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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Leading industrial oven and heating equipment manufacturer Wisconsin Oven Corporation successfully shipped a natural-gas fired walk-in oven for aluminium age hardening earlier this month to an undisclosed buyer. The oven meant for aluminium age hardening has a maximum temperature of 509 degree Fahrenheit (+/- 10 degree Fahrenheit). The temperature uniformity and the maximum temperature reached were documented by Wisconsin Oven via a standard nine-point profile test. The recirculation system, which the company claims to be of low maintenance, includes a combination air-flow system that uses a direct-driven blower moving at 8,600 cubic feet per minute speed at ten horsepower. It does not emit any sound vibration, is energy efficient and does not utilize drive belts. It also maximizes...
Iran has about 350,000 tons of yearly aluminium output capacity and the country is endowed with potential for the development of a successful aluminium industry. The country has cheap power as it is endowed with immense natural gas reserves. Qualified yet cheap labour force, production technology and growing domestic market also contribute towards the opportunities for such a development. Despite Iran’s possible advantages in the industry, lack of raw material reserves pose a hurdle in realizing the potential, as said by Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development & Renovation Organization's aluminum advisor, Mohammad Ashofteh Ajbisheh. Iran’s southern neighbours too have no bauxite mines, and some of them have partnered with certain African, Brazilian and Australian companies for...
China's aluminium exports are expected to continue their surge through 2017 much in the same way they did in 2016, being supported strong demand and a weaker yuan. The fact that the Chinese fabricators are exempted from paying import and export tax, and receive full rebate on VAT if their export volumes of aluminium products match their primary aluminium imports, is going to support the rise in the new financial year as well. As per the data released by the General Administration of Customs on December 22, China's total aluminium semi-finished products (Aluminium bar, rod, and profile, Aluminium wire, Aluminium plate, sheet, and strip, Aluminium foil, and Aluminium tube) exports during January-November stood at 3,730,000 tonnes. In November, however, the exports declined 14.5 per cent to...
The 1974 D-aluminium cent was a one-cent coin proposed by the United States Mint in 1973. It was composed of an alloy of aluminium and traces metals and its weight, 0.93 gram. The 1974-D Lincoln aluminium cent was returned to the U.S Mint after resolving disagreement between two men and the Mint; later U.S Mint kept the coin on public display in August 2016 at the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money, in Anaheim, Calif. The U.S. Mint’s director of corporate communications Tom Jurkowsky told Coin World March 18 that Bill Bailey, assistant chief of police of the U.S. Mint, and U.S. Mint Chief Counsel Jean Gentry, took custody of the 1974-D aluminium cent on March 17 in San Diego. The 1974-D aluminium was cracked out of its professional Coin Grading Service Secure holder,...
After the Directorate General of Safeguard Duty, India has recently rejected the plea by the primary producers to impose extra duty on imports of 'Unwrought Aluminium (Aluminium not alloyed and Aluminium alloys) citing that there is no immediate threat of "serious injury" to the domestic aluminium industry from aluminium imports from China and Middle East, domestic producers are making a strong case for imposing Minimum Import Price (MIP) similar to the steel products. They are getting ready to put up the case during Budget 2017-18. The domestic producers argue that the cheaper imports from China and the Gulf countries which account for 51% of India's demand is forcing domestic producers to idle 49% of their rated capacities. High state subsidies for aluminium smelting in China and ample...
London Metal Exchange market remains closed today for Christmas. So, LME official CASH Buyer price of aluminium, as on December 23, stands at US$1,739 per tonne, Cash Seller & Settlement price stands at US$1,740 per tonne, 3M Buyer price is US$1,718 per tonne, and 3M Seller price is US$1,718.5 per tonne. LME Official Opening Stock of aluminium is estimated at 2139575 tonnes, total Live Warrants is 1501450 tonnes and Cancelled Warrant is 648575 tonnes. Looking at the global key macroeconomic factors, US home prices have escalated steadily; profit in China's major industrial hubs is expected to improve in November on the back of increased value-addition during January-November; November PPI witnessed the largest rise of 3.3 per cent YOY in 3.5 years; and commodity prices also improved in...
