New journal from AFS (IJMC) features Modification of Al-Si Alloys

The 2009 Winter issue of the IJMC has been released. This issue marks the beginning of its second full year of publication, and includes a detailed technical discussion on the modification of aluminium silicon alloys through strontium additions. A previously published journal article—printed in the Spring IJMC Spring 2008 (Vol. 2 Issue 2)—and a subsequent letter to the editor resulted in a comprehensive technical discussion on mechanisms for nucleation of eutectic silicon and other intermetallic particles in aluminum-silicon alloys, including counter hypotheses and alternative theories to those proposed in the original article. The issue also includes two other papers on metallurgy of aluminium casting alloys, A Comparative Study of Porosity and Pore Morphology in a Directionally Solidified A356 Alloy and Characterization of the Flow Behavior of Near Eutectic Composition Aluminum-Silicon Alloys.

Visit www.metalcastingjournal.com.

New concept for manufacturing engine blocks by diecasting

At the end of the 1970s, engine blocks were for the first time no longer made from grey cast iron, but aluminium. This change in the raw material was triggered by the weight reductions allowed by the appreciably lower density of aluminium – despite the higher material cost. Ever since, light metals such as aluminium and increasingly also magnesium are playing an ever more important role in engine construction. Not least, more stringent environmental protection laws also favour the use of light metals. 2006 was the first year that more passenger cars left European assembly lines with engine blocks of aluminium rather than grey cast iron.

 

Advantages of aluminium diecasting

The engine block is made up of two distinct functional units – the cylinder block (upper part housing the cylinders) and the crankcase (lower part housing the crankshaft). The diecasting process has been found to be a very viable option for manufacturing aluminium engine blocks. It is distinguished by high output and flexibility in component design. The attractiveness of the diecasting process is likely to increase further still, for the potential of aluminium as an engineering material has by no means been exhausted yet, at least in the field of Otto engines. State-of-the-art diecasting machines equipped with cutting-edge real-time control systems such as those manufactured by Buhler allow highly variable selection and adjustment of the die cavity filling process. In addition, with the support of vacuum, they even permit heat treatment for increasing the strength of the components made.

 

In quest of additional improvements

Aware of the attractiveness of diecasting, the specialists at Bühler Druckguss (the Die Casting divi-sion of the Buhler Group) teamed up with their colleagues at the German die-maker Schaufler Tooling to find additional improvements. The goal was to eliminate the still perceptible drawbacks of conventional manufacture. Ultimately, this would further increase the profitability of the diecasting process for making engine blocks.

In an initial analysis, the following cost drivers were identified and dealt with:

• Long cycle times

• Large and heavy dies

• High wear on the cooling water jacket inserts

• Long downtimes due to: time consuming die maintenance (for example tedious removal of the moving die half for changing the water jacket); frequent injection of molten metal behind core slide guides; frequent die leakage; frequent rupturing of ejector pins; uncontrolled die heating and cooling.

 

Based on this analysis and Buhler’s and Schaufler Tooling’s experience, two new cost-optimised engine block concepts were developed for making inline and V-engines. This effort was supported by the experience that Buhler has accumulated in the supply of over 30 diecasting cells for making engine blocks, and that of Schaufler Tooling, which to date has supplied a number of engine block dies. Both concepts have now been patented.

 

Die-making and mechanical engineering blended

The difference between an inline engine and a V-engine lies in the configuration of the cylinders. As the name suggests, the cylinders of an inline engine are arranged in a straight row, whereas two cylinder rows are arranged in a V-shape at a certain angle in the V-engine.

The revolutionary thing about the two new Buhler concepts is that they are the first to blend cutting-edge die making with state-of-the-art mechanical engineering technology. This combination of the two disciplines produces a commercially promising solution for manufacturing engine blocks. Thus, for instance, the water jacket and the contour core slide can be pulled by a certain stroke length already after partial solidification of the metal. This reduces the heat input from the aluminium into the water jacket, which in turn appreciably increases the life cycle of the water jacket.

 

Design improvements

In addition, the project team implemented a number of die design measures. These increase the up-time of the die and therefore the capacity utilisation rate of the diecasting cell. For example, the con-tour core slides can be changed on the machine itself with great ease and within a very short time. A special locking design reduces the deflection of the outer slides by as much as 50%. This, in turn, reduces the injection of molten aluminium behind the slides while improving the dimensional accuracy of the engine blocks. A new technique for sealing the cooling bores diminishes their proneness to leakage. Furthermore, a concept which eliminates the need for ejectors in making inline engines prevents downtimes.

Machine fulfills die functions

One major problem in conventional engine block production is that very large and therefore expensive dies must be used. In the new Buhler concept, the diecasting machine fulfills certain functions of the conventional die. This eliminates the need for ejector boxes and ejector tables in the new dies. This and additional weight-reducing optimisations enable the die costs for making V-engines to be slashed by 25%, and inline engines by 10%.

The new concepts also boost productivity. An optimised temperature control design, the freshly developed 'Flextool’ die spray system from the Acheson company, and synchronised machine motions which allow simultaneous spraying of both die halves save valuable seconds. These features cut the cycle time by 10 to 20%, depending on the weight of the raw part.

Together with Schaufler Tooling, Buhler presented this novel concept to a number of renowned engine block producers as far back as early 2006 which triggered this year’s projects. At present, the prototype of a V6-engine crankcase is being tested. At the same time, a prototype die is being made for an inline engine crankcase.

 

The author is Marc Fuchs, head of product management, Buhler Die Casting at Buhler Uzwil/Switzerland. web:

www.buhlergroup.com

Parts Cast in a New Light

By Rebecca Thyer

Special coating gives auto plants a competitive edge.
An Australian discovery is revving up the world's car parts industry by radically advancing the performance of component casting. Through work to develop a long-life die coat for the low-pressure and gravity die casting industry, a revolutionary new insulating coat has been developed that can last up to 10 times longer than traditional coatings.
Dr Mahnaz Jahedi and Stefan Gulizia with a BMW V8 Engine Block made in the European trial of CASTcoat™

CASTcoat™ is an ultra-low maintenance coating with adaptable insulating properties. The coating – essentially a strong, porous ceramic layer that is resistant to wear and tear – is applied to the die using a thermal spraying technique. (A die is a mould in which metal components are formed.)

CSIRO scientists Dr Mahnaz Jahedi and Stefan Gulizia, and a University of Queensland PhD student, Mary Giannos, initially discovered CASTcoat™. The CSIRO scientists then developed the technology for an industrial environment. The research program was part of the Cooperative Research Centres for Cast Metals Manufacturing (CAST), giving the product its name.
In conventional low pressure and gravity die casting processes, filling the die cavity is slow and the metal die has the capacity to rapidly extract heat from the molten alloy. Traditionally, die coats act as insulators to prevent premature solidification of the casting, but they also control the quality of the end product.

While these coatings provide adequate insulation and prevent premature solidification of the alloy, they offer poor resistance to wear, because of weak bonding. Their application is also highly operator-dependent. It is not uncommon for coatings to be completely replaced after a few shifts. Even after only a few uses or 'shots', localised damage on the coating surface in the die cavity often needs to be repaired, a process called ' touch ups'.

Leading CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology researcher Dr Mahnaz Jahedi says this has been a long-term problem for industry: 'Consistency of parts could not be guaranteed.'

CASTcoat™ overcomes traditional problems because of its use of thermal spray technology. Instead of using a silicate-based binder, bonding is created by partial melting of the actual ceramic particles, fusing them together.

