By Martin Hartlieb, Viami International Inc. In December 2019, the European Union (EU) launched its “European Green Deal,” a roadmap to achieve protection of the environment, efficient use of resources, decarbonization and climate neutrality by 2050.1 The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is one pillar of this Green Deal.2 CBAM, which will reform and complement […]
By Alicia Hartlieb and Martin Hartlieb, Viami International Inc. Structural die castings for car bodies have been around for more than 30 years, and they have been growing in size and complexity. Many cars today already have parts like shock towers, cross members, and/or long side members made from structural aluminum die casting. Sometimes, even […]
Each year, Light Metal Age (LMA) enjoys looking back at the top ten most viewed news stories that we published on our website, highlighting the trends that have affected the aluminum sector over the previous year. In 2024, these top articles and news stories reveal recent trends and developments, including a focus on aluminum recycling, aluminum […]
By Alicia Hartlieb and Martin Hartlieb, Viami International Inc., and Julio Quintero, Conticast Hormesa LLC. Introduction Traditionally, primary casthouses solidified the molten primary aluminum from the smelter’s potlines into pure ingot or sow, or they produced alloyed ingot, billet, or slab. Secondary casthouses served to convert scrap into secondary aluminum ingot, billet, or slab. Today, […]
Each year, Light Metal Age (LMA) enjoys looking back at the top ten most viewed news stories that we published on our website, highlighting the trends that have affected the aluminum sector over the previous year. In 2023, these top articles and news stories reveal recent trends and developments, including an interest in advanced technologies for […]
By Alicia Hartlieb and Martin Hartlieb, Viami International Inc. Numerous studies, especially from Ducker-Carlisle, have shown that aluminum usage in light vehicles has been growing for decades, having surpassed 500 lbs (227 kg) per light vehicle in North America and 396 lbs (180 kg) per vehicle in Europe. Until now, castings have been the predominant […]
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 […]
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 Philipp Hettich, Laubinger + Rickmann GmbH & Co. KG, and Martin Hartlieb, Viami International Inc. Extrusions are increasingly used for complex parts in the transportation industry. They allow for very complex cross-sectional shapes and, therefore, integration of different parts and functions (like cooling channels) into a single extruded profile. The rapidly increasing electrification of […]
