AUTOMOTIVE
GI PORTUGUESE EN
NEERING AND
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ENGINEERING & TOOLING FROM PORTUGAL A CLUSTER SUPPORTING THE AUTOMOTIVE OEMs.
The Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Industry coordinated by Pool-Net represents a cluster which is highly internationalized and in constant evolution, helping companies to turn ideas into quality products. Exporting more than 90% of production to over 120 countries, the Portuguese Engineering and Tooling Cluster has been considered a worldwide benchmark - based on its model for cooperation, collaborative technology, innovation and internationalisation. The Portuguese Engineering and Tooling Cluster includes a wideranging chain of stakeholders. It is an Open Business, Science and Technology Community (which includes companies, universities and R&D and Innovation Centers) and represents an extensive value chain and a multi-sector industry working with intensive knowledge based and multi-disciplinary networks. Our cluster is vital for the promotion of structural-economic development as the critical development path of most industrial products is an integral part of our approach. The integration of capabilities promotes expertise in design, engineering and prototyping, manufacturing of moulds, special tools and jigs, injection and assembly of products and components, closing the loop from design to final product.
THE BRAND “ENGINEERING & TOOLING FROM PORTUGAL”
The brand “Engineering “ & Tooling from Portugal”” embodies know-how, technology and innovation, quality and reliability, social responsibility, networking and competitiveness – the main attributes that characterize the Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Industry. Industry The brand “Engineering “ & Tooling from Portugal”” promotes a distinctive ability to offer an integrated chain of competences of the Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Industry, Industry, supporting the development of any product in the global market.
The Portuguese Engineering and Tooling Industry is well-known by the main leaders of the automotive supply chain because they have found highly reliable business partners in Portugal with skills ranging from design & engineering to tooling and final assembly of products. The Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Industry is well-known internationally for its know-how, high levels of investment and training, as well as an integrated approach to problem-solving. Moreover, our cluster has developed a strong collaborative spirit involving co-operation and networking between companies and research institutions. These factors give our industry a highly competitive edge to serve the most demanding of niche markets, such as Automotive OEMs. Cluster integration capabilities oer a comprehensive range of services (Full Service Suppliers) to the Automotive Industry, promoting expertise and providing an integrated service, supporting innovation and quality in the development of new models for leading carmakers. Such services are the key to reducing time-to-market through the development of supportive partnerships from product design to the end of the manufacturing run and assembly of products (pilot or full production).
AUTOMOTIVE
DESIGN PROTOTYPING ENGINEERING MOULD PRODUCTION PRODUCTION SERVICES A strong knowledge of Automotive industry
We have decades-long experience of exporting more of 70% of our production to the Automotive Industry (First, Second and Third Tiers) Pool-Net has held several workshops and missions which has allowed cluster members to raise their awareness of the new trends in the automotive market, (increased demand for green cars and new trends in car interiors, for example). The number of Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Cluster members with ISO certification is increasing everyday and is supported by our industry intrinsic values of product conformity, reliability, quality, liability and safety.
THE POSITIONING OF THE PORTUGUESE ENGINEERING & TOOLING INDUSTRY IN THE AUTOMOTIVE MARKET.
Our sustainable approach to Automotive OEMs is based on a solid culture of engineering and product development and our ability to provide functional and technical solutions to automotive supply chain OEMs worldwide. The Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Cluster requested a study entitled “The Automotive Industry - New Challenges and Opportunities in Industrial Markets” from a specialized body. The challenges identified in this study in the automotive value chain are in line with the key points of our added value chain, more specifically with regard to:
1.
Research and development of new products (Design) The Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Industry operates in the following key areas of the automotive industry in product development for metal and plastic parts:
1.1
Car Interiors Equipment
Instrument panels (noise-free kinematic components) Functional models for vehicle interiors
1.2
Car Exterior Equipment
Front & rear fenders and spoilers Front grills Automotive lighting components and housings
1.3
Fender liners Rocker panels Wheel protectors
Trunk and Roof
Trunk & roof components Rear side panels
1.4
Consoles Door panels Pillars trims Seat components
Tailgate
Motor Area Parts
HVAC units Engine Covers Front ends Cable protectors
Filter housings Fan holders Wheel arch liners
The key design advantages offered by the cluster are its accumulated expertise and highly-qualified, in-house design teams working in partnership with first, second and third tier OEMs from concept research and definition to styling and product design, visualization and realistic imaging, renderings and product graphics as well as digital mockups.