The resulting bond is far stronger than traditional binders. This means high wear-resistance and durability, ensuring the die is better protected, with none of the constant touch-ups required by conventional die coats.

In a current European trial, a car parts producer that supplies well-known automotive manufacturers has been 'overwhelmed' by the results.
Dr Jahedi says the company applied CASTcoat™ before Christmas and by the second week of January it still had not needed replacing: ' Using conventional methods, the insulating coat would have been replaced many times by then.'

Successful industry trials have now led to the commercialisation of CASTcoat™ by Acheson Industries (part of the ICI group), which has taken up an exclusive licence for the technology.
Jean-Michel Bachtarzi, Acheson global business director process and engineering materials, says: 'We have evidence that the current CASTcoat™ performance delivers tangible and significant benefits that help the industry meet its objectives. CASTcoat™ provides Acheson with a revolutionary new technology that creates significant market opportunities for our company.'

Additionally, the insulating properties of CASTcoat™ can be tailored to any application, without changing the die coat thickness, while product consistency can be ensured.
A wide range of casting surface finishes – from rough to very smooth – can also be produced by CASTcoat™ and maintained.

While the main users will be companies that manufacture lightweight allow parts for the automotive industry, the durable insulating coat can be used across a variety of applications, such as molten metal handling or wherever any insulating and wear-resistant coatings are needed, says Dr Jahedi. 'There have been a lot of enquiries from companies wanting to use this technology.'

CAST was established under the Australian Government's CRC program and has backing from the Victorian and Queensland state governments.

CMI Offers Permanent Molding Aluminum-Tilt Pour Course

Cast Metals Institute (CMI) will be offering a Permanent Molding Aluminum-Tilt Pour course Dec. 2-4 at Century Foundry, Muskegon Heights, Mich. The production of aluminum castings using the tilt pour method is featured in this course. Time will be devoted to discussing such mold details as materials, thermal considerations, coatings and coating maintenance. The selection of aluminum alloys for permanent molding and the characteristics of aluminum alloys also will be discussed, along with a review of operating problems and casting defects.

For more information, or to attend this course, contact AFS customer service at 800/537-4237 or click here to register.

Aluminium Cast House Technology 11th Australasian Conference & Exhibition

ACHT2009 The 11th Australasian Conference and Exhibition

Date Sunday 13th September to Wednesday 16th September 

Venue Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa 

Location Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

---

Call for Papers

The call for papers for the conference is open and the deadline for submission of abstracts is fast approaching. Abstracts should be submitted by 14th November - that's next week!

Abstracts will be used to select those papers to be presented at the conference, which will also be published as 8 page full technical papers in a hard bound copy of the conference proceedings (also to be available on CD). 

We are using an online conference paper management system called "EasyChair" to manage the submission of both abstracts and then papers. Instructions for using EasyChair are available from our website or you can visit the EasyChair site directly here. 

About the conference

The Aluminium Cast House Technology conference and exhibition is held every two years and is currently being hosted by the CAST Cooperative Research Centre with the support of the aluminium industry. The objectives of the conference are:

• To present material on the latest developments in industry production trends, cast house equipment, processes, technology, alloys, products, safety, markets and management, giving particular attention to environmental issues facing the industry
• To broaden the training of engineers and scientists involved in melting and casting technologies
• To provide ample opportunity for discussion on topics of common concern to cast houses and foundries so that ideas can be generated and solutions canvassed
• To provide a common meeting ground for cast house supervisors, managers, material and technology suppliers and international experts for discussions on various aspects of aluminium melt treatment and casting

NASA Certifies Alcoa as Sole Supplier of Al-Li Alloy for Ares 1

Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that NASA has certified its Davenport, Iowa, facility as the only supplier in the U.S. to produce aluminum-lithium alloy 2195 thin plate for the Ares 1 crew launch vehicle, the rocket that will enable astronauts to explore space beyond low earth orbit with the goal of reaching the moon by 2020. Davenport will produce almost 1 million pounds of the thin aluminum-lithium material for this program. The Alcoa Technical Center near Pittsburgh is casting the aluminum-lithium ingot and shipping it to Davenport, where it is rolled into thin plate for additional fabrication.

“Basically, the way back to the moon is paved right here through Alcoa Davenport,” said Steve Cook, director of NASA’s Exploration Launch office and Ares project manager. “It all starts with partners like Alcoa. You are on the front line in Davenport in helping us to take on the next exciting chapter in our space exploration efforts,” Cook said.

“Even though production metal is already moving through our facility, the qualification from NASA was vital to continue this business and reinforces Alcoa's tradition as a provider of new aerospace materials and technology solutions for aircraft and spacecraft applications,” said Tony Morales, Alcoa Global Marketing Director, Aerospace.

In 2007, NASA awarded Alcoa an $18.5 million contract to develop the manufacturing capability and to supply the initial requirements of high performance aluminum-lithium plate and ingot to which will be used for the Ares 1 crew launch vehicle upper stage.

Learnings from Ares 1 will benefit the Ares V5, which will be the "heavy lift" cargo launch vehicle that will also feature Alcoa metal. When the actual mission to the Moon becomes reality, the plan will be to launch Ares V5 first and then launch the crew of up to six astronauts in Ares 1. The two rockets will dock in space and explore the Moon and other parts of the solar system.

About Davenport Works

Alcoa Davenport Works produces aluminum sheet and plate for a variety of industries. Materials produced here are used in aerospace and defense, passenger vehicles (cars and trucks), commercial truck and rail transportation and general manufacturing. Davenport Works opened in 1948 and is one of the largest aluminum fabricating facilities in the world. The plant has the world’s largest rolling mill as part of the production operation. The plant has more than 130 acres under roof, employs 2,200 people and generates nearly $1 million a day into the local economy. Learn more at www.alcoa.com/locations/usa_davenport

About Alcoa

Alcoa is the world leader in the production and management of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina combined, through its active and growing participation in all major aspects of the industry. Alcoa serves the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation and industrial markets, bringing design, engineering, production and other capabilities of Alcoa's businesses to customers. In addition to aluminum products and components including flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, Alcoa also markets Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems. The Company has 97,000 employees in 34 countries and has been named one of the top most sustainable corporations in the world at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com

Alcoa Inc.
Editorial Contact:
Kevin G. Lowery, 412-553-1424
or
Alcoa Inc.
Investor Relations: 
Greg Aschman, 212-836-2674

(Source: Business Wire )

New aluminum selected for Ferrari S.p.A.

Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products, Cleveland, Ohio, announces that it has been selected by Ferrari S.p.A. to supply the all-aluminum spaceframe for the upcoming Ferrari California sports car. The strength and lightweight advantages of aluminum allow Ferrari to maximize performance, strength, and structural rigidity. Learn more.

Top 13 most Fuel-Efficient Cars

Smart for Two Convertible

3 cylinder, 1 liter, Automatic(S5), Premium
MPG City: 33 MPG Highway: 41
Estimated Annual Fuel Cost: $1,555





More? follow this link ...

http://www.forbes.com/2008/05/02/efficient-gas-cars-forbeslife-cx_ae_0502fuelefficient.html

Forbes Explores the Aluminum Advantage in Automotive Applications

By using aluminum in lieu of heavy steel--the traditional metal used to build a
car's body--manufacturers can reduce a vehicle's weight by as much as 45%, says
Zaluzec.

A recent Forbes article looks at aluminum's use in automotive applications and notes that by utilizing aluminum instead of steel a vehicle's weight can be significantly reduced. Low weight vehicles burn less fuel and produce fewer tailpipe emissions-both great environmental advantages. The article also highlights the importance of a multi-material solution, saying collectively aluminum and other low weight materials can help vehicles achieve an additional 20-30 miles per gallon.

