Browse Topic: Suppliers
Recent geopolitical events in Venezuela, Ukraine and other hot spots are a stark reminder that the long-term planning environment is fraught with challenges and opportunities that suppliers cannot control. The initiation of U.S. tariffs on its trading partners and various embargos also underscored that we have to be flexible in how we dole out capital and the risk we are assuming. The supply base is at the end of that chain. Any issues upstream will reverberate exponentially. It is obvious that the automotive world is re-regionalizing, and quickly. Why the concern? Some context. Until the '70s, every region essentially rowed its own boat. While there were some exports from one major region to another, there were regional OEMs that were sponsored by national governments due to job creation, tax base considerations and bragging rights. The U.S, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, South Korea and a host of others wanted to build national OEMs that could drive scale and become a global force.
When developing specialist and performance EVs, the challenge goes far beyond selecting an off-the-shelf powertrain. Each manufacturer brings unique performance targets, packaging constraints, and integration requirements. And add on the fact that no two platforms look the same. Powered by Everrati, our B2B division, engages directly with leading customers globally, capturing what they truly need from electric powertrains. Two areas emerge consistently as the most complex and variable: the electric drive unit (EDU) and the battery system.
How engineers can ensure safety, reliability and quality in aerospace systems. Courbevoie, Île-de-France In an industry where failure is not an option and precision is paramount, aerospace manufacturers and suppliers are constantly seeking components and system solutions that deliver trusted reliability, performance, and compliance. Industry standards are a key part of achieving these high expectations, bringing together global leaders in the mobility industries to create defined, repeatable methods and consistent processes. One of these aerospace standards is AS1895 developed by SAE International - a critical standard due to the need for durable components that can withstand extreme conditions and offer high performance: high-temperature resistance, pressure sealing, and long service life with a cost-effective installation method. Leading aerospace companies such as Eaton and Honeywell have been manufacturing components that meet this standard for a long period of time.
The US trucking industry heavily relies on the diesel powertrain, and the transition towards zero-emission vehicles, such as battery electric vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV), is happening at a slow pace. This makes it difficult for truck manufacturers to meet the Phase 3 Greenhouse Gas standards, which mandate substantial emissions reductions across commercial vehicle classes beginning of 2027. This challenging situation compels manufacturers to further optimize the powertrain to meet stringent emissions requirements, which might not account for customer application specifics may not translate to a better total cost of ownership (TCO) for the customer. This study uses a simulation-based approach to connect customer applications and regulatory categories across various sectors. The goal is to develop a methodology that helps identify the overlap between optimizing for customer applications vs optimizing to meet regulations. To use a data-driven approach, a real
Tire is the only part of the aircraft that contacts the ground, which not only bears the vertical load and lateral load of the whole aircraft, but also provides adequate ground friction to decelerate the aircraft when braking, so the tires are important parts for aircraft take-off and landing. Besides safety concerns, tire physical properties such as vertical, lateral stiffness as static performance and rolling relaxation length, yawed rolling cornering force as dynamic performance are often required by aircraft manufacturers for analyzing aircraft maneuverability. Besides analysis or similarity by experience from other aircraft projects, tires are often qualified by a number of tests, both static and dynamic, to ensure the safety of tires and acquire tire physical performance data.
As mentioned in last issue's editorial, this year's IAA Mobility show was one for the books - or, more appropriately here, one for the magazine. You can find our coverage of the show starting on page 14. Up front, though, I wanted to take some space to discuss a topic that wasn't exactly news but more of a vibe: the undeniable impact that the Chinese automotive industry is having on competitors in Europe and North America. It was a topic that came up unbidden from a fair number of people I spoke with at IAA (and at events and online since). If you're a regular reader, you've heard this message before. Last year, for example, the CEO of Voltaiq, Tal Sholklapper, told SAE Media that North American OEMs had five years to catch China. This year, we asked him if that clock had now run down to four years. See his answer on the Q&A on page 35 and as part of Episode 2 of the new SAE Automotive Engineering podcast (get it wherever you grab your pods). The ever-growing reality of Chinese
As advanced technologies reshape the medical device landscape, the demands placed on contract manufacturers are evolving. Today’s partners are expected to do more than deliver components — they must anticipate disruptions, adapt quickly, and bring a level of technical and strategic depth that supports faster development without compromising quality.
