Browse Topic: Suppliers
This SAE Aerospace Standard (AS) establishes supplemental requirements for 9100 and 9145 and applies to any organization receiving it as part of a purchase order or other contractual document from a customer. AS13100 also provides details of the reference materials (RM13xxx) developed by the SAE G-22 AESQ committee and listed in Section 2 that can also be used by organizations in conjunction with this standard.
In an era where technological advancements are rapid and constant, the U.S. Army will need a more agile and efficient approach to modernizing systems on succeeding generations of Army vehicles. Legacy platforms like Abrams, Stryker, and Bradley vehicles use multiple mission computers tied to individual sensors that often required the addition of “boxes” to accommodate new capabilities, which could take years to deploy and drove sustainment costs up due to vendor lock. In addition, this antiquated approach doesn't leverage data to converge effects across the formation in a multi-domain environment. Centralized, common computing as detailed in GCIA would help solve this problem, potentially linking all major subsystems and providing higher-speed processing to assess large datasets in real time with AI and ML algorithms. By using a common, open architecture computer, the Army will be able to rapidly integrate new capabilities inside one box, versus adding multiple boxes. This pivotal
Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) Ethernet is a real-time networking capability that is being developed by a growing number of embedded computing companies for the earliest stages of adoption by aerospace and defense manufacturers and their suppliers. According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) TSN working group, it is a set of standards that provides deterministic connectivity within IEEE 802-aligned networks. Nigel Forrester is the Director of Product Strategy for Concurrent Technologies, a UK-based provider of high performance embedded computing solutions for aerospace, defense and many other industries. Check out our interview with Forrester about the potential impact of TSN Ethernet on new and legacy aerospace and defense applications, and how it is being adopted by manufacturers and system integrators below.
A lighter, colorable and fully recyclable thermoplastic body seal from Cooper Standard won the annual Innovations in Lightweighting Award given by the Society for Automotive Analysts. At the society's December meeting, Jay Murdock, senior product development engineer for Cooper Standard, accepted the award and said its FlexiCore product was designed with an eye on strong trends in what OEMs want from suppliers: sustainability, carbon neutrality, lightweighting and recyclability.
For my nearly 60-year lifetime, I have had the benefit of being part of a North American Automotive Industry that was, from a production perspective, completely rationalized and optimized. Given the unprecedented political events of the last couple of months, maybe we should all consider ourselves fortunate. Strong competition and a free market allowed for components, systems and vehicles to be produced in the optimal location with an optimized supply chain, all structured to serve markets in the U.S., Canada and Mexico with some exports mixed in. Consumers, dealers, suppliers and vehicle manufacturers all benefit from this optimized structure.
A new aviation supply chain integrity coalition has offered 13 recommended actions to prevent the circulation of non-serialized aircraft parts throughout the global aviation industry. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL In the summer of 2023, a receiving clerk in the procurement department of TAP Air Portugal, a Lisbon-based airline, made a curious discovery: A $65 engine part that should have appeared brand-new showed signs of significant wear. The clerk checked the documentation from the London-based parts supplier and noticed that the submitted documentation was also suspicious. Using his safety training, the employee immediately reported the anomaly to TAP Air Portugal management, which raised the issue with the jet engine's manufacturer. Little did the procurement clerk know at the time, but this escalation led to one of the biggest investigations in the history of the aviation supply chain, as reported by Reuters and the British Broadcasting Corporation in
As I write this version of the Supplier Eye column, 2024 has been a critical year for our industry. No matter if you are a supplier, OEM or some other position in the ecosystem, this year has set us up for feast or famine through this decade. Let's explore why this year will go down in the record books as a pivotal one. Editorial timing dictates that this is submitted just before the U.S. elections. While you will read this with the election in the rearview mirror, all indications are for an extremely close political outcome, though the ensuing weeks will be the final arbiter. The outcome nonetheless will impact our industry for years.
