The Changing Shape of the World Automobile Industry: A Multilayer Network Analysis of International Trade in Components and Parts

In 2018, after 25 years of the North America Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the United States requested new rules which, among other requirements, increased the regional con-tent in the production of automotive components and parts traded between the three part-ner countries, United States, Canada and Mexico. Signed by all three countries, the new trade agreement, USMCA, is to go into force in 2022. Nonetheless, after the 2020 Presi-dential election, the new treaty's future is under discussion, and its impact on the automo-tive industry is not entirely defined. Another significant shift in this industry – the acceler-ated rise of electric vehicles – also occurred in 2020: while the COVID-19 pandemic largely halted most plants in the automotive value chain all over the world, at the reopen-ing, the tide is now running against internal combustion engine vehicles, at least in the an-nouncements and in some large investments planned in Europe, Asia and the US. The definition of the pre-pandemic situation is a very helpful starting point for the analysis of the possible repercussions of the technological and geo-political transition, which has been accelerated by the epidemic, on geographical clusters and sectorial special-isations of the main regions and countries. This paper analyses the trade networks emerg-ing in the past 25 years in a new analytical framework. In the economic literature on inter-national trade, the study of the automotive global value chains has been addressed by us-ing network analysis, focusing on the centrality of geographical regions and countries while largely overlooking the contribution of countries' bilateral trading in components and parts as structuring forces of the subnetwork of countries and their specific position in the overall trade network. The paper focuses on such subnetworks as meso-level structures emerging in trade network over the last 25 years. Using the Infomap multilayer clustering algorithm, we are able to identify clusters of countries and their specific trades in the automotive internation-al trade network and to highlight the relative importance of each cluster, the interconnec-tions between them, and the contribution of countries and of components and parts in the clusters. We draw the data from the UN Comtrade database of directed export and import flows of 30 automotive components and parts among 42 countries (accounting for 98% of world trade flows of those items). The paper highlights the changes that occurred over 25 years in the geography of the trade relations, with particular with regard to denser and more hierarchical network gener-ated by Germany’s trade relations within EU countries and by the US preferential trade agreements with Canada and Mexico, and the upsurge of China. With a similar overall va-riety of traded components and parts within the main clusters (dominated respectively by Germany, US and Japan-China), the Infomap multilayer analysis singles out which com-ponents and parts determined the relative positions of countries in the various clusters and the changes over time in the relative positions of countries and their specialisations in mul-tilateral trades. Connections between clusters increase over time, while the relative im-portance of the main clusters and of some individual countries change significantly. The focus on US and Mexico and on Germany and Central Eastern European countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia) will drive the comparative analysis.

Bio-Based Products

Communicating the related environmental benefits of bio-based products to consumers represents a key component of their market uptake. In this regard, the use of ecolabels ISO 14024 Type I play a crucial role. This article identifies and analyzes different criteria proposed by ecolabels for conducting a sustainability assessment of bio-based products considering its entire lifecycle. A comparison of the selected criteria with existing indicators ruled out by the SDGs is proposed. Through expert consultation, the suitability of existing ecolabel criteria for bio-based products has been tested for four applications of biobased products: food packaging from PLA; biobased automotive components; bio-based mulch film; and bio-based insulation material.

Experimental analysis on mechanical properties of BF/PLA composites and its lightweight design on power battery box

In response to the concept of energy conservation and environmental protection, a novel composite battery box with BF/PLA composite is proposed. Firstly, the mechanical properties of BF/PLA composite are tested, and it is concluded that the property parameters of BF/PLA composite with 50% BF mass fraction is selected as the material property parameter of subsequent finite element simulation. Subsequently, the statics analysis and constraint modal analysis of the traditional metal battery box are carried out under the typical working conditions of rapid turning and braking under vertical bumping. Based on this, the upper and lower box materials of the battery box except the bracket are replaced by BF/PLA composite. The morphology optimization, topology optimization and free size optimization are carried out with the constraint that the first-order modal vibration frequency is no less than 30 Hz. Compared with the traditional metal battery box, the stiffness and strength of the optimized BF/PLA composite battery box are significantly enhanced. Moreover, the first-order constraint modal frequency increases by 15.5%, and the comprehensive weight reduction ratio reaches 40.88%. Finally, the optimized BF/PLA composite battery box is verified under random vibration, mechanical shock analysis, collision analysis, extrusion and falling ball analysis and drop analysis conditions. Meanwhile, compared with the traditional metal battery box under the same working conditions, the excellent reliability of the composite battery box is highlighted. The proposed BF/PLA composite battery box satisfies the requirements of stiffness and strength performances under various working conditions, which provides theoretical and data support for the application of composite materials in battery box and other automotive components.

Penerapan Metode Double Exponential Smoothing dan Moving Average pada Peramalan Permintaan Produk Gasket Cap di PT. Nesinak Industries

PT. Nesinak Industries is a company which focuses on the manufacturing process of an electronic component as well as automotive components (vehicle). In business activities, such as production, a strategy is required to survive in competition. Planning and forecasting are a strategy that can be implemented to accomplish these goals. In this study, the data used are previous sealing application data from January 2019 to March 2021. The objective of this study is to forecast product demand over the next period in order to be able to respond to customer demand. Data processing in this study utilize the Brown exponential double smoothing method and the moving average is then determined with the lowest MAPE (Mean Absolute Percentage Error) value to be used for the company’s product demand prediction calculations. The value of taken from Brown's exponential dual smoothing method is the value of with the two lowest error values from 0.1 to 0.9, whose value with the least error value is = 0.8 and = 0.9. In terms of the moving average method, the researchers tested a period of three months and a period of four months. In the MAPE calculation, the results of exponential double smoothing = 0.8 of 26.92 %, exponential double smoothing = 0.9 of 26.22 %, moving average n = 3 of 32.46%, and moving average n = 4 of 34.77%.

