Kim Union rolling beyond product features and benefits

Manufacturers of different industries have their own preferences about which processing method best suits their needs. However, there has been a growing interest in thread rolling for more reasons than one.

Having been in the industry since 1972, Kim Union Industrial Co., Ltd. is a pioneer in the manufacture of both thread rolling machines and thread rolling dies.

 

Along with creating new products and adding features to old ones, Kim Union's product advantage includes a unique type of product service. The company understands customers’ needs and is willing to dig deeper with clients to move beyond the obvious features and benefits of a product and understand the true principle of its request.

According to Kim Union, customers come to them with their requirements for workpieces; and from there, they try to identify the workpiece and explain to the customer what they must do in order to create the workpiece.

 

Kim Union believes that there is a benefit for having both production lines for thread rolling machines and thread rolling dies because they are well experienced and ready to share their knowledge with customers.

 

One example is Kim Union's new thread rolling machine models that are designed based on customer’s prerequisite. The UM-120 hydraulic thru feed type thread rolling machine is a new model in the market. This type of machine is suitable for bigger wind fan screws -- the larger diameter screws.

 

Another case is the UM-50H serration gear rolling thread rolling machine. This machine is apt for serration gear-type workpieces for creating car parts or motorbike parts. The designs of these machines are made by Kim Union team and consulting partners.

For thread rolling machines, Kim Union does trial run and customers must approve the samples before shipment. For thread rolling dies, 100% testing and inspection is done before delivery. The company also does the thread rolling process inside the factory for some design parts. All these efforts lead to an improved type of business process that makes Kim Union confident that their products will not encounter any problems when they arrive the customers' factory.

Traversing the new normal

After the economic blockade caused by the epidemic, on-site meetings between customers has decreased, so Kim Unions' regular overseas visits and services were suspended. The company is finding ways to compete all odds and act quickly. Therefore, it uses apps such as LINE and WhatsApp, which are very convenient to use in order to communicate with customers. In this way, any questions from clients can be answered immediately.

 

Looking beyond the current crisis-imposed moment, Kim Union says that the quality of their products and customer satisfaction will definitely be their focus. In the next five years, the company plans to set up another plant in Bangkok, Thailand. However, thread rolling machines will only be produced in Taiwan in the future. Kim Union deems it right for the machines to be closer to the local market.

IMI: Your global electronics solutions partner

By: Kathryn Gerardino-Elagio

Strategically positioned right in the middle of technological and digital transformations, Integrated Micro-Electronics (IMI) is a Filipino-owned global company with revenues of US$1.2 billion. Mr. Sherwin Nones, Head of Strategic Planning and Marketing, shared with International Metalworking News for Asia how the company is continuously raising invaluable human inputs in design, innovation and creativity, to provide solutions and value to its customers.
 
IMNA: Tell us something about IMI and what do you do for the company?
 
Nones: IMI provides EMS (electronics manufacturing services) and power semiconductor assembly. We have 22 factories in more than 10 countries globally. IMI puts together components needed for the manufacturing of electronic devices. We do advanced manufacturing and engineering, and of course assembly. In the early 2000, we decided to go into automotive and industrial; and a few years ago we bought an EMS company in the UK that specialises in aerospace and defence. Right now, the bulk of our revenues is in automotive electronics. I think about 50% of that bulk revenue is from Europe. Since we are heavily entrenched in that segment, we are currently the 6th largest electronics manufacturing services company in the automotive space globally.
 

I'm currently the head of strategic planning for global corporate operations. This is now my 13^th year with IMI. I work with top management, coming up with strategies for mid- to long- term growth, so that we will be able to grow sustainably.

IMNA: Do you have any particular requirement when purchasing materials and processing equipment?

 

Nones: We do have an extensive procurement group or supply chain group. They're divided into different areas and they have an extensive network from mostly major regions; and because of our activity, we're able to leverage on the competitiveness of the things that we’re able to buy. Yes, we’re definitely purchasing machines and also procuring production systems that could help us in the manufacturing process.

 

IMNA: How have you set the points in the past to ensure that the company has developed in such a positive manner?

 

Nones: What we have in the electronics industry is quite different from any other industry because we're very much familiar with disruptions. Over the last four years, there have been so many social political and economic disruptions that basically affected the business. Whether it may be a new technology to global financial crisis or disruptions in trade, including shortage of cheap semiconductor components that is really affecting supply chains globally.