Sometimes, I cringe; sometimes, I just listen and wonder. These past few months have given us all a lot to think about in the automotive space, and it's clear now that the coming years will keep the foot down on the accelerator when it comes to the dramatic changes we've experienced this past decade. One thing that stood out to me in various recent conversations is that there's a widening gulf opening between Chinese automakers and the rest of the world. This isn't exactly news, and this column isn't meant to monger any fears. It's just a bit of off-the-cuff reporting that sheds a bit of light on the level of the challenges we face. As you can read in Chris Clonts' excellent report further in this issue about the warning that Voltaiq's CEO gave at The Battery Show this October, the U.S. is in serious danger of falling well behind Chinese competitors in the EV battery race (Michael Robinette tackles similar ground through a tariff lens in this month's Supplier Eye). But that message was
Automotive electrical and electronics manufacturer MTA attended IAA Transportation for the first time, demonstrating its new range of wireless communication technologies for the truck industry. Earlier this year, the company acquired Calearo Antenne S.p.A, a company with a long history of producing antennas, amplifiers and cables. MTA global sales director Davide Bonelli explained to Truck & Off-Highway Engineering how that acquisition complements its business. “From a more strategic point of view, we see the world of antennas as complementary to what MTA does,” he said. “Often MTA products have an antenna as an interface, so this is one reason why we have done the deal. There are also a lot of synergies from an engineering standpoint. Historically, MTA is a company that uses many mechanical parts - plastics, metals - which we are very strong with so we can share them. And there are also some competences from Calearo Antenne that can be transferred to us.”
R-1234yf is used in almost every new car sold in the U.S., but the EU is discussing a ban and the industry is investigating alternatives like CO2 and propane. According to its manufacturer, Chemours, use of R-1234yf has grown so much since the refrigerant replaced the long-established R-134a that it's now used in 95% of new cars sold in the U.S. An estimated 220 million cars on global roads are also using it. The problem with R-134a, which came in cars and trucks in the 1990s, is that it's a gas with “a global warming potential (GWP) that is 1,430 times that of CO2,” according to the EPA. Since 2017, EU legislation has banned the use of any refrigerant in new vehicles with a GWP higher than 150. That rule doomed R-134a but opened the door for R-1234yf, which has a GWP of only four. The EU is currently revisiting R-1234yf emissions rules and may ban the substance in a few years. In the U.S., the EPA stands by its use.
Chinese battery manufacturer CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd.) completed the launch of its TECTRANS battery system for the commercial transport sector at IAA Transportation, which took place in September in Hanover, Germany. CATL added its heavy-duty truck and bus/coach battery ranges to the light-truck range that the company launched in China in July 2024. For heavy-duty trucks, CATL offers two alternatives: the TECTRANS - T Superfast Charging Edition and the TECTRANS - T Long Life Edition. As the name suggests, the Superfast Charging Edition is designed to offer rapid charging capability for operators needing to recharge during a duty cycle. CATL quotes a 4C peak charging rate, which would permit a charge to 70% in 15 minutes.
At the Reuters Automotive USA 2024 conference in Detroit, SAE Media spoke with Stuart Taylor, chief product officer of Envorso, a consultancy with a mission to help OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers write better software. Companies have been plagued with issues around software written both in-house and via outside contractors.
In the summer of 2023, a receiving clerk in the procurement department of TAP Air Portugal, a Lisbon-based airline, made a curious discovery: A $65 engine part that should have appeared brandnew showed signs of significant wear. The clerk checked the documentation from the London-based parts supplier and noticed that the submitted documentation was also suspicious.
Design and material choices can have a long-term impact on an original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) production costs and product quality. When an OEM works together with an experienced contract design manufacturer (CDM) from the start of a project, many negative impacts to cost and quality can be avoided.
Whether for vascular catheters or implantable devices, medical tubing must meet tough standards for flexibility, strength, and biocompatibility. That’s why more manufacturers are turning to thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) that strike the ideal balance between these key properties, making them an excellent choice for high-performance medical tubing. Unlocking the best that TPUs have to offer means optimizing the extrusion process. This article looks at why TPUs are a top pick, the common obstacles in extrusion, and the ways manufacturers can fine-tune their process to get the most out of different grades.
