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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Japan's aluminium industry, in 2015, had stepped up efforts to have the light metal used more in infrastructure, taking advantage of new design standards to boost the then stagnant demand in the domestic market. Ever since then, the consumption of aluminium in building and construction sector of the country has risen steadily. The downstream manufacturing of aluminium structures within the country has also increased. Japan, after catering to the domestic industry demand, exports surplus aluminium structures to the international market. {newsStudioGallery} In 2015, Japan exported 4064.03 tonnes of aluminium structures for use in building and construction sector globally. The volume witnessed significant increase in 2016, when the total aluminium structures exports from Japan reached...
As reported by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), railway transportation of aluminium ingot from Northwest China will not be affected during the Chinese New Year Holiday in 2017. An article titled “Notice of Railway Transportation Adjustment during the 2017 Chinese New Year Holiday” triggered worries but later SMM assured that the news on railway transportation was not true. Last year, China’s rail transport faced a lot of challenges during the Holidays, but this year, railway transportation of aluminium ingot, coal and corn will not be affected though priority will be given to commuters. Urumqi Railway Station did not get any halt notice about railway transportation during New Year holiday in 2017.
According to a recent Technavio report, the global activated alumina market is slated to witness a steady growth of around 8 per cent CAGR over 2016-2020 piggybacking the growth of adsorbent market and a wide range of catalyst-based applications market all over the globe. Activated alumina is produced by dehydroxylating aluminium hydroxide. A highly porous material, activated alumina can has a surface area significantly over 200 square metre per gram. Its adsorbing capacity is very high, which makes it ideally suited for use in a number of chemical industries. The report says, during the forecast period, activated alumina will be used for the removal of impurities such as fluoride and arsenic from drinking water and also for the drying of liquids, air, and gasses. The processed mineral...
In a New Year press release by London Metal Exchange on December 31 confirmed that warehouse firms within LME’s network of more than 600 warehouses in 37 locations have announced lower rent rises for the Fiscal Year starting in April. This was the final chapter of the three-year series of changes at the 139-year-old metal exchange that was initiated five years back. LME said that, in 2017, it would freeze the maximum rate for five years to curb surging costs. It is to be noted that the new reforms also introduced tough rules to slash delivery backlogs. LME-approved warehouses are owned in parts by Henry Bath, trading house Mercuria and also by Chinese logistics company CMSTD, Metro International Trade Services, which was bought by investment firm Reuben Brothers and Steinweg Group in...
A husband-and-wife public art duo in Detroit, Hygienic Dress League, made aluminium their medium of art and the streets their gallery on a frigid wintry night. This was a part of the People First Project, which seeks, according to its website: “A merry band of makers, a cohort of creatives, an assembly of architects and activists to transform Michigan Avenue in Corktown from a state highway to a complete street, to reconfigure the city to meet new needs, to PUT THE PEOPLE FIRST.” It was a caravan, really that set out after sunset on a recent frigid polar vortex Monday, December 26, with a set of aluminium-moulded animal forms, powder-coated with a paint that made them glow a radioactive green in the dark. The green light emitting animal figures were a motif that symbolized HDL’s notions...
After the 2017 New Year holiday weekend, the London Metal Exchange market resumes trading tomorrow on Tuesday, January 3. LME aluminium remained flat on Friday as trading was muted due to the year-end liquidity crunch. The contract at the end of the year's last working day closed at US$1,713.50 per tonne against the previous day's closing of US$1,730 per tonne. Going by the slow momentum in the market, little uptick is expected in the LME aluminium price on Tuesday. As on December 30, the LME official Cash Buyer price of aluminium stands at US$1,730 per tonne, Cash Seller & Settlement price is US$1,713.50 per tonne, 3M Buyer price is US$1,701 per tonne, 3M Seller price is US$1,701.5 per tonne, Dec1 Buyer price is US$1,713 per tonne, Dec1 Seller price is US$1,718 per tonne. The opening...
Because of its attributes, the demand for aluminium can has skyrocketed around the world. The U.S., one of the largest manufacturers of aluminium cans, consumes an average of 380 types of beverages in aluminium cans every year. Aluminium can manufacturers invested over $1 billion in U.S. manufacturing facilities over the past five years. The industry accounts for the annual domestic production of approximately 124 billion. In July this year, the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), the national trade association of the metal can manufacture industry in the United States, asked the U.S. Commerce Department to exempt aluminium can sheets, which are used to make beverage cans, from tariff or trade restrictions. The list mentioned below is the top five aluminium can manufacturers in the U.S....
Definitive Technology, Specialized in bipolar loudspeaker systems for home theatre, music listening, surround sound and in-wall use, has announced the W Studio Micro equipped with 3x1-inch aluminium dome tweeters for each of the front channels. The wireless subwoofer comes with 8 inch and it offers premium performances in a space saving design. The aircraft grade aluminium enclosure is rigid and robust while the black fabric grille comes with brushed top aluminium panel. The W Studio Micro delivers high resolution home audio and WIFI music streaming.
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Australian Bauxite Ltd (ABx) currently sells bauxite into cement and fertiliser markets at prices higher than could be achieved in the over-supplied metallurgical bauxite market. There have been developments in the metallurgical bauxite market in the last few days which indicate that the metallurgical bauxite market could worsen further due to a glut of new supply during 2017. ABx diversification avoids the metallurgical market glut. The clean chemistry of ABx's bauxite allowed ABx to sell cement-grade bauxite which: 1.Consistently increases the late strength of concrete; 2.Is quartz-free & salt-free for corrosion-resistance; 3.Eliminates stoppages & pressure problems in kilns, lowers kiln temperatures & reduces emissions. Many cement manufacturing plants are converting from coal-fired to...
