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By J.P. Weiler, Meridian Lightweight Technologies, Inc. Magnesium alloys have historically been associated with lightweighting applications in automotive and aerospace systems due to their low density, high specific strength, dimensional stability, and castability. The use of magnesium alloys in transportation systems expanded significantly during periods of increased emphasis on fuel economy and vehicle mass reduction, […]
By Alton Tabereaux, Contributing Editor. The global energy transition, electrification of vehicles, and increased demand for computing power in the wake of artificial intelligence (AI) have led to increased demand for batteries, advanced semiconductors, secure communications, next-generation aerospace platforms, and other components. In turn, this has resulted in increased demand for rare earth elements (REEs), […]
By Andrew Halonen, Mayflower Consulting LLC. Heavy duty trucking is essential for shipping and delivering goods and materials to manufacturing plants, retail stores, and consumers, representing 70% of all freight in the U.S.1 Unfortunately, it is also inherently carbon intensive. According to MIT Climate Portal, 65% of global freight emissions are generated by road vehicles, […]
By Andrea Svendsen, Managing Editor. In April, the National Coil Coating Association (NCCA) hosted its 2026 annual meeting, bringing coil coaters and suppliers to the coil coating process together to discuss the latest economic and industrial trends. In addition to hosting the NCCA’s annual business meeting, with updates from the Statistics, Technical, and Environmental, Health, […]
For several decades, automotive aluminum use experienced a surge of growth, with the introduction of all-aluminum architectures for certain models — most notably the aluminum-bodied Ford F-150. As trends have shifted, however, automakers have moved away from the single material approach, focusing instead on multi-material construction with the right material for the right part. Electric […]
Arctial completed a pre-feasibility study for the development of low-carbon primary aluminum production in Kokkola-Kruunupyy, Finland. Based on the study results, the project partners — including Rio Tinto, Mitsubishi Corporation, Fortum, ABB, Vargas, Tesi, and Siemens Financial Services — have decided to proceed with more detailed technical, commercial, and financial planning. “Completing the pre-feasibility Study […]
By Lynn Brown, Long Point Associates. While climate change — and the associated focus on the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of various materials — has recently taken a back seat in Washington, numerous aluminum extrusion users remain focused on reducing their environmental footprint. To support their efforts, the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) has recently introduced […]
By J.P. Weiler, Meridian Lightweight Technologies, Inc. Magnesium, the lightest structural metal, has remained a material of interest in aviation and aerospace for nearly a century. With a density lower than that of aluminum and comparable with carbon fiber composites, magnesium alloys offer an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and machinability that appeal to aircraft applications. However, […]
By Kevin Widlic, Editor. Right in the center of Hydro’s 350,000 sq ft extrusion plant in Georgia is a sign that the aluminum extrusion industry in the U.S. is taking a fresh step forward. It is the facility’s hybrid electric extrusion press, and it is something to see. The new press in Gainesville started operation […]
