Eric Westlund

  • Posts: 126
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    International Patents: Automotive Aluminum Methods and Applications

    Editor’s Note: As daily reported in worldwide news media, business activity in automotive aluminum is facing big challenges with yoyo-like tariffs that threaten aluminum producers, parts manufacturers, and eventual customers. Markets as well as jobs are at risk, not to mention rising product costs, with car and truck buyers most likely to pay for the […]

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    June 2025

    Cover Assembly of a rail car body comprised of large, complex aluminum extrusions. Metra Rail, the newly created rail industry brand of Metra Group, manufactures and fabricates extrusions for rail car bodies at its two plants in Rodengo Saiano and Montale, Italy. With its new brand, the company will be able to better support the […]

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    International Patents: Novel Aluminum Extrusion Applications

    Editor’s Note: What a difference in business perspective for U.S. aluminum in general and the aluminum extrusion market in particular that a few months make! From April to May last year, during ET ’24 when all signs pointed up, with the global and U.S. aluminum extrusion market expected to grow significantly in the future and […]

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    April 2025

    Cover COVER: Zach Fulton, coating manager at Dee Zee, is using a film thickness checker to measure the thickness of the coating just before the profiles are unloaded from the new powder coating line at Dee Zee’s plant in Iowa. This type of quality control is performed randomly to check if production parameters have been […]

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    International Patents: Red Mud Management and Valorization

    Editor’s Note: Light Metal Age has repeatedly published articles on bauxite residue (red mud), including the highly informative February 2024 article by Alton Taberaeux that described some of the latest trends in red mud processing.1 This editorial and selection of patents on red mud valorization supplements this archive, as the field of coping with the […]

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    February 2025

    Cover Rio Tinto is investing to upgrade anode production at its smelter in Grande-Baie, Canada. The company is one of many primary aluminum companies around the world investing in modernizations and upgrades due to higher aluminum prices and the demand for more sustainable aluminum. See article starting on page 10. Articles Table/Primary Aluminum Activities During […]

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    December 2024

    Cover An aluminum coil with a bright surface finish produced on AMAG Austria Metall’s new surface treatment line in Austria. The new line features advanced pickling capabilities to provide high quality surfaces for the architectural market. See article on page 6. Articles AMAG Fosters Innovation with Advanced New Surface Treatment Line Page 6 Novelis Focuses […]