Archive for June, 2011

Robots Will Replace Auto Trimmers

Published by Nadeem Muaddi on June 23rd, 2011

For decades, robots have been threatening the jobs (and livelihoods) of America’s workforce. We see them everywhere – from automated telephone operators, to power car washes and even self-checkout counters. Until recently, however, most have only affected workers with limited skills. But as technology advances, more and more skilled laborers are finding themselves in similar positions. Auto Trimmers are no exception – especially now that the German company Moll Automatische Nahsysteme has invented the Robo-tailor.

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The Art of Faking Real Leather

Published by Nadeem Muaddi on June 21st, 2011

Speaking of leather hides, Plastics Today recently published an insightful article about synthetic leather, and the level of research and development that goes into manufacturing fabrics that look and feel like the real thing. Give the article a quick read – you’ll be surprised to learn about the level of detail researchers put into getting imitation leather just right, as well as the odd ingredients that help them do it. For instance, did you know that the Nissan 370Z’s faux leather interior gets its authentic features from ground egg shells?

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The Rising Cost of Leather Hides

Published by Nadeem Muaddi on June 20th, 2011

Have you noticed the rising cost of leather ? According to Furniture Today, leather suppliers report that their prices have increased anywhere from 10% to 40% since last year. Interestingly, demand hasn’t waned.

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Brits Go Bollocks for Drop Tops

Published by Nadeem Muaddi on June 18th, 2011

Good news for British auto trimmers! According to The Telegraph, “the number of convertible cars in Britain has doubled within a decade… New figures show that there are now more than 900,000 soft-tops on British roads, double the figure a decade ago and six times the total back in 1993.” But that’s not all.

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The New Sebring Econotop

Published by Naseem Muaddi on June 16th, 2011

Last March, I blogged about Auto Top Inc’s new convertible econotop – which I installed on a Ford Mustang. At the time, I briefly mentioned that there’s also an econotop available for the Chrysler Sebring. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to install one and figured that I’d share my thoughts with you.

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How-to Fix a Cigarette Burn Hole Without Replacing a Panel

Published by Nadeem Muaddi on June 6th, 2011

In most cases, the only way to fix a cigarette burn hole in a car seat is to replace the entire panel of material affected by the damage. Upholstery Journal, however, recently published an interesting how-to guide by retired upholsterer Claudette Sandecki on repairing burn holes without changing the panel. The technique works best with fabrics that feature loosely woven threads and aren’t coated with stabilizing glue on the backside (like tweed).

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Ford Seats to Detect Heart Attacks

Published by Nadeem Muaddi on June 5th, 2011

Macho Man Randy Savage recently died after suffering a heart attack while driving. He lost control of his car and crashed. Ford Motor Company, however, is taking steps to ensure that tragedies like this don’t happen again.

By combining their car seats with electrocardiograph (ECG) technology, Ford has created a prototype car seat that can detect heart attacks before they occur – allowing drivers to pull over and seek help before it’s too late.

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