Tesla's ambitions for its Optimus humanoid robot extend well beyond factory automation, with the company envisioning a future in which robots could support vehicle servicing, logistics and even last-mile delivery. However, turning that vision into a commercially viable product will require more than advances in artificial intelligence and robotics. It will also depend on access to aluminium, critical minerals and the downstream manufacturing capabilities needed to produce increasingly sophisticated hardware at scale. Tesla has already taken an important step towards that ambition. On October 21, 2026, the company announced that Optimus production had begun on its high-volume manufacturing line in Fremont, California. Tesla described the units coming off the line as its first...
Aludecor, a pioneer and leader in Metal Composite Panel manufacturing, today announced the official launch of STONESENSE , an innovative architectural surface system engineered to deliver the timeless elegance and visual depth of natural stone without its traditional structural limitations. Inspired by the legacy and enduring power of natural stone, STONESENSE introduces a curated portfolio of engineered stone-finish metal composite surfaces. Developed for modern building envelopes, the series blends tactile aesthetic experience with advanced material performance, offering architects, builders, and developers a lightweight, highly durable and versatile alternative to mined stone. Designed for modern facades & envelopes The STONESENSE series is structured around three distinct material...
Grow with
AL Circle
China struggling with its lab created virus Covid-19 is now unable to export raw materials used in pharmaceutical companies which is directly affecting the prices of medicines in India. Due to the disruption in trade, aluminium foils or sheet used in manufacturing medicine has gone very high on price in turn increasing the rate of each medicine strip. Here lies the oxymoron where the lifesaving medicine inside is costing lower than the foil it comes in. The biggest exporter of aluminium foil or sheet used in packaging of tablets, syrups, medicine strips, etc is Russia. Australian bans and European sanctions on Russia due to the ongoing war are affecting its industrial axis, thus decreasing export of aluminium products. The rising Ukraine-Russia conflict is the cause for constant worry to...
The shortage of aluminium cans due to supply constraint continues to worry local breweries. Local brewers have been straining to cope with the shortage since the epidemic. North 5th Brewery Co., a craft brewery in Las Vegas, is unable to increase its output. Apart from this, Belgorod State University (BSU) and Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) researchers have uncovered a sequence of patterns in the atomic structure of aluminium that might lead to new and more resistant aluminium alloys for aviation. Hem, a Stockholm-based independent design business known for manufacturing sustainable furniture, accessories, and lighting, will unveil an extruded aluminium shelf system based on Hydro EcoDesign's sustainability principles and extruded aluminium profiles. Hydro...
Canoo an American start-up for electric vehicles was chosen by NASA over Oxcart Assembly to build a vehicle for transporting astronauts to the Launchpad inspired by the US Airstream trailers first launched in 1936. This vehicle will be used to transport astronauts of the Artemis mission launched by NASA to land the first woman or person of colour on the south pole of the moon. With that being said, the other participants in the design submitting contest were not that bad either especially Oxcart Assembly’s effort is worth praise. Oxcart Assembly (Dallas, Texas) poses as a "decentralized, multi-disciplinary cooperative" that has majored in audio-visual projects so far which includes producing motion graphics for NASA and SpaceX’s Launch America missions. When the work order for this...
Hem, a Stockholm-based independent design firm recognised for producing sustainable furniture, accessories, and lighting, will debut its aluminium shelf system based on extruded aluminium profiles and Hydro EcoDesign's sustainability principles. The shelf is composed of Hydro RESTORE, which is recycled aluminium created from both pre- and post-consumer scrap. Waste from the production process that is melted, cast, and then looped back into the extrusion process is known as pre-consumer scrap. The unique system for Hem was conceived by Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin of the Italian design firm Formafantasma. The customizable shelf system will help retailers, as well as residential and corporate environments. Aside from its distinct appearance, its key selling points are: Easy assembly...
Aluminium household products are gradually replacing plastic and steel components in our daily life, as aluminium is stronger than plastic and lighter than steel. Aluminium also allows heat to disperse quickly, turning utensils and products into cooler faster. The other reasons behind the usage of aluminium in household articles are its superior properties when it comes to design, sustainability and corrosion resistance. In February 2022, the European Commission in its winter economic forecast report released that the economy of Greece is expected to expand by 4.9% in 2022 and 3.5% in 2023. The South-eastern European nation, Greece imported 12,414 tonnes of aluminium household articles during 2019-21, attracting revenue expenditure of around $51.97 million for the import. Greece's import...
