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 […]
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By Dean M. Peters, Contributing Writer. For decades automotive companies have been seeking ways to reduce the weight of various classes of vehicles in order to improve vehicle efficiency and fuel economy and reduce carbon emissions. Recently, the forging industry has taken a closer look at its technologies and processes to see how it can […]
By Andrea Svendsen, Managing Editor. Under the leadership of Momentum Manufacturing Group (MMG), Vitex Extrusion completed phase one of a $23 million capacity expansion project at its extrusion operation in Franklin, NH. This included the relocation of its fabrication department and the installation of a $13.5 million, 8 inch press line, which doubles the company’s […]
By Rose Eaton, Light Metal Age. Ford’s use of aluminum began slowly over time, beginning with closure applications in hoods, fenders, and decklids, until it became an integral part of the Ford F-150 truck in 2014. Now, throughout each new iteration of the large truck, including the new 2022 F-150 Lightning electric vehicle (EV), high-strength […]
