Aluminium alloy powder production for additive manufacturing is set to expand through a new technical cooperation agreement between CNPC Powder China Ltd and Xi’an Bright Laser Technologies Co Ltd (BLT). The agreement covers the production and international distribution of BLT-AlAM400, an aluminium alloy powder developed for applications in humanoid robotics, new energy vehicles (NEVs), aerospace and other industrial sectors. Under the agreement, BLT has authorised Shanghai-based CNPC Powder to manufacture BLT-AlAM400 on a contract basis in China and sell the powder internationally. CNPC Powder has also secured exclusive overseas agency rights, excluding BLT’s direct sales network and existing regional agents. With an annual powder production capacity of almost 10,000 tonnes, CNPC Powder...
BorgWarner has won its first commercial order for an electric motor developed with aluminium-wire hairpin winding technology. The US automotive supplier will provide the new eMotor to a major Chinese automaker for use in hybrid vehicles, bringing the technology into its first production application. The motor uses aluminium-wire hairpin winding technology and is designed for hybrid vehicles. Its applications include generator motors and traction motors for auxiliary drive systems, with production scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. Explore AL Circle’s report ALuminium Wires & Cables - Insights & Forecast to 2030 for insights into aluminium applications, industry developments and opportunities across the electrical sector . Compared with conventional copper-wire motors with...
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Ball has collaborated with Norwegian craft brewer Lervig Aktiebryggeri, to produce packaging for selected expressions of its craft beer range. This sees Ball extending its cooperation with craft brewers, now manufacturing cans for craft beer in Norway in addition to the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain and Sweden. Using Ball’s 330ml and 500ml can, the canned offering comes in a range of eight flavours including Lucky Jack American Pale Ale, Lucky Jack Grapefruit and Sour Suzy (a.k.a Berliner Weisse). The cans reflect the premium, yet classic feel of the beer using various two-tone combinations against a silver background and display traditional Norwegian characters such as Vikings and fishermen. Beverage cans provide the perfect packaging format for craft beer, not only preserving the taste of...
Rio Tinto’s fourth quarter report for 2016 shows that the workers at Yarwun's Rio Tinto refinery achieved alumina production at record levels. For the fourth quarter of 2016, the metals and minerals company produced 2,104,000 tonnes of alumina, five per cent higher than in 2015. Rio Tinto's alumina refineries situated at Yarwun and Gove turned out 8,192,000 tonnes of alumina in 2016. The alumina refinery had a year-on-year production increase of 11 per cent. According to Rio Tinto chief executive J-S Jacques, "We have delivered strong operational performance in 2016 underpinned by our drive for efficiency and maximising cash flow.” “Our disciplined approach remains in place in 2017, with the continued focus on productivity, cost reduction and commercial excellence. “This will ensure that...
2016 has not been a truly encouraging year for scrap aluminium market. Although awareness about aluminium recycling grew manifold among the value chain players, and international bodies made it a point that the smelters, re-melters, and end use product manufacturers complied with the sustainability targets set for 2020, actual scrap aluminium trade met with strong headwinds due to downsizing and closure of operations. China was also seen buying less of the metal scrap from the international exporters as it aggressively sought to boost its internal collection network. So, what is there in store for recycled aluminium in 2017? - Let’s try to have a sneak peek. {newsStudioGallery} Aluminium scrap trade to resume pace but uncertainty remains: At last year’s ISRI Commodities Roundtable, held...
Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC) from Nagpur, India is developing an app in collaboration with the Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC) which will provide a digital database on bauxite and laterite deposits in Maharashtra. The two institutes are supported by the Geological Survey of India (GSI). The institutes will design the app based on their own database on the size, quality and accessibility of the deposits. The remote sensing satellite data will be superimposed to generate data for R&D sector and the industry. The app will be incorporated in the JNARDDC and the MoM website and will give information on the total resource, content, thickness, quality, mineralogy and lease boundary of the deposits. Users will be able to use the...
LME aluminium is continuing its rise. The contract rose for the fifth straight day to close at US$1,812 per tonne after Monday's night trading, up 1.2 per cent from the previous day. Shanghai Metals Market predicts LME aluminium will test the 5-day moving average and move in US$1,775-1,800 per tonne range on Tuesday, January 17. The contract, SMM says, has surrendered its previous gains as traders seem to be getting worried about the effect of Brexit on the UK market. As on January 16, LME official cash buyer price of aluminium stands at US$1,811.5 per tonne, cash seller & settlement price is US$1,812 per tonne, 3M buyer price is US$1,811.5 per tonne, 3M seller price is US$1,1812 pe tonne, Dec1 buyer price is US$1,848 per tonne, and Dec1 seller price is US$1,853 per tonne. The current LME...