Over the almost four decades of having a front row seat to the world's most exciting and dynamic industry, this author has witnessed scores of events, influences and secular shifts. These include new trade agreements, vehicle efficiency initiatives, new technology integration, the occasional bankruptcy, and, of course, the rise and fall of various sales and production markets. One secular shift is still apparent today. In the 1980s, several Japanese OEMs entered the North American market from a production perspective. Growing market share in the U.S. and Canada dictated that these OEMs needed to add North American capacity to reduce inventory, equalize currency, and commit to this market. One byproduct of the rise of Japanese OEMs and their methods was a truly influential book. “The Machine That Changed the World” was a mustread for anyone in our industry (still is). This book, led by MIT's James Womack, outlined the lean production methods by Japanese OEMs and their suppliers. Suffice
Finland-based Metos Oy, a manufacturer of professional stainless steel kitchen equipment, needed a welding solution that could deliver flawless, pressure-rated welds for small batches of high-spec products, which feature tubular structures and circular shafts that required continuous, precision welding.
Automating harvesters started out as a necessary solution to a severe labor shortage in 1990, Trebro Manufacturing states on its website. The Billings, Montana-based manufacturer has been producing turf harvesting machines since 1999, and its automated sod harvesters and entire harvesting process feature self-driving, automated-control functions. The company's tag line, “The Future of Turf Harvesting,” refers to its position of being the first in the industry to offer automated turf harvesting products. Trebro's AutoStack 3 harvester is an automated combine for turf that steers itself while an operator monitors and performs quality control actions when needed. The harvesting process combines several automated control processes.
FEV has a solution to downsize and reduce the complexity of off-highway machines via its electrified planetary gearset architecture. IVT Expo 2025 in Chicago featured a summit where industry professionals presented and discussed the nuts and bolts of the technology that powers the off-highway vehicle industry. Electrification continues to be a centerpiece of these discussions, but OEMs and suppliers are beginning to supply answers to many of the questions that this challenge presents. During the expo, several presentations covered the integration of electric powertrains at the component and architecture level. One presented by Thomas Wellman, chief engineer, drivetrain systems, FEV North America, detailed an EPGS (electrified planetary gear-set) off-highway drivetrain architecture that is modular and scalable for a variety of powertrain configurations.
For any supplier in the medical device manufacturing industry, sustainable success requires an ability and a willingness to bring customers’ ideas to reality. There are often innovative, potentially life-saving projects that are delayed or even abandoned due to limitations on the manufacturing end. However, many specifications that seem impossible to meet can be achieved with persistence, collaboration, and dedication to customers’ ideas.
Battery technology is at the center of global innovation. From electric vehicles and off-highway machinery to consumer electronics and grid storage, demand for high-performing, reliable batteries has never been higher. This acceleration creates pressure on manufacturers to scale production while safeguarding quality and throughput.
As I'm wont to do come December, with work well underway on the first issue of the new year, I like to take stock of upcoming venues for innovative product reveals and thought-provoking presentations on emerging trends and technologies. Come the first week of January, that means CES in Las Vegas. Traditional equipment manufacturers have increasingly used the event to demonstrate to the broader public that they not only deal in metal but also the digital realm. For example, earlier this year at CES, John Deere revealed its second-generation tech stack featuring camera pods, Nvidia Orin purpose-built processors and Deere's VPUs (vision processing units), along with four new autonomous machines including the 9RX 640 tractor for open-field ag operations. The company is exhibiting again this coming year.
When manufacturers seek to leverage specialized expertise, advanced processing capabilities, or proprietary technologies without assuming the financial burden of acquiring and maintaining dedicated equipment or facilities, they often turn to toll processing.
In this Q&A, Audrey Turley, director of lab operations – biosafety at Nelson Laboratories, spoke with Medical Design Briefs about the critical importance of monitoring and managing material changes in medical devices. Even seemingly minor shifts — such as switching suppliers or altering processing steps — can introduce unknown additives or variations that impact biocompatibility and, ultimately, patient safety. Turley discusses how manufacturers can effectively document and justify changes, maintain regulatory compliance, and strengthen supplier relationships to ensure ongoing device safety. She also shares insights into trends shaping post-pandemic supply-chain strategies and the growing emphasis on proactive risk assessment and communication across the product lifecycle.
