KUKA, Sterling Heights, Michigan, has won an automation contract from German premium car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz for the engineering, construction, assembly and commissioning of several body-in-white production lines. From those lines, various future vehicle models will make their way to North America. As part of its flexible production strategy, Mercedes-Benz will rely on KUKA’s extensive technological expertise and incorporate several hundred of the company’s industrial robots in four key areas of the body-in-white shop line where the main vehicle frame is assembled prior to painting and before the application of trim and engine installation.

Rio Tinto, London, will become the first producer of high-quality scandium oxide in North America, with construction of a new commercial-scale demonstration plant underway at its Rio Tinto Fer et Titane metallurgical complex in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. Rio Tinto is investing $6 million for the construction of a first module in the plant, with an initial capacity to produce three tons of scandium oxide per year, or approximately 20 percent of the current global market. RTFT expects to begin commercial supply of scandium oxide in the second quarter of 2021.

The Aluminum Association released a series of policy documents laying out priorities to support a strong U.S. aluminum industry. The “Presidential Policy Brief: Recommendations for a Strong U.S. Aluminum Industry” includes several recommendations for the incoming Biden administration and Congress to support a growing and vibrant aluminum sector in the U.S. An addendum to the industry’s overarching “Aluminum Agenda” released in 2019, the brief includes key policy goals in areas of energy, environment, infrastructure, recycling and trade. Top priorities in these areas include: Ensure continued access to reliable, affordable and efficient domestic energy sources and promotion of aluminum recycling to support secondary production. In the area of environment, the objective is to develop common sense, science-based regulation in areas including air and water quality, chemical reporting and vehicle fuel economy standards. Infrastructure’s focus will be to increase long-term public and private funding and enact various reforms to recognize the benefits of sustainable materials to help shore up the nation’s highways, transit systems, electric grid and other critical infrastructure. For trade, the objective is to negotiate with China to address structural aluminum overcapacity, eliminate trade barriers for countries that play by the rules and pursue targeted trade enforcement for countries that do not. Finally workforce goals cover promotion policies to enable the recruitment of a skilled and diverse workforce and improve workplace health and safety. You can learn more at aluminum.org/agenda.

Bugatti is expanding its technological leadership with the development of highly accurate 3D-printed components used to make the Bugatti Bolide. The newly developed 3D-printed pushrod—a pressure-loaded coupling rod in the chassis area—weighs just 100 grams and can transmit forces of up to 3.5 tons. The hollow titanium structure with internal supporting arch provides superior strength, another engineering breakthrough. Selective laser melting, commonly known as 3D printing, produces new, hollow, ultracomplex components that are stiffened from the inside, yet are lightweight, extremely rigid and strong. Bugatti is using this technology for an increasing number of components for its hyper sports cars. Previously, these types of components were used predominantly in the aerospace sector.

Engineering and construction costs continued to rise in January, marking the third consecutive month of increases, according to IHS Markit and the Procurement Executives Group. This month’s headline IHS Markit PEG Engineering and Construction Cost Index registered 63.1. The materials and equipment portion of the index reached 68.3, up 4.9 points from the previous month, recording the second straight month of reported price increases. The subcontractor labor index came in at 51.1, indicating that labor price increases were not as widespread as in December. Survey participants witnessed price escalations for all categories under the materials and equipment sub-index for the first time since July 2018. Copper prices continued to increase for the seventh month in a row. Ocean freight from Asia to the United States recorded its fifth month of price increases. The carbon steel pipe price index rose to a figure of 70 in January, up from 50 in December. The swift change from flat pricing to increasing prices was also apparent in heat exchangers and pumps and compressors.

The American Welding Society announced the launch of the “AWS ARCademy” video series. “AWS ARCademy” will provide resources for those interested in educating in a welding career. Hosted by Joe Young and Stephanie Hoffman of the AWS Foundation, the series launched January 27, and new videos will be added regularly. The focus of the video series is process-related topics and highlights AWS products and solutions that are designed to advance welding careers. Topics range from how to use common workshop tools and understand welding symbols to the top five mistakes to avoid in TIG, MIG and stick welding.

Wayland Additive, Huddersfield, England, announced that its Quality Management System has been awarded ISO 9001:2015 certification. Wayland Additive is promoting innovation in metal AM for production applications. NeuBeam is a metal AM process that effectively neutralizes the electron beam powder bed fusion process to offer greater flexibility than laser-based AM processes while overcoming the stability issues many users of traditional eBeam AM systems experience. In addition, the NeuBeam process allows metallurgical requirements to be tailored to application requirements rather than the previous limitations of the process—to produce optimum results.

AIMS Metrology, Dayton, Ohio, announced it has acquired the assets of Measurement Specialties Inc. Also based in Dayton, MSI calibrated, certified and programmed Sheffield [and other brands] coordinate measuring machines (CMM) and provided retrofit and repair services. In 2017, AIMS purchased CMI Technologies to expand control quality and delivery timeframes for components it produces for its Revolution Series 5-axis CMMs. MSI will expand AIMS’ service footprint. The company will also add personnel with high-value skills sets. AIMS plans to cross-train its service engineers and increase its’ capabilities for the development and application of custom part programs.