 

One of the things that we were able to do is set up a risk management system to help mitigate the threats.

The risk management system allows us to be able to put things in autopilot once incidents happen. For example, when the pandemic struck and there were several lockdowns, we were not that surprised because we had the system in place. Though of course the pandemic affected us negatively, it didn't affect us so much that it will be difficult for us to recover. We also heightened our risk management systems to be one step ahead of possible things that can happen. This is also brought by our desire to become a sustainable business over a long period.

IMNA: What can you say about the profit situation in the Philippines?

Nones: Early this year, we had a problem with recommendation shortages and it's not only impacting IMI. In fact, this is impacting globally and basically all OEM's, and not only the automotive. Supply cannot keep up with the demand because of shortage of major components that will be used. This happened because of the pandemic. A lot of automotive factories started to close and production was affected. The number of vehicles that were to be shipped in 2020 went down significantly by 22%, which manufacturers especially the ones that are doing components did not foresee.

 

When the automotive was down, manufacturers shifted their inventory to the computing sector. As you know, people were staying at home and doing home school and working from home. There's demand for more laptops more storage devices so that's where it's been, and so what happened was they thought that the automotive sector would be recovering over a longer period of time. But it did recover right away because of the demand for electric vehicles; and because of that, manufacturers of semiconductors and components didn't have any more inventory for the automotive sector. Given the state that we are in, it would take a few more months probably by middle of 2022 when things would be able to normalise, and the shortage would be minimised. Everyone is affected, profit levels of companies are affected. For IMI, we are doing our best to be able to minimise or at least mitigate the effects that are happening to us on the supply chain.

 

IMNA: In your opinion, what is your edge among your competitors?

 

Nones: In terms of our size and client base, we really don't have any competitors. In fact, I think this is the misunderstanding that most people have in terms of our industry; we don't really compete with other companies. In fact, we encourage more EMS companies to relocate or to establish in the Philippines, whether they are local or foreign. Why? So that the local supply chain would be built or would be attractive enough for global supply chains to source from us. This will also support workers and provide them with the necessary education and skills.

IMNA: Can you tell us about your career, and how do you deal with pressure?

 

Nones: I make sure that I'm exposed to different environments so that I'll be able to learn and apply many principles in my area of work. I love looking at other industries and see the different ways of how they do things. In this way, I will have an idea on how to deal with challenges. Progressive companies in Europe or in the US require about 15% of the worker's time to be able to spend on things that have no relation to their work.

 

I enjoy my work. If you cannot handle pressure that means maybe you're not enjoying. So it depends on how one person would be able to enjoy his work. In my case, meeting a lot of people, seeing different industries and learning current technology -- those things to me are fun. You can say that those are the factors behind my success. It's also about the environment. If you work in an environment where you are not supported, and they only want you for what you provide; those things hamper satisfaction or even success however you define it.

 

IMNA: Finally, how do you see the future, with special reference to IMI?

 

Nones: With special reference to IMI, I see a future that involves a lot of technology. But the danger here is that if we allow technology to rule over us, we will lose our humanity. We will lose our ability to choose and we will let AI choose for us. We need to be able to strike that balance. The things that we're exploring right now, it's really exactly above and beyond what is currently around us. So it's not only technology but the people driving and not the other way around. You have all these technology but there's a gap that has to be filled. Apart from hard skills, we need soft skills, such as critical thinking, decision making and designing that's what we are trying to build.

Click for E-zine link: International Metalworking News for Asia 12-2021 issue

Int'l Metalworking News for Asia December 2021 issue now Online

2021 has been a year of transition. Industrial manufacturing businesses began shaping their futures rather than just grinding through the present as result of the COVID-19 crisis. Industrial manufacturers should take the opportunity to learn from the pandemic on how to redesign workplaces, build healthier work environments, and invest effectively in employee health.
As the transition to digitalisation picks up speed, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have a lot to gain from embracing digital technologies (digitalisation) into their existing business models, which would improve productivity while opening up new revenue streams. International Metalworking News for Asia features companies and agencies around the world with their predictions and technology insights in order to give a clear vision and gain a competitive edge to thrive in the year ahead. Find out more in this month's Outlook 2022 report.
 