Presidential Candidates Promote Fuel Economy

Presidential Candidates Promote Fuel Economy Despite differences, Senators Obama and McCain both promote their interest in helping move the automotive industry to achieve a more fuel-efficient future. Key themes have emerged, including offering consumers and manufacturer’s incentives for improved fuel economy, reducing dependence on foreign oil, investing in advanced technology development and utilizing lightweight materials in design and manufacturing. The aluminum industry applauds these efforts to achieve more environmentally-friendly vehicles.

From: Aluminum Association

Metal Prices: Non-ferrous metals

Your invaluable guide to the market as at September 2008.

Aluminium Alloys
LM2 £1,540.00; LM4 £1,620.00; LM6 £1,750.00; LM24 £1,510.00 LM25 £1,740.00; LM27 £1,562.00

Copper
Cash, Grade A, US$7,260.00 to US$7,261.00


Zinc
Cash: US$1,658.00 to US$1,658.50 Three Months: US$1,668.00 to US$1,668.50 Settlement: US$1,658.50


Tin
Cash: US$18,100.00 to US$18,150.00 Three Months: US$18,100.00 to US$18,125.00 Settlement: US$18,150.00

Source: www.foundrytradejournal.com

Computer Simulations Showcase Aluminum's Odd Behavior

By Sarah Graham

Its conductivity, could behave like a ceramic or semiconductor in some situations, according to a new report. The metal may also endure mechanical stress better than copper, which is typically considered to be a stiffer metal, in nanotechnology applications. The findings, published today in the journal Science, could point to improved nanoelectronics.

Ju Li of Ohio State University and his colleagues used quantum mechanics to model the behavior of one-atom-thick layers of both aluminum and copper. Specifically, they studied a process known as pure shear strain, in which a layer of atoms slides over a second layer of atoms. The reliability and durability of very small electronic devices, in which temperatures fluctuations often cause materials to expand or contract, depends in part on how their components react to the effects of shear strain. The researchers determined that two layers of copper atoms typically slide over each other quite smoothly. But aluminum layers don't slide and instead hop across one another, the team found. The scientists suggest that so-called directional bonding, in which atoms on neighboring layers share electrons (see image), could be responsible for the observed movement. Such bonds are often found in ceramics and semiconductors, but aren't usually present in malleable metals like aluminum. According to Li, "this could mean that aluminum behaves more like ceramics in certain ways than anyone had previously thought." At the atomic level, aluminum was also 32 percent stronger than copper, according to the team's simulations. "We know copper is three times heavier than aluminum, and significantly stiffer than aluminum under normal conditions," Li says. "But when we looked at large shear strains, aluminum won hands down."

Source: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=computer-simulations-show

Lightweight aluminum v. a hand grenade, who wins?

Concrete and steel are the materials of choice when building buildings and vehicles that will protect soldiers from enemy fire. But a group of Norwegian researchers are testing another option: lightweight aluminum panels that can be filled with densely packed dirt, gravel, sand or any other nearby substance to provide protection without adding a lot of weight to a military's vehicles or structures, according to a recent report in the Norwegian research magazine Gemini. The aluminum panels are designed to fit together and any substance used to fill the cavity could be emptied out of the bottom of the panel before it is moved.

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology's SIMLab (Structural Impact Laboratory) also searching for a substance that can absorb the pressure exerted on the underside of a tank by a landmine explosion without adding a lot of weight to the vehicle. One proposed option is developing plates made from aluminum foam, which could absorb the impact of a bullet or piece of shrapnel and keep it from shredding the soldier on the other side of the armor. Such foam, basically a porous version of aluminum, is being developed by a number of companies, including Alcoa, Inc. in Alcoa Center, Pa., and Toronto's Cymat Technologies Ltd. and would be nonflammable and recyclable.

SIMLab researchers, working with the Norwegian Defence Estates Agency (NDEA), a branch of the Norwegian Defense Ministry responsible for the Norwegian camps and compounds involved in international operations, say they have tested the aluminum panels in a full-scale explosion that was equivalent to four tons of TNT detonated from 394 feet (120 meters) away. The target of that explosion, a container protected by aluminum panels received just minor damage, Gemini reports.

Source: http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=lightweight-aluminum-v-a-hand-grena-2008-08-14&sc=rss

Corrosion Concerns on Aluminum for Aircraft Structure

Aluminum Usage in Boeing

I found this article pretty interesting:

Boeing designs airplanes to resist corrosion through selection of the proper materials and finishes and the use of drainage, sealants, and corrosion inhibitors. These designs are based on knowledge of what causes corrosion and the types of corrosion that occur in airplane structure. In addition, following a corrosion control program is necessary throughout the service life of the airplane. These activities are essential for controlling corrosion to a predictable, manageable level that does not degrade structure or jeopardize the ability of the airplane to carry its intended design loads.

Full article is here: http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_07/corrosn.html

ALUMINUM MASTER ALLOYS AND ADDITIVES “THE MAGIC INGREDIENTS”

The U.S. Aluminum Industry is the world’s largest, producing about 20 billion pounds of metal annually. The industry employed 141,000 people with an annual payroll of $5.2 billion and shipped $38.8 billion in products in 2000. The high quality of these products and the profitability of the industry are due, in large part, to the contributions of a niche industry made up of the Master Alloys and Additives companies. These companies have dedicated their efforts to providing the Aluminum Industry with special alloys and additives that reduce manufacturing cycle time and enhance product quality. Some of their contributions to the aluminum industry are presented below.

http://www.aluminum.org/Content/NavigationMenu/TheIndustry/MasterAlloys/default.htm

Bruker AXS Expands Instrumentation Product Line for Die Casting Analysis with World's First Handheld XRF to Include Silicon Drift Detector

Bruker AXS announces another technology breakthrough for the die casting industry with the introduction of its new TRACERturboSDTM, the world's first handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) instrument that uses a Silicon Drift Detector (SDD) for dramatically improved speed, sensitivity and resolution. Bruker's industry-leading proprietary XFlashTM SDD, previously available only in high-performance laboratory XRF instruments, now offers unprecedented speed and analytical specificity when integrated into the novel handheld TRACERturboSD
With this announcement, the Bruker AXS Handheld business, until recently known as Keymaster Technologies Inc., builds on its long tradition of technology leadership in the handheld XRF industry that includes:

2001 - First tube-based handheld XRF
2004 - First vacuum handheld XRF, co-invented with NASA
2008 - First SDD-based handheld XRF

The revolutionary TRACERturboSD with integrated SDD offers unparalleled speed, sensitivity and energy resolution, previously found only in more expensive laboratory systems. Now all handheld XRF customer segments can benefit from these compelling performance advantages in their analytical work. In the aerospace metals industry, the proprietary Bruker SDD technology enables TRACERturboSD users to better and faster analyze sophisticated light element alloys, even without the use of a vacuum or helium attachment. In the general metals analysis markets, the Bruker TRACERturboSD offers higher speed, sensitivity and selectivity for many demanding handheld XRF applications.

This detector provides a major improvement in the analytical performance of handheld alloy analyzers. The measurement precision is improved by a factor of two to three times, in addition to making the measurement of light elements such as Mg, Al and Si possible when operating in air mode. The TRACERturboSD provides a new capability of measuring aluminum in titanium alloys and magnesium and silicon in aluminum alloys, with no vacuum or helium required. For additional sensitivity, the well-known joint Bruker-NASA vacuum technology can be combined with the SDD to provide the best sensitivity possible in a handheld XRF instrument.

