By Alton Tabereaux, Contributing Editor. The largest waste by-product generated in the Bayer bauxite refining process is bauxite residue, commonly called red mud. An enormous quantity of caustic red mud is generated worldwide every year, posing a very serious and alarming environmental and safety problem. The storage of red mud is a challenge for alumina […]
By Lynn Brown, Contributing Editor. In order for automotive OEMs and Tier suppliers to develop aluminum applications for cars and trucks, they need to understand the capabilities of existing designs, whether sheet, extrusions, or castings, etc. Analyzing the use of aluminum in existing production vehicles to see how they compare is one way for a […]
By Michael Niedzinski, Constellium. During the past 60 years the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) charted the western world’s course for the exploration of outer space. NASA managed and funded programs such as Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and the International Space Station, which is supported by Space Shuttle missions and more recently by the Space […]
The automotive industry relies on the stamping process for rapid production of deep drawn sheet components for its mass-market vehicles. However, as automakers develop increasingly advanced components, aluminum sheet is challenged compared to steel due to its lower formability. The superplastic forming process is a potential solution as it provides the ability to produce deep […]
By Curt Wells and Paul O’Connor, The Aluminum Association. Aluminum recycling provides significant societal environmental benefit in terms of landfilled waste reduction and the energy consumption/emissions avoided as compared to aluminum produced from virgin ore. However, aluminum recycling also generates waste products and these are referred to as secondary aluminum processing wastes, which are comprised […]
As UC Rusal’s largest aluminum facility, the Krasnoyarsk (KRAZ) aluminum smelter in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, has become a significant site for innovation within the company with improvements ongoing. In 2018, the company commissioned a new casting complex there for the production of large diameter billet. The company invested US$40 million in the construction of the casthouse […]
By Geoff Scamans, Innoval Technology and Brunel University. The majority of the U.K.’s greenhouse gas emissions now come from transport, a sector whose emissions rose by 2% according to the recently released 2016 figures from the U.K. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Transport accounts for 26% of the U.K.’s greenhouse gas emissions, […]
Taber Extrusions, headquartered in Russellville, AR, expanded its capabilities through the acquisition of the Exact Manufacturing division of Lou-Rich, Inc. With this acquisition, Taber will continue to offer Ultra Precision Extrusions®. These micro-extrusions (Figure 1) — produced with circle sizes of 3 inches or less and weights of 1 lb or less—are used in a […]
The Aluminum Recyclers Council (ARC) was recently formed to promote and protect the domestic aluminum recycling industry, while also improving recycling operations in North America through business excellence programs. The ARC named Luke Palen as chairman. He is also the president of Spectro Alloys Corp., an aluminum recycling company operating in Minnesota for over 40 […]
