Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been investigating the additive manufacturing of aluminum alloys for several years. In particular, the researchers have been focused on materials that can perform under high pressure in high temperature environments, which are needed for automotive, aerospace, defense and space applications — such as pistons within an engine. Recently the […]
Additive manufacturing of aluminum is a small but growing segment, with applications being utilized in niche sectors of the industrial and aerospace industries. In particular, manufacturers are interested in implementing 7000 series aluminum for additive manufacturing due to its high strength. These alloys have also been commonly used in cast, forged, or extruded components for […]
UACJ Corporation formed an agreement with Sunrise Energy Metals Limited to jointly develop aluminum-scandium alloys for the transportation industry. The use of scandium can make aluminum alloys even stronger and more heat resistance. This is particularly useful for transportation components that require strong and lightweight materials, as well as components that can be used under […]
ClimatePartner GmbH certified the low carbon footprint of Eccomelt LLC’s patented process for the company’s product called eccomelt356.2. The process produces a specification alloy from aluminum wheels at a lower cost than traditional methods and creates a clean charge. The innovation of eccomelt356.2 lies mainly in its proprietary, non-thermal process, which eliminates one carbon-intensive melting […]
Rio Tinto began construction of a new commercial scale demonstration plant at its Rio Tinto Fer et Titane (RTFT) metallurgical complex in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec. When the plant begins operation, Rio Tinto will become the first producer of high-quality scandium oxide in North America. In addition, the new facility will enable the production of high quality […]
Editor’s Note: As many articles have appeared in Light Metal Age (both in the magazine and online) describing and following the friction stir welding (FSW) process, especially its application in joining aluminum alloys in various forms and tempers, readers should be familiar with its advantages. In the FSW process, aluminum components are joined in the solid […]
Editor’s Note: Although the Aluminum Association has certified hundreds of international aluminum alloys in each of the wrought and cast categories, aluminum metallurgists keep adding new recipes to meet the challenges required in their products, which span a range of applications—transportation, B&C, packaging, and various industrial and consumer products. The focused patent search presented hereafter reviews […]
Additive manufacturing is becoming increasingly important, with cheaper and more efficient processes making the production of metal powders and additively manufactured components more attractive. As a result, printed components are increasingly being used not only for prototyping, but also as serial products. Trimet Aluminium SE in Germany has been conducting intensive research and development on material […]
On June 25th, Constellium announced that it will lead a consortium of automotive manufacturers and suppliers to develop structural aluminum battery enclosures for electric vehicles. The £15 million Aluminium Intensive Vehicle Enclosures (ALIVE) project will be developed in the UK and funded in part by a grant from the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) as a component of its […]
