Ducati has unveiled the Desmo450 SM, a new production supermoto developed from its Desmo450 MX platform, featuring an aluminium twin-spar frame. This is designed to combine low weight, rigidity and strength. The motorcycle made its debut during World Ducati Week and is aimed at competition use. The Desmo450 SM uses the same aluminium frame architecture as the motocross model. Ducati says the frame has also been designed to allow a straighter intake route while maintaining the strength and rigidity needed for high-performance riding. The bike has a fuel capacity of 7.2 litres. The company has also focused on reducing weight in other areas. Its Bartubeless wheel system, for example, removes inner tubes and cuts rotating and unsprung mass by 1.2kg. The motorcycle also features a cast...
China’s aluminum door and window manufacturing sector includes a range of suppliers offering thermal-break systems, customized solutions, OEM/ODM production, and products for international building projects. A recent industry guide highlights Guangdong Dejiyoupin, Guangdong EEHE, Foshan CIVO, Sichuan Yazhixuan, and Sichuan Mingrenju, citing their production capabilities, product portfolios, project experience, customization services, and testing or certification coverage. The companies differ in their areas of focus. Dejiyoupin is highlighted for its production capacity and international certifications, while EEHE is noted for patents and a broad range of project solutions. CIVO focuses on factory-direct customization and climate-oriented systems, while Yazhixuan provides OEM/ODM...
Grow with
AL Circle
A new red corrugated aluminium extension has been added to a 1960s London library to give it a new lease of life. The striking red structure called “East Street Exchange” is designed to contrast with the existing building. Designed by We Made That, it is a part of the renovation project of the old library. East Street Exchange will be open for public and will be utilized as an affordable meeting space for community groups in the area. "The bright red extension pokes out into the street from the existing building and appears markedly different from its surroundings to suggest the new functions contained within," explained We Made That. The red facade of East Street Exchange was structured using anodised aluminium sheets. Anodisation is a chemical process that makes aluminium more durable....
Feadship, a cooperative venture between Royal Van Lent Shipyard and Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw, has reportedly launched a 58-metre superyacht M/Y Najiba, Feadship's second largest fully aluminium yacht and its first project of the year. Built as a family superyacht for experienced owners, the vessel has been specially designed to keep fuel consumption to a bare minimum. Vitruvius Yachts has designed this new superyacht’s lines upon the owner’s request. Claudio Cicconetti was responsible for developing the general arrangement and Guillaume Rolland of Studio Christian Liaigre was in charge of interior design, while Peter Wilson of MCM represented the owner for the duration of the build. The original layout of the yacht features two master staterooms and a particularly open plan...
Spanish shipbuilder Gondan and Norwegian ship owner Engenes fiskeriselskap AS have reportedly signed a deal in the recent time to build a 69.9 metre long and 16 metre beam stern trawler. The expected time of delivery is the 1 st quarter of 2021. The trawler will be of NVC 370 design with a low resistant aluminium superstructure from Rolls-Royce, which will also deliver electric trawl winches driven by permanent magnet motors, as well as automation equipment. The hybrid propulsion system of the vessel will consist of a B33:45 diesel engine, Promas integrated propeller system, and HSG drive system. Shipowners Johannes Arne and Børge Arvesen of Engenes fiskeriselskap, said: “This is a milestone for our company and carries on the proud traditions of trawl fishing in our part of Norway.” Other...
MCP Yachts has announced the launch of MCP 92.5 RPH yacht. The yacht named Ragnar has been built entirely from aluminium with a 7.15 metre beam and a maximum draught of 1.85 metres. According to Boat International, MCP Yachts can fit the 92.5 RPH with a range of engine installations. With twin 1,925hp Caterpillar diesel engines, the yacht can reach a top speed of 27 knots and is designed to cruise at 23 knots. When cruising at 10 knots, Ragnar will boast a maximum cruising range of 3,000 nautical miles because of its total fuel capacity of 8,796 litres. The 27.74 metre yacht is for up to 12 guests split across six cabins, including a main deck master suite, two doubles and three twin cabins. MCP Yachts is a Brazilian shipyard specialized in design and construction of highly customized...