CBIX gained US$0.6/dmt (1%) to US$50.8/dmt with higher ViU-priced cargos from Australia more prominent. As we foreshadowed, Malaysia again extended its mining ban, for another three months (to end-March 2017), with reports of nearly three million tonnes of stocks still needing to be cleared before the ban will be lifted. Having nudged higher over recent weeks, Malaysian prices remained steady at US$27.5/dmt FOB (unwashed) and US$40.5/dmt FOB (washed). Chinese alumina prices eased, with the north index down 1.0% (RMB31/t or US$4.5/t) to RMB2,963/t (US$427/t) and the south unchanged on RMB2,980/t (US$429/t). As reported last week, lower primary Al prices have raised industry concern about the economics of recent primary Al start-ups and restarts, the increasing likelihood of over-production...
According to the aluminium recycling statistics published by the U.S. Geological Survey, Department of Interior, the total aluminium scrap imports in the United States totalled an estimated 782 million pounds in September 2016. The volume represented a 5.5 per cent rise over the corresponding period previous year, when the imports stood at 741 million pounds. The recovery of secondary aluminium and aluminium alloys in the U.S. totalled 666 million pounds in September 2016, up 5.8 per cent from the same period last year, states USGS estimate. During the first three quarters of 2016, the amount of recycled aluminium generated from scrap totalled an estimated 5,992 million pounds, up 5.9 per cent over the 2015 year-to-date total of 5,657 million. According to the USGS preliminary estimates...
Infiniti, the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Nissan, is set to launch its new 2017 Q60 high-powered sports coupe car. It is powered by a V6 twin turbo petrol engine that can hit 62mph in five seconds and on to a top whack of 155mph with four-wheel drive and a seven-speed auto box. The Q60 comes with a 2.0-litre or 3.0-litre petrol engines and 19-inch aluminium alloy wheel. Infiniti says its LED headlights with ‘light guide’ technology spread light evenly on the road ahead. Q60 models offers leather seat which are multi adjustable with all around brushed aluminium and black wood inserts. Drivers can choose engine setting for sport, standard, ECO and snow conditions. The centre console has twin touchscreens (eight-inch upper and seven-inch lower) as part of the InTouch...
According to the latest import and export data released by China's General Administration of Customs, China imported a total volume of 198,160 tonnes scrap aluminium in November 2016. The figure represents a significant 28.61 per cent increase in scrap aluminium import by the country in 2016 as compared to the same period of previous year. China's total scrap aluminium import for the January-November period stood at 1,739,488 tonnes. The United States, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom remained the top five scrap aluminium supplying countries for China during the period under review. China imported 56,154 tonnes of the scrap metal from the US in November and 511,462 tonnes during January-November period. The country's November import volume of scrap aluminium from...
According to the Preliminary estimates from Aluminum Association, aluminium demand in the United States and Canada that includes shipments by domestic producers plus imports were an estimated 22,120 million pounds during January to October 2016, an increase of 1.6 per cent over the same period last year. Demand for semi-fabricated or mill products dropped slightly YTD to 15,531 million pounds. Apparent consumption (demand minus exports) in domestic markets totalled an estimated 19,487 million pounds during January to October 2016. {newsStudioGallery} U.S. and Canada exported (excluding cross-border trade) 2,634 million pounds of aluminium ingot and mill products during January to October 2016 which recorded a 10 per cent increase over the same period last year. Compared to export, imports...
A rare 2006 Ford GT Heritage edition is going to hit the auction bench at Mecum in Florida next month in a revamped avatar. The redesigned Ford GT is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 generating over 600 horsepower. It is one of 20 cars that are built with cast aluminium wheels. The 2017 Ford GT Heritage edition with cast aluminium wheels is regarded as one of the rare cars. It has been designed to pay tribute to the Gulf Oil-liveried Ford Mk1 GT40 for achieving four consecutive wins during Le ans. One of 345 models of the original Heritage Edition GT is going up for sale at Mecum next month. Despite being more than 10 years old, Ford GT Heritage is in excellent condition and its engine is capable of pushing it to from 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, and reach a top speed of 205 mph. This GT...