Vedanta Limited has published the production Release for the Third Quarter and Nine months ended 31st December 2016. The metal and mining major continued ramp up of Jharsuguda-II and BALCO-II smelters. The company commenced the ramp up of the third line of the 1.25 mtpa Jharsuguda-II smelter in December 2016. The company secured supply of coal from the 6mtpa coal linkages during mid-2016. Commenting on the result, Tom Albanese, Chief Executive Officer, Vedanta Limited, said: "We have made substantial operational progress during the quarter with the enhancement of production from Zinc India and the ramp up of our Aluminium capacities..." The first line of the 1.25 mtpa Jharsuguda-II smelter was impacted by a transformer failure incident. The company is continuing the repairing work and 80...
The Odisha government and state-owned Odisha Mining Corporation entered into a partnership on Wednesday, 11 January, that will provide bauxites to the Vedanta’s Lanjigarh alumina refinery, which is not operating to its full capacity. Lanjigarh alumina refinery will get bauxite supplies from Kodingamali bauxite mines owned by Odisha Mining Corporation with total reserves of 81 million tonnes. Vedanta’s Odisha project is facing bauxite shortage after the Niyamgiri bauxite mining project was shut down, following the Supreme Court’s decision and local tribals objections. From then on, Vedanta has been pleading the state government for substitute bauxite mining. After the shutdown of Niyamgiri bauxite mining, the joint venture between Vedanta and Odisha Mining Corporation was terminated by the...
Alcoa’s aluminium smelter in Victoria has shown “progress” after Australia government offered financial assistance to the 30-year-old aluminium smelter which was damaged by a state-wide power outrage in December 2016. The smelter has been running at one-third of its 300,000-tonnes-per-year capacity since then. Australia's industry minister, Greg Hunt, and Victoria state treasurer Tim Pallas announced in a joint statement, "Significant progress has been made over the weekend, with great demonstrations of good faith from all parties working to find a solution for the future of the Portland smelter." Alcoa and AGL Energy, which provide power to Alcoa’s aluminium smelter, confirmed on Monday, in an up-to-date discussion that the smelter has made progress. However, they did not divulge any...
Aluminium has found its way into spacecraft and gadgets as formidably as it has astounded everyone as a material base for various works of art. Paintings and art installations have reached a different level of aesthetic excellence whenever the light metal with its muted, inherent grace has found a place in them. Recently, Dromahair artist Daniel Chester has come up with a series on aluminium canvas on Ireland's rural landscapes which will exhibited in Hyde Bridge Gallery Sligo from January 20 onward. The exhibition titled, 'In pursuit of stillness', will consist of a number of painting of rural landscapes inspired by the local environment of north Leitrim. The exhibition will be opened by another local and well known international artist Cormac O Leary. Speaking about his unique style of...
The Indian government announced Friday, January 13, that it is considering imposing a minimum import price (MIP) on aluminium. The MIP will help check excess cheap aluminium imports from the international market that have been hurting the bottomlines of the domestic primary producers. Balvinder Kumar of Mines Secretary commented: "The government is considering imposing MIP on aluminium… Either on this Monday or Tuesday, the Mines Ministry will send its recommendations to the Commerce Ministry." In August 2016, Aluminium Association of India met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seeking government action against cheap imports in the form of an MIP on aluminium. According to a report that they produced later, made by Mecon Engineering and MIP would help protect them from the onslaughts of cheap...
Aluminium manufacturing market in Turkey is growing at a moderately steady pace. A recent market research report by Technavio suggests the market will grow at a CAGR of about 4 per cent until 2020. The demand for aluminium in the domestic building and construction sector is seen as a major growth driver for this market. Earlier, the market was focusing mainly on the exports of downstream aluminium products, since domestic demand was low. Aluminium extrusion and flat-rolled aluminium product manufacturers would produce over 900,000 tonnes of products in a year to supply to the global companies operating in construction, automotive, and packaging sectors. However, with demand rising in the domestic market, the export volumes of these products have come down marking a year-over-year decline...
