Getting a clean, smooth finish while removing material quickly is not always easy when machining high-strength aluminium alloys. A new study on AA7075-T6 aluminium alloy has explored this challenge, identifying two different sets of drilling conditions to improve surface quality and maximise machining productivity. The research examined how cutting speed, feed rate and drill depth influence conventional drilling performance. Using response surface methodology and a central composite design, the researchers developed predictive models to determine how changes in these parameters affect the machining process. The models showed a strong level of accuracy, with coefficients of determination (R²) reaching 0.9731 for surface roughness and 0.9359 for material removal rate. Further confirmation...
Cleaner aluminium depends on three things going right at once: scrap collection, melting it in a furnace without much carbon, and the electricity behind the whole chain not being coal-powered. Developments across North America, the UK, the European Union (EU), Egypt, Thailand, Malaysia and India depict how unevenly those pieces are falling into place. While some markets are losing recoverable metal at the sorting line, others are redirecting cargoes or writing scrap into industrial policy, and a few are lining up green projects to hold primary aluminium production together. Aluminium scrap trade: North America leads, Thailand bans, EU retains The international aluminium scrap market is facing a combination of changing trade flows and growing pressure to secure cleaner, more consistent...
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Metro Mining Limited signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding regarding a bauxite offtake agreement with the Chinese State-owned Enterprise, SPIC Aluminium and Electric Power Investment Co. Ltd. Metro will supply 6.5 million tonnes of bauxite over a period of four years from May 2018. Metro Mining Managing Director Simon Finnis said: “Once again this demonstrates the strong appetite for our bauxite in the Chinese refining market, and validates our mining and marketing strategy.” “Construction at the Bauxite Hills Mine is virtually complete, and is on schedule to commence production in April 2018, following the end of the Cape York wet season.” Metro Mining will initially supply 500,000 tonnes of bauxite in 2018, 1 million tonnes in 2019, 2 million in 2020 and 3 million in 2021....
Aluminum "pull tabs" from soda cans can be easily recycled and the fund collected from that can be used for various charity works. At Russellville, proceeds from soda can tab recycling are being used to help many children who are sick and in need of care at Shriners Hospitals. Those aluminium "pull tabs" from soda cans should be pulled off before throwing the can into the recycling bin. One can put them in a box, a jar, a plastic container, or any other storage place and save them throughout the year. Once the collection is complete, one can bring them to Hickory Hill Florist in Russellville and they will take care of the rest. On Saturday, Dec. 16, members of the local Shriners took 482 pounds of tabs collected this year to Dean's Recycling. The proceeds, as part of the Shriners Tab...
Once again the WorldStar competition, organised by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), has recognised excellence in aluminium foil innovation by naming four winning entries from the Alufoil Trophy 2017 in its own list of winners. Amcor and Constantia Flexibles provided the successful entries in the prestigious and globally recognised WorldStar competition. In the food category Constantia Flexibles scooped three of the WPO’s awards for products for very diverse uses. The Bone Shaped Container for wet dog food features very high-impact printing for maximum shelf appeal, as well as being lightweight and easy to stack when empty. The second Star was awarded to a container and lid combination for Bäckerei Stiebling’s Cakees ready to eat cake products, enabling them to be kept at ambient...
Alro, the largest aluminium smelter in the Central and non-CIS Eastern European region has signed a partnership agreement with Quintiq, a Dassault Systèmes company and global leader in supply chain planning and optimisation (SCP&O) under which, Quintiq would provide capacity planning, inventory management and production scheduling support capabilities. A subsidiary of the world’s seventh largest aluminium producer Vimetco N.V., Alro aims to boost production and delivery performance while keeping costs low and minimising scrap generation. The company also plans to reach out to highly demanding sectors such as aerospace and automotive. Quintiq’s solutions will help Alro reach these goals and maintain its regional dominance. The company can have complete visibility over its entire supply...
The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) was encouraged by the initiation of the 232 Investigation and the implication that President Trump was going to take on the greatest risk to the future of the U.S. aluminum industry - China. AEC members stood up to China’s illegal and unfair trade policies with the imposition of antidumping orders in 2011. As a result of these orders, AEC member companies have made significant new investments that enabled the industry to offer new products and technologies for transportation, defense, automotive light-weighting, and many other applications. However, the Administration risks ignoring the China problem by imposing trade restrictions on imports from other countries which could shut off the supply of primary aluminum and threaten the ability of downstream...
