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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Cardiff-based aluminium fabricator Dudley’s Aluminium announced that it has won a new Cardiff Capital Quarter student accommodation contract worth £1million. The company will install the Kawneer capped curtain walling, windows and doors as well as state-of-the-art doors. Work will begin early next year on the project and may complete in November. Colin Shorney, Managing Director of Dudley’s commented: “We are thrilled to have secured the new Cardiff Capital Quarter student accommodation contract and to be working with ISG plc again." “We have worked with ISG on a number of projects, including the new BBC Cymru Wales headquarters, so we are happy to be working with them again on the construction of the new student accommodation. The project is sure to be an exciting one that will bring a...
LME aluminium climbed higher on Friday, December 1, supported by the encouraging manufacturing data from most of Europe and Asia. The light metal which had closed at US$2,033 per tonne on Thursday, December 30, rose by about half a dollar to close at US$2,046.50 per tonne on Friday. It is unlikely that LME aluminium will be able to hold on to this gain. There are possibilities that aluminium price will again decline; and even if there is any rise, it will be limited within a narrow range. As on December 1, LME official cash buyer aluminium price (Bid Price) stands at US$2,046 per tonne, cash seller & settlement aluminium price (Offer price) is US$2,046.50 per tonne, 3M Bid Price is US$2,060 per tonne, 3M Offer Price is US$2,062 per tonne, Dec1 Bid Price is US$2,110 per tonne, and Dec1...
Novelis Inc., the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, today announced a $4.5 million manufacturing investment at its facility in Warren, Ohio. The investment in state-of-the-art technology provides greater versatility for pretreatments, improves operational efficiency and reduces costs over time. Novelis’ Warren facility has 75 employees dedicated to applying coating to rolled aluminum sheet. The sheet is then used for production of lids for the tops of aluminum beverage cans, producing enough for more than one billion beverage can lids each month. “We are thrilled to announce this local investment,” said Paul Nelson, Plant Manager. “Due to a steady U.S. can market and Novelis’ strong financial performance across the globe, we are making the investments necessary to sustain...
China’s winter production cuts to curb smog have sent commodity prices higher. That’s no solace for aluminium producers in India as fuel and raw material costs are rising faster than the prices of the base metal. Yet, Hindalco Ltd. is best placed among its peers to beat the winter chill, brokerage Axis Capital said. It’s insulated from the rising costs of alumina given that its plants are fully integrated and can source bauxite requirement internally, the brokerage said. The Aditya Birla Group company has also secured almost its entire coal requirement through captive mines and linkages, it said. Alumina prices rose 50 percent in the last one year compared to a 22 percent gain in aluminium on the London Metal Exchange, a Macquarie report said. China’s decision to shut illegal smelters on...
Alro S.A., the largest aluminium producer in Continental Europe (except Russia and Scandinavia), announced it recently signed three-year USD 167 million credit facility from eight banks. The transaction and the club of eight banks was led by RBI Group (Raiffeisen Bank International and Raiffeisen Bank Romania acting jointly) as the sole Coordinator. The club includes OTP Bank Romania, Unicredit Bank, Banca Comercială Intesa Sanpaolo Romania, Banca Transilvania, Banca de Export-Import a României (Eximbank) and Garanti Bank. “The deal extends with three years its existing USD 137 million revolving credit facility from December 2015 and adds a new USD 30 million letter of credit line,” according to company press release. "This revolving facility aims funding the working capital needs of the...
TWI has recently showcased the world’s largest Linear Friction Welded (LFW) component – an aluminium wing rib for commercial aircraft. Comprising 22 rib feet joined to a 2.5 metre long baseplate, the wing rib is designed to strengthen an aircraft’s wings, and TWI’s use of LFW has opened up a new manufacturing route for these components. The LFW process also opens up potential for improved part performance and reduced production costs for the aviation industry. A prototype was originally developed by TWI as part of the ‘STeM’ programme funded by Innovate UK and GKN Aerospace and the wing rib first exhibited at the Farnborough air show in 2015. However, the innovative new design was more recently shown, in a part-machined condition, at the Advanced Engineering Show at the NEC in Birmingham...