2.
Developing the idea (Engineering) The Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Industry speeds up product development by using advanced collaborative engineering software from the first stage of design to the final approval of manufactured parts. The Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Industry uses the most advanced software in order to be able to deal with all of the leading carmakers and as such is fully equipped to deal with automotive OEMs (CATIA, Unigraphics, Pro/Engineer/CIMATRON, Cosmos, Moldflow, MPI).
This integration of capabilities into a single database ensures that communication between product designers, engineers and marketing executives fosters communication flows so that any changes in part design or product assembly design made by any of the members involved in the product development chain are quickly incorporated into the development process. This promotes the production of prototypes and solid models, saving costs during the later stages of tooling and production.
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The success of the Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Industry also lies in solid CAE and rapid prototyping competences and the use of dierent technologies to create solid models directly from a CAD database. SLS, SLA; 3D Printing; Vacuum Casting, RIM, Hybrid Moulds, Moulds for composites (aluminum and epoxy resins) and Metal-Based Laser Cutting (3D and 2D) are among the most common technologies used in rapid prototyping.
The Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Industry reinvests more in technology and new equipment than most of its overseas competitors, placing our cluster ahead of the technology curve in high-precision tool cutting.
Experiencing the idea (Prototyping)
These prototypes are used to test a product’s technical feasibility as well as functional and physical aspects. The Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Cluster also has extensive skills in rapid tooling using similar technology to rapid prototyping to produce prototype molds for short runs of the final injection moulded product.
Perceive the idea (Tools and Mould Production)
Our industry works daily with tightly controlled processes using state-of-the-art software and technologies (5 axis HSM, laser cutting, wire electrical discharge machining and grinding centers) and special materials (Titanium and HRSA alloys and polymeric composites).
The use of state-of-the-art measurement equipment such as 3D CMM machines and video measuring machines ensures the dimensional and geometrical conformity of plastic and metal parts. Our industry has considerable experience in quality control practices, having invested energy and resources in ISO certification in the past which are now being channeled into the AS 9100 certification process. Other advanced technologies we specialize in include:
Metal-based laser cutting (3D and 2D), bending and welding Welding jigs Machined parts Jigs Forming
In-mould labelling (IML) and In-mould decoration (IMD) Gas-assisted molding Multi-material moulding Co-injection moulding Overmoulding (tissues, metal inserts)
Micro-moulding In-mould assembly applications Liquid silicone rubber/liquid Injection moulding Water injection technology Laser engraving Painting
Tampoprinting Assembly
5.
Production services (Delivering the Idea) From their origins in mould building, Portuguese companies have built multi-tiered organizations, ranging from design to mould testing, to meet client demand for integrated solutions. The Portuguese Engineering & Tooling industry follows international customer needs and in the last two decades has set up state-of-the art injection moulding, forming and metal-based laser cutting and assembly facilities, thus closing the loop from design to final product, helping international customers speed up time-to-market.
A warm invitation to learn about our capabilities to serve Automotive OEMs Industry Supply Chain There is no better way to appreciate the capabilities of Portugal’s Engineering & Tooling industry than a personal visit. Companies and technical organizations such as POOL-NET – The Portuguese Tooling Network, CEFAMOL – The Portuguese Association for the Moulds Industry and CENTIMFE – The Portuguese Technological Center for the Mouldmaking, Special Tooling and Plastics Industry - extend a warm and permanent welcome to all those interested in getting to know the cluster better.
WE ARE GLOBAL PARTNERS The Portuguese Engineering & Tooling Cluster has a complete range of solution providers for Automotive OEMs who can streamline innovation, help customers find solutions, while building reliability, precision & efficiency, with trust & commitment as core values. Come and meet us!!!
Pool-net - Portuguese Tooling Network Edifício OPEN Zona Industrial, Rua da Bélgica, Lote 18, PO BOX 78 2431 - 903 Marinha Grande, Portugal GPS coordinates: 39º 43’ 18,6 N
8º 55’ 46,29 O
E-mail: info@toolingportugal.com WEB: www.toolingportugal.com Phone : +351 244 570 420 Fax : +351 244 570 421