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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The Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) which represents the leading aluminium packaging producers and reprocessors in the UK, urges people in UK to recycle their festive aluminium packaging after the Christmas and New Year celebrations. Aluminium is the mostly used household material during festive holidays. UK households use about 182 foil trays annually and the large part of it is used during the festive period. Alupro reminds people to recycle the foil trays alongside other food and drink packaging. Aluminium foil trays are very easy to recycle if disposed properly. The excess food on the tray should be scrapped into the bin and the trays could be given a wipe or a rinse under the tape to remove excess grease or any other residue. Removing food from the tray is...
Alcoa Corporation announced on Tuesday that it will permanently close the Suralco alumina refinery and bauxite mines in Suriname, which has been curtailed since November 2015. The Suriname government and Alcoa will continue to work on the agreement concerning Suralco’s remaining activities in Suriname, and till the time a decision is reached on the agreement, Alcoa will continue to operate the Afobaka hydroelectric facility, the power supplier to the Suralco alumina refinery. With the closure of Suralco operations, Alcoa expects to record $90-million after-tax and charges related to the restructuring activities during fourth-quarter of the current fiscal. Alcoa’s share is estimated to be $151-million over five years, with $27-million to be spent in 2017. The company also expects to record...
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LME aluminium opened weakly on the first trading day of 2017 to close at US$1,702 per tonne after Tuesday's night trading. The price drop though marginal by 0.67 per cent from the previous closing of US$1,713.5 is expected to persist over the short term. Market will see a slight economic data calendar on Wednesday. Shanghai Metals Market forecasts that LME aluminium will fluctuate within the range of US$1,680-1,700 per tonne on Wednesday. As on January 3, LME official Cash buyer price of aluminium stands at US$1,701 per tonne, cash seller and settle price is US$1,702 per tonne, 3M Buyer price is US$1,692.5 per tonne, 3M Seller price is US$1,693 per tonne, Dec1 Buyer price is US$1,735 per tonne, and Dec1 Seller price is US$1,740 per tonne. The current LME official stock of aluminium is...
Leading German car parts manufacturer ZF Friedrichshafen AG will be participating at the Symposium of International Automotive Technology (SIAT) 2017, to be held at Pune's ARAI Campus next month, announced the company's Indian business unit last week. The company apart from showcasing its product portfolio will highlight its growth till now and the commitment it has made to the Indian market, at the event. ZF will display its state-of-the-art technology solutions such as MStars-Semi-Trailing Arm Rear Suspension, Ecotronic Commercial Vehicle Automatic Manual Transmission and aluminium control arms at Booth No. 124. Other offerings of the global engineering solution supplier include products for driveline, chassis, steering, braking and also electronics and occupant safety systems....
According to USGS’ recently published bauxite and alumina industry survey for the Third Quarter 2016, imports of alumina during the third quarter of 2016 were 315,000 tons. This records a 3% increase from those in the second quarter but 20% drop from the third quarter of 2015. The general downturn of the primary aluminium industry in the U.S. has caused the drop in the import of alumina YOY. The leading sources of imported alumina during the third quarter of 2016 were Brazil that exported 38% of alumina and Australia supplying 30% and Jamaica 18%. Exports of alumina during the third quarter of 2016 were 366,000 tons, the same as those in the second quarter but 38% less than those in the third quarter of 2015. The leading destinations for alumina export during Q3 2016 were Iceland that...
Lenovo has introduced a sub-brand Lenovo Legion with two new gaming series of laptop - the Legion Y720 and Y520 this week. The Legion Y720 and Y520 laptops are the first two new members in the Legion gaming laptop line-up. The Legion laptops are made out of brushed aluminium. This gaming laptop sports a 15.6-inch display with Full HD (1920 x 1080) and Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) resolution options. The Legion Y520 is the smaller and cheaper. Both the laptops are powered by Windows 10 Home. The lids on the Legion series laptops are made using brushed aluminium. The keys are also made from aluminium and features red accents. The Legion series supports Dolby Atmos audio through three speakers. Lenovo Legion Y520 will be available in February at $899.99. The Y720 laptop will be available in April...
