Over fears that an electrical fault could cause fire, General Motors has recalled more than 1.3 million vehicles in the United States, government documents showed on June 8.

The problem, linked to the vehicles’ windshield wiper fluid system, affects at least 18 models ranging from Chevrolet trucks to Hummers, documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010

How Are Aluminum Automobile Parts Made? Cars needed to be in top quality since they are frequently used by people. To do this, every part that is included in the vehicle should also be of good condition. How do vehicle-producing companies make sure that their cars have the most durable parts?

They actually use aluminum, a metal that does not rust and slowly gets old. Given that they are provided with this kind of metal, how are aluminum car parts made?

Vehicle makers make sure that these aluminum automotive parts can withstand prolonged periods of heat exposure, since engines produce heat while the vehicles run on the road. These parts, before used for mass production, are tried and tested several times before it gets the cut. Once these parts are proven to be efficient heat diffusers, they are distributed for official production and become the standard for most cars.

Moreover, aluminum automotive parts should also be compact and easy to install. These products can be available in automotive stores, so a guide on how to place it in the car or in any other vehicles should be included in the package. On such occasions where installation is a tad difficult, service shops can offer fixes at small charges.

Keep your vehicle in top condition with aluminum automotive parts.

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General Motors announced plans on April 27 to add a manufacturing line at a southern Indiana factory in a $111 million project that is expected to add 245 jobs in the coming years.

Workers at the Bedford factory and area residents were worried a year ago that the plant would close amid GM’s restructuring. The factory, which once had more than 1,200 workers, is one of the world’s largest aluminum die-casting facilities and now has some 370 employees.

The Bedford plant is part of an $890 million investment GM is making at five factories to make more fuel-efficient V-8 engines and preserve or create roughly 1,600 jobs.

Mayor Shawna Girgis said GM’s decision was especially welcome in a city that saw a 600-worker Visteon Corp. auto parts plant close two years ago.

“With other losses in the community, I think to have lost this facility would have been absolutely devastating,” she said.

GM’s restructuring plan announced last year included closing its Indianapolis metal-stamping plant, while keeping open Indiana plants in Bedford, Fort Wayne and Marion.

Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman, who is from Bedford, said GM’s expansion at the plant was a sign of confidence in its work force and community.

The new jobs are expected to be added by 2013, with many of them expected to be filled by idled GM workers from other factories.

“I personally have another 15, 20 years before I can look at retirement,” worker Curtis Jewell said. “Anything that we can do for the community to try to provide not only these jobs but creates cash flows to other businesses — it’s a plus for everybody.”

The advantages of Aluminum Automotive Parts over steel. In recent decades, aluminum is used more and more in car manufacturing. It has started to replace steel as base metal for car frames and other parts. Aluminum is said to be stronger and less likely to be corroded than steel. It is also easier to form, that is why aluminum parts require less labor costs. However, while labor cost is low, aluminum as a material is also expensive. It is in fact five times more expensive than steel.

But the advantages of aluminum automotive parts over steel outweigh its disadvantages. More and more manufacturers are experimenting with relatively expensive aluminum because it is lighter than steel. It makes the car leaner and faster. It also helps achieve fuel efficiency standards – since lighter vehicle means less fuel used. So the expensive material makes up for the cheaper fuel consumption of the car in the long run. There are several luxury models that are made with aluminum car frames. This is in fact a few times more expensive than steel cars but the user will be ensured that it would help save energy. Environmental advocates will love it more because it is almost a hundred percent recyclable – another standard that aluminum helps achieve.

Contact Kinetic Die Casting Company to get a price for aluminum die casting parts or die casting tooling, call toll free 800-524-8083 and ask for sales. Or email us at sales@kineticdc.com for a fast response on a price quote.

Toyota said on March 30 it will reshape its global operations as part of efforts to “regain consumer confidence” after its mass safety recall crisis. Stepping away from a traditional reluctance to involve foreigners in its highest decision-making bodies, it has included seven non-Japanese executives in a new team charged with “radically” improving global operations.

The committee, which will investigate defects that necessitate recalls and quality control issues, held its inaugural meeting on March 30, company president Akio Toyoda said at a press conference at the Toyota City headquarters.

Its focus will be on speeding up the recall decision-making process, boosting transparency and “listening carefully to the voice of the customer as a crucial key to regaining customer confidence,” he said.

He added that the firm would also enlist “third-party experts” in each region, including business leaders, academics, consumer group representatives, scientists and engineers. Their findings will be released in June.

Heavily criticized for being slow to react to initial reports of problems, Toyota was encumbered by the fact that “decisions on recalls can only be made at the headquarters in Japan,” said Mamoru Kato, senior analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Center. “The committee on quality now has foreign members. This should help the company learn accurate information from customers and ground personnel and make decisions swiftly.”

Among other measures, Toyota said it will incorporate globally a “brake override” safety system from this year onwards that reduces engine power to prevent runaway car accidents.

In North America it will expand the use of event data recorders (EDRs), which can record information regarding vehicle condition and driver operation. It will also increase information-sharing between regions, boost onsite inspections and promote safer driving.

In an effort to demonstrate its new quest for transparency, Toyota gave journalists a tour of its testing facility where cars were put through their paces in simulated weather and road conditions and tested for defects.

Such an effort represents “a major change from the past,” said Kato. “It is unthinkable if you consider how things were years ago”.

Kato added that the recall crisis “might have served as a good opportunity for Toyota to become truly a global company in a speedy manner.” Auto Parts