According to a Wall Street Journal report, $25 million worth of aluminium has been seized by U.S. customs officials. As sources says the stockpile may be linked to a Chinese billionaire accused of dumping cheap aluminium across the world. This is a significant step taken by federal authorities probing the activities of U.S. companies connected to Chinese aluminium magnate Liu Zhongtian in relation to the allegations that the companies are helping the Chinese aluminium major to avoid large chunk of tariff by routing the metal through other countries. In October 2016, the Wall Street Journal reported that Homeland Security and the Justice Department were investigating the matter and the agents questioned former employees of companies associated with Mr. Liu. The aluminium has become crucial...
Arconic, the newly formed engineering materials and solutions company after Alcoa’s spinoff in November 2016, has announced its plans to build a smog-eating skyscraper using 3D printing by 2062. 3D printing is forecasted to have a revolutionary change to the material processing technology in 2017. Arconic is planning to use the material EcoClean to give its concept tower the smog-eating capabilities. The titanium dioxide based coating for aluminium would have the ability to absorb toxins from the air. Sherri McCleary, Arconic chief materials scientist explained to the media, “We’re looking at optimizing the materials that can be 3D printed to give more and more options to designers and architects.” McCleary’s statement on material optimization and the new material EcoClean’s smart...
LME aluminium has been increasing steadily over the last few days. On Friday, after night trading, the contract closed at US$1,790.5 per tonne, inching higher by 0.13 per cent from the previous closing of US$1,788 per tonne on Thursday. Shanghai Metals Market predicts LME aluminium will keep rising higher on Monday, January 16, and will move in the range of US$1,810-1,830 per tonne. A fluctuating US dollar index near the lows is responsible for the rise in base metals. “The dollar now fluctuates at lows, and this will support base metal prices, but with possible declines technically,” SMM says. Iraq has also confirmed cut in oil output. So, crude oil prices will expectedly rise higher supporting the accelerating base metals on the bourse. As on January 13, LME official cash buyer price of...
Indonesia government has operated 32 mineral processing and refining corporations from 2012 to 2016 with the total sum of investment of USD20 billion in smelting industries. Deputy Chairman of Processing and Smelting Companies Association (AP3I), Jonathan Handoyo commented: “From 2012 to 2017, as many as 32 new smelters were built. The investment value was 20 billion US dollars.” He further stated that the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) has allowed most of the investors Chinese firms’ holders of industrial permits. The 32 smelting companies are involved in processing alumina and functioning in the regions of Indonesia such as Ketapang, Banten, Gresik, Konawe, Morowali and Obi Island. In 2014, Indonesia has banned on exporting bauxite and other ore in order to improve domestic...
The year 2016 is marked by a distinct shift towards value added applications in aluminium. Aluminium producers around the world fought out to find ways and means to survive the slump in the commodity market. Cost cutting and energy efficiency along with value added applications became the priorities for aluminium makers. Despite the bearish metal market, aluminium demand situation remained buoyant, especially because of the growing automotive and aerospace market. Downstream sector invested in expansion, divestment and merger & acquisition to capitalize on the growing end –user demand. Now is the time to watch out for whether these new strategies and plans will lead the industry towards the expected results or not. Automotive and aerospace sector to drive aluminium demand Aluminium in the...
The Aluminium Association of Canada (AAC) intends to review the United States filing at the WTO regarding Chinese subsidies to its aluminium industry, and views the focus on the issue as a positive step. "We welcome the use of the WTO dispute resolution system to initiate a fact-based examination of the concerns of the global aluminium industry and its workers regarding the significant oversupply of aluminium production in China", said Jean Simard, President and CEO of the AAC, adding that "the issues here are complex and the process is lengthy. The AAC will therefore take time in order to assess its implications for our Canadian industry". While China's overcapacity has and continues to have a considerable impact on the aluminium market, a fact-based examination is in the interests of...
The Fukusai-ji Temple was created in 1628 and later destroyed in 1945 in Nagasaki, Japan. Fukusai-ji was reconstructed in 1979 in the shape of a turtle with an 18-metre high aluminium alloy statue of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy. The interior of the temple has a Foucault Pendulum, attached to the top of the statue from inside and hanging down into the basement. Foucault Pendulum was the third largest in the world at 25.1 meters long at the time of erection. The turtle of the temple also comprises of silver aluminium head swinging over the door way and it gleams as the sun catches at sunset. It is said that the statue is giving nectar to the sufferers with her left hand and praying that the sufferers sleep peacefully with her right hand. The Fukusai-ji Temple was built to dedicate to the...