Industrial automation has traditionally been characterized by proprietary technologies and vendor-specific solutions. However, recent trends are shifting toward greater openness in both hardware and software, reflecting the evolving needs of end users, systems integrators (SIs), and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Aerospace engine components like discs, blisks and rings are engineered to perform in extreme operating environments. They need to withstand intense heat and stress and be as lightweight as possible to meet exacting specifications. These parts are also notoriously difficult to machine, and manufacturers who work with them must meet serious challenges of their own. Holding tight tolerances, maintaining predictable tool life and accounting for internal material stress relief from material removal can be especially difficult when profiling complicated features such as thin-walled flanges, undercut pockets and seal fins.
During a recent Bosch tech showcase, we spoke with Joe Dear, engineering manager for electric propulsion systems at Linamar. The Guelph, Ontario-based parts manufacturer is no stranger to building unsung components for the auto industry, including gears, camshafts, connecting rods, and cylinder heads. The Linamar team was demonstrating a modified Ram 2500, a collaboration between Bosch and Linamar, that was outfitted with a prototype electric powertrain and new e-axles: a rigid axle on the rear (with a Bosch motor and inverter) and a steering axle up front.
The impact of the upcoming U.S. federal election, global trade turmoil, a mediocre U.S. economy and the slumping ICE-to-EV (internal combustion engine to electric vehicle) transition must be considered. In my last column, we explored the growing use of scenarios to provide guardrails for future strategy. Suppliers can no longer rely upon a single forecast to drive future planning. The main culprits clouding the planning environment are program delays, rescopes and EV strategy shifts accompanied by the extension of ICE/hybrid models. The trajectory of EV launches and new offerings is decidedly ahead of the skis of consumer acceptance. This supply-and-demand mismatch is an ongoing challenge. It is important to understand the severity of program changes amid this slowing EV growth environment.
A method for 3D printing called vapor-induced phase-separation 3D printing, or VIPS-3D, can create single-material as well as multi-material objects. The printing process allows manufacturers to create custom-made objects economically and sustainably.
High productivity, low manufacturing costs, and high workpiece quality: these are the key factors that deliver sustainability, profitability, and competitive edge for industrial manufacturers. Reliable machine monitoring yields valuable real-time insights into ongoing processes; it is the basis for dependable, productive, and reproducible manufacturing and it helps machine operators to reach well-founded decisions on both short- and long-term improvements. This technology can even capture anomalies in highly dynamic machining processes, so users can respond instantly to ensure high productivity, decrease scrap rates, and prolong tool lifetimes. Thanks to all these advantages, continuous machine and process monitoring based on suitable sensor technology is a critical success factor in today’s manufacturing industry.
The supplier shall use the following process to respond to a customer request for corrective and preventive action.
The changing regulatory landscape and innovation of medical products is driving an interest in additional options for medical product sterilization. One nontraditional way manufacturers can sterilize medical products that is becoming increasingly popular is with sterilizers that use vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VH2O2). The publication of ISO 22441:2022 and its recognition by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA), coupled with the FDA’s reclassification of VH2O2 sterilization as an Established Category A process in 2024, supports this modality of sterilization.
The automotive industry faces unprecedented regulatory and societal pressure to adopt sustainable manufacturing practices. A recent survey by Accenture shows that more than 34 percent of today’s largest manufacturers have committed to zero-emission goals, yet 93 percent of them will miss their targets unless they double their emission reduction rates by 2030.
Continental's Georg Fässler, executive chair of the 2024 SAE COMVEC, details efforts to future-proof forthcoming vehicles. Severe driver shortages, rising fuel and material costs, escalating demand for freight transport, higher sustainability requirements - there is no shortage of challenges facing the transport sector. Commercial vehicle manufacturers and industry suppliers are devoting significant resources to develop, test and bring to market the technological advances that will help alleviate these pressure points. “The digitalization of commercial vehicles and the whole logistics chain is a necessary response and one of the most important developments in the CV industry in my view,” said Continental Automotive's head of commercial and special vehicles, Georg Fässler, in a recent interview with SAE International.