According to the latest USGS release on Bauxite and Alumina in the Third Quarter 2017 , imports of crude and dried bauxite by the U.S. in Q3 2017 were 914,000 tonnes, 13% more than the revised total of 812,000 tonnes in the second quarter of 2017. However, on a YoY basis, import of bauxite drops 20% from the amount in the third quarter of 2016 and 68% less than those in the third quarter of 2015. Imports of crude and dried bauxite in the third quarter of 2016 were 1.14 million tonnes. Imports of crude and dried bauxite in the first quarter of 2017 were 790,000 tons, 47% less than 1.51 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2016. Though the imports are falling YoY, they are up quarter on quarter in 2017. The decrease in bauxite imports YOY is attributable to the temporary and permanent...
Chinese coal prices, which have fluctuated between CNY550-750/t (US$83.60-114/t) in the past two years, are set to ease going forward, as it is anticipated that the country's policy makers will allow Chinese miners to increase production again in response to prices reaching the upper range of US$100/t in Newcastle. Coal producers outside China are also ramping up production, tempted by the higher prices realised in 2017. US exports have been reported to expand at the highest pace in the last five years, while in Colombia and Australia coal supply is improving. Meanwhile, seaborne demand from key importers such as China and India is anticipated to contract as domestic output expands. The resulting oversupply is expected to lower prices for seaborne coal with Newcastle prices falling from...
The British defence and aerospace company BAE Systems has received a US$45.3 million contract from the U.S. Navy to modernize its guided missile cruiser USS Anzio (CG 68). The contract includes elaborate repair work on-board the 567-foot-long Anzio and replacement of critical aluminium structures with new ones. BAE Systems will conduct the modernization work at its shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia. The location also happens to be the ship’s homeport. On completion after six months, the cumulative value of the project is estimated to go up to $53.1 million. The work is expected to begin in February next year. “As our team wraps up the first stage of modernization work aboard the Vicksburg, we look forward to the arrival of the Anzio soon afterwards to start its cruiser-mod program,” Vice...
Value-addition is “in” in all the industrial metal manufacturing sectors, especially in the emerging economies where infrastructure overhaul is in full swing. India’s JSW Steel recently launched JSW Everglow- an aluminium zinc-coated housing solution made of technologically superior steel. The product was launched for Kerala market. JSW Everglow is a super-premium steel product coated with aluminium-zinc compound. It also features a highly durable polyester (SDP) paint coating and bottom colour paint coating which makes it ideally suited for interior accent as well strong roofing solution. With this product launch JSW Steel has reinforced its focus on value-added steel portfolio. JSW Steel has developed a wide-range of innovative products leveraging its technological capabilities. Its...
The dichotomy of alumina and aluminium remains on the same page as alumina is falling on the price curve while primary aluminium is recovering from the recent fall that started in November. Spot alumina price in China has dropped from the year’s high of RMB 3730/t in November first week to RMB 2881/t today. Domestic alumina prices have also slipped to RMB 2850/t today. Aluminium price rise has been slow due to falling prices of alumina. The contract rose overnight yesterday December 20 on news of potentially lower alumina output due to natural gas shortage. SMM however observes that alumina production would not be impacted much as most producers use coal gas as fuel. Another factor that is keeping alumina prices low is its high inventory driven by slow demand from smelters. Spot alumina...
The uptrend in LME aluminium seems to be lacking momentum. With alumina prices declining in China domestic market (US$438 per tonne as on December 21 down from US$538 per tonne on November 21) the light metal contract is expected to rise but within a narrow range. Technical analysis suggests that LME aluminium will range at US$2,110-2,140 per tonne on Thirsday, December 21. As on December 19, LME official cash buyer aluminium price (Bid Price) stands at US$2,091.50 per tonne, cash seller & settlement aluminium price (Offer price) is US$2,092 per tonne, 3M Bid Price is US$2,113 per tonne, 3M Offer Price is US$2,114 per tonne, Dec1 Bid Price is US$2,157 per tonne, and Dec1 Offer Price is US$2,162 per tonne. LME aluminium Opening Stock or the LME aluminium inventory level stands at 1107975...
