Automotive

Lead Angle: Editor Alan Richter chats with economic authorities in the aerospace, automotive and energy industries to find out what's coming next year.

Productives Times: Proactive progress. End user: Ford Motor Co., Lima Engine Plant. Challenge: Improve productivity and maximize quality when machining aluminum heads. Solution: Replaceable-head reamers with PCD cutting edges. Solution provider: Mapal Inc.

April 2009 Part Time column

Auto manufacturers are 'lightweighting' vehicles by incorporating more aluminum and microalloy steel components.

Honing an engine's cylinder bores enhances their geometry, surface finish and dimensional accuracy, improving their fit and alignment with pistons and thereby increasing the engine's life and power density while decreasing its vibration, friction and emissions.

Trend toward greener vehicles is changing materials, designs of parts.

Feared by its enemies, revered by our side: the Abrams M1

With the Big Three automakers facing hard times, transplants offer U.S. suppliers opportunities, challenges and a new way of doing business.

Orange County Choppers puts product before publicity.