REDUCING DIRECT LABOR COSTS THROUGH U-SHAPED CELLULAR LAYOUT IN INJECTED AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS INDUSTRY

Reducing direct labor costs can be used to create a low operation cost as the way for winning future markets including injected automotive components. This paper aims to provide an overview of direct labor costs reduction in injected automotive components through a U-shaped cellular layout as part of the lean concept. Over a decade, many types of research had already used the lean concept to solve problems in production activity through lean tools. In this paper, several lean tools such as Takt time, value stream mapping, and U-shaped cellular will be used for reducing direct labor costs that have increased yearly in Indonesia since 2015. Those lean tools will be performed in a job-shop of injected automotive components. After performing the U-shaped cellular layout, the direct labor costs were reduced to 25 % by combining the job held by two operators to become one operator.

Galling wear between ASTM 6061 aluminum and grade D2 tool steel

In the automotive industry, galling is a huge problem either for the tool life or the quality of the stamping metal component. Galling is a severe form of scuffing associated with gross damage to the surface or failure. This work aims to carry out a series of experiments of galling tests at different loads and similar roughness with 6061 aluminum and D2 steel, common materials used in automotive components and tools respectively. A tribometer was employed to generate Galling wear, the button-on-button configuration, according to the ASTM G-196-08 standard. The results show the threshold of minimum load without galling wear. Post-test-surface analysis of the specimens was conducted by confocal microscopy to identify the damage generated during the wear tests. Additionally, a couple of friction tests were carried only to illustrate the friction coefficient behavior under galling conditions.

A Review on Reinforcement Methods for Polymeric Materials Processed Using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)

Over the last few years, fused filament fabrication (FFF) has become one of the most promising and widely used techniques for the rapid prototyping process. A number of studies have also shown the possibility of FFF being used for the fabrication of functional products, such as biomedical implants and automotive components. However, the poor mechanical properties possessed by FFF-processed products are considered one of the major shortcomings of this technique. Over the last decade, many researchers have attempted to improve the mechanical properties of FFF-processed products using several strategies—for instance, by applying the short fiber reinforcement (SFR), continuous fiber reinforcement (CFR), powder addition reinforcement (PAR), vibration-assisted FFF (VA-FFF) methods, as well as annealing. In this paper, the details of all these reinforcement techniques are reviewed. The abilities of each method in improving tensile, flexural, and compressive strength are discussed.

Reliability Analysis for Unrepairable Automotive Components

The analysis of the reliability parameters of a technical object and the determination of the change in the reliability of the object over time, requires the knowledge of the functional characteristics and reliability parameters of the elements included in a system. On the basis of the failure data of the selected element of the object, in this case the vehicle, it is possible to determine the average working time to failure of the element and the appropriate form of distribution that characterizes the reliability and durability parameters of the tested element. The main purpose of the research presented in the article was to develop a method of assessing the reliability of an electronic component of a vehicle-a boot lid contactor. This paper also presents three possible methods of repairing the boot lid contactor (sealing the housing with adhesive with better way, replacing the element with a new one or the most time-consuming solution, changing the shape of the boot lid). The authors also decided to determine the reliability and cost parameters that will allow preventive replacement of this element. The tests were carried out on a fleet of 61 vehicles of the same model, but with different body structures. Contactor failures were reported in 41 cases, of which 29 were in the hatchback construction and 12 in the estate type. The analysis of the distribution selection for the tested part of the passenger car-the boot lid contactor-was performed using the Likelihood Value (LKV) test to determine the rank of distributions. Also the maximum likelihood (MLE) method was used to estimate the distribution parameters. The three-parameter Weibull distribution was the best-fitted distribution in both cases. It was clearly defined that one model of car with two different types of body have vastly different reliability characteristic. Based on the reliability characteristic and parameters, the appropriate preventive actions can be taken, minimizing the risk of damage, thus avoiding financial losses and guaranteeing an appropriate level of vehicle safety.

Development and Characterization of New Functionally Graded Aluminium Alloys

Nowadays, aluminium alloys are adopted mainly to produce engineering and automotive components. The present investigation aims to design, cast and characterize novel functionally graded materials (FGMs) produced using Al-Mg and Al-Si alloys by gravity casting technique. Alloys were sequentially cast into a mould to obtain an FGM to realizing great mechanical and metallurgical bonding. Zn addition was further performed in FGM to increase the mechanical properties, thanks to the nucleation of the intermetallic phases MgZn2. Castings were subsequently mechanically tested by tensile tests, bending tests, hardness and microhardness measures to assess the products\' quality. Microstructural characterizations were performed along the FGM to assess the metallurgical bonding and evaluate the microstructures obtained. Fracture, microstructural and compositional analysis will highlight the quality of this new FGM proposed. Possible applications of these materials are suggested, as automotive pistons or structural components.