For most of us, the word downtime conjures images of relaxation. For plant managers however, downtime is a word that triggers concerns about lost production and lower revenue. That's especially true for unplanned downtime and there is growing evidence that manufacturers are still unaware of the full impact of the problem. In the Smart Factory section, John Young, APAC sales director at automation parts supplier EU Automation, assesses some of the latest research on manufacturer downtime and the steps manufacturers are taking to address the problem.
 
The Lasers & Welding section confirms that many companies rely on manual welding, which is both costly and time-consuming. Companies need low-cost solutions to get a foothold in this business – but these are few and far between. TRUMPF unveiled a new solution that aims to help sheet-metal fabricators make the jump into automated laser welding.
 
In machine shops that work with metals and alloys, factors such as thickness, parallelism, and surface condition are often dictated in the specifications. Grinding is also often utilised to remove significant amounts of material to bring a stock sheet or plate to precise dimensions. This issue of Tooling & Workholding shows advanced rotary surface grinders that deliver endless possibilities and tighter tolerances.
 
e-mobility, digitalisation and automation: these are just some of the key trends in the grinding technology sector at present. Machine Tool presents research experts and the companies exhibiting at the new GrindingHub trade show. They will be providing insights into the latest technologies and processes in this rapidly developing industry.
 
Lastly, you need to evaluate what is missing in your company to remain competitive in 2022. Changes will also mean a different focus of your workforce, and you might find a professional shortage of technicians and experts, so start training inside talent to keep up with the new trends in demand.

 

Read E-zine: http://edms.industrysourcing.com/ezine/21/12/imna.html#/

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Kim Union Industrial: The thread rolling machine expert in Taiwan

Founded in 1972, Kim Union Industrial Co., Ltd is committed in providing better quality and competitively priced machines to help as many clients as they possibly can. In fact, the company supplies precise, practical, durable, and excellent design machines specific to a certain application to make a difference that will leave a lasting impact on the job.

Kim Union owns production lines focused on thread rolling machines and thread rolling dies, under the brand name UNIFY. As a distinguished manufacturer of thread rolling machines in Taiwan, the company carries out its commitment to both local and overseas customers.

 

With more than 50 years of experience in thread rolling method, Kim Union is skilled in designing thread rolling die set for the thread rolling method with special thread workpieces. It can even perform a trial run on a thread rolling machine to prove that the products are correct. Thus, customers are pleased with its service and are open to sharing their thoughts, concerns and ideas about new products.

                                                  CNC thread grinding machine

Strategies for learning

They say that companies who cultivate a clear historic perspective move farther and more effectively into the future than those who do not.

 

Kim Union fondly recalls the time when they only have a production line for thread rolling machines. But since thread rolling dies plays a very important factor in the thread rolling method, there was a need for thread grinding. As what President Yu said, "What is the best way for producing thread rolling dies but through thread grinding."

 

Kim Union narrates how they did research on "thread grinding machines" in the market. There was no internet during the 1970s, no email and even fax. Therefore, they decided to import Swiss-made Reishauer thread grinding machine. It was a big risk since the price of the equipment was very high, and they did not have the experience in grinding but they believe that thread grinding is the correct way of producing thread rolling dies. To cut the long story short, this was how Kim Union started to produce thread rolling dies.

 

Fundamentals of thread rolling machines
In Taiwan, majority of parts are outsourced and assembled into complete machines in the factory, and Kim Union is not an exception. Therefore, before the parts are assembled at the factory, Kim Union will arrange for an accuracy inspection, and once the standard is met, the small parts will be combined into big parts, and then finally the entire thread rolling machines will be assembled.

 

In terms of raw materials, Kim Union chooses cast iron parts for the thread rolling machine's body rather than steel plate assembly. Cast iron parts with a high mass characteristic can considerably alleviate the vibration problem that occurs during machine operation.

 

Kim Union is meticulous when it comes to its assembly process. In addition to accuracy check, the body must go through scarping to increase the oil content. The transmission gears, worms, and bearing shaft parts are also ground and shaped by Kim Union's own screw grinder and gear grinder.