The TRACER turboSD includes all of the standard features of the highly-regarded Bruker S1 Tracer analyzer, such as Grade ID and chemistry, a unique PASS/FAIL analysis capability and the largest Grade library in the industry. The capabilities of the TRACERturboSD make it the ideal analyzer for the measurement of all types of alloys. In addition to the new high-end TRACERturboSD, Bruker AXS continues to offer the standard S1 TracerTM handheld instrument with traditional SiPIN diode technology for routine analysis

John Landefeld, Vice President of Bruker AXS Handheld, stated: "This breakthrough continues our tradition of technology leadership, going back to the initial introduction of tube-based XRF handhelds in 2001. Following the joint NASA-Bruker development of vacuum technology for handhelds in 2004, Bruker proves, once again, to be the overall technology leader in handheld XRF instrumentation, especially in the metals industries."

"The die casting industry will be particularly pleased to find that high-end handheld XRF can now approach the capabilities of laboratory systems," added John Patterson, Director of Marketing and Product Management of Bruker AXS Handheld.
For more TRACERturboSD information, please visit: www.bruker-axs.com/handheld.

Why Aluminum May Glow Like Gold

by William Pentland 06.03.08, 2:05 PM ET

Since gold, grain and oil prices soared to previously unfathomable heights, everyone wants to know what's next. The answer may be aluminum.

Last Friday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) amended an obscure clean water regulation that restricted use of aluminum in automobiles because of a potentially harmful byproduct created in the manufacturing process.

Car makers treat aluminum to increase protection from corrosion in multiple ways, but the cheapest is an adhesive bonding process that uses zinc phosphate. Since the early 1980s, the EPA has included waste created from zinc phosphate processing on its list of FO19 hazardous wastes, which requires expensive additional treatment. The process apparently creates high concentrations of potentially harmful water contaminants.

The restriction drove up the cost of aluminum car components by forcing car makers to implement expensive clean-up systems. As a result, last week's amendment will substantially reduce the cost of aluminum-based car components, which will likely accelerate the industry's plans to replace vast amounts of steel currently used in cars with aluminum.

Although the EPA began its formal review of the aluminum restriction in 2006, the agency's decision appeared earlier than expected, which industry insiders imagined would not appear until later this year or early next year. The timing could reflect the Bush administration's desire that all major regulatory changes be initiated by June 1 to make sure they are finalized before the next president takes office, as reported May 31 by The New York Times.

Despite an industry-wide consensus that aluminum prices would fall in 2008, the opposite has happened. Prices have climbed nearly 25% since January. Since April, banks, including Goldman Sachs (nyse: GS - news - people ), UBS (nyse: UBS - news - people ), Lehman Brothers (nyse: LEH - news - people ) and Citigroup (nyse: C - news - people ), have raised forecasts for aluminum. Alcoa's (nyse: AA - news - people ) stock price has also soared.

Several industry analysts have revised their forecasts for aluminum prices in recent months. On Friday, aluminum prices in the futures market exploded.

Congress' recent decision to raise fuel efficiency requirements has intensified the auto industry's interest in lightweight materials. Aluminum could reduce the weight of cars dramatically because it weighs roughly half as much as steel. Every 10% reduction in car weight results in a 6% to 8% decrease in gasoline consumption.

Although advanced materials like carbon fiber weigh less than aluminum and are several times stronger than steel, they would require substantial upgrades of extant manufacturing facilities to implement. However, aluminum is compatible with current large-volume manufacturing facilities and body shops that would be expensive to overhaul.

"If you can stamp it, you want to stick with steel or aluminum," Mark Verbrugge, director of General Motors' Materials and Processes Lab, told Design News magazine earlier this year. "If you want to accentuate styling, composites are a better bet. But for the mainstream, composites are having a tough time competing with existing technologies."
The aluminum industry has presented the agency's decision in terms of environmental benefits that it claims will accrue from the de-listing.

"Every pound of aluminum used in a car reduces CO2 emissions by 20 pounds over 100,000 miles," the aluminum industry claims in a lobbying document. "Fifteen million aluminum intensive vehicles containing 250 pounds of aluminum would: save 3.5 billion gallons of gasoline [and] reduce CO2 emissions by 37.5 million tons."

Yet any cuts in carbon emissions might be outweighed by the negative affect aluminum could have on water supplies. And from the looks of things, car makers have already begun using aluminum--extensively.

The 2008 Ford Focus will use high-strength aluminum to replace steel in front-brake calipers. The new aluminum brakes will weigh 7.5 pounds less than their steel predecessor. In addition, two-thirds of the new Ford Focus fleet will have aluminum wheels, which will weigh 22 pounds less than previous models.

Since 1997, the EPA has granted a dozen exemptions to the rule for specific auto manufacturing facilities across the U.S., which has considerably increased the use of aluminum in the automobile industry. Last week's decision could trump those increases by an order of magnitude.
Ford has developed a prototype vehicle--the P2000--that replaces steel and cast iron in several key components as part of an effort to reduce the weight of a vehicle by 40%, which would create dramatic fuel efficiencies. Ford's prototype will increase the aluminum content by 256% over previous models, according to a report conducted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Center for Transportation Analysis. Other car makers have also developed aluminum-based prototypes.

A separate study conducted by the Center for Transportation Analysis in 2001 evaluated the environmental impact likely to result from the increased use of aluminum in automobiles. The analysis did not address water contamination, which at the time would have been avoided, since the EPA rule remained in force. Instead, the study expressed a primary concern with aluminum's environmental impact during its extraction process: "The largest single contributor to the total waste of [light weight materials being considered for cars] is aluminum, the extraction of which produces large volumes of mineral waste."

The study also noted that while the increase in aluminum use would have the most severe affects in Washington, New York, Oregon, West Virginia and Ohio, "Every region in the United States could potentially experience some change in environmental impact with the introduction of new automotive materials."

Source: Forbes.com

New Process to Increase Efficiency of Aluminum Recycling

A new recycling process using advanced lasers to improve automotive scrap sorting can help bring even more environmentally friendly cars and trucks to market, according to an announcement today by the auto and aluminum industries, made through their Auto Aluminum Alliance, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy.

By employing lasers to identify and recover metals from scrapped vehicles, researchers have demonstrated the ability to separate cast from wrought alloys, as well as the ability to separate wrought alloys from each other at commercially viable rates.

The announcement is a potential boon to automakers and suppliers since this advanced recycling process promises to improve economic efficiency by recovering greater quantities of high-value, high-strength, high-performance aluminum from scrapped motor vehicles. Ultimately, this will allow greater use of either recycled or primary automotive aluminum -- which weigh significantly less than steel -- and will help produce even more environmentally friendly autos since lighter vehicles get higher gas mileage and emit fewer emissions.

For the 2001 model year, aluminum passed plastics and became the third most-used material in cars and trucks. Nearly 90% of automotive aluminum today is recovered and recycled. While this aluminum represents less than 10% of the average motor vehicle by weight, it already accounts for roughly half of the vehicle's value as scrap.

``Each year, automakers are using greater amounts of aluminum to help boost fuel economy and performance while maintaining safety. This advanced scrap sorting process will help ensure that automakers have a more affordable supply of recycled aluminum for the future. It also shows the great strides that can occur when the auto, the aluminum and the scrap industries work together to solve technical challenges,'' added Dr. Richard Klimisch, Vice President of The Aluminum Association.