To round out this issue's cover story, we spoke with Clement Nouvel, Valeo's chief technical officer for lidar, about Valeo's background in ADAS and what's coming next. Nouvel leads over 300 lidar engineers and the company's third-generation Scala 3 lidar is used on production vehicles from European and Asian automakers. The Scala 3 sensor system scans the area around a vehicle 25 times per second, can detect objects more than 200 meters (656 ft) away with a wide field of vision and operates at speeds of up to 130 km/h (81 mph) on the highway. In 2023, Valeo secured two contracts for Scala 3, one with an Asian manufacturer and the other with a “leading American robotaxi company,” Valeo said in its most-recent annual report. Valeo has now received over 1 billion euros (just under $1.1 billion) in Scala 3 orders. Also in 2023, Valeo and Qualcomm agreed to jointly supply connected displays, clusters, driving assistance technologies and, importantly, sensor technology for to two- and three
Across the industry, strategic planners from OEMs and suppliers alike are scratching their heads. The number of strategic directions they currently face is unprecedented. Combine global trade friction (China tariffs), high interest rates, a pausing EV transition, new OEM players and the U.S. political environment - one could build scenarios all day to cover the possibilities. Given this rocky environment, a new approach is required. Trusting one forecast as a basis for all strategic decisions may be inadequate in capturing the major vehicle market possibilities. A quick examination of the key variables underscores the challenge.
Wysong USA has been manufacturing industrial press brakes, hydraulic shears, and mechanical shears for sheet metal and plastics for nearly 120 years. Like many companies, their motto was “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” so their product had remained essentially the same. But during a customer visit that motto clashed with another company saying, “the customer is always right.” This customer had replaced the dry clutch brake for an oil shear clutch brake that was more accurate. “The customer is always right” won, so Wysong updated their product line and increased accuracy while reducing costs, making it a win all around.
Sustainability remains a dominant trend in packaging and processing, continuing to attract the attention of the life sciences industry and inspire its new initiatives. Although pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers must prioritize patient safety and product protection, concerns about climate change, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, plastic waste, and pressure to move toward a circular economy are prompting a greater focus on improving the sustainability of their products and packaging.
Airplane manufacturers running noise tests on new aircraft now have a much cheaper option than traditional wired microphone arrays. And it’s sensitive enough to help farmers with pest problems. The wireless microphone array that one company recently created with help from NASA can locate crop-threatening insects by listening for sound they make in fields. And now, it’s making fast, affordable testing possible almost anywhere.
This SAE Aerospace Standard (AS) establishes requirements applicable to metal stock that is ordered and produced in accordance with an SAE Aerospace Material Specification (AMS). Topics include producer requirements, distributor requirements, size and grain orientation nomenclature, and purchaser ordering information to distributors. Requirements of this document have been developed to address titanium and titanium alloys, aluminum and aluminum alloys, carbon and alloy steels, and corrosion- and heat-resistant alloys.
For years, expertise in terrestrial applications has served as a launchpad for innovation. Companies honed their skills by building the networks that connected us on earth, but now, eyes are turning skyward. By adapting their capabilit ies to the unique demands of non-terrestrial applications, these same players are unlocking new possibilities and rewriting the rules of communication beyond the atmosphere. Here, Dan Rhodes, Director of Business Development at designer and manufacturer of RF-to-mmWave components and subsystems, Filtronic, explores the bridge between terrestrial expertise and non-terrestrial ambitions, highlighting how terrestrial success is becoming the fuel for stellar solutions. Bridging the terrestrial and non-terrestrial worlds is not merely a matter of applying existing technologies to a new canvas. While both environments share fundamental principles of communication and rely on robust components such as transmitters, receivers, filters and amplifiers, the shift
An SAE white paper on the different engineering approaches taken by traditional automakers and recent arrivals indicates that each category is remarkably aware of the others' strengths and weaknesses. Sven Beiker, a management lecturer at Stanford University, authored the report “Two Approaches to Mobility Engineering.” He gathered commentary from every corner of the vehicle ecosystem, from suppliers to software companies to manufacturers, and summarized the findings in a presentation at WCX 2024 in Detroit. Rather than “old companies,” Beiker likes to refer to traditional automakers as “incumbents.” Here are a few common observations from the report, which will be published this summer: Newer players are better at simplifying complexity, such as Tesla's ability to build vehicles with fewer parts. Older automakers are better at managing complexity, such as integrating disparate systems. Newer companies are constrained by financial resources and a shortage of available talent
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