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, India’s premier technology and Research University have introduced the nation’s first-ever native polycentric prosthetic knee intending to simplify the lives of innumerable amputated individuals. Named, ‘Kadam’ (which means legs) both metaphorically and literally, will aim at increasing users’ community participation, access to education, livelihood opportunities and overall wellbeing. This particular prosthetic can be used by both short and long residual limbs amputees after transfemoral (above knee) amputation. Many of its essential characteristics are frictional swing control adjustment for varied walking speeds and providing firmness while strolling on any geographical topography. It guarantees a 160° maximum knee...
On Monday, April 11, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative announced that it has successfully certified TBC Ball Beverage Can Vietnam Limited against the Performance Standard under Provisional status and Chain of Custody Standard for responsible production, sourcing, and stewardship of aluminium. Founded in 2011, TBC Ball Beverage Can Vietnam Limited is a joint venture company, the factory of which is located in VSIP II-A, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam. TBC-Ball, spread across eight hectares of land, produces aluminium cans used by the beverage industry. The facility’s annual production capacity is around 850 million units, destined for contracted customers in Vietnam. ASI has granted the Performance Standard Provisional Certification under the Interim Policy regarding Audits, Audit-Related...
Some of the World’s biggest automobile manufacturers like BMW, General Motors and Volkswagen are linked through their suppliers with the controversial labour programme in China’s Xinjiang region which experts have blacklisted as pressing and indecent in the new report by Horizon Advisory, a US-based consultancy forum. China-based electric vehicle manufacturers including Nio and BYD are also linked to these controversial programmes in Xinjiang, according to the study. These concerns are basically around the production of aluminium, also raising ample eyebrows on alleged human rights violations in its supply chain. The modern complex supply chain is where raw materials would pass through multiple manufacturers or countries before being used in finished products, which is by all means not...
The shortage of aluminium can due to supply chain constraints has stirred the beverage sector. Since the pandemic, the local breweries are struggling to cope with the shortfall. A craft brewery in Las Vegas, named North 5th Brewery Co. is a very famous brewery and has made a name for itself since the time of its inception. However, following the scarcity of aluminium caused due to high demand, the brewery is unable to increase its output. . During the last two years, the price has increased by roughly 125 per cent. Vendors are increasingly expecting larger purchases, according to Wyndee Forrest, president of the Nevada Craft Brewers Association. “The last thing we want to do is to turn it over to the consumer, so for the most part we’ve taken a little hit on that,” said Amanda Payan, the...
Scientists from Belgorod State University (BSU) and Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) have discovered a series of patterns in the atomic structure of aluminium, which might lead to new and more resistant aluminium alloys for aviation. As per Anton Boev and his colleagues involved in the Skoltech project found that the structure of the particles, and hence the mechanical behaviour of the heat-treated alloy, changes in a predictable fashion. The researchers hope that the combination of mechanical qualities they've discovered will aid in extending the life of aeroplane components built of these materials. The institution is setup to study aluminium alloys at the atomic level because the evolution of the commonly used Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloy structure and mechanical properties...
This week's changes have impacted different sectors of the aluminium end-user, from transportation to packaging. Let's take a look at each of them individually. To begin with scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) of the US Department of Energy have created an aluminium-nickel (Al-Ni) molten salt battery named “freeze-thaw battery”. On the other hand Taichi Kuma, a Japanese architect, has unveiled the MAKU trailers, which are lightweight and can easily contain a distant work office or radio station. Under the transport sector of end user, Allez Spirit 2022 is all set to set a new record for the aluminium road bike sector. The highlights show that the industry is eventually gaining its pace and is trying to move ahead. The MAKU trailer is the latest innovation in...
SIG a leading aseptic carton packaging solutions provider from Switzerland revealed its intention to invest in a new plant in India. This move is brewing high hopes in the company since it has come under observation that India is one of the fastest growing markets for the packaging industry. But the positivity was not backed by any actual details about the investment. "After opening our second plant in China and starting construction of a plant in Mexico for the North American market, India is our first priority for the next investment in a new packaging plant. The decision-making process is still ongoing, but we are very confident that we will be able to start building a plant in India in the near future," exclaimed Samuel Sigrist, Global CEO of SIG Group. The construction period would...
