AutoPartsAsia | NOVEMBER 2017 | 61Magna Puts A New Twist On Welding
F
iat 500 enthusiasts can now
purchase a limited-edition
silver coin that has been
specially minted to mark the
iconic model’s 60th anniversary.
Released by The Italian State Mint
(IstitutoPoligrafico e ZeccadelloStato)
and unveiled by the Italian Ministry of
Economics and Finance, the coin
has a face value of €5 and was
designed by master engraver Claudia
Momoni. Only 4,000 of the coins will
be minted.
On one side the coin depicts the
1957 Fiat 500 and the current model,
with the words ‘Repubblica Italiana’.
The reverse shows the profile of the
classic 500 with the dates 1957 and
2017 – the year the first Fiat 500 was
produced and the year the coin was
minted – as well as the coin’s face
value.
The coin also bears the initial ‘R’,
showing it was minted in Rome, and
the name of the engraver alongside a
Fiat 500 logo in the original style.The release of this limited coin
complements the Fiat 500 60th
anniversary commemorative stamp,
that was launched by the Italian Post
Office earlier this year. It is another
indication of Fiat 500’s reputation as
a true icon of design, with the car
also notably becoming a permanentaddition to the Museum of Modern Art
(MoMA) in New York.During its 60-year history, the Fiat
500 has improved the everyday lives
of millions of people. Its production
was an important part of Italy’s post-
war economic recovery and the car
put the nation on four wheels before
being exported all over the world.
Today, 80 per cent of Fiat 500 sales
are outside Italy and it is one of
Europe’s best-selling cars, ranking
first in eight countries and among the
top three in six more.APA Bureau
M
agna has put a new twist
on joining thermoplastic
materials, torsional welding,
to help automakers cut
weight and costs. The torsional welding
process, developed by Magna for
automotive applications at its exteriors
plant in Liberec, Czech Republic,
presents a new way to join plastics. It
features a high-speed twisting motion
that creates enough friction-based
heat to join a plastic bracket to a
thermoplastic fascia.
The innovative technology achieves
an approximate 10 percent weight
reduction because it allows thinner
materials to be joined,
which in turn reduces
material costs. Torsional
welding is currently
used to make the front
fascia of the 2017
Skoda Octavia, and it
has potential for other
applications where
materials of similar
composition need to be
joined.
There may also be uses for torsional
welding with the increase of advanced
driver assistance systems and the
development of self-driving cars. The
trend will be for automotive fascias
to become heavier with the increase
in autonomous features, due to the
addition of sensors. With torsional
welding, it’s now possible to reduce
weight on the outer skin and brackets
so more sensors can be added without
impacting the overall weight of the
vehicle.
The Society of Plastics Engineers Detroit
Chapter recognized Magna’s torsional
welding process with an innovationaward at its recent TPO conference in
Troy, Michigan, USA.
“We seek every opportunity, from design
and materials to enabling technologies,
to help customers meet their light-
weighting goals,” Magna Exteriors
President, Grahame Burrow, said. “We
appreciate this recognition from SPE
and look forward to expanding the use
of this innovative process.”Magna is a leading global automotive
supplier with 327 manufacturing
operations and 100 product
development, engineering and sales
centres in 29 countries. It has 161,000
employees focused
on delivering superior
value to customers
through innovative
products and
processes, and world
class manufacturing.
Magna has complete
vehicle engineering and
contract manufacturing
expertise, as well as
product capabilities.Limited Edition Coin Marks
60 Years Of Fiat 5000
APA Bureau
Magna’s torsional welding
process is used to make the front
fascia of the 2017 SkodaAutoPartsAsia | NOVEMBER 2017 | 61