Speed cameras: rumours of their death have been greatly exaggerated. Two years ago we were reporting on the number of road safety partnerships switching off their speed cameras – now the Highways Agency has revealed a new system that will offer more cost-effective motorway monitoring.
High-pressure water jetting at pressures of up to 3000 bar (45,500 psi) is becoming increasingly widespread as a method of activating the cylinder bore surfaces of engine blocks prior to thermal coating. Now, however, Dürr Ecoclean’s PulseBoreCenter permits the use of no more than 600 bar (8,702 psi) in this application—up to an 80% reduction.The gain is due to the integrated EcoCBooster used in the PulseBoreCenter, which generates a pulsating water jet of much higher kinetic energy. Users will thus benefit from substantial savings in investment and operating cost as well as from improved process results. This technology offers advantages also in other operations such as cleaning, deburring and decoating.
Volkswagen Group is striking out in a new direction to boost the image and appeal of its Skoda and Seat brands, moving Skoda more upmarket while refocusing Seat on Europe after a failed China export strategy.
Czech-based Skoda is trailing ambitious sales targets and Spanish carmaker Seat is battling a decade of losses.
A special tuned version of the company’s Gran Coupe tourer will be making its global debut at the New York International Auto Show in April.
Renault will rely heavily on its alliance partner Nissan for manufacturing staff in China, where it will start producing locally built crossovers with Dongfeng Motor Group in 2016, said Jacques Daniel, CEO of Dongfeng Renault Automobiles.
“We will use a lot of people from Nissan’s manufacturing staff in China,” he said at the auto show here. “We will get the design and r&d staff from Europe.”