We are nearing the end of 2017, and Malaysia’s bauxite export still continues to remain a riddle for the industry. Even after almost two years of banning bauxite mining to force illegal miners to meet environmental standards, Malaysia’s bauxite exports to one of its major markets- China have been continuing, though the volume has shrunk considerably in October 2017. As per export-import data shared by China’s General Administration of Customs, bauxite export by Malaysia to China in October totalled 87,936 tonnes, down 65.37 per cent from the previous month. During January-November, total bauxite export by Malaysia to China totalled 4,690,766 tonnes, down 30.7 per cent year-on-year. Malaysia halted bauxite mining in January 2016, but allowed exports to continue to deplete vast stockpiles...
Aluminium alloy prices in major markets of China improved slightly after 4-days of consecutive decline since November 27. From RMB 16,150 per tonne on Monday, the average aluminium alloy price has declined to RMB 15,850 per tonne, as on November 30. Today, Aluminium Alloys (ADC12) price has increased by RMB 50 to stand at RMB 15,900 per tonne. As updated by Shanghai Metals Market on December 1, the price ranges, average prices and change in prices of aluminium alloys in major regional markets of China are as follows: A00 Aluminium Ingot price is ranging at RMB 14,290-14.330 per tonne with the average price at RMB 14,310 per tonne, up by RMB 150 from the earlier price. Premium and discount in aluminium spot market is moving within the range of RMB -190~-150 per tonne, as on December 1. In...
Mytilineos, a Greece-based industrial group, will soon become Europe’s biggest alumina producer after finalizing a $400 million alumina investment at a meeting on December 22. The company is expected to start construction of new alumina refinery in 2018. Mytilineos' Chief Executive Officer Evangelos Mytilineos told Reuters in an interview on Thursday, “We hope to start building the new alumina plant ... with an (annual) capacity of 1 million tonnes in 2018.” He added: “It will be a landmark investment, making us Europe’s top alumina producer.” Mytilineos owns the largest vertically integrated alumina and aluminium production plant in the European Union. The group already operates an alumina refinery with an annual production capacity of 820,000 tonnes.
A global aluminium producer has offered Japanese buyers a premium of $110 per tonne for primary metal shipments during the January to March period, as much as 17 percent above the current quarter, three sources directly involved in pricing talks said on Friday. Japan is Asia's biggest aluminium importer and the premiums for primary metal shipments it agrees to pay each quarter over the London Metal Exchange (LME) cash price set the benchmark for the region. For the October-December quarter, Japanese buyers agreed to pay a premium of $94-$95 per tonne, down as much as 21 percent from the prior quarter to reflect a slide in local spot premiums.
Vivocom International Holdings Bhd, a supplier of telecommunication engineering, construction and aluminium design and fabrication services, announced results for the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2017 (3QFY17). The company reported fall in net profit in the third quarter 2017 to RM6.27 million from RM12.15 million. During January- September, net profit decreased to RM17.22 million from RM53.03 million. Vivocom’s revenue increased to RM61.45 million in the third quarter ended Sept 30, 2017, from RM55.91 million a year ago. During January- September, revenue dropped to RM148.42 million from RM319.01 million. “The Aluminium segment contributed 26.8% of the total revenue for the current financial quarter ended 30 September 2017.” “For current financial quarter and year-to-date, Aluminium...
A host of unconducive macroeconomic factors is driving LME aluminium price below its support level. The dollar index at 93.17 is edging higher on some progress being made in US tax reform, the effect of production reduction in China is still not getting reflected in downstream purchase behaviour, and raw material prices are falling across the board. As a result, LME aluminium which started at US$2,188 per tonne at the beginning of November is falling rapidly unable to hold grounds. The light metal contract dropped from the previous day’s close of US$2,062 per tonne and ended at US$2,033 per tonne on November 30. As on November 30, LME official cash buyer aluminium price (Bid Price) stands at US$2,032.50 per tonne, cash seller & settlement aluminium price (Offer price) is US$2,033 per...