This advanced method of separating scrap materials is being evaluated by a Belleville, Mich. metals processing firm, Huron Valley Steel Corporation. The Auto Aluminum Alliance is working with Huron Valley as part of a one-year agreement launched Aug. 24. Using a sophisticated technique called Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), the new process uses a laser to first clean the surface of the particle by laser ablation, and then it employs a laser pulse to hit the same spot on the particle as it moves down a conveyer belt. This second laser pulse vaporizes a small amount of material from the metal's surface creating a small, highly luminescent plume of plasma, or ionized gas. To quantitatively determine the metal's chemical makeup, the plume is then analyzed by a technique called optical emission spectroscopy. Once the verification is made, the scrap is sorted by alloy on a piece-by-piece basis.

This breakthrough process is significant because it provides a practical way of sorting the scrap at commercially viable rates. Up to now, such alloys were sorted manually, which is a slow and costly process. It is estimated that the first commercial sorting center will be able to analyze and sort 100 million pounds of aluminum per year.

Increasing the efficiency of recycling aluminum does more than add value to recycling aluminum for automakers, it also reduces energy consumption. The production of recycled aluminum requires just 5% of the energy needed to produce primary materials.

The Auto Aluminum Alliance is an inter-industry collaborative research effort between USCAR and The Aluminum Association, Inc., and it is reviewing technical projects to further accelerate the use of new and improved aluminum technologies for motor vehicles.

USCAR is the umbrella organization of DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors, formed in 1992 to further strengthen the technology base of the domestic auto industry through cooperative, pre-competitive research, carried out in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Source: The Aluminum Association

Increase in aluminum use saves 1 billion liters of fuel per year in Europe

Aluminum use in Europe has grown from 100 to 290 lbs per car since 1990 and is expected to add another 55 lbs by 2010. The weight reductions from replacing steel and other materials with the lighter metal have contributed to annual fuel consumption reductions of about 250 million gallons according to a new study. The European Aluminum Association and Knibb, Gormezano & Partners did a study with data from car-makers and suppliers based on the 15 million cars produced in 2005. Along with the reduced fuel consumption, CO2 emissions are reduced by 40 million tonnes over the life-cycle of the vehicles. Aluminum is being increasingly used in engine blocks and heads, suspension components and also in body panels and structures.

More detail can be found at the following link.

The calculations in the study are based on the following assumptions:

• Car lifespan of 200,000 km; yearly vehicle kilometers traveled 15,000 km.
• 0.35 liters of fuel saved per 100 km per 100 kg weight reduction.
• 1 kg of aluminum provides 1 kg of lightweighting.
• 2.835 kg of CO2 per liter of fuel, as the mean value for gasoline and diesel, including pre-combustion (i.e. CO2 generation for fuel production)
• 2.455 kg of CO2 per liter of fuel, as mean value for gasoline and diesel, excluding pre-combustion.
  

From picture: The VW Polo BlueMotion has been selected as a finalist for the 2007 World Green Car title.

The Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion has the lowest CO2 emissions of any car on sale in the UK, electric cars excepted. At just 102g/km, it's cleaner than any other petrol, diesel or petrol-electric hybrid currently offered. And its 72mpg on the official combined cycle beats them on fuel consumption too.

How does it manage it? A combination of highly efficient engine, light weight, high gearing and slick aerodynamics.

Energy Crisis really affects all industries, including aluminum

Kaiser Aluminum Corp. said it will add surcharges to all new orders of fabricated aluminum products beginning July 1 to offset rising costs for natural gas, electricity and diesel fuel.

The company said commodity prices for natural gas and diesel fuel was about 60 percent higher in May compared with the average 2007 price. The company said the charges will be based on indexes provided by the U.S. Department of Energy and will be updated monthly. The company believed that using a surcharge is the most transparent method to recover these costs.

Constricted supplies and robust world demand could push aluminum prices up to $3,600-$4,000 per metric ton by the end of the year and $ 4,250-$4,500/ton by the end of 2009, industry analysts said.

As China leads a surge in global demand for aluminum, the industry is attempting to keep up in the face of rising energy prices, increasingly prevalent speculation in commodities market, and uncertainly over approaches to curb global climate change. These factors, market analysts said, are buttressing the price of a commodity already in high demand given its relatively low price compared to copper -- a substitute for aluminum.

Source: Dow Jones Newswires and AP

Heat treatment for diecast parts supplies stronger castings

High pressure diecasting (HPDC) is one of the most cost-effective process for making large quantities of complex aluminum components in netshape. But while other cast aluminum parts can be heat treated to improve their mechanical properties, this had not been possible for many die castings.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization's (CSIRO) Light Metals Flagship has developed a new heat treatment process for strengthening aluminum HPDC parts.

Standard die castings contain trapped gas pores that expand, blister and distort the casting when conventional heat treatment is applied, making the parts unusable. Previous attempts to make them heat-treatable have focused on removing porosity from the cast parts. But Flagship researchers developed a process that did not depend on reducing porosity, and they successfully tested the technology on large batches of parts purchased from the industry.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

"Components treated with the new process do not show surface blistering or dimensional changes," said Roger Lumley, metallurgist for Light Metals Flagship. "They retain an as-cast appearance." The process doubles the strength of parts made from the common diecast aluminum alloys. The heat treated components exhibit fatigue resistance as high as some wrought aluminum products and thermal conductivity about 20% above the as-cast status, meaning that for engine or transmission applications, heat can be transferred or removed more efficiently and quickly. This could mean that HPDC parts would operate with lower amounts of fluid in cooling and lubrications systems.

The new heat treating process also may substantially raise energy absorption during fracture when heat treated for this purpose, which has significant implications for crash-sensitive structural components. For example, one common secondary alloy almost doubled in energy absorption when heat treated for that purpose. "We envisage that this will make it possible to use HPDC components more widely in load carrying structural and safety applications," Lumley said. The heat treating process is designed to be implemented in existing manufacturing facilities using conventional heat treatment equipment, such as continuous belt furnaces, fluidized beds or furnace systems designed specifically for rapid heat treatment.

After the success of the trials for HPDC parts up to 66 lbs. (30 kg), the Light Metals Flagships is looking for companies to collaborate on developing lightweight products through component design and implement the new procedures in the diecasting industry.

Visit http://www.csiro.au/ for more information.

"Heat treatment for diecast parts supplies stronger castings" The Free Library 01 March 2008. 20 May 2008 <http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Heat treatment for diecast parts supplies stronger castings.-a0177175205>.

ALCAN COMPACT DEGASSER

IMPROVED METALLURGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE ALCAN COMPACT DEGASSER AFTER TWO YEARS OF INDUSTRIAL IMPLEMENTATIONIN ALUMINUM CASTING PLANTS

Peter D. WaiteAlcan International LimitedArvida Research and Development Centre1955 Mellon Blvd., P.O. Box 1250Jonquike, Quebec, Canada G7S 4K8

Abstract Over the past two years, industrial implementation of the Alcan compact degasser has continued, and it is presently being used inmore than half a dozen casting facilities. During this period, further quantification of the process metal treatment efficiency has been undertaken for a wide range of alloys and casting conditions. The extensive plant data that has been collected was analyzedusing the underlying metallurgical principles as guidelines. This has led to an improved understanding of the ACD specifically, and of multi-stage in-lint treatment processes in general. The relationship between the metallurgical principles used for data analysis and the dcgasser metal treatment performance arediscussed, and factors affecting hydrogen removal performance were identified. Examples illustrating these findings are presented using plant data for the Alcan compact degasser and for conventional in-line degassers.

