. This is achieved through high speed open networks - for example gigabit CC-Link IE and specialist software such as SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) and MES (Manufactur- ing Execution Systems). Together these produce specialist reports on plant per- formance, production volumes, quality control, stock levels, etc in real time and deliver...

Press /// Press /// Press /// Press /// Press /// Press /// Press /// Press /// Press I Improve maintenance and reduce energy costs start time A large proportion of the manufacturing cost associated with automotive press- ing lies in the design, build and tryout of the production dies, the automation of the supply of steel coil and handling of formed body panels. And this is not a one-off activity at the start of produc- tion; there is an on-going process of con- tinuing change and improvement to adapt to model and design changes, enhance productivity and upgrade safety. An integrated automation...

// Press /// Press /// Press /// Press /// Press /// Press /// Press /// Press /// Pres A press shop combines many different functions, including materials handling and storage, as well as the precision press operations. Data management is critical because absolute traceability of finished panels is vital for efficient opera- tions; inaccurate, incomplete or lost data will reduce productivity massively. Within Mitsubishi's solution is every tech- nology required for successful opera- tions. Inverters such as our FR family offer energy saving benefits wherever motors are used, from the high power...