 

Kim Union's machine accessories are all well-known brands. The motor is either Siemens or TECO, while the inverter is the best-selling Delta in Taiwan, whereas the transmission bearing is a well-known brand, such as NTN, etc. In addition, Kim Union ensures the quality of its thread rolling machine by matching the entire package.

 

Personnel development

New technologies are revolutionizing the modern workplace and market. Skills training can help an enterprise stay at the forefront of innovation and creativity.

 

Kim Union believes that all of its staff must first be aware of their products and the quality they offer. For instance, if a staff is assigned to the assembly of thread rolling machines, he must pay attention to precision.

 

The company therefore recognizes that a good and knowledgeable engineer will lead another two less experienced staff. The skills learned from the proficient engineer will be passed on to the younger generation. Kim Union also emphasizes that an employee with sufficient professional skills will have the opportunity to be assigned overseas.

Currently, Kim Union has three factories in all. The Taiwan main production facility produces both thread rolling machines and thread rolling dies; while the two factories in China: Central China: Shao Xing and South China: Dong Guan creates thread rolling dies.

Competitive advantage

Kim Union's 50 plus years of experience in thread rolling machine manufacturing combines technology and design to orchestrate meaningful milestones for everyone who interacts with their brand, UNIFY — from customers and prospects to employees and partners — at every stage of their journey.

                              UM-50A CNC thread rolling machine

Marcelo Tarkieltaub on how to survive and thrive in today's business world

 

By Kathryn Gerardino-Elagio

 

Marcelo Tarkieltaub, Regional Director of Southeast Asia

More than a year on from the outbreak of the pandemic, disruptions to factory operations, supply-chain networks, and human capital have expedited the age of disruption.

Marcelo Tarkieltaub, Regional Director of Southeast Asia, Rockwell Automation disclosed key lessons industrial players can learn from the challenges thrown, as well as insights on how to future-proof enterprises for the decades ahead, in an exclusive interview with International Metalworking News for Asia (IMNA).

IMNA: For a manufacturing company to implement Industry 4.0 successfully, it demands processes to be intelligent, aware, connected, and responsive. What do you suggest they need to adopt first in order to get there?

Marcelo: When we talk about digital transformation and Industry 4.0, the first thing that comes to people’s mind is technology, software, and equipment. All the things that will help them get there. However, these are just one of the pieces of the puzzle. Yes, it is definitely technology but it is also about people. How you transform your workforce the way you work and produce now becomes very different from before.

Another thing, which has also been a concern from the industry, is security threats. As you are more connected, you are more exposed. With greater connectivity comes greater risk for security threats. Your company needs a team of trusted experts on your side, providing outstanding protection against security threats – so you can continue to innovate and prosper. Our industrial security services can help secure your infrastructure, help protect assets, and maintain network availability.

IMNA: Increasingly interconnected plants mean that IT and OT can no longer be treated as separate environments – so what is the key to seamless integration?

Marcelo: We can no longer work on silos anymore because we have to be interconnected and leverage information. The only way to do that in an effective way is to bring information, which is the OT (Operational Technology) layer and bring it to the IT (Information Technology) space. The needs of OT are very different from the needs of IT. Many security practices have long been used in the IT world. But they are new to the OT world; and while many of the mitigation steps are similar in comparison, they are applied very differently in the front office than on the operation floor.

On the operation floor, every second counts and while security breaches might not be a foremost consideration, OT cybersecurity should be prioritised as much as its IT counterpart. Building security protections into your entire manufacturing ecosystem should be a priority, from individual components to the entire footprint of your plant, including connections to your own corporate enterprise, supply chain, and third parties.

IT and OT teams must work together to close those gaps. Going back to the first part of the question – people – improving awareness to create a mindset change among all employees is important. Cybersecurity is the responsibility of every single person.

IMNA: As risk exposure increases with heightened connectivity, how can manufacturers ensure their physical, digital, and intellectual assets remain secure from bad actors?

Marcelo: We talked a little about risk earlier. As we get more connected, security becomes more of a challenge to a company. There are many cases out there of industries shutting down due to cyberattacks, data loses, intellectual property loses, disrupted operations, and compromised product quality. We advise our customers and show our holistic view on cyber security at the industrial plant level. We address risks from all sides: people, processes, and technologies. We also bring together IT and OT teams, both of which are indispensable in securing network architectures. Physical security strategies are no longer enough to protect operations.