On Friday, April 8, Crown Holdings, Inc.'s Crown Beverage Can Brazil Division subsidiary has received ASI Chain of Custody Standard Certification for the fabrication of aluminium can bodies and ends. The other six plants certified by ASI in October 2021 are Cabreva, S. Paulo; Estancia, Sergipe; Ponta Grossa, Parana; Rio Verde, Goias; Teresina, Piaui; the can end plant in Manaus, Amazonas; and the corporate office in Cabreva, S. Paulo. The six facilities produce a total of 10.9 billion cans every year. DNV Business Assurance Services UK Ltd conducted an impartial third-party audit of the Crown Holdings, Inc plants. The ASI Certification programme is the first complete voluntary sustainability standard project for the aluminium value chain, and it was established after considerable...
The MAKU trailer is the latest innovation in the field of movable housing systems. Japanese architect Taichi Kuma inaugurates aluminium-frame MAKU trailers which are lightweight and can easily house a remote work office or radio station. The skeleton of a MAKU is aluminium while the walls are constructed with layers of PTFE membrane, making the trailer house weigh only 530 kg. The trailer is so light that it can be carried away very easily by any normal car without a special license. The walls are mounted with lightweight aluminium frames and two layers of PTFE membrane. Amidst the structure hides a layer of transparent glass fibre inserted in between the two membrane layers. With this, the unit becomes insulated and can also protect itself from the diverse weather conditions on any...
Scientists have derived an innovative method of coating steel surfaces with different metals such as aluminium (Al) to enhance corrosion resistance. But its tendency to react with chloride ions in seawater makes use of pure aluminium impossible. Therefore, the addition of other elements, such as magnesium (Mg) and silicon (Si) to form an aluminium alloy is a promising way around this problem. But Mg isn’t friendly enough to coat itself on any metal just after the latter is dipped into a hot bath of metal salts. In reference to the study published in Corrosion Science, a new concord for Al-Mg-Si coating of steel has been developed. Professor Myeong-Hoon Lee who guided the study said, "When I served in the navy, I was constantly looking at rusting machinery. Since then, I have become fully...
In the ever-expanding beverage sector, the popularity of aluminium cans is increasing every day. With increased competition and decreased supply, due to shortage sparked by the COVID-19 epidemic, local breweries are the mostly affected. Since 2012, Great Rhythm Brewing Company has been delivering craft beer to New Hampshire residents in kegs and aluminium cans. When large can suppliers dropped tiny craft beer producers, it increased manufacturing costs. The impact on large beverage companies is substantially smaller. With the increase in dog and cat adoptions, competition is increasing across the board, not just in the beverage aisle. For the time being, brewers are attempting to get around the scarcity. The scarcity has been dubbed the "can-demic" by some. “It is a great package, for...
Scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) of the US Department of Energy have created an aluminium-nickel (Al-Ni) molten salt battery named “freeze-thaw battery” under thermal cycling. It can disable the self-charge mechanism when the battery is turned off. With a potential energy density of 260 W/hour per kilogramme, the battery will be able to preserve 92 per cent of its initial capacity over 12 weeks. It had an aluminium anode and a nickel cathode, both of which were submerged in a molten salt electrolyte. To boost the battery's storage capacity, they added sulphur to the electrolyte. To prevent damage during the freeze-thaw cycle, a ceramic separator was implanted between the anode and the cathode. “It’s a lot like growing food in your garden in the spring,...
Shortage of aluminium cans following the COVID-19 pandemic is still wreaking havoc on the aluminium industry. Aluminium cans are in low supply due to supply chain difficulties. The aluminium supply chain constraint is taking a toll on Secret Tail Brewing Company, which has been in the industry for the past five years. Charlie Barrett, the owner of Secret Trail Brewing Co., said a can with a lid used to cost 20 cents, which currently has hiked by 25 per cent to stand at 25 cents. Secret Trail now cans roughly 500 cases every two months with 24-16 ounce cans in each case. “We haven't raised prices this year, but we may think about it for next year on the cans. We haven't raised prices at all for our beer, so we might have to do something the first of next year though just because we have to...