According to USGS’ recently published bauxite and alumina industry survey for the Third Quarter 2016, imports of crude and dried bauxite by USA in the third quarter of 2016 were 1.14 million tons (Mt). This records a 20% drop from those in the second quarter of 2016 and 61% drop from the third quarter of 2015. Jamaica and Brazil were the key exporters of crude and dried bauxite to the U.S. during Q3 2016 accounting for 67% and 32% of export respectively. Imports from Jamaica in Q3 were 27% less than those in Q2. The drop was attributed to the shutdown of Sherwin Alumina Co. LLC’s 1.65-million-metric-ton-per-year (Mt/yr) alumina refinery in Gregory, TX, on September 30. Sherwin Alumina, which had been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since January, sourced its bauxite from...
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According to sources privy to quarterly pricing talks, premiums for aluminium imported into Japan during the first quarter this year are set at US$95 per ton. The sources, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, indicated that the rise in spot premiums due to production problems at Alcoa’s smelter in Portland, Australia, prompted the move. This increase in premiums, which is a 27 per cent increase over last quarter’s premiums, is the first increase in the last three quarters. “We’ve signed the deals at $95 a ton with four producers,” revealed a source from an aluminium end user. Another source, this one from an aluminum producer, told the media that all of his firm’s Japanese customers contracted for delivery at US$95 per ton. The talks, which began last month among buyers and...
Dudley’s Aluminium, a manufacturer of aluminium curtain-walling, windows, shop-fronts, automatic and revolving doors, fire-resistant glazing, louvres and brise soleil, has won a school contract worth more than £750,000 to support the construction of John Frost School, in Newport. As part of the contract with BAM Construction, Dudley’s Aluminium will install the secondary school’s aluminium façade. The construction is expected to begin in the spring 2017. Engineers from Dudley’s Aluminium will provide aluminium façade and glazing fixtures, including custom-made curtain walling, windows and doors at the location. The contract is part of a multi-million-pound transformation at John Frost School, with a new Welsh medium secondary school being developed on part of the existing site. Colin...
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Global alumina prices have risen steadily since late September in 2016 on the back of raw material restocking by the smelters in China where the commodity prices in the domestic market have also witnessed a steep rise, driven by strong demand, refinery closures (on alleged environmental laws incompliance) and limited transportation availability. Region-wise alumina prices and LME aluminium have continued to diverge through 2016, leaving some smelter owners reluctant to lock in their raw material costs against the LME aluminium price. The divergence has been such that the alumina market has grown independent of that of aluminium over the course of past one year. Alumina prices globally, including in China, experienced a steep rally in the fourth quarter of 2016 after a wave of smelter...
The aluminium futures contract traded on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) continues to remain range-bound and mixed for the fourth consecutive week. The sideways consolidation in the range between INR115 and INR119 per kg remains intact. The contract is currently hovering around the lower end of this range at INR115.25. Whether the contract manages to sustain above INR115 or breaks below it will decide the next leg of move. Traders can stay out of the market and wait for a clear trend to emerge for taking trade positions. A bounce in the coming sessions will see the contract retaining its INR115-INR119 range for some more time. In such a scenario a rise to INR119 is possible in the coming days. If the contract manages to break the range above INR119, the up move can extend to INR122 and...
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EGA has announced that they have applied for patent for the preheating frame for anode assemblies by their in-house experts which enables safe and rapid preparation of cells for preheating and allows achieving low energy consumption after start-up. For leading primary aluminium producers, such as Emirates Global Aluminium (“EGA”), a key operational focus has always been on improving safety, productivity and energy-efficiency. This quest has been a fundamental motivator for an ongoing commitment to continuous innovation at EGA and which, through substantial investments in research and development, has yielded a host of inventions and technology advances. To protect the associated intellectual property, EGA submits applications to patent its proprietary developments. The business has been...
