Autoblog

How to build a Ferrari 458 Italia's body frame

Noah Joseph — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:59:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Videos, Ferrari

As far as autoworker jobs go, putting together a Ferrari has got to be one of the plum gigs. The company is consistently rated as one of the best places to work in Europe, but if the pleasant atmosphere and long espresso breaks weren't enough, you get to go home at the end of the day knowing that you put together a Ferrari. Not a pickup truck, not an economy hatchback, but a Ferrari.

Unfortunately for most of us, that job isn't really feasible, but to give us a glimpse at what we're missing, Ferrari is apparently releasing a series of videos showing us what it's like inside its factory. Last week it was the engine assembly line, and this time it's the facility where the workers produce the frame.

The factory built in conjunction with aluminum giant Alcoa also happens to be the only Ferrari plant located outside the company's compound in Maranello - situated, as it is, in nearby Modena. Follow the jump to watch the ten-minute video to see the process unfold.

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How to build a Ferrari 458 Italia's body frame originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alcoa developing lighter wheels for increased efficiency

Michael Harley — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Green, Technology

Heavy steel wheels are relatively rare in showrooms these days -- it seems they are heading the way of bias-ply tires. Most new cars are delivered with cast aluminum wheels. While cast wheels weigh less than comparative steel wheels, they are still manufactured with thick castings and solid spokes (forged aluminum wheels, both lighter and stronger, are generally more expensive and as such, fitted largely to performance vehicles).

Alcoa Wheel & Transportation Products, one of the world's largest aluminum suppliers, is determined to reinvent the wheel in an effort to save fuel and lower emissions. The company is tackling this issue by designing wheels manufactured with higher strength aircraft-quality aluminum. The alloy is 20 percent stronger than the current wheel material, so wheels can be made thinner and with hollow spokes.

Alcoa recently displayed two 20-inch wheels for comparison: A Chrysler OEM aluminum wheel weighed 35.5 pounds, while the Alcoa alloy wheel weighed just 27.7 pounds. The benefits are obvious, and Alcoa is quick to point out that the weight savings are a simple bolt-on solution -- they don't require expensive engineering at the design level to seek weight-savings. Educating the public that lightweight wheels aren't just for high-performance vehicles, the aluminum manufacturer says that the reduced unsprung mass benefits hybrid and electric vehicles by extending their range and increasing their efficiency... and lest we forget, Alcoa is the OEM wheel supplier to the upcoming Chevrolet Volt.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

Alcoa developing lighter wheels for increased efficiency originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Special for Ferrari: Alcoa opens new aluminum plant in Modena

Noah Joseph — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 21:09:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, Supercars, Ferrari

Aluminum giant Alcoa has opened a new facility in Modena specifically to provide aluminum space frames and components to Ferrari.

The two companies began collaborating in 1994, when Ferrari determined that the lightweight metal was the way to go to reduce weight and improve the dynamics of its road cars, and began producing the space frames for the 360 Modena in 1998. Today Alcoa is Ferrari's development and construction partner, with the aluminum conglomerate providing the frames for the F430, 612 Scaglietti and the new 599 GTB Fiorano.

Until now, Alcoa produced the components at their own plants in Hungary, Germany and the Netherlands and sent them to the Ferrari factory in Italy where Alcoa personnel assembled them into full space frames at Scaglietti Works, Ferrari's body panel facility. With the new state-of-the-art 5,000-square-meter, million-euro facility, Alcoa will produce the space frames on site. The factory includes two high-speed robotic machining centers, two robotic joining centers and 12 space-frame assembly cells.

Alcoa's overall investment in Italy totals nearly $300 million, having taken over Alumix in 1996 and incorporating six facilities: three extrusion plants, two smelters and one rolling mill, employing 1,900 workers directly and 4,000 indirectly. While we're not likely to see any direct results from the new facility, it should help Ferrari produce its cars more efficiently, which is good all around.

[Source: FerrariWorld via Motorpasion]

Special for Ferrari: Alcoa opens new aluminum plant in Modena originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Nov 2006 21:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jay Leno's bio-diesel turbine supercar isn't a joke

Mike Magda — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 04:10:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, SEMA Show, Etc., Green, Supercars, GM

UPDATE: Live shots from SEMA show floor added after jump

Jay Leno may have made fun of corn farmers and the Toyota Prius, but he unveiled a stunning mid-engine supercar that is environmentally friendly and hopefully an inspiration to young car enthusiasts. The covers were pulled off Leno's EcoJet on Monday at a late-night ceremony in the Wynn's Hotel in Las Vegas where the car will be displayed at the SEMA Show.

"I drive it, wait for the harvest, get some corn and drive it some more," quipped Leno, who told Autoblog that he is also converting his shop to solar power in an effort to be more environmentally conscious.

Leno said he originally wanted a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle but time constraints killed that idea. Bio-diesel was the backup plan, so Leno sought out a 650-horsepower Honeywell LT-101 turbine engine, mated to a Corvette automatic transaxle. Much of the vehicle platform is based on the C6 Corvette, including a special aluminum frame, brakes and suspension components. What was the targeted top speed for the 2,400-pound car? "How much fun can you have with it," answered Leno, noting the exhaust sounds like "a jet engine taking off."

Designer from the GM Advanced Design Studio worked with sketches Leno originally made on a napkin. Leno said there were no constraints placed on the design, like where the golf clubs would go. The idea was built to be a fast, fun vehicle with design cues pulled from Formula 1 and various aircraft. Perhaps the most eye-catching and innovative design elements are the turbine-inspired, Alcoa-built wheels (20x10 front, 22x12 rear) and the massive exhaust slots -- one for each side of the engine. The water-born paint is from BASF and the interior isn't finished, but Leno promises it will be "cruelty free," so Pam Anderson of PETA fame will take a drive with him.

Continue reading Jay Leno's bio-diesel turbine supercar isn't a joke

Jay Leno's bio-diesel turbine supercar isn't a joke originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Oct 2006 04:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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