There are numerous things that we work around our customers to design a secure environment, and a place for them to keep the connectivity they need to be competitive. While making sure that they have the security, a robust system, tempered protection, all the policies, and security structure they need.

The increased level of connectedness allows companies to benefit and address challenges that more traditional models and operating practices were not able to offer. When you integrate safety and security in a connected enterprise and follow key steps, you can assess, manage, and mitigate the safety implications of security risks.

IMNA: More than just a trend, AR will redefine the future of cross-border work. How are organisations deploying AR to respond to future black swan events?

Marcelo: We have talked about certain trends but Augmented Reality (AR) is already a reality and no longer science fiction. The pandemic has highlighted our commitment in helping our customers keep their production. Adjusting to the months of remote work became a worldwide phenomenon, as strict travel bans unfolded. Fortunately, Rockwell Automation is well versed in the benefits of using AR technology. Many of our customers adopted AR to accelerate production and survive. We have some use cases like OEMs who are able to start up their machines overseas and in different countries. The ability to quickly, and easily connect with remote service experts is a game changer for resolving equipment issues faster, which is exceptionally important during times when remote work has become much more commonplace.

We also see many customers adopting digital twins to help them be flexible in their manufacturing space and making changes in their process. Some of them are combining digital twin with AR so that they can see how their process are doing. Training people is another crucial aspect of enabling widespread AR adoption.

IMNA: Digital twins as a best practice to future-proof businesses and capture growth in disruptive times

Marcelo: Digital twins have really been helpful to customers to be flexible with their decision making process. It allows them to simulate operations, which can help them explore opportunities for improvement or try changes before making them. The fact is that you can check all the issues, so that when you go live, the process becomes seamless. Therefore, we see digital twin providing great opportunity for use in numerous manufacturing applications because time to market for a product is increasingly becoming fast. We have use cases of companies changing products in a speed that never happened before. By implementing digital twins, engineering teams can garner new insights that speed innovation and reduce costs from the design phase to the production phase. Definitely digital twin is another reality that can make customers become more competitive by improving how they work and moving projects into a dynamic digital environment.

IMNA: How will you continue to foster Rockwell’s success in South East Asia?

Marcelo: Rockwell Automation is prepared to support customers in this challenging time, giving them the efficiency that they need.

The biggest thing that we are doing here in South East Asia is understanding the needs of the market. Our goal is to help customers become more successful in the global landscape. We have dedicated employees in the region and a robust ecosystem of partners collaborating towards delivering value for our customers. Rockwell Automation continues to transform the industry, unlocking potential and productivity through automated and connected innovation.

South East Asia continues to be a key area of strategic growth for Rockwell Automation, as we look to increase market share across Asia Pacific. I look forward to building on our capabilities and engagement initiatives across the region, by way of helping our customers become more efficient and competitive.

IMNA: What can you advise our readers in South East Asia who are thinking of implementing automation in their shop floors but are hesitant?

Marcelo: If you want to survive in today’s business world, you must be willing to adapt to change. Rockwell Automation continues to invest in its vision of expanding human possibility and digital transformation for our customers in South East Asia.

We encourage our customers and provide them with strategies. Of course, these strategies are different for every company, as this is not a one size fits all kind of strategy. If you want to arm your employees with the right information, you can begin by leveraging technology. You are not competing with your neighbor country anymore. You are competing globally. Here at Rockwell, we are positioned to be our customers’ partner on their digital transformation with our portfolio of products, software and services.

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Schaeffler CEO on the future of electric vehicles in Asia

                                                    Mr. Dharmesh Arora

By: Kathryn Gerardino-Elagio

The increasing environmental and sustainability awareness issues accompanied by growing interest among consumers in sustainable vehicles, such as electric vehicles (EVs) have seen the automotive industry moving towards zero emission vehicles and carbon neutral manufacturing.

Global automotive and industrial supplier, Schaeffler has seen rise in demand for e-Mobility and EVs. In light of this, Mr. Dharmesh Arora, APAC CEO, shared with International Metalworking News for Asia his view on Asia Pacific’s (APAC) e-mobility future and how to strengthen EV technology.