The Aluminum Association applauds the United States Department of Commerce’s decision today to self-initiate antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on imports of common alloy sheet from the People’s Republic of China. The Commerce Department will now conduct investigations of whether imports of common alloy sheet from China are being sold in the United States at unfairly low prices, as well as whether Chinese producers of common alloy sheet are receiving actionable subsidies from the Government of China. “The Aluminum Association and its members enthusiastically support the decision announced today by the Department of Commerce and Secretary Wilbur Ross to self-initiate unfair trade investigations concerning imports of common alloy sheet from China,” stated Heidi Brock,...
Leading British manufacturer, distributor, and recycler of PVC-housing products Eurocell recently added to its product portfolio a breakthrough aluminium bi-fold door system. StudioGlide with its minimalistic deign and sightlines promises maximum performance, minimum maintenance and unlimited flexibility. Eurocell developed the aluminium bi-fold system for both residential and commercial projects. It is scaleable to frame heights as high as 2.5m and widths of up to 6.5m and hence, can fit any aperture. StudioGlide ensures top security despite its ‘glass wall’ appearance, as it comes with full PAS 24 accreditation. The aluminium panel is also glazed from the inside to enhance security. Eurocell has used bespoke gaskets in the aluminium bi-fold door system to get the best weather...
South Korea, the 7th largest export economy in the world, exported $483 billion worth of goods in 2016. The country’s exports decreased at an annualized rate of -6.156% during the last five year years. South Korea exported 262 tonnes of alumina in October to China, one of the major trade partners. According to the latest data published by China General Customs, the country exported 1,641 tonnes of alumina during January- October 2017, an increase of 20 per cent. South Korea exported an estimated 20794 tonnes of alumina in 2015. The amount increased to 28737 tonnes in 2016. The country is estimated to increase its export of alumina of about 29828 tonnes in 2017. The total estimated export revenue stood at USD 28.4 million in 2015. South Korea’s revenue stood at about USD 27.9 million in...
The Netherlands based lifeboat manufacturer Verhoef has won the first delivery contract of aluminium freefall lifeboats for the Valhall Flank West project in Norway. The lifeboats with electric propulsion named Valhall Flank West will be used for the first time on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and globally. The special lifeboat is designed for higher speed and minimal maintenance, thanks to its exclusive lightweight aluminium built. It is powered by an electric motor instead of a diesel engine that will give an added advantage. The all-aluminium freefall lifeboat Type FL50-NS-EP is built to accommodate maximum 32 persons (@100 kg body weight), and complies with DNV-GL-ST-E406. The battery pack can power a continuous 30-minutes sail at full speed, and 10 hours after that, at almost half...
Hydro today announced two new low-carbon aluminium products, designed to help customers reach their sustainability goals and meet the demand from ever more climate-conscious consumers. The new products will be independently certified by DNV GL. The new products are: Hydro 4.0: hydropower-based aluminium with a maximum content of 4.0 kg CO2 per kg aluminium, and; Hydro 75R: aluminium with a guaranteed post-consumer recycled content of minimum 75 percent Climate strategy converted into products "We are proud of our industry-leading climate strategy that has resulted in producing aluminium with the lowest energy consumption and the lowest emissions in the world, and our aim to become carbon-neutral from a life-cycle perspective by 2020. As every part of our aluminum production is managed...
China expressed dissatisfaction after the U.S. initiated antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations of imports of alloy aluminium sheet from China. China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said that it would take necessary measures to safeguard the legal interests of Chinese companies. "This practice by the US side is very rare in the history of international trade,” Ministry of Commerce said in a statement. "China expresses strong dissatisfaction towards the tendency of trade protectionism displayed by the US." On Tuesday, the US Commerce Department launched investigations into Chinese common alloy aluminium sheet. In 2016, imports of common alloy sheet from China were valued at an estimated $603.6 million. Secretary Wilbur Ross said: “We are self-initiating the first trade case...
