AUTOMOTIVE
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FURNACES DIRECTORY 2018
HEALTH & SAFETY
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PROFILE 6 Liberty Aluminium:
Volume 30 No. 6 – November/December 2017 Editorial Editor: Nadine Bloxsome Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855115 nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com
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AUTOMOTIVE 8 Focus on: low emission vehicles 10 Lightweighting boosts vehicle safety 14 Capturing aluminum’s potential with
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ROLLING 25 Improved technologies for mill roll
Aluminium International Today (USO No; 022-344) is published bi-monthly by Quartz Business Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Aluminium International c/o PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Printed in the UK by: Pensord, Tram Road, Pontlanfraith, Blackwood, Gwent, NP12 2YA, UK
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HEALTH & SAFETY 22 Making safety a priority
Hot rolling emulsion monitoring Assan Alüminyum’s expansion Stressometer flatness control: On a roll for 50 years
DIRECTORY Taster page 40
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2 COMMENT
EGA: $300m investment
Smarter manufacturing The term ‘Industry 4.0’ is everywhere at the moment, but do you know what it really means and what impact it could have on aluminium manufacturing? As this new era approaches, it seems that companies are applying Industry 4.0 concepts to add value along the entire supply chain; from managing production to ensuring the appropriate quality and delivering orders exactly as expected. Where can I find out more about how these processes can benefit or might affect my business, I hear you ask... The Future Aluminium Forum is a new event we are launching at Quartz Business Media, which will discuss and present how Industry 4.0 will be applied across the aluminium supply chain and the impacts. Being held in Milan on 8-9 May 2018, the Forum will examine how ‘smart manufacturing’ will revolutionise aluminium production. You can find out more about how to be involved and make the most of Earlybird registration rates here: www.futurealuminiumforum.com Coming back to this issue and there has been a big focus on the automotive market recently, so I visited the Lochaber smelter to find out how and why it is focusing on alloy wheel production. You’ll also find a detailed Furnaces Directory with listings of companies dedicated to thermal processing of metals and materials and a focus feature on rolling technology. See you in 2018! nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com November/December 2017
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Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial project in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, has completed a threeyear, $300 million project to replace older production lines at its Jebel Ali aluminium smelter with the company’s own UAE-developed technology, boosting production capacity and reducing costs and environmental emissions. All EGA’s 2,777 reduction cells will now be run on home-grown technology and reduce emissions of perfluorocarbons, a greenhouse gas generated in the aluminium smelting process from anode effects, by 96 per cent. The project boosts EGA’s production capacity by over 58,000
tonnes of aluminium per year. The execution of the modernisation project took six million man-hours of work, and was finished without a single Lost Time Injury. Abdulla Kalban, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at EGA, said: “This project to replace older reduction cells with UAE-developed technology boosts our competitiveness as one of the largest ‘premium aluminium’ producers in the world as the new reduction cells can produce more aluminium with less energy and with lower emissions. The most important achievement for me though was that a continuous focus on safe-
ty meant this challenging project was completed without hurting anyone.” The replacement work at Potline 1 and Potline 3 was conducted progressively in 16 separate sections, to minimise the time reduction cells were out of production. The first stage took 55 days, but this was accelerated to just 38 days by the final section. Last year EGA became the first UAE industrial company to license its technology internationally, in a major milestone for the development of a knowledge-based economy. Aluminium Bahrain selected EGA’s technology for its new Potline 6 following a competitive tender.
Ecosoderberg Pilot Rusal has announced the launch of an experimental reduction area at the Irkutsk Aluminium Smelter, which will operate under the EcoSoderberg technology. The total amount of investment in the project amounted to 540 million roubles. Implementing EcoSoderberg technology is one of the priority retrofitting projects for RUSAL. New generation potcells have a significantly reduced environmental impact, and bring in-
creased energy efficiency to aluminium smelters and automation for the majority of production processes. The pilot production at the Irkutsk Aluminium Smelter includes four retrofitted potcells. Before the end of 2017, the number of modernised potcells will increase to six. Victor Mann, Technical Director of UC RUSAL, commented: “Based on the results of the pilot project, we will decide on the
time-frame of the modernisation that will target all operating self-baking anode cells. In total, there are more than 500 of them at the smelter, which in the coming years will be upgraded.” EcoSoderberg is a unique proprietary solution developed by the RUSAL’s Krasnoyarsk-based Engineering and Technology Centre. The environmental effectiveness of the technology is due to its improved structural design and effective gas removal system.
Alcoa power contract Alcoa Corporation has announced that the company and power provider Luminant Generation Company LLC have terminated the electricity contract tied to Alcoa’s Rockdale Operations in Texas. The smelter at Rockdale has