According to the estimate of The Aluminum Association, shipments of aluminium products in U.S. and Canada drop slightly YOY in October 2016. During November 2016, estimated shipments of Drawing Stock, Bare Wire and Rod & Bar by domestic producers ( U.S. and Canada) totalled 98.5 million pounds, a rise of 3.3% from the November 2015 total of 95.4 million pounds. Sequentially, shipments rose slightly from the October 2016 total of 97.7 million pounds. YTD shipments from January to November 2016 were 1,095.4 million pounds which recorded a slight drop over the same period of 2015. U.S. and Canadian producers shipped an estimated 6.48 million pounds of Aluminum Powder and Paste to the domestic market during November 2016 (includes imports by domestic producers), reporting a drop of 9.8% from...
Aluminium production forms the largest part of the metals industry, one of the key export industries in Norway. Norsk Hydro is the single most dominant player in the country’s aluminium sector. Headquartered in Oslo, Hydro operates the largest primary aluminium plant in Europe, in Sunndal. The Karmøy plant produces primary aluminium and rolled aluminium strip. The Årdal and Høyanger plants produce primary aluminium as well. Norway is the largest aluminium producing country in Western Europe, and almost 80-90 per cent of its output is exported to the international market. {newsStudioGallery} In 2015, Norway exported a little more than one million tonnes of alloyed aluminium ingot, which went up in volume by 47 per cent to reach 1.47 million tonnes in 2016. As per the latest order estimate,...
The ‘ leave your cap on’ campaign that has been launched by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) in partnership with British Glass and the European Aluminium Foil Association to encourage residents to screw the aluminium caps back on glass bottles before recycling, has recently expanded in four local authorities. The new campaign in Oxford and Berkshire, adding the total number of bottle banks across the UK has touched 5,443. The campaign’s message has reached over 2 million households. On launching the campaign, Rick Hindley, Executive Director of Alupro commented: “…. it’s the ideal time for people to get into the habit of screwing caps back on and helping to boost recycling figures. The market for aluminium bottle closures is growing rapidly, particularly for wine...
Southland's Tiwai Point aluminium smelter which employs 800 people and brings $500 million annually to the region's economy now has an options in its power contract to terminate its contract with the power provider by giving one year’s notice. However, the smelter is expected to be operating despite the shutdown clause. The LME aluminium price has more or less stabilized recovering from constant lows and and the New Zealand dollar has dropped from unsustainable highs, which in turn is expected to help the company to break even on a daily basis. Once the company's results for 2016 are released in the next few months, it may give a clear indication of its future. However, it is almost certain that the plant is not going to shut down in the short to medium term. Power supply to the Tiwai...
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As the London Metal Exchange market resumes business today, on January 3, the first trading day of 2017, aluminium traded on the board is expected to fluctuate between US$1,680-1,700 per tonne after the closing at US$1,685 per tonne last Friday. Looking at the key macroeconomic indicators, regular data, including the US’s nonfarm payroll report and manufacturing PMIs, will be released on Tuesday. The market summary for 2016 will further lay the base for further trading to be conducted during the first week of the New Year. Shorts and longs are expected to invest cautiously, and base metals are expected to trade in a wide range this week, observes Shanghai Metals Market. In China, the benchmark price of aluminium on Tuesday stood at US$1,839 per tonne, down 1.6 per cent from Friday's...
Aldric Negrier, a maker and builder in Portugal, has built and designed RooBee One - SLA DLP Aluminium Frame 3D Printer. RooBee is inspired by the Cristelia- SLA/LCD 3d printer and the Vulcanus MAX 3D printer. This 3D printer has an aluminium frame and adjustable print area of 80x60x200 mm up to 150x105x200mm built volume using an ACER DLP Projector. SLA/LCD 3d printer is called RooBee One because it is red in colour just like a Ruby gem. A fan is placed on top of the printer to extract the toxic vapours outside from the printer operator. The electronics are based on the Arduino MEGA with the RAMPS 1.4 shield and one NEMA 17 stepper motor. Aldric Negrier has already made various 3Dprinting projects. This time he also built a 3D Printed Syringe Pump Rack and 3D Scanning Rig and DIY...