Aluminum in Cars

Today's European cars contain an average of 132 kg of aluminium components. In the short term, many additional aluminium applications could be realised without significant re-engineering and extensive cost impact (e.g. by the use of more aluminium hang-on parts). This could easily reduce the average weight of the cars produced in Europe by 40 kg.

Aluminium is the ideal light-weighting material as it allows a weight saving of up to 50% over competing materials in most applications without compromising safety.
Because the average mass of passenger cars has dramatically increased since the 1970's and because vehicle weight directly impacts fuel consumption, light-weighting is necessary more than ever to reduce CO2 emissions per km at the exhaust pipe.

The EAA brochure "Aluminium in cars" highlights numerous advantages of aluminium applications in passengar cars.

Grain Refinement of Aluminum Casting Alloys

Grain Refinement of Aluminum Casting Alloys, G. Sigworth and T. Kuhn

The mechanisms and benefits of grain refinement are described.

Abstract

An overview is given of grain refinement in aluminum casting alloys. The mechanisms involved and the benefits of refinement are described. The review shows that current practices were developed long before modern Al-Ti-B refiners became available, and are employed now largely for historical reasons. The results of tests in Al-Si, Al-Si-Cu, Al-Cu, Al-Mg and Al-Zn-Mg alloys are presented. The grain refining response is different for each alloy system. It is important to
understand that titanium can be present in two forms. One dissolves in aluminum; the other is nearly insoluble. Each must be controlled separately. With today's powerful Al-Ti-B refiners, there is no reason for large additions of soluble titanium in most alloys. In fact, it is better to say we grain refine with boron, not titanium. The recommended addition is 10-20 ppm of boron, preferably in the form of Al-5Ti-1B or Al-3Ti-1B rod. Lower dissolved titanium levels provide better grain refinement and an improved resistance to hot cracking in some alloys. Al-Si casting alloys which contain copper are an exception. In alloys such as 319 or 355, it is best to have a minimum of about 0.1 % Ti.

AFS Transactions 2007 © American Foundry Society, Schaumburg, IL USA

Earthquake's impact on aluminum smelters still to be calculated

Shanghai. May 13. INTERFAX-CHINA

Damaged facilities and disrupted power supplies are expected to affect aluminum smelters in earthquake-hit areas of Sichuan Province, though broken communication lines has made it difficult to calculate the degree of impact, analysts told Interfax today.

According to State Grid, six transformer substations were shut down, reducing power supply to the Sichuan power grid by 4 million kilovolts after a 500-KV and five 220-KV transformer substations in Sichuan were affected by the earthquake. In addition, five power plants in western Sichuan were disconnected from the power grid.

"Any possible structural damage to facilities or power cuts will heavily impact aluminum production. Sichuan Meishan Aostar Aluminum Co. Ltd. (Meishan Aostar) and Sichuan Guangyuan Aostar Aluminum Co. Ltd., in Sichuan's Meishan City and Guangyuan City close to Wenchuan County, are likely to be affected," Huang Fulong, an analyst at Kaichao Investment Bank, said.
"Communication in those areas struck by the earthquake was cut though, making it impossible to receive up-to-date information," Huang said.

"Although the possible impact of the earthquake has not yet been confirmed, an aluminum smelter in Sichuan said the affect on production is minimal. However, the current lack of direct communication to the earthquake affected areas prevents us from confirming the information, and all we can do is wait and see if smelters have cut production or shut down altogether," Li Yang, an analyst with Beijing Antaike Information, said today.
"Domestic aluminum prices, which may temporarily go up due to the disruption, are not expected to be affected in the long term as long as there are no major production cuts or halts," Li said.

When contacted by Interfax, a Bosai Minerals Group official based in Nanchuan county, Chongqing Municipality, who asked to remain anonymous, said "Nanchuan experienced slight tremors yesterday afternoon, but it did not impact operation However, we have been trying to get in touch with our smelter in Aba Prefecture, Wenchuan county, and this morning sent out search parties to make contact with the smelter."

Bosai's Aba Aluminum Smelter is set to attain an annual production capacity of 200,000 tons of aluminum this year, and expects to produce 150,000 tons of aluminum. Chongqing-based Bosai, a bauxite miner and alumina smelter, acquired Aba Aluminum in 2006.
China's strongest earthquake in more than three decades hit Wenchuan County at 14:28 Beijing time yesterday, killing more than 11,900 in towns and cities in Sichuan Province and its surrounds. Casualties are expected to rise rapidly. Wenchuan County is about 100 kilometers northwest of Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan.

Meishan Aostar had just resumed normal production on April 25 at its aluminum smelting lines in Sichuan. It had shut down 84 electrolytic anodes earlier this year after local power transmission infrastructure was damaged and partly shut down during the heavy snowstorms at the beginning of the year. The company's primary aluminum capacity stands at about 280,000 tons per annum.

The most-traded July aluminum contracts on Shanghai Futures Exchange closed at RMB 18,915 ($2,709.89) today, up 0.53 percent from the previous trading day, while the spot aluminum prices today on the Shanghai market were between RMB 18,450 ($2,639.98) and RMB 18,470 ($2,642.84) per ton, up RMB 20 ($2.86) from yesterday.

Molten Aluminum Spills At Detroit Lakes Foundry

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. - Crews were chipping away aluminum that spilled from a valve and coated a floor 2 1/2 inches deep at a Detroit Lakes foundry. Almost three tons of the molten metal spilled at Team Industries on Monday morning. Plant manager Jeff Sullivan says one of four furnaces was being cleaned when the cleaning apparatus struck a value, dumping the aluminum on the floor. No one was hurt. The spill was expected to be cleaned up in time for the second shift. A damage estimate was not available. The aluminum covered an area ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 square feet.

Associated Press

Why does a ball go farther when hit with an aluminum bat?

Babe Ruth's Baseball Bat

Asif Shakur, Chair of Physics and Engineering at Salisbury State University, gives the following explanation:

Aluminum is a hard material. It doesn't have a lot of "give." In other words, aluminum is highly elastic. Therefore, very little of the ball's initial kinetic energy (the energy associated with motion) is used up in permanently deforming the aluminum. Indeed, the aluminum springs back quickly and the ball retains much of its initial energy. In contrast, wood is less elastic: it is deformed permanently and to a greater extent than aluminum. As a result, a ball colliding with a wooden bat, such as the replica of Babe Ruth's Louisville Slugger (below), loses more of its initial kinetic energy. At the extreme, a ball colliding with silly putty--a plastic that is completely inelastic--could lose almost all its kinetic energy.

During an elastic collision, a ball experiences an incredibly large force for an incredibly short time, causing it to reverse direction at a speed that can be greater than its initial speed. For example, a bullet gains speed when it ricochets off an approaching artillery shell, but looses almost all of its kinetic energy when shot into a wooden block. One must be very careful to distinguish between the expressions "losing kinetic energy" and "losing energy." The total energy is not lost; the kinetic energy is transformed into other forms of energy such as heat. Although heat is a wonderful thing on a cold morning, it does not make our ball move any faster.
The law of conservation of momentum--a profound physical law--governs the motion of colliding objects. An object's momentum equals the product of its mass and its velocity, or mv. And conservation means that the total momentum of objects entering into a collision equals their total momentum after the collision. This law holds whether the collision is elastic or inelastic. On the other hand, the objects' kinetic energy--equal to 1/2mv2--before the collision is not necessarily equal to the kinetic energy after the collision. Indeed, elastic collisions are characterized by the conservation of kinetic energy, whereas inelastic collisions are characterized by the "loss" of kinetic energy into heat, sound and so forth.

