Innovation Areas at ALUMINIUM 2014: trade fair shows new products for automotive engineering and construction

Automotive engineering and construction are among the growth and innovation drivers of the aluminium industry. That’s why the ALUMINIUM trade fair from 7 to 9 October will dedicate two special areas to the latest developments in both segments: entitled“ Automotive Innovations” and “Building Innovations” , they will feature exhibitors presenting distinguished high-tech products – from transmission casings with integrated oil passages to anti-graffiti powder coatings to modular railing systems.

Today’s cars contain approximately 150 kilograms of aluminium – a figure that is set to rise to 180 kilograms by 2020, according to estimates by the European Aluminium Association (EAA). The special area “Automotive Innovations” will showcase some of the latest aluminium solutions.

Drahtzug Stein combicore will present in Düsseldorf highly stable cores used by foundries to implement oil and cooling channels in castings. For the first time, this method enables undercuts even in high-pressure die casting. At the Innovation Area, combicore will present a transmission casing with integrated oil channels.

GLEICH Aluminium from Kaltenkirchen will come to Düsseldorf with their distortion-free and form- stable aluminium precision plate G.AL C250 ELOX Plus, which features superior properties for anodising and hard anodising.

AHC Oberflächentechnik will present a novel process for oxidising aluminium surfaces without the use of chemicals. LASOX-COAT® is a laser-based selective oxidation process for aluminium surfaces. This selective surfacing process also enables the creation of letterings or patterns.

Chemetall will present Gardo®Flex at ALUMINIUM, a new multi-metal pre-treatment for the automotive industry. The new Gardo®Flex system consists of a large number of high-performance modules utilising zinc-phosphate technology. Used on aluminium, Gardo®Flex technology helps to reduce etching on the metal surface. As a result, up to 40% less fluoride additives are needed andthe amount of phosphate sludge can be cut sharply.

Aluminium in construction: eco-friendly and sustainable
The product range on display at the special area “Building Innovations” is similarly diverse. In Germany alone, more than 500,000 tonnes of aluminium are used in building projects every year.

When it comes to façades, windows and doors, sanitation facilities, and bridge or weight-bearing structures, the material meets the highest standards of functionality, corrosion resistance, surface properties and design.

Bringing a 2x4-metre façade panel to the trade fair, Mantel Digital will demonstrate the capabilities of their DuralPrint printing system, which imitates a three-dimensional structure.

Also attending the trade fair with their architectural applications will be, among others, COSCO (JM) Aluminium with a modular railing system and Gulf Extrusions with a rain protection louvre system.

Axalta Coating Systemswill show Alesta® AntiGraffiti Outdoor at “Building Innovations”, a specialpowder coating to protect exterior façade surfaces from spray paint and markers.

AkzoNobel Powder Coatings, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of protective paints, will also demonstrate the possibilities of innovative powder coatings. The new coating “Interpon D2525 Collection Futura 2014-2017” features a total of 55 special effects.

Additional exhibitors at the special area “Building Innovations” will include MAW –Mansfelder Aluminiumwerk and Adapta Color. They’ll display manufacturing and processing techniques for the construction sector.

The two special areas will be located in Halls 12 and 13.
“Automotive Innovations”: Hall 12, Stand 12M10
“Building Innovations ” : Hall 13, Stand 13K40