India's two leading aluminium producers, National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) and Vedanta, finally seem to be collaborating with each other to sort out alumina sourcing related issues that the latter has been facing since long. The central government has asked the Navaratna PSU to consider selling alumina, which it otherwise exports, to Vedanta. The metal and mining giant's past attempts to participate in Nalco's tenders were earlier thwarted several times by the Nalco unions. It is perceived that the current softening on the stand came after Mines Minister Piyush Goyal expressed his shock at Nalco's strategy to rather export alumina than allow for its conversion within the country, during his visit to Bhubaneshwar earlier this month. It is learnt from reliable sources that Nalco is...
Fuziah Salleh, Kuantan MP said in a press announcement that extension of bauxite mining ban in Pahang will deteriorate environmental crisis and this could lead to erosion at the bauxite mines. According to Fuziah, this erosion can contaminate river water as well as drinking water. “Our river and drinking water are at risk of being polluted. In fact, health ministry reports have confirmed that there are worrying levels of pollution caused by bauxite mining.” Fuzia’s statement came after the announcement by the Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar that the bauxite mining is extended by another three months. Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this extension will permit companies to clear their bauxite stockpiles, although bauxite stockpile had not shown any...
Market activity has weakened over the Christmas weekend and will remain muted through the week. The UK and the US markets under London Metal Exchange will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday for the Christmas holidays. LME aluminium inched hiher by 0.14 per cent to close at US$1,740 per tonne on Friday’s night trading. Year-end holiday factors combined with liquidity crunch in the international markets left investors keeping off trading after they were done with profit-making. Hence, commodity prices are expected to fall ‘within a limited range’ this week. In China, benchmark price of aluminium traded on Shanghai Metal Exchange (SME) stood at US$1,811 per tonne on December 26, Monday, down 2.37 per cent from Friday’s benchmark price of US$1,855 per tonne. Aluminium on Shanghai Futures...
Burgess Marines, Britain’s largest independent ship repairer and marine engineering services has secured third party accreditation to CE Mark structural steel and aluminium fabrications after signing contract with design firm Houlder. It is compulsory to use CE Marking construction product which indicates that the product is protected by a harmonised European standard (hEN), contractors and end use clients can face prosecution and risks cancelling project insurance and warranties. BS EN 1090, a harmonised standard which covers structural steel and aluminium fabrication. Since July 2014, products within the scope of this standard must be CE Marked. CE Marking is compulsory for companies producing structural steel or aluminium fabrications marketed in the UK or the wider European Economic...
After China, another region that is growing substantially in primary aluminium production is the GCC (Gulf Corporation Council) or the Gulf countries. The volume of aluminium production in the Gulf region stood at 5.2 million tonnes in 2015, accounting for around 10 per cent of total global output of 58 million tonnes. This is due to the major expansion of existing smelters and commissioning of new projects that primary aluminium production is increasing at a faster rate in the GCC countries. After oil and natural gas, now aluminium is one of the key economic drivers for the Gulf region. Gulf countries are constantly working towards making a shift towards non-oil sector especially the aluminium industry which gets the benefit of cheap energy and abundance of manpower and high technology....
Transport industry continues to stand aluminium’s demand in 2016. Transportation sector has been the major end use market for aluminium due to its lightweight, flexible, strong, and anti-corrosive properties. The aluminium industry develops and manufacture aluminium products for the transport market manufacturers through the supply chain in the development of vehicle. The use of aluminium helps in weight reduction and fuel economy and improves the aesthetics too. Few days remain until the end of the 2016 let’s look back at the popular stories covering transportation sector. {newsStudioGallery} Automotive aluminium: the light weighting metal Recent studies conducted across major geographies give clear indication that the use of aluminium auto sheets are on a rising trend. The years of 2014...
