HexaTech, Inc. has announced the immediate production release of its new 100 mm diameter single-crystal aluminum nitride (AlN) substrate, marking a significant step in the company's efforts to scale up manufacturing of the advanced semiconductor material. The launch builds on its earlier three-inch diameter substrate introduction and strengthens its product portfolio for commercial optoelectronic and high-power radio frequency (RF) applications. The company, which describes itself as the world's leading commercial supplier of single-crystal physical vapour transport (PVT)-grown AlN substrates, said the new product combines material performance with production scale and customer value. 100 mm launch marks another step in substrate development The latest product launch follows a focused...
Phinergy and electrical contractor Rosendin Electric have published a second white paper examining how aluminium-air generators (AAGs) could support data centre power needs beyond conventional backup systems. The paper outlines three potential uses, including providing power for AI and cloud facilities, increasing available grid capacity and supporting renewable microgrids. Titled “From Backup Power to Grid Enabler: Use Cases for Aluminum-Air Generator (AAG) in AI-Era Data Centers,” the paper compares aluminium-air generators with diesel generators and lithium-ion battery systems. The report comes amid growing pressure on electricity infrastructure from data centre expansion. In Northern Virginia, more than 9,000 backup diesel generators serve data centres, according to Virginia Mercury....
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The largest sailing yacht ever constructed in Italy has been launched at Perini Navi’s facility in La Spezia. With a length of 70 metres and an 850 Gross Tonne volume, Sybaris has joined an exclusive group as one of the largest sailing aluminium-made yachts in the world. The all aluminium vessel has been designed by the in-house team at Perini Navi, with naval architecture consultation and sail plan optimisation from Philippe Briand. Specifically chosen by her owners, her interior design was undertaken by the U.S. studio PH Design, who have utilised high quality materials such as titanium into both the structural and aesthetic design. In addition to her generous living and entertainment areas both inside and out, Sybaris also comes with two 7 metre carbon fibre tenders, as well as a 4.5...
Wrightstyle, the leading steel and aluminium advanced glazing specialist, has been appointed by Secco Sistemi as a fabricator and supplier of their systems in the UK. The Italian company is a worldwide leader in the production of designer aluminium glazing systems for doors, windows and facades, providing architects with a beautiful and exciting range of design options. Secco Sistemi’s range comprises slimline, cold rolled, thermally broken steel systems, in an array of finishes, including brass. Secco Sistemi systems are specified worldwide for the refurbishment of historic buildings and, reflecting Italian design excellence, for new-build retail and urban architecture. Wrightstyle has been working in close collaboration with Secco Sistemi for several months, with Wrightstyle staff being...
Graham Lusty Trailers (GLT) is now building customised race car transporters. The specialised aluminium trailer builder of Australia GLT has fabricated their first 6 car transporter for Steve McFadden. Aluminium and stainless steel is extensively used throughout the trailer. Where aluminium cannot be used the company's design team fall back on stainless steel. But aluminium is clearly their metal of choice for building trailers. “Our walls are made with a special aluminium plank which has a double skin and internal bracing. This means that our transporters do not require any internal framing”, explains Operations Manager James Yerbury. “Our chassis are also made from Marine grade aluminium and depending on your choice of suspension even the suspension hangers are aluminium”. The outer...
The Rio 2016 torch has been designed to represent the diversity and vibrancy of Brazil, and the Olympic spirit. It is made from recycled aluminium and resin with a satin finish, and can be opened out to reveal coloured segments during the relay. The torch stands 69 centimetres tall when fully opened. When lit, it expands into five segments with distinct colours. Each colour represents unique features of Brazil, including its landscape, flora, fauna, people and culture. The values of the Olympic spirit - excellence, friendship and respect - are represented by the torch's triangular shape. The torch's extending sections evoke the movements of athletes. The torch is embossed with the Rio 2016 logo and the Olympic rings, which recognize the five continents of the world. Organisers said...
The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S has shed weight thanks to the use of aluminium in many of its core components. At 306bhp and with 280lb ft of torque, the most powerful GTI ever produced has set a new front-wheel drive Nürburgring lap record, with a time of 7:49:21. The all new Clubsport S is based on the 'standard' GTI Clubsport and has been produced as part of Volkswagen's 40th anniversary celebrations of the GTI. Modifications to the car over a standard GTI are extensive. The Clubsport S has an unladen weight of 1285kg, which is a significant drop over the standard two door GTI's 1348kg. The standard Clubsport itself is 30kg heavier than the S. This is in part due to the removal of the rear seats and central armrest, as well as the use of a smaller battery. Other changes include...
