By Martin Hartlieb, Viami International Inc. Shifting legal regulations and changing expectations and demands from customers are increasingly affecting the automotive industry and its entire supply chain. As a result, the carbon footprint of automotive OEMs and their suppliers and their products are increasingly coming into focus. In the face of these changing perceptions regarding […]
Based in Youngstown, OH, General Extrusions Inc. (GEI) is a family owned extruder of high quality aluminum profiles for the automotive, building and construction, furniture, and other industries. Recently, the company completed its first major investment project since 2000. The project includes the installation and start up of a new 25 MN, 8 inch extrusion […]
By Andrew Halonen, Mayflower Consulting LLC. In the world of product development, many materials are available to pick from, yet companies tend to play to their favorites. In metals, these materials range from exotic to common, from low density to high, and they are processed into different forms. The majority of car components — from […]
By Emily Molstad and Caleb Ralphs, VALIS Insights Inc., and Aaron Birt, Sean Kelly, and Diran Apelian, Solvus Global. The aluminum industry requires a drastic shift in business as usual to meet rapidly growing demand while significantly reducing emissions associated with production. The automotive industry highlights this shift, as utilization of aluminum for lightweighting and […]
By Alton Tabereaux, Contributing Editor. The European primary aluminum industry has been deeply impacted by surging energy prices. This is due to a combination of factors, including increasing demand, skyrocketing natural gas prices, and insufficient quantities of affordable renewable (wind, solar, hydro) or nuclear energy. The invasion of Ukraine also significantly impacted supply chains, in […]
By Jude Mary Runge, CompCote International. Abstract Investigation of the long-range order induced by polarization in non-equilibrium systems, such as anodizing, reveals interesting parallels in equilibrium systems with naturally occurring order. Important to network order is the inward transfer entropy of each individual member of the network. This energy establishes the distance between each network […]
By Subodh Das, Phinix, LLC, and Martin Hartlieb, Viami International Inc. Environmental sustainability has become a major trend across aluminum and other industries. A vast majority of companies are aspiring to achieve lower carbon resources in their operations and products, based on circular economy and Paris Agreement parameters. Generally, this trend is positive. However, while […]
By Andrea Svendsen, Managing Editor. Aluminum Insights is currently in the process of performing the final installation and start up of its new extrusion facility in Syracuse, IN. Founded by Steve Brenneman, Jeff Miller, and Niles Graber-Alvarez (Figure 1), the startup company aims to serve customers in the Upper Midwest with a high level of […]
By Andrew Halonen, Mayflower Consulting, LLC. Vehicle construction has always been a multi-material story. Instrument panels are comprised of plastic, foam, and metal, while seats are made from leather or fabric covering foam on a steel structure. Looking under the hood, the engine block is often made of cast iron with cylinder heads made of […]
