MODIG Becoming a Leader in the EV Market : On-shoring or repatriation is a big discussion point within the UK Automotive industry as the “just-in-time” supply chain has been disrupted by COVID-19 restrictions, Brexit, and high increases in shipping costs causing the likes of NISSAN & TOYOTA to temporarily close-down their build lines. 

In positive news for UK manufacturing, Nissan recently took the decision to build a new EV Battery factory alongside the Sunderland plant and Jaguar is reinventing itself as “the Tesla of the West Midlands” to become a fully electric car manufacturer within four years.

Even the BBC’s Country File program has got into the electric vehicle discussion, announcing the old tin mines in Cornwall are re- opening to mine Lithium (currently mostly imported from Chile). 

The growing EV market within the UK needs the high precision and 24×7 productivity of aerospace, with the added feature of full automation and component handling which is why MODIG is fast becoming a leader in the automotive sector.

MODIG Machine Tool, Sweden is renowned within the aerospace aerostructure OEM and tier 1 & 2 sectors for their innovative engineering solutions for machining centre solutions and flexible fixtures. 

In the last eighteen months MODIG’s one-hit HHV machining centre has also been “adopted” by the EV sector for machining components not dissimilar to aerostructure stringers, with MODIG receiving turnkey contracts for multiple machines.

To meet this demand MODIG increased build rates in their new Kalmar factory and developed the new5 axis horizontal spindle XM-Line for larger, heavier extrusions for the EV-industry. 

This is in partnership with Asas Aluminum who are a prominent extrusion supplier with 5 state-of-the-art facilities in Turkey with 2,200 employees.

The HHV series has been upgraded to suit the EV sector and is a perfect fit for machining aluminum floor pan battery components – with proven technology, a raw material in-feed system capable of handling 20 extrusions of 8m length, and bespoke out-feed solutions e.g. Robotics, gantry or work catchers. 

MODIG already guarantees improved cutting times on the HHV of approx. 45-55% and major OEMS have further proved business case of high productivity with a ratio of 1 operator to 5 HHV’s.

However, with higher production volumes the automotive sector historically relies on lower skilled operatives so requires a further level of automation to achieve high productivity.

To meet EV needs for high-precision higher productivity, MODIG developed the twin spindle EVM2 machining centre, a single process/ set up machining centre, a fully automated FMS cell that can be run “lights out” and includes other operations such as de-burr; cleaning, and a conveyor system to final inspection.

MODIG is the perfect partner for a UK company to get in on the act, to catch the EV wave in producing high quality aluminium components for the UK electric vehicle car, bus and commercial vehicle industries.