Britain is all set to become home to the world’s first ever mass-produced extended-range electric delivery van this year. The Emerald T-001, expected to debut late next year, will be built exclusively on an aluminium chassis, reported sources close to the vehicle manufacturer. Based around a range-extender powertrain, the Emerald T-001 combines a 66-mile EV range with the ability to deal with a 1400kg payload arranged on three standard pallets. The technology opens the way for zero-emissions deliveries in towns and cities to arrive at a time when the annual average mileage of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) is growing dramatically due to the significant consumer shift towards internet shopping. Emerald Automotive is owned by Chinese car maker Geely, which also owns Volvo and London Taxi...
Colorado’s Ball Corporation announced last week that it and British-based American-owned Rexam PLC have come to terms with Luxembourg’s Ardagh Group over the sale of certain of Ball’s and Rexam’s assets in order to satisfy regulatory concerns involved in Ball’s purchase of Rexam. Ball and Rexam are among the largest makers of aluminium cans on Earth. Under the agreement, Ball and Rexam will be selling US$3.42 billion worth of assets to Ardagh: eight Rexam plants in the United States, ten Ball plants and two Rexam plants in Europe, and two Ball plants in Brazil. Ardagh would also receive innovation and support functions in Brazil, Britain, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States. According to Ball, the assets Ardagh would be receiving had a combined revenue of US$3 billion in FY 2015....
East African Cables Group, which manufactures copper cables and aluminium conductors and cables among other items, is waging on increased cables manufacturing and investments to return to revenue growth. This is after the regional manufacturer reported a 27 percent decline in its profits for the year 2015 of an undisclosed amount. The company has attributed the overall decline to the significant interruptions that facilitated the completion of the modernisation of the Kitui Road Copper Production plant. “The overall decline in performance was attributable to significant interruptions in our production processes as we concluded the last phase of our capacity upgrades at the refurbished Kitui Road plant,” said the firm’s Group CEO Peter Arina. EA Cables also singled out regional general...
Sonaca 200 is a two-seater, single-engine aircraft designed by Sonaca Aircraft for pilot training and leisure flights. It is the first aircraft assembled in Belgium, to be exhibited at the Aero Friedrichshafen show in April 2016. The airframe of Sonaca 200 is constructed with corrosion-resistant, semi-stressed aluminium structure. The fuselage, wing and tail of the aircraft are built using aluminium alloy. The main landing gear features glass fibre with powerful shock absorption, and is designed for use on unprepared and grass runways. The aircraft is designed and developed for the general aviation market and is currently undergoing tests in Belgium and other neighbouring countries for type certifications.
HP in collaboration with Google on Thursday, April 28, launched its latest Chromebook 13 laptop, the Chromebook 13 G1, priced at $499 (roughly INR 33,200) for the base model. It is said to go on sale this month. Looking at the Chromebook 13 G1's design, which boasts of a brushed anodised aluminium body along with the HP's glossy iconic logo, it is hard not to see the similarities with Apple's 12-inch MacBook. The anodised aluminium body laptop even bears USB Type-C ports, and no Ethernet port. It weighs in at 1.29 kgs, and measures 319.9x219.6x12.9mm, which is thinner than the 13.1mm Apple MacBook - the MacBook is lighter however, at 0.92 kgs. HP aluminium Chromebook 13 G1, backed by a 45Wh Li-ion battery, houses 32GB eMMC 5.0 inbuilt storage along with a HP TrueVision HD webcam for video...
A recent auto industry study revelaed that Jaguar has saved 500,000 tons of greenhouse gas pollution through the use of recycled aluminium in its XE. The Coventry-based car maker has been using a closed-loop aluminium recycling process to construct the XE’s bodyshell, and says that after 12 months of production it has reclaimed more than 50,000 tons of the metal – about the same weight as 200,000 XE bodyshells or six Eiffel Towers. The production process involves 11 press shops that segregate waste aluminium to be sent back into production, and is said to be 95 per cent more efficient than the sourcing of primary aluminium. These figures illustrate how beneficial using reclaimed materials can be in car production, and come after the car maker has invested a total of £7 million into the...