Unfortunately, the only way to make this discussion more cogent is to resort to equations. Consider a bullet of mass m and speed v colliding with a stationary block of wood of mass M. After the collision, the bullet is lodged in the wood and the "system" of both the bullet and the block move with a common speed V. Conservation of momentum then says that mv + 0 = (m+M)V. It would be incorrect to write a "conservation of kinetic energy" equation for this case, along the lines of 1/2mv2 +0 = 1/2(M+m)V2. That equation is patently incorrect. In fact, the first equation implies that the second cannot be true! Try yourself by plugging in some numbers. To further elucidate this point, let us calculate the ratio of the kinetic energy of the bullet and block system and the initial kinetic energy of the bullet: what is 1/2(M+m)V2 divided by 1/2mv2?

From the first equation, we know that V = m/(M+m). Substituting this value into our ratio, we find that the kinetic energy of the bullet and block divided by the kinetic energy of bullet alone equals m/(M+m). If m is 10 grams and M is 990 grams, the bullet loses more than 99 percent of its initial kinetic energy.

The moral of the story is that if you want the ball to have a high speed (lots of kinetic energy), make sure that the collision is as close to being elastic as possible. Of course, this begs the question: Why not use a big, bad steel bat? But that's another story for another day!

From www.sciam.com

How to Get Aluminum From Bauxite

An employee at the Alcoa San Ciprian, Spain, plant examines a conveyor belt
full of bauxite, the ore from which aluminum is made.

This video from the Discovery Channel shows the process by which aluminum is made from bauxite.

View the video.

Learn more.

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CastExpo'08 Highlights Global Warming, Energy Costs

U.S. dependence on oil, escalating energy costs, and climate change legislation are all important issues facing metalcasters today. All three of these topics will be featured at the 112th Metalcasting Congress to be held in conjunction with CastExpo'08 this May in Atlanta.The U.S. dependence on petroleum for transportation fuels has been a great cause for concern. The Hoyt Memorial Lecture, "FreedomCAR and Casting: Research & Development of Cast Automotive Components," by Joseph Carpenter Jr., U.S. Department of Energy, on Monday, May 19, at 10:15 a.m., highlights the latest research in advanced automotive technologies aimed at reducing reliance on petroleum for transportation. The lecture will focus on the major role cast aluminum and magnesium automotive components have played in the research. Global climate change legislation is a hot topic; however, its final effect on the metalcasting industry remains to be seen. The special session, "Global Warming and the Metalcasting Industry," on Tuesday, May 20, at 8:30 a.m., will inform you of AFS's involvement in climate change issues, define key issues, preview pending legislation, and describe potential costs of compliance. Plan to attend this session to gain awareness of the potential effect global warming legislation will have on your operation.The cost of energy is a big part of the operating budget for metalcasting facilities, and any reduction in energy consumption results in direct bottom-line savings. The special congress workshop, "Forum on Energy Savings," on Tuesday, May 20, at 10:00 a.m., focuses on simple changes metalcasting facilities can make that result in major reductions in these costs. Using metalcasting facility case studies, the workshop will demonstrate how practical energy saving techniques can be applied immediately to your operation.The AFS Town Hall Meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 17, at 11:30 a.m., will review the latest programs offered by AFS/CMI, as well as a chance to meet the AFS National Officers, Board of Directors and staff. Come prepared to discuss current and future metalcasting issues.Don't wait. Register early at reduced rates at www.castexpo.com.

Yamaha to introduce DiASil cylinder in India

Parallel to a slew of launches, Yamaha Motor India is aiming to demonstrate its technological prowess with the launch of DiASil Cylinder in the Indian market. Yamaha “DiASil Cylinder” is used on the new 150cc YZF-R15 which was unveiled at Auto Expo 2008 and will be released in the market later this year.

Developed in 2002 by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd, Yamaha “DiASil Cylinder” is an all-aluminum die-cast cylinder with 60% better cooling performance and 30% cheaper production cost than a conventional cylinder. Yamaha “DiASil Cylinder”, is the world’s first all-aluminum die-cast cylinder and it achieves cooling performance equivalent to that of a nickel-plated cylinder, which is currently recognized as the best in the industry, but at a significantly lower production cost than a nickel-plated cylinder.

“DiASil", an abbreviation for "Die-casting Aluminum-Silicon", is a technology which brings together an ideal combination of material, manufacturing technology and environmental friendliness. The material used is a 20% silicon content aluminum alloy, the manufacturing technology is the Yamaha CF Aluminum Die-cast Technology, which enables the production of an all-aluminum die-cast cylinder. It is Yamaha’s exclusive CF Aluminum Die-cast Technology that enables the mass production of a die-cast cylinder made completely of 20% silicon content aluminum alloy, something that could not be done with conventional die casting methods.

According to Mr. Sanjay Tripathi, Head of Dept- Product Planning & Strategy, “Conventional engine cylinders have a steel liner to reduce the friction resulting from the piston's movement. The "DiASil" cylinder is made by the exclusive Yamaha Aluminum Controlled Forging (CF) technology. Because the "DiASil" Cylinder is all aluminum, it has excellent heat dissipation qualities and reduces engine weight at the same time. In comparison to cast steel liner type aluminum cylinders, the DiASil cylinder has 60% better cooling performance at 30% lower manufacturing cost and enables 30% lighter design which results in better power to weight ratio besides excellent recyclability”.

“Considering the environment-friendly nature of aluminum, we have made aluminum technologies part of our core technology and actively increasing the use of aluminum in our products. Our CF Aluminum Die-cast Technology enables the mass production of die-cast aluminum parts that are both thinner and larger than was possible in the past. This same technology has been applied to the manufacture of engine parts. This is also a technology that can be easily transferred to overseas Yamaha manufacturing bases. Yamaha also plans to apply to new areas automobile and outboard motor engine parts”, he added.

This next-generation technology promises to contribute to improved function and product quality for the majority of Asian market motorcycles and automobiles that presently use conventional pistons with cast steel liners.

Sourced From: Mavcomm Consulting Pvt Ltd

Honda Says Aluminum Use May Increase on Steel Price

By Naoko Fujimura and Hiroshi Matsui

Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Honda Motor Co., Japan's second- largest automaker, said competition won't allow carmakers to pass on higher steel costs to consumers, which may accelerate the use of more aluminum in cars.

``The consumer won't accept price increases,'' President Takeo Fukui told reporters in Tokyo today. ``We may see a quicker shift to aluminum.''

Nippon Steel Corp., JFE Holdings Inc., and Posco, Asia's three largest steelmakers, agreed to a 65 percent increase in iron ore prices with Cia. Vale do Rio Doce, the companies said separately on Feb. 18. Honda, Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co. and Japan's other vehicle makers may pay a total of 200 billion yen ($1.87 billion) more for steel next fiscal year, according to analysts.
``We need to lower costs with our production process and procurement,'' as steel will remain as main material for autos for the time being, Fukui said.

Tokyo-based Honda plans to offer more fuel-efficient vehicles as the price of oil rises. Honda aims to make hybrids accounting for 10 percent of its global volume around 2010, Fukui said. Honda's sales goal for 2010 is 4.5 million vehicles.

Hybrid Plans

Honda will release a five-seat hybrid in 2009, aiming to sell 200,000 vehicles a year. Fukui also said sales of a hybrid sports car based on the CR-Z prototype unveiled in Tokyo in October may total about 100,000 units a year. The only hybrid Honda sells now is a version of its Civic small car.

The U.S., where Honda gets 41 percent of vehicle sales may not be entering a recession, as the company keeps posting record sales in areas including the East Cost and the Midwest, Fukui said. Still, sales in California and Florida, two states heavily affected by the crisis in subprime mortgages, have dropped, he said.

