ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS

Age-hardening an Aluminum Underwater Buoy Frame

BOTW-50w  Source:  Metlabheattreat.com

Metlab recently assisted TrimMaster in fabricating an aluminum frame for an underwater buoy that would meet customer specifications. Mike Allard, Sales Manager, explains “We were faced with the prospect of welding the aluminum assembly to put it together, and knew that there would be reduced strength at the weld joint. By changing the welding wire we used, we could take advantage of Metlab’s heat treating process, especially their large furnaces to accommodate these parts, to raise the strength of all weldment components to a T-6 condition, giving us the strength that we needed for the application.”

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Reduced Heat Treatment Requirements for Components Made with Aluminum-Cerium Alloys

BOTW-50w  Source:  Engineering 360

“The key to the alloys’ high-temperature performance is a specific aluminum-cerium compound, or intermetallic, that forms inside the alloys as they are melted and cast. This intermetallic melts only at temperatures above 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

That heat tolerance makes aluminum-cerium alloys very attractive for use in internal combustion engines, Rios says. Tests have shown them to be stable at 300 degrees Celsius, a temperature that would cause traditional alloys to begin disintegrating. In addition, the stability of this intermetallic sometimes eliminates the need for heat treatments typically required for aluminum alloys.

Read More:  Aluminum-Cerium Alloys Could Boost Engine Efficiency and Rare Earth Production

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Magna Announces New Aluminum Casting Facility in the UK

Magna International Inc. today announced it will build a new world-class aluminum casting facility in Telford, United Kingdom, to support Jaguar Land Rover, the UK’s leading vehicle manufacturer.

The new facility is expected to be approximately 225,000 square feet and will create up to 295 jobs at full capacity. Working with the UK Trade & Investment and the Automotive Investment Organization, along with financial support from the UK Government’s Regional Growth Fund, helped to secure this project. Construction is expected to start in the autumn of 2016.

Once production begins in 2018, the facility will use Magna’s innovative high-pressure vacuum die casting process to produce a number of advanced lightweight aluminum castings– a key building block in the next generation all-aluminum and multi-material vehicle architectures.  By using these types of castings, Magna helps automakers deliver maximum strength and stiffness and minimum weight, ultimately achieving better fuel economy, safety and handling.

“We are excited to work closely with Jaguar Land Rover in the development of this project which will bring the most advanced structural casting technologies to the UK,” said John Farrell, President of Cosma International, an operating unit of Magna International.   “As lightweighting continues to be a key technology driver, we are uniquely positioned to help automakers achieve optimal weight savings throughout the vehicle architecture.”

Magna, through its Cosma International operating unit, is one of the world’s premier suppliers providing a comprehensive range of body, chassis and engineering solutions to automakers around the world.

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Automotive Aluminum Extrusion Market Grows

BOTW-50w  Source: Today’s Motor Vehicles – May/June 2016

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Bonnell Aluminum to Invest $18 Million, Expand Automotive and Specialty Markets

Bonnell Aluminum, a subsidiary of Tredegar Corporation (NYSE:TG), announced it will be investing approximately $18 million over the next 12 months to fund an expansion project which will include the purchase of a new state-of-the-art aluminum extrusion line at its AACOA facility in Niles, Michigan. Planned startup is the second quarter 2017.

“With continued growing demand from our customers, it is exciting to invest in this additional capacity, knowing that we will satisfy these opportunities with the high quality products and services that AACOA is known for in the industry,” commented Brook Hamilton, President and General Manager for Bonnell Aluminum. “Our facility in Niles is ideally suited for this project, with a well-run operation and a great team in place.” “AACOA has a solid market reputation and is highly regarded as a leader in the markets it serves, primarily consumer durables and machinery and equipment. The facility also serves the automotive market due to its regional location,” added Ira Endres, Vice President Sales and Marketing. “It makes sense to increase the capacity in Niles based on demand from our customers.”

The new line will be comprised of a state-of-the-art 3600-ton extrusion press, housing a 9-inch container, handling systems and ancillary equipment. Capacity is estimated at approximately 16 million pounds. The project also includes additional floor space to accommodate future value-added fabrication capacity.

This announcement marks another important investment made by the Company in recent years and confirms once again Bonnell’s full commitment to its business. “The addition of this new line will provide new and broader product line capabilities for our customers,” added Hamilton.

Bonnell Aluminum is a subsidiary of Richmond Va., based Tredegar Corporation (NYSE:TG). The company produces soft and medium-strength alloy aluminum extrusions for building and construction, automotive, machinery and equipment, consumer durables, transportation, electrical and distribution markets. On October 1, 2012, Bonnell Aluminum acquired AACOA, a world-class manufacturer, fabricator and anodizer of aluminum extrusions with operations in Niles, MI, and Elkhart, IN.

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Aluminum Immersion Holding Furnace to Large Automotive Die Caster

Aluminum Immersion Holding Furnace to Large Automotive Die Caster

Lindberg/MPH announced the shipment of an electric immersion aluminum holding furnace to a large automotive die caster. The equipment provided includes three electric immersion aluminum holding furnaces used to keep aluminum at die casting temperature.

These aluminum holding furnaces utilize Lindberg/MPH patented board lining and high efficiency immersion tubes/heaters. A manually operated winch crane operates the center cover for cleaning.

Repeat business based on past performance is a testament to the quality and durability of Lindberg/MPH equipment. We work closely with our customers to provide the best possible solution to their application needs and are pleased to be their chosen vendor.”  Andrew Paul, Sales Engineer

Unique features of these aluminum holding furnaces includes:
• Efficient electric immersion heating.
• Excellent temperature control and fast recovery.
• Lindberg/MPH patented board lining.
• Longer lining life.
• Manually operated winch crane cover lift

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The Strength of Aluminum: From Automakers to the U.S. Military, Those in the Know Trust Aluminum

[Best of the Web] Source: The Aluminum Association

This “quick read” article is an excellent primer for those looking for some basic and interesting facts about aluminum. You’ll find out about aluminum’s use in NASA’s new Orion Spacecraft, why every aluminum-intensive vehicle ever crash tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has earned a 5-star safety rating, why most of the world’s highest skyscrapers are built using high-strength aluminum alloys, why the F-16 fighter jet is mostly aluminum, and why deep sea divers rely on high-strength, corrosion resistant aluminum to keep them safe.

Read more here.

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