Popular peripheral maker Satechi is launching a new compact hub for Macs called Aluminum Mini Docking Station. The new hub expands one USB 3 port into four USB 3 ports plus adds access other networking and audio/video ports. Like a lot of other Satechi hardware, Aluminum Mini Docking Station is color-matched in silver to fit in with an iMac or Mac mini too. Specifically, Aluminum Mini Docking Station includes two front-facing USB 3 ports and a front-facing 3.5mm audio port plus two more USB 3 ports on the back next to a gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI port, and DVI video port. Satechi says the HDMI port supports 4K output or multiple monitors simultaneously with the DVI out. The specifications do not list the refresh rate but typical for Displaylink USB 3 is 30Hz at 4K or 60-120 at 1080P. In...
The Coca-Cola Co has said it has again listened to consumer demand as it brings back the 1980s fruit juice-flavoured drink Hi-C Ecto Cooler in freshly designed aluminium cans. The company said websites dedicated to 1980s and '90s nostalgia have name-checked the brand, and "a growing legion of social media fan groups have clamoured for a comeback". "Those communities convinced Coca-Cola to give the brand a curtain call," it added. Hi-C Ecto Cooler will be sold in 10-packs of 6-ounce juice boxes and in 6- and 12-packs of 11.5oz aluminium cans. The aluminium beverage cans, which will be available in selected locations including major online retailers, feature thermal ink printing technology that turns green when chilled. Aluminium has always ranked as the topmost medium for beverage...
Jaguar took the wraps off an extended version of the aluminium-bodied XF at the 2016 Beijing Motor Show, with 140mm added to the wheelbase giving rear passengers 157mm more legroom and 116mm more kneeroom. According to Jaguar, 90 per cent of executive saloon cars are bought in China in long wheelbase form, with the new XF L being the first aluminium-bodied car built in China. It’s being built as part of JLR’s joint venture with Chery at a new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Changshu. The new aluminium-bodied car also debuts a couple of new tech features: As many of these cars will be chauffeur driven, there’ll be wifi for rear passengers, along with the option of folding tables, massaging seats and electric window blinds. And for the driver, the latest InControl Touch Pro...
Motor Wheel Service Distribution (MWSD) has unveiled the latest Xlite and Xbrite+ forged aluminium wheels, designed predominantly for DAF vehicles and petrol and powder tractor units with a weight saving axle. The official UK distributor of Wheels India’s Xlite range has made two eight stud variations available in size 6.75”x17.5” with the 24mm weighing 13.2kg and the 30mm just 13.1kg. Both carry a load capacity of 2,725kg, making them suitable for Euro 6 vehicles. MWSD says the new wheels will be of major interest to vehicle operators who have had to use steel wheels on the weight saving axle as forged aluminium sizes were previously unavailable. John Ellis, managing director at MWSD, said: “Traditionally the wheel used on a weight saving axle has been steel, so to bring forged aluminium...
Audi TT RS enters the second generation. The newly launched offering from the luxury car brand which is all set to make its world premiere at the Beijing motor show in both Coupe and Roadster forms, sees the same 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine concept, but with a revamped engine block now made from aluminium rather than steel. Audi TT RS power is rated at 400hp – up 60hp from its predecessor – while the maximum torque of 480Nm is achieved between 1,700-5,850rpm. Transmission hardware include an uprated seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and Quattro all-wheel-drive system. The new-gen TT RS comes with pronounced-looking air vents up front, two large exhaust pipes and spoiler at the rear. Generous splashes of aluminium, carbonfibre and RS letterings on both the exterior and...
Noted New York based designer Karim Rashid has created a set of aluminium bottles for drinks brand Pepsi, one of a series of megabrands that presented in Milan this year. Working in collaboration with parent brand PepsiCo, Rashid has created three aluminium containers for the carbonated soft drinks. The Prestige designs, which will be used for special events hosted and sponsored by the brand, each feature a gently tapered form. Colours and patterns are used to differentiate the brand's Pepsi, Pepsi Light and Pepsi Max varieties. "The (aluminium) bottle that we did, which was a four-year project, is very complex," said Rashid, during a panel discussion organised by Pepsi and chaired by Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs. "The technology to produce it is all new, even just the feeling of...
National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) researchers’ latest invention, of aluminium bonding wires used in semiconductor packaging, is poised to revolutionize the industry by providing a cheaper alternative to gold, silver and copper, materials science professors Hung Fei-yi and Lui Truan-sheng said. Due to their superior conductivity and ductility, gold, silver or copper bond wires are used to make the ball bonds that connect 90 per cent of the world’s LED and IC semiconductor devices to their casing or frames, the researchers said. However, the high prices those metals command make mass production expensive, with gold valued at about NT$2 million (US$61,862) per kilogram, silver at NT$40,000 per kilogram and copper at the much lower, but still pricey, NT$220 per kilogram, they said. In...
