From Bumper to Bumper: NIST Tools for the Auto Industry

Advanced Technology Program

The ATP is helping U.S. automakers and their suppliers to look farther out on the technology horizon and to join together to build the advanced capabilities needed to compete in the global markets of the next century.

• Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Technology -- A five-year effort, this supplier-focused program will develop more agile equipment and processes to reduce dramatically the time and cost required to convert parts and plants to new vehicle models.
• Manufacturing Composite Structures and Materials Processing for Heavy Manufacturing -- In two multiyear programs, U.S. companies are working to clear the obstacles that impede wider and more economical use of composites and other high-performance materials in cars and other structural applications, including bridges.

In addition, individual company-led projects are pursuing technologies with the potential to:

• improve the quality of fit between automotive components;
• lead to superior machine tools and machine-tool components;
• broaden the automotive applications of ceramics;
• improve the performance of coatings; and
• enhance the precision and performance of gears.

Measurement and Standards Laboratories

NIST's measurement services and research underpin many stages of auto manufacturing, from the production of basic inputs, such as the sheet metal fashioned into body panels, to final assembly. NIST laboratories' support extends to automobile operation, contributing, for example, to accurate measurements at the gas pump. In addition to calibrations and evaluated data sets, about 350 NIST Standard Reference Materials -- the equivalents of certified "rulers" that companies use to check the accuracy of their measurements-support the production of:

• commodity inputs, such as steel, metals, glass, solder, and paint;
• manufactured parts, such as fasteners, bearings, lights, wheels and tires, and transmission gears;
• systems of automotive components, such as the drive train, ignition and wiring, emission controls, air conditioning system, and hydraulics; and
• fuel, oil, and highway cement.

NIST research also supports the technology aims of U.S. auto companies and their suppliers. Collaborative projects are focusing on:

• standards for product data exchange,
• computer-integrated manufacturing,
• intelligent welding,
• composite materials, and
• analysis of emissions.

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

The vast majority of the 3,500 suppliers in the automotive sector are small and medium-sized manufacturers, the customers of MEP extension centers. Suppliers account for about half the value-added in new cars. Yet, automakers are trimming suppliers, keeping only those that satisfy increasingly demanding quality and performance criteria. MEP centers, which are linked to a nationwide network of supporting services and resources, are helping smaller manufacturers to meet customer standards and to strengthen their operations. Some examples:

• Working with large auto manufacturers, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center initiated a supplier development program that is helping smaller companies implement actions needed to meet the automaker's standards.
• Sherwood Plastics credits the Lake Erie Manufacturing Extension Partnership with helping the company create a larger, more efficient and better organized plant to meet the demands of its growing markets.
• With the assistance of the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Center, Williams Technologies, a supplier of electroplated parts to the automotive industry, met automotive quality standards and achieved savings in materials and labor, increased sales, doubled its workforce, and expanded its customer base.
• More examples of how MEP centers are helping smaller manufacturers.

Baldrige National Quality Program

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is credited with helping to inspire U.S. industry's commitment to quality and business improvement. The award criteria provide a straightforward guide to quality improvement and business performance excellence. Since the program's inception in 1988, 32 winners have been presented with the award. Five winners are either in the automotive sector or have strong links to the sector:

• Cadillac Motor Car Company, a division of General Motors, won the 1990 Baldrige Award in the manufacturing category.
• Globe Metallurgical, Inc., a supplier of high-quality alloys to automakers and other manufacturers, won the 1988 Baldrige Award in the small business category.
• Milliken & Company, a major textile maker that supplies fabrics used in cars, won the 1989 Baldrige Award in the manufacturing category.
• Ames Rubber Corp., which makes specialized parts for front-wheel-drive vehicles, won the 1993 Baldrige Award in the small business category.
• Wainwright Industries, Inc., a supplier of stamped parts, won the 1994 Baldrige Award in the small business category.