``I expect auto demand in the U.S. to remain firm,'' Fukui said. ``A shift to smaller cars from light trucks will probably continue''

ASM's Newest Aluminum Title Now on Sale

Properties of Aluminum Alloys: Fatigue Data and Effects of Temperature, Product Form, and Process Variables

One of the most comprehensive collections of fatigue data yet available for aluminum alloys, temperatures, and products. The data, including over 1,000 curves and numerous tables, are presented in a consistent format, conveniently arranged by alloy and temper.
Editor: J.G. Kaufman

Price: $220 / ASM Member: $176

Prepublication Price: $198.00 ASM Member: $159.00

Effects of ultrasonic vibration on degassing of aluminum alloys

Recent research on aluminum degassing

Hanbing Xu, Qingyou Han and Thomas T. Meek, Effects of ultrasonic vibration on degassing of aluminum alloys, Materials Science and Engineering: AVolume 473, Issues 1-2, , 25 January 2008, Pages 96-104. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6TXD-4NJ0TJG-1/2/ca2e31f0340a039b472216f225528b04)

Abstract: In order to investigate the effects of ultrasonic vibration on degassing of aluminum alloys, three experimental systems have been designed and built: one for ultrasonic degassing in open air, one for ultrasonic degassing under reduced pressure, and one for ultrasonic degassing with a purging gas. Experiments were first carried out in air to test degassing using ultrasonic vibration alone. The limitations with ultrasonic degassing were outlined. Further experiments were then performed under reduced pressures and in combination with purging argon gas. Experimental results suggest that ultrasonic vibration alone is efficient for degassing a small volume of melt. Ultrasonic vibration can be used for assisting vacuum degassing, making vacuum degassing much faster than that without using ultrasonic vibration. Ultrasonically assisted argon degassing is the fastest method for degassing among the three methods tested in this research. More importantly, dross formation during ultrasonically assisted argon degassing is much less than that during argon degassing. The mechanisms of ultrasonic degassing are discussed.

doi:10.1016/j.msea.2007.04.040 Available through sciencedirect.com

Getting bored.. try this new aluminum contour bottles...

Coca-Cola is testing a new set of contoured aluminum bottles for it iconic namesake brand.

At the annual Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference here Coke is offering sleek new 250 ml aluminum bottles in red, black and silver for regular Coke, Coke Zero and Diet Coke.

A Coke spokesman said via email that the new bottles are a concept the company is "piloting."

"We wanted to provide the analysts (at the conference) with a snapshot of some of our ideas currently in the pipeline," he said. A sign by the vending machine at the Florida conference says that "the new design is a modern interpretation of the classic contour bottle in aluminum form." The new bottles aren't currently available in stores, but have appeared at select events and some night clubs.

The Coke spokesman said the success of the pilot programs would be one of the factors the company would consider before deciding if it wants to launch the new bottles nationally. He declined to say what the other determining factors would be.

-By Anjali Cordeiro, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-2408; anjali.cordeiro@ dowjones.com


On the other side, listen to what Container Recycling Institute said about this new contour can ....


The Container Recycling Institute, today, announced a campaign to discourage Coke from going nationwide with their new can that's shaped like a contour bottle. "Coke's contour can," said Pat Franklin, Executive Director of CRI, "is costly to consumers and costly to the environment. All the consumer gets for the higher cost of the shapely, contour can is more waste and more pollution."

Franklin says the contour can holds the same amount of Coke Classic (12 fluid ounces) as Coke's standard aluminum cans, but is 8 mm taller and 2 grams heavier -- using 15 percent more aluminum than a regular, straight-walled Coke can. The shape of the can was inspired by the original contour glass Coca-Cola bottle, which according to the President of Coke USA, is "one of the world's most powerful equities with consumers."

"Mimicking the refillable, glass bottle, creates the image that the contour can is environmentally-friendly," said Franklin. "But in fact, the contour can creates more waste and more pollution and uses more water and more energy in its production than the standard can, and is many times more wasteful than the refillable glass bottle."

The new can is being marketed in Terre Haute, IN, the city where Coke's glass bottle was first patented in 1915, and four other cities: San Angelo, TX; Tucson and Sierra Vista, AZ and Las Cruces, NM. CRI has been organizing activists in the test-market cities, in an effort to discourage Coke from going nationwide with the can.

CRI estimates that the contour can will consume an additional 25 million pounds of aluminum a year, if it is introduced nationwide. With a 64 percent recycling rate, the institute estimates that approximately 9 million pounds will end up in landfills annually. CRI maintains that the introduction of the contour can flies in the face of the Coca-Cola Co.'s "commitment to the environment", as expressed in their publication, The Coca-Cola Company & The Environment. In that publication they declare, ". . . we have a responsibility to the billions of people . . . and that responsibility includes conducting our business in ways that protect and preserve the environment."

"If Coke goes to the national market with the contour can," said Franklin, "it will reverse the environmental policy of the world's leading soft drink manufacturer, and turn the clock backwards on source reduction."

# # #



NOTE: CRI is encouraging consumers to do four things to help prevent nationwide marketing of Coke's contour can.

1. Sign a petition showing their opposition to Coke's newest package
2. Write a letter to the editor of their local newspaper,
3. Send a check to 'Kick the Can Campaign', c/o The Container Recycling Institute
4. DON'T BUY COKE IN CONTOUR CANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

News Release
Container Recycling Institute1911 Ft. Myer Drive, Suite 900Arlington, Virginia 22209703/276-9800 fax 276-9587

Effect of alloying elements (Silicon)

Pure aluminium melts at 660.4°C it is not suitable for casting and is only used for electrical applications (where high conductivity is essential), and a few other special applications. Most casting alloys contain silicon as the major alloying element. Silicon forms a eutectic with aluminium at 11.7% Si, 577°C. Silicon additions improve casting characteristics by improving fluidity, feeding and hot tear resistance. The silicon-rich phase is hard, so the hardness of the alloy is increased with Si content but ductility and machinability are reduced.

The eutectic alloys have the highest fluidity for a given casting temperature and having a short freezing range, they solidify with primary shrinkage. They are good for thin section castings. Where higher strength is needed, the lower silicon alloys are used. The hypereutectic alloys are difficult to machine, they are used for wear-resistant applications such as pistons. To better refine primary silicon in hypereutectic alloys, P is often used.

Lifetime evaluation of two different hot work tool steels in aluminium extrusion

by C. Sommitsch, R. Sievert, T. Wlanis and C. Redl

During aluminium extrusion, the die experience cyclic thermo-mechanical loads that can lead to materials degradation and failure. For a process optimization and a comparison of different hot work tool steels, the finite element method is an appropriate means. Local inelastic strains result from the interaction of the applied temperature and stress loading and can be computed by suitable inelastic constitutive equations. Stress amplitudes and dwell times during extrusion result in creep-fatigue damage. A lifetime consumption model sums increments of a damage variable over time and defines materials failure as the accumulation of the resulting damage variable to a critical value. The procedure for the identification of the material parameters for both the constitutive and the damage model is described in detail, including the material parameters for the description of time-effects, and applied to the hot work tool steel Böhler W300 ISOBLOC (EN 1.2343). The lifetime consumption for two different hot work tool steels is compared on the basis of an example in aluminium extrusion.

Computational Materials Science

doi:10.1016/j.commatsci.2007.07.054

Keywords: Extrusion; Creep; Fatigue; Viscoplasticity; Aging; Failure