Mass-market readiness for EV adoption in APAC

According to an industry report by Bloomberg NEF, passenger EV sales are expected to increase sharply in the next few years, rising from 3.1 million in 2020 to 14 million in 20251 on a global scale.

Dharmesh explained, “Our own forecast predicts a 30:40:30 scenario by 2030 for BEVs, HEVs and ICE engines, respectively. Just a year ago, this forecast looked rather ambitious but now very realistic. While this forecast is very realistic on a global level, we must realise that regional scenarios differ. China and Europe will be the dominant passenger EV markets till 2025. Driven by Europe’s vehicle CO2 regulations, and China’s fuel economy regulations and the new-energy-vehicle credit system. Policy changes in the U.S. will have limited impact in 2021 but will start to increase adoption in 2022 and beyond, as more compelling local models come to market, particularity in the pick-up truck segment¹.

Closer home, in the APAC region, we continue to see the intent and advance level interest from various countries.”

In Japan, Dharmesh noted that they see an increasing adoption of HEVs on the value proposition in terms of efficiency and environment friendly; while in EVs they start to see the ecosystem development backed by government’s carbon neutral target and subsidy programs. Although choice of EVs stay very limited for now, almost all OEMs announced new EV development programs.

Dharmesh expressed that in spite of the fact that Korea is ahead with quite a few EV models on the market, including a strong adoption for eco-friendly vehicles, backed by policy and subsidies, the entire ecosystem has still a way to go.

India and some countries in South East Asia are also now showing strong intent and policy push, according to him. This has made many OEMs announce new EV development programs; however, current sales and EV options remain largely limited.

“In India, we are seeing a rather keen interest in 2/3W electrification and we expect this trend to continue in terms of new OEM players, models and adoption,” Dharmesh added. He further added, “Yes, EV adoption has gained momentum in the last year. But for that to spread wide and deep, more governmental support would be necessary - building publicly accessible EV charging networks and bridging the initial acquisition cost for consumers.”

Current perceptions on purchase of EVs

Today, consumers are increasingly aware of the options and available choices that suit their requirement. While volatility of gas prices is a big driver, the topic of climate change is becoming an equally important consideration on how consumers approach electric vehicles now.

Therefore, interest in alternative powertrain technology, such as EV technology continue to expand in most markets as fewer people want traditional internal combustion engines (ICE) in their next vehicle. At the same time, EVs come with their own set of challenges – be it charging infrastructure, range anxiety or lifecycle management. The challenges cannot be solved in the short term, and this certainly opens up avenues for hybrid and even other alternate technologies like Hydrogen or Bio/synthetic fuels.

Dharmesh said, “We are already seeing interest around Hydrogen in a big way in markets like Japan, Korea and India, particularly for commercial vehicle applications. Policy makers are evaluating all possible alternatives to ensure we are able to keep up with the climate change target of less than 2 degrees.”

“Consumers want a cost competitive alternative that is clean and efficient, policy makers and OEMs need to come together to solve the infrastructure challenges, and technology suppliers like Schaeffler are ready to support that transition with the right products across the energy chain,” he stated.

When asked how prepared OEMs and their dealer outlets are to sell EVs, Dharmesh remarked that OEMs views are aligned with the industry that EVs are the future.

“What’s important is to manage the transition in an effective manner that minimises negative disruptions. There are installed capacities for ICE and employment that needs to be reconfigured and employees need to be re-skilled. The sales and aftersales channels must reconfigure to the new requirements for a less maintenance intensive future. The support infrastructures from gas stations to insurance companies should come to terms of the change. But what about the source of energy? If that is still primarily coming from polluting coal burning power stations, it doesn’t do any good to generate more of it to charge electric cars. These are massive changes, not only from cost and capital perspective but also from the social impact they bring,” he declared.

OEMs to component manufacturers are all creating competencies and capacities to develop and deliver EV products. But it is also well known that this requires tremendous capital, while not generating positive returns in the short term.

Dharmesh expressed, “If we expect companies to continue investing in these new capabilities, they must have a solid current conventional business that generates enough money for them. This transition must be managed well, if we want to sustain this change to happen.”

“And for that we invest in developing electric motors, 2in1 E-axles, 3in1 E-axles, hybridization solutions, power electronics, sensorised components, thermal management systems and so on, all necessary ingredients for E-Mobility. At the same time, we see great value in further optimising ICE with the ultimate goal of reducing the carbon footprint. Delivering complete basket of solutions is very critical,” he commented.