Packaging in today’s world is more about functionality and sustainability and goes far beyond just aesthetics. Aluminium because of its low density, malleability and recyclability, contributes functionally to the fabrication of packaging units that are not only safe for storing perishables but are also lightweight and sustainable. Aluminium packaging provides optimal protection to the packaged products due to aluminium’s non-reactive properties and cosmetically it renders a premium appeal to any packaging which indirectly helps in effective branding. Globally, construction and transport account for 50 per cent of aluminium consumption and packaging contribute about 17per cent of it. However in developed countries like USA, packaging contributes 20 per cent of aluminium consumption....
According to a latest forecast by Market Reports World, the global aluminium die casting machinery market is slated to grow at a CAGR of 7 per cent during the period 2016-2020. The aluminium die casting machinery is used to produce cast aluminium parts for applications in various end-user sectors, namely automotive, aerospace and defence, marine, telecommunications, and others, such as electronic appliances and renewable energy sectors. Aluminium cast parts offer several benefits over other types of nonferrous metals: • The use of aluminium for die cast makes it possible to attain complex designs and forms • Production rate is higher and faster than other nonferrous alloys and metals • Aluminium castings possess the strength of steel cast parts but are lighter in weight The report...
The year 2016 was an eventful year for aluminium. The light metal transcended all generic application areas to embrace sports, gadgets, appliances, home décor, air batteries, art and what not! It even made it to the stage casting a spell on the audience with an out-of-the-box performance. The world of electronics saw some of the most successful launches which had aluminium in them in conspicuous form. Then there were unusual art installations in aluminium that decked the biggest cities around the globe- almost all of them went on to become famous landmarks of all times. The metal with an inexhaustible recycling potential also inspired many to create objects of beauty and everyday use which they then chose to sell in order to earn a livelihood. In one word, aluminium went places and...
Aluminium prices weakened by 0.17 per cent to INR 116.10 per kg in futures market today as traders trimmed their positions, taking negative cues from spot market on subdued demand. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, aluminium for delivery in January month declined by 20 paise, or 0.17 per cent, to INR 116.10 per kg in business turnover of 48 lots. Likewise, the metal for delivery in December contracts traded lower by 10 paise, or 0.09 per cent, to INR 117.10 per kg in 75 lots. Market analysts said that offloading of positions by participants following sluggish demand from consuming industries in the physical market, mainly influenced aluminium prices at futures trade.
Indian government’s demonetization move is showing positive impact on the mines and the metals, power, and coal sectors, reveals latest data. Aluminium production in the country has logged a month-over-month rise in November this year. The production of aluminium metal by NALCO shows 3.34% growth in November, as against October2016. November 2016 witnessed a growth in aluminium production at 32164 million tonne (MT) as compared to 31123 MT in November 2015. Coal Production also witnessed a significant growth in November over October after demonetization. State owned Coal India Ltd witnessed a 5.5% y-o-y growth in November 2016 as compared to -2% in October. A month before demonetization, the growth was 0.33% in October 2016. Nalco’s production of aluminium metal has risen at 32,495 MT as...
According to the data released by the Korea National Statistical Office on December 29, South Korea’s total industrial production increased 1.6 per cent between October and November end after having stood at zero per cent in August, 0.9 per cent in September and -0.4 per cent in October 2016. The mining and manufacturing output, specifically, witnessed a growth of 3.4 per cent, led by automobile (11.4 per cent) and communication and broadcasting equipment (30.6 per cent), while electronic components and oil refining slowed down by 3.0 per cent and 2.4 per cent, respectively. In November, the average capacity utilization in the manufacturing sector rose by 3.0 percentage points to 73.5 per cent. Looking at the aluminium imports, one of the key imports of the South-east Asian economy, the...
The year-end liquidity crunch is getting reflected way too acutely on the LME aluminium prices, and this is evident from the falling prices of the metal on the bourse. LME aluminium closed at US$1,713 per tonne after Thursday's night trading, down 0.78 per cent from the previous day. Today happens to be the last trading day of the year, and Shanghai Metals Market analysis predicts the contract will keep falling on Friday moving at US$1,670-1,690 per tonne range. “Trading is estimated to be light during the last trading day of 2016, with small falling room,” SMM says. Crude oil, one of the key macroeconomic factors, hit highest the level since July 2015 on hopes of supply cut. So, analysts are expecting global aluminium prices will improve in the new year. Light sweet crude futures for...
Formigli, an Italian custom road bicycle builder, introduces the Formigli Uriel aluminium bike frameset made from 7003-T6 aluminium alloy. The alloy is stronger and lighter than the usually used 6061 or 7005 alloy varieties. The weight of the Uriel is 1.6kg while the size is 54cm. According to Uriel’s maker Renzo Formigli, “Alloy is still in the game.’” “The Uriel is the longest-running frame in my line-up. The only thing that’s changed is the quality of the aluminium, as I’m sourcing higher grades to keep the frame competitive.” The bike frameset comprises of a BB86.5 bottom bracket, 1.125in to 1.5in tapered head tube and internal, external or electronic cable routing options. Formigli Uriel comes with upgraded aluminium which keeps the long running Uriel frameset new.
Japan’s aluminium industry is import based and it has stopped producing primary metal altogether shifting its focus towards value added applications and in secondary recovery. The country is Asia's top importer of aluminium and the premiums for primary metal shipments it agrees to pay each quarter over the London Metal Exchange cash price set the benchmark for the Asia region. {newsStudioGallery} The two major aluminium product manufacturers in Japan are Kobe Steel and Aluminium and UACJ Corporation who make aluminium plates, pre coated sheets and various rolling products for value added applications. Japanese buyers purchase aluminium via annual contracts as well through spot markets where premiums have dropped to their lowest in more than seven years. However, most of end-users keep...