Alro S.A. ,the largest aluminium producer in Continental Europe (except Russia and Scandinavia), has established the first dual education class in the Olt county. The project was actively supported by the Slatina Technical Metallurgic College and by the Slatina City Hall. "Alro’s long-term strategy focuses on increasing production and diversifying the range of products", says Gheorghe Dobra, Alro General Manager. "Human resources are the main asset on which this strategy is based. We need specialized employees, able to implement our expansion plans and help us penetrate new markets. And we are willing to invest in them, by helping the formation of the next generation of aluminium specialists. We are confident that the dual education program will be a success and we intend to expand it,...
Canada has been operating in the primary aluminium sector since 1901 when the Northern Aluminum Company (now Rio Tinto Alcan) established its first smelter in in Shawinigan, Québec. Canada ranks fourth in world aluminium production after China, Middle East and Russia contributing nearly 6% of world production. Québec lies at the heart of Canada’s aluminium production with the presence of Alcoa, Rio Tinto Alcan and Alouette, three major aluminium players operating eight world-class primary smelters in the province and producing 2.9 million tonnes of primary aluminium, or 60% of total North American production. However, Québec is not only about the primary aluminium industry. The industry is also supported by a group of equipment and technology providers who not only supplies to the...
The price of A00 ingot in China is continuing its recovery after the fall through November and December. Average A00 ingot price has increased further to stand at RMB 14,310/t on December 20 from RMB 14,180/t on December 19. As updated by Shanghai Metals Market, the primary ingot prices registered some increase in the domestic markets too. The price is expected to range within RMB 14290 – 14,330 per tonne. According to an update from Reuters, Ministry of Environmental Protection found five aluminium and steel producers had not limited or closed output to comply with the winter emissions cuts directives running from November 2017 to March 2018. Taiyuan East Aluminum which has refined aluminium output capacity of 100,000 tpy and aluminium rod production capacity of 50,000 tpy, with plans to...
Aleris has signed a new multi-year contract with Embraer to supply aluminum flat rolled products for use in the production of all Embraer aircraft. The renewed contract agreement includes the supply of technically advanced alloys and extends the portfolio of products for different applications. The expanded relationship demonstrates how Aleris continues to meet Embraer's high expectations as its primary supplier of aluminum flat rolled products. "Our continued investment in growing our technical capabilities has enabled us to further expand our relationship with Embraer, and we look forward to working with them to achieve their aircraft manufacturing and design goals," Sean Stack, Aleris chairman and CEO said. "With a world class aerospace aluminum plate facility in Asia Pacific, we are...
Netherlands, the 9th largest exporter in the world, shipped US$435 billion worth of goods in 2016. The country’s exports of commodities have decreased during the last five years. Aluminium containers, which are used for packaging of several commercial commodities, are non-toxic, odourless and moisture resistant. Netherlands witnessed a drop in exports of aluminium containers last year. The country’s export of this product is estimated to increase this year. According to recent estimates, Netherlands shipped 964 tonnes of aluminium containers worth US$9.5 million in 2015.Aluminium containers export from Netherlands totalled 591 tonnes and was valued at US$ 7.1 million in 2016. Netherlands is estimated to export 2908 tonnes of aluminium containers and earn revenue amounting to US$317...
U.S. President Donald Trump’s new security strategy bolsters the case for trade actions to protect U.S. economic interests on national security grounds, including possible import tariffs on steel and aluminium, a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday. The strategy document released on Monday did not specifically mention the Commerce Department’s “Section 232” investigations into whether rising steel and aluminium imports represent a threat to national security. With recommendations due in January, the probes could lead to broad tariffs or import quotas under a Cold War-era trade law. The official said the document made clear that Trump considered economic strength to be an integral part of national security and “formalizes” the link between the two. The 232 probes on steel...
Reynaers Romania, a leading European specialist in developing and marketing of innovative and sustainable solutions in aluminium for windows, doors, curtain walls, sliding systems & sun screening, is targeting a 10 per cent increase in turnover in 2018. The company also aims to achieve a turnover of EUR 7 million at the end of 2017. Reynaers Romania relocated its operations to the logistic center in the south part of Bucharest, Romania in 2017. The logistic center was commissioned at the end of 2015 with an investment of approximately EUR 1 million. The company plans to develop the distribution channel by opening a new showroom in the center of Bucharest in 2018. They also have nationwide expansion plans for 2018, starting with areas, such as Cluj, Timisoara, Sibiu and Iasi. Reynaers...