EV adoption

According to a report by Moorhouse Consulting, battery costs have decreased by 85% in the last 10 years and if that trend continues throughout the next decade, the costs between EVs and fossil-fuel powered cars will eventually be parity^.2

Dharmesh believed that bringing costs down would allow more receptivity for rapid and large-scale EV adoption. Modularity of solutions would help bring down the overall cost of new developments in the entire value chain.

Sustainability and carbon neutrality

The discussion around sustainability is indeed a holistic one considering Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which extends right from raw material manufacturing to vehicle scrapping after running through the lifetime.

He observed, “There is not “one solution which fits all and that’s why we see in the short to mid-term regional, a mix in EV adoption. For OEMs who are operating globally, they need to invest in new EV platforms and at the same time also improve their current ICE and hybrids. In the long term, we expect most countries will transit towards renewable energy sources and OEMs working in minimising LCA emission.”

Covid19 has changed the way we look at the world. Every decision is looked at through that lens. At the same time, there is a clear trend towards decarbonization. The society has rediscovered the values of health and wellbeing. The negative impact from unsustainable economic activities have received renewed attention. The trend drives quicker technological and business model transformation for industries in many sectors, certainly true for automotive industry.

“In my opinion, there are three things that will make the difference in such a scenario – Agility, Transparency and Sustainability, with the help of Digitalisation. Markets will be more volatile in the future than in the past - agile and flexible supply chains are decisive factors here. Resilience in such volatile environment requires organisations to quickly adapt to the changing environment. It will be all about de-risking the business models without compromising on quality and service level. Virtual ecosystems will play a critical role but the control measures need to spread out into the entire value chain enabling optimised performance. Organisations need to come up with robust business continuity strategies to thrive in the ever-changing market. Part of this strategy is instantaneous access to critical business intelligence data. Cloud technology provides a platform that enables access to data, anytime, anywhere, and from any device,” he commented.

Lastly, Dharmesh said, “OEMs and dealers have to work together with governments/authorities units to formulate a better regulatory framework that would welcome a futuristic e-mobility. Strengthening the EV technology to allow capabilities, such as speed-, auto- and self-charging capabilities to take place.”

1 https://about.bnef.com/electric-vehicle-outlook/
2 https://solaredition.com/lithium-ion-battery-price-decreased-by-85-during-the-past-decade/

The ulitimate process of refining

Taiwan Takisawa is specialized in manufacturing precision machine tools and PCB (Printed Circuit Board) drillers for domestic and international markets. In the machine tool line, there are small and medium CNC lathes and non­CNC high speed precision lathes. For PCB drillers, we provide 6-shaft and 7-shaft models. 

Taiwan Takisawa is also and OEM partner for all types of lathes that it builds for Japanese companies. Major customers for our CNC lathes are the bicycle, motorcycle and automobile industries, as well as parts processing plants supplying the aeronautic industry. For years, the precision and stability of our products have been highly acclaimed by various industries, leading to a 15% market share in Taiwan. 

To assist printed circuit board manufacturers, the PCB driller line was launched for domestic and international markets in April 1999. Exhaustive testing by customers has confirmed the superior quality of our PCB drillers and they have achieved overwhelming acceptance by the industry. 

By combining an ongoing research and development program with its zero defect policy, Taiwan Takisawa is well positioned to maintain a competitive edge and increase its future market share by improving product functionality, assuring consistently good quality, and lowering production costs.

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Ann Way Machine Tools – Holding Your Future

Since 1979, Ann Way Machine Tools has been producing CNC lathe machine cutting tools tool holders and tool chucks cutting tools, and we have always been dedicated to quality and customer service. By focusing on achieving the highest quality standard possible, our product portfolio is continuously being developed with new, innovative solutions.

Innovative Product Lines

Precision machining is essential, and in recent years, Ann Way has developed several new tool holder series aimed at meeting the increasing demands of high speed CNC machining.

Quality comes first – Advanced Q&A Facilities

With several International Test Standards and Certificates, such as BT, BTT, HSK, DIN and ANSI, our products conform to the strictest requirements of our international customers. After achieving the ISO9001 certification in 2003, we have further improved our QA facilities, administration and production management, as well as Customer Service and Technical Support.