This standard is for use by organizations that procure and integrate EEE Parts. These organizations may provide EEE Parts that are not integrated into assemblies (e.g., spares and/or repair EEE Parts). Examples of such organizations include, but are not limited to, the following: Original Equipment Manufacturers; contract assembly manufacturers; maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) organizations; and suppliers that provide EEE Parts or assemblies as part of a service. These requirements are intended to be applied (or flowed down as applicable) through the supply chain to all organizations that procure and integrate EEE Parts and/or systems, subsystems, or assemblies. The mitigation of Counterfeit EEE Parts in this standard is risk based. These mitigation steps will vary depending on the criticality of the application and desired performance and reliability of the equipment/hardware. The requirements of this document are used in conjunction with the organization’s higher-level
The Operator’s Field of Vision (FOV) test, conducted in accordance with IS/ISO 5006:2017, is a vital assessment to ensure the safety and operational comfort of personnel operating Construction Equipment Vehicles (CEVs) / Earth-Moving Machinery. IS/ ISO 5006:2017 defines rigorous guidelines for evaluating the operator’s visibility from the driver's seat, with particular emphasis on the Filament Position Centre Point (FPCP), determined from the Seat Index Point (SIP) coordinates. The test includes assessment of masking areas, focusing on the Visibility Test Circle (a 24-meter diameter ground-level circle around the machine), and on the Rectangular Boundary on which a vertical test object is placed at a height specific to the machine type and its operating mass. These parameters are designed to simulate real-world operating conditions. This paper introduces a portable testing setup developed specifically for conducting the Operator’s FOV test as per IS/ISO 5006:2017. The setup facilitates
In today’s competitive landscape, industries are relying heavily on the use of warranty data analytics techniques to manage and improve warranty performance. Warranty analytics is important since it provides valuable insights into product quality and reliability. It must be noted here that by systematically looking into warranty claims and related information, industries can identify patterns and trends that indicate potential issues with the products. This analysis helps in early detection of defects, enabling timely corrective actions that improve product performance and customer satisfaction. This paper introduces a comprehensive framework that combines conventional methods with advanced machine learning techniques to provide a multifaceted perspective on warranty data. The methodology leverages historical warranty claims and product usage data to predict failure patterns & identify root causes. By integrating these diverse methods, the framework offers a more accurate and holistic
NASA has developed a new technology to track the status of, and changes to, enterprise level programmatic operations. Enterprise decision making and operations rely on management of non-traditional configuration management (CM) components like estimates, agreements, goals, policies, etc. Additionally, enterprise operations have unique and diverse contexts/ environments such as reviews, workshops, fire drills, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Congressional actions, procurements, etc.
Aside from in this editorial, you won't find mention of the just-concluded IAA Mobility 2025 event in Munich in this issue. Print deadlines meant that the best I was able to offer in terms of coverage was this column. This year's IAA was what I (and many people I spoke with at the show) now consider one of the most engaging and exciting mobility shows we've had in years. We'll have the details for you in our next issue, and the various articles and interviews will be available at our new website (sae.org) well before then. If you've been following news and social media reports from the show, or were on site yourself, perhaps you came away with a similar impression: auto shows are dead, long live the mobility show. As the first production model on BMW's Neue Klasse platform, the 2026 BMW iX3 stole the show this year. It wasn't just that hometown BMW got to hold the first major OEM press conference on the schedule. It wasn't just the billboards plastered throughout town. For me, proof
The high rate of structural changes to the North American Light Vehicle market demands a new approach by the supply base towards strategic planning. A new Supplier Strategy Playbook is in order. First, some historical perspective. For the last several decades, suppliers grew accustomed to a product cadence of approximately five years between all-new platforms and major revisions. In North America, we were constantly pressed to continue improving vehicle efficiency and reduce emissions. Improved powertrain efficiency, vehicle lightweighting, and the advent of enhanced aerodynamics helped an industry that required constant innovation. Additionally, many programs were global in scope, requiring production and tooling in the major regions to launch in close sequence with global scale in tow. Wash, Rinse, Repeat. The textbook for suppliers was complex, though relatively predictable.
Celebrating its 35th year, the National Aerospace Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (Nadcap) continues to advance quality assurance and regulatory compliance for aviation, defense, and space OEMs and suppliers. This article summarizes how Nadcap accreditation works, its benefits for manufacturers, and its role in expanding additive manufacturing through industry-wide consensus. The Nadcap program was first established in 1990 by a small group of aerospace and defense OEMs. Their goal was to create an accreditation initiative that provides a common approach to auditing the manufacturing and production processes used by companies supplying parts, components, structures, and services to major aerospace and defense OEMs. This foundation set the stage for Nadcap's continued focus on quality assurance and regulatory compliance in the industry.
While the Department of Defense’s transition to model-based deliverables promises numerous benefits, it presents a formidable challenge for acquisition program offices struggling to acquire the requisite skill sets. A critical deficiency in experience with Systems Modeling Languages (e.g., SysML) and essential modeling tools (e.g., Cameo Systems Modeler) has resulted in a preference for traditional document-based deliverables. This paper explores how Model-Based Systems Engineers can address this gap by leveraging data-driven insights to support design reviews and enhance stakeholder communication. To overcome the challenge of limited Model-Based Systems Engineering expertise, we introduce a model-based design review tool that simplifies complex vendor system architecture models, making the information readily usable for Subject Matter Experts. The tool’s ”indirect commenting method” and heuristics facilitate effective model evaluation and increase confidence in vendor designs beyond
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