August NMI Indicating Growth in the U.S.
In August, the Non-Manufacturing Index (NMI) registered 53.3 percent, indicating continued growth in the U.S. non-manufacturing sector for the 21st consecutive month. Read more
New Round Connector
Multi-Contact presents a new connector in the 3 Powerline. The single pole, insulated Ø 21mm round connector complements the well established 10BV and 16BV systems, adding to the program a particularly powerful solution with current carrying capacity up to 800A. Read more
Agility Launches New China Freight Service
Agility, a leading global logistics provider, has introduced a scheduled freighter service that will directly connect key origins in China via Shanghai to Kaunas, Lithuania. With few freight options that cover this routing, the new service delivers stable and faster access, helping customers move goods from China into the rapidly growing markets of Northern Europe, the Nordics, Russia and the Baltics. Read more
Cost-Optimisation through Cleanliness
The quality and reliability of components during actual use after the production process depend just as decisively on workpiece cleanliness as the results of downstream processes do. parts2clean informs visitors about various methods of efficiently controlling the cleanliness of cleaned parts and surfaces, as well as the performance of cleaning baths, in a requirements oriented manner. The leading international trade fair for industrial parts and surface cleaning will take place at the Stuttgart Exhibition Centre from the 25th through the 27th of October, 2011. Read more
Schaeffler Bundling Electric Mobility Activities
Schaeffler is bundling its numerous activities relating to electric mobility in an eMobility Systems Division. With the creation of the new eMobility Systems Division, Schaeffler is pursuing a holistic approach that integrates the expertise of both the Automotive and Industrial divisions. Read more
Fujitsu Infrastructure for SAP HANA
Fujitsu announced the global availability of Fujitsu infrastructure certified by SAP AG and optimized for running SAP HANA appliance software, backed by a new Global Demo Center in support of SAP HANA. At the same time, Fujitsu has also completed a major implementation of SAP HANA for customer Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Read more
Gartner Announces Supply Chain Top 25
Gartner, Inc. has released the findings from its seventh annual Supply Chain Top 25. The goal of the Supply Chain Top 25 research initiative is to raise awareness of the supply chain discipline and how it impacts the business. Apple maintains the top position for the fourth year in a row. Read more
Cadenas Partnership with Siemens PLM Software
Cadenas GmbH, a leading software manufacturer in strategic parts management and electronic product catalogs, today announces becoming a Foundation Partner in the Siemens Solution Partner Program. Cadenas will work with Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division and a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, to help customers optimize their business processes for engineers and purchasers while eliminating cost-intensive redundancies across the enterprise. Read more
Series Production for Lead-free Piezo Material
PI Ceramic (PIC), a worldwide player in the field of actuator and sensoric piezo products, now offers a lead-free piezo material for lead-free ultrasonic transducers.
The PIC 700 material is based on bismuth sodium titanat and is produced as a block by pressing technology. The piezoelectric characteristics are promising: PIC 700 has a high coupling factor for the flexural vibration and is thus suitable as an ultrasonic transducer in the MHz range and also for sonar and hydrophone applications. The maximum operating temperature is 200°C. PI Ceramic is currently investigating technologies to reliably manufacture lead-free ceramic components in series production.
Figure: PIC 700 Material, photo PI Ceramic (PIC)
BMW Group Expands its Activities in China
The BMW Group is planning further expansion of its activities in China in the future. “BMW Group vehicles are very popular in China. We anticipate that this growth will continue in the future. Therefore, together with our Joint Venture partner Brilliance, we will increase the previously announced investment of 560 million euros in our Chinese facility in Shenyang to around one billion euros,” announced Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Norbert Reithofer, during the visit of the Party Secretary of the Chinese province of Liaoning, Wang Min, in Munich. Read more
Lightweight Construction in the Fast Lane
Fierce competition has broken out in the automotive industry. Who can build the lightest car? The less a vehicle weighs, the more likely it is to meet maximum energy efficiency requirements. Cars of the future will be measured by their fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Regardless of whether the car is powered by an electric drive system, a hybrid drive, or has a conventional combustion engine – the lightweights will come out top. However, car bodies must lose none of the necessary rigidity. Modern car body engineers are experimenting with suitable compound materials, combining different metals such as steel and aluminium. This meant a rethink of the assembly processes. Read more
Improved Needle Roller Bearings
Schaeffler Group Industrial presented three new INA needle roller bearing designs at the Hanover Fair 2011: the X-life machined needle roller bearing -D , the X-life machined needle roller bearing with the TWin Cage and reduced friction, and the slimline drawn cup needle roller bearing with a radial section height of only 1.5 mm. Read more
Changes in the Control and Drive Technology
The latest Quest study identifies the technological changes planned for the control and drive technology in Germany this year, making these changes transparent similar to a voter migration analysis. It focuses on technologies that are growing or shrinking and the relation between both. Read more
Jenoptik Signs Delivery Contract with Magna
Jenoptik’s Optical Systems division and Magna Electronics Europe GmbH & Co. KG have entered a framework agreement for the supply of optical sensors. The agreement in the low double-digit million euros range starts in mid-April 2011 with the technical systems for the new contract installed at Jenoptik’s Triptis, Germany facility. Series production of the sensor will start in the summer of this year. Read more
PMI Rises to 62.7
The seasonally adjusted Markit/BME Germany Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) – a composite indicator designed to give a single-figure snapshot of operating conditions in the manufacturing economy – rose from 60.5 in January to 62.7 in February, indicating the sharpest overall improvement in German manufacturing sector business conditions since the survey began in April 1996. Read more
Market Report: Adhesives
They secure tiny electronic components as well as huge wind turbines. They hold both car bodies and trains together. Modern adhesives almost do wonders. “Adhesive bonding has become a key technology in many industrial sectors,” says Oliver Kutsch, CEO of Ceresana Research. The market research institute has scrutinized the European adhesive market from top to bottom. Read more
Fraud on the Alibaba Platform
Yesterday David Wei tendered his resignation as the chief executive officer of Alibaba.com. On this platform, at least 2,326 suppliers engaged in fraudulent practices against buyers over two years. Read more
Rapid Increase in Purchasing Costs
The German manufacturing sector started 2011 with a sharp overall improvement in operating conditions, reflecting substantial rises in output, new orders and employment numbers. However, the rising price of raw materials meant that input cost inflation accelerated markedly in January and was the highest in almost fifteen years of data collection. Read more
4. Asia-Pacific Sourcing in Cologne
From 9th to 11th March 2011 more than 550 suppliers from the Asia-Pacific region will present their products and services from the following segments: tools, locks and fittings, fastening technology, garden machinery/ equipment and builders’ and home-improvement supplies. Read more
Nordex Strengthening Purchasing
From March 1, 2011, Lars Rytter Kristensen (44) will be in charge of purchasing at the Nordex Group, Hamburg. In his position as Chief Procurement Officer he will be responsible for the procurement operations of Nordex regional companies in Europe, Asia and America and global coordination. He will be reporting directly to COO Dr. Marc Sielemann. Read more