What's more, in order to prepare for to the upcoming era of automation, we have set up a second and third production plant (in 2014 and 2016, respectively). Both plants feature automated production lines. With the production of high quality machine parts at the foundation of our sustainable business model, Ann Way is moving forward, and living up to the company’s motto that it is truly "Holding Your Future". 

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Light and lightweight metals

A market with great future projection (especially in e-mobility) that requires machines which adapt to the future

The market for the application of new materials such as light and lightweight metals is one of the most promising for the future. According to data from the consulting firm Grand View Research, the demand for these products is growing rapidly in Latin America due to the increase in the number of manufacturers of lightweight materials that supply mainly to the United States.

 

And with the relocation of industries expected in the region in the future due to reshoring and nearshoring caused by the Covid-19 pandemic for most of the companies from powers such as Europe and the United States, which currently have operations in Asia, a wide range of possibilities are opening up for the region in the manufacture of solutions with lightweight materials.

 

For example, energy conservation, which is a well-known issue in all industries, has caused that in the field of electric vehicles, energy saving has become important not only for environmental protection, but also for the durability of the vehicles. Lightweight metals and high-tensile steel plates are widely used in the automotive industry to save energy.

 

But such solutions require specialized machinery that is also optimized for today's requirements. One company that knows that is Chin Fong. The company has developed a series of equipment and machines to meet the forming needs of the new metal field, due to the different forming conditions of these special metals.

 

Chin Fong's servo presses seamlessly combine traditional mechanical presses and digital servo control systems to achieve a meticulous, intelligent, composite and environmentally friendly process. The processing and forming speed of the slide can be arbitrarily controlled by the servo system to meet these special metal forming needs.

 

Chin Fong machines are used in a wide variety of applications, such as the automotive industry, computer, communications and electronics manufacturing, metal hardware manufacturing, bicycle industry, home appliance and lighting equipment manufacturing, and recreational product manufacturing; Chin Fong machines can produce almost all metal formed parts.

 

These solutions that are going to be so necessary in the development of products for the light and lightweight metal market of the future, allow for the production of a wide variety of products, such as automotive interior and exterior covering parts, transmission parts, automotive seat rail metal parts, computer cases, flat-panel TV back plate metal parts, terminal metal parts, etc.

 

In the same field of electric car parts development, Chin Fong stresses it is essential to integrate innovative technology into traditional technology in stamping manufacturing. Consequently, manufacturing technology tailored to new energy vehicles, light vehicles and unmanned vehicles will invariably make its way into automotive equipment.

 

Chin Fong offers energy-, material- and compound-saving punches in these areas, reducing the number of processes and significantly save production time, space and redundant equipment.

 

With precise stamping and forming technology, Chin Fong's automatic Knuckle-joint cold forging presses have successfully simplified the processing time and procedures required by traditional presses. In addition, Chin Fong's large-scale servo presses and hot forging presses are ideal for working with light metals and high-tensile steel plates.

 

Chin Fong's machines equip many sensors, which can utilize Chin Fong's unique forming technology more intelligently. The processing and forming speed can be arbitrarily controlled by the servo system to meet the needs of difficult-to-process forming materials.

 

In addition, Chin Fong has developed its own smart stamping solution, the iForming system, which can help traditional stamping factories to become smart factories, mainly by assisting customers in the stamping industry in such aspects as:

 

●     Smart manufacturing equipment

●     IoT device management

●     Production line with intelligent management

●     Quickly set up situation room

●     Timely service for global customers

●     Integration process and mobile application

 

Chin Fong's intelligent forming productivity management system, iFormingPMS, is equipped with AI equipment as well as excellent big data collection and system integration applications to enable real-time monitoring of the manufacturing process.

 

It can use intelligent production scheduling and order delivery forecasts to increase customer productivity, provide predictive maintenance notifications and mold life predictions, expand customer equipment utilization, reduce equipment failures, and reduce customer costs and improve quality assurance.

 

If you would like to learn more about Chin Fong's machines and how they can help you with metal forming solutions focused on electric mobility or machines to produce parts with light and lightweight metals, contact the company by filling out the form provided at the top right.