The United Kingdom’s leading aluminium rainwater system manufacturer Marley Alutec has reportedly launched a new innovative multi-purpose flat roof and balcony drainage system named Elite, compatible with all waterproofing membranes and roof build-ups. The launch is supported by the introduction of a unique online roof drainage design tool that calculates the number of outlets required based on location and specification, ensuring full compliance with the rainwater draining design standard BS EN12056-3. Manufactured from high-quality marine-grade aluminium, the Elite outlets ensure an extensive life expectancy of at least 50 years, given that aluminium will never corrode or degrade. They are engineered in such a way that they r able to deliver an unrivalled flow performance of up to...
Shares of the electric car and solar panel maker Tesla Inc. reportedly dropped on Wednesday, January 2, after the company cuts vehicle prices by US$ 2,000 and announced fourth-quarter sales figure that fell short of Wall Street estimates. Before the markets opened, the company said that it delivered 245,000 electric cars and SUVs last year, nearly as many as all previous years combined. But yet it would cut prices of its three models by U$ 2,000 so as to help customers handle the gradual phase-out of federal electric vehicle tax credits. On January 1, the federal credit for Tesla buyers dropped from $7,500 to $3,750 and would gradually phase out this year, as expected. The company’s overall deliveries in the entire year of 2018 matched Wall Street estimates. Only its figures for the...
Startup OEM Bollinger Motors reported in October 2018 that it had reached the “final stages” of its aluminium, electric “sport utility truck” the Bollinger B1. It also announced its plan for an aluminium electric pickup known as the Bollinger B2. Both the B1 and the B2 are all-wheel drive and have what Bollinger called an “All-Aluminum Body.” Though a 2017 news release for the B1 mentioned a “high-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) steel rollover structure”, the latest company update talked about an all-aluminium body. Highlighting the startup’s plans for collision repair and its plan about certified auto body shop network and OEM repair procedures, spokesman Tom Morr wrote in October that founder Robert Bollinger’s “underlying philosophy with the flat panels is to simplify manufacturing and...
Acer announced its new TravelMate X3410 thin and light commercial notebook series for small and medium businesses. The company said the 14-inch TravelMate X3410 is designed for professionals requiring a sleek, yet powerful device for multitasking and heavy workloads while withstanding the rigors of frequent travel. The Acer TravelMate X3410 series notebooks are available in the US with price starting at $899.99 for an Intel® Core™ i3/8GB DDR4 RAM/128GB SSD model. “Enclosed in a sleek, yet durable chassis with aluminium bottom and keyboard covers, Acer’s TravelMate X3410 is built to be highly portable, weighing just 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) and measuring under 0.8 inches (20 mm) thin.” It features a battery life of up to 15 hours1to support productivity on the go and up to 8th Generation Intel®...
Aluminum ion batteries are being considered to meet high demand applications like electric vehicles for private, public, and commercial transport (cars, buses, trucks, etc.). These applications require an enormous amount of electricity to be delivered to provide the necessary power for running these machines. Hugh demanding applications on a battery produce significant mechanical and thermal stresses on the battery. The current aluminium battery technologies employ liquids for their electrolyte, the medium that facilitates the transport of ions from one electrode to the other. Consequently, batteries in vehicles have a higher safety risk of explosion, burning out, outgassing, or simply failing, during operation or in case of an accident. The Hosein Research Group at Syracuse University...
According to a report, India’s first water metro rail project with about 23 ferries as part of project’s first phase, featuring steel body and aluminium hull, is expected to go live by December 2019. The news came after Kochi Metro Rail Corporation (KMRL) officially said at a press conference. The first of its kind for India, the water-transport will connect 10 islands near Kochi. In July 2016, Kochi Metro Rail Corporation (KMRL) and German Development Bank of KfW signed an agreement for 85 million Euro loan for the project. The total cost of the project is pegged at INR 747 crore excluding INR 72 crore required for land acquisition. The electric-powered ferries will be fully air-conditioned and will have a seating capacity of 100 passengers. They will reportedly connect 38 jetties on 16...
Carlisle Companies Incorporated, a global leader in commercial and industrial building envelope products through its Carlisle Construction Materials (CCM) operating segment, signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Petersen Aluminum Corporation. Petersen Aluminum, headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, is a privately held manufacturer of high-quality metal roofing products for approximately $197 million. The company manufactures and distributes architectural metal roof panels, steel and aluminium flat sheets and coils, wall panels, perimeter roof edge systems and related accessories for commercial, residential, institutional, industrial and agricultural markets. Chris Koch, CEO and President, said, "The acquisition of Petersen is part of our strategy of providing customers...
Novosibirsk State Technical University scientists have reportedly tested the world’s first internal-combustion engine fully made of aluminium and weighing about 200 kg. Ilya Zverkov, Professor of the Aircraft-and Helicopter-Making Chair at the University’s Aircraft Faculty, told TASS on January 28 that the test results would help the scientists to design a smaller engine. "During the trials, flaws were detected in the engine’s design and, considering these faults, we will design a new engine smaller by its dimensions. We do not give up the basic ideas and the task is to obtain the stated characteristics by the [engine’s] capacity and firmness," Zverkov said, adding that the improved engine would be designed and tested in the summer of this year. The use of aluminium in place of steel has...
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) recently issued its final decision in the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations into the imported common alloy aluminium sheet from China. The common alloy aluminium sheet will be subjected to Trump administration’s 96.3 per cent to 176.2 per cent duties. Reacting to ITC’s decision, the National Marine Manufacturers Association urged the government to remove all duties on aluminium sheet in official comments and testimony, as the tariffs were causing harm to the industry. NMMA President Thom Dammrich alleged that the administration and the commission are not analysing the impacts of tariffs on the downstream sector. They said that ITC’s approval of the 96.3 to 176.2 per cent duties on common aluminium sheet from China will be...
Donald Trump’s new tariffs of 25% on steel imports and 10% on aluminium imports affected the manufacturing industries across the nation. The construction industry is not an exception either. Aluminium tariff imposed by the United States government has already led to increases in the cost of construction materials. The move is expected to contribute to even higher building construction costs in the coming days. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) said Trump’s tariffs on aluminium and steel imports will have negative impact on U.S. design and construction industries. The action will increase the prices of many building materials such as window frames, mechanical systems, and exterior cladding. "By the same token, the Administration’s proposed infrastructure funding will not achieve...
Designer Steve Kozloff reportedly revealed a six decked 90-metre ice class expedition yacht concept called Kosatka, featuring an aluminium superstructure. Besides, the design also features steel and ice class hull with the strength to endure the intensity of driving through moderate multi-year ice conditions. According to Kozloff, Kosatka is thus, one of the most formidable yachts of her size. Other key features include a 2,415 square foot aircraft hangar with an accommodation capacity of four small or two medium-sized helicopters, and a large swimming pool at the bow with a hard-retractable cover. The vessel has a stern lounging area at the waterline and also features a crow’s nest equipped with a full command and control helm station. It has enough storage space as well for two large...
For the first time, the Ministry of Fisheries in the Northern Division in Fiji has acquired a new aluminium boat to handle its surveillance work at the fishing water. A senior technical officer from Ministry of Fisheries spoke about the lightweighting and fuel economy of the aluminium boat in comparison to fibreglass boats. During the hand-over of the boat in Labasa, the senior technical officer Reginald Caine said the new boat would be safer and more efficient for the officers and protect them from getting wet when they go out for policing. “This (aluminium) boat is much better than the fibreglass boat because its fuel consumption is low and travelling long distances can be covered much faster,” Mr Caine said. “There was an urgent need for an aluminium boat for monitoring,...
When Ford launched its all-aluminium body F-150 pickup truck in 2015 with aluminium body panels instead of steel to make it lighter with improved mileage and rust-free, it was considered as one of the biggest risks for America’s most popular truck maker. The bigger concern was the cost of repairs, particularly the cost of replacing body panels. But recent reports show that the use of aluminium has not really increased the repair costs. A report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which carefully tracks insurance pay-outs support the claim. The organization’s latest report on the F-150, from April 2017, found that the cost of body repairs, compared to the 2014 F-150, has not increased during this period. It is said that Ford offered discounted repair equipment to their...
According to the report jointly issued by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) and WAYS, the total sales of passenger vehicles are expected to register a decline of 6.6 per cent year on year in January 2019. The estimated sale is expected to stand at 2.26 million. Included in the passenger vehicle category are sedans, SUV, multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) and mini-vans. Compared to November 2018, wholesale PV volumes are expected to grow 6% in January 2019 due to seasonality and as auto-makers scurry to meet annual production and sales targets, Shanghai Metals Market reports. As the Chinese News Year approaches, shopping enthusiasm among consumers is set to increase car sales next month. In the meantime, declining retail sales and macroeconomic slowdown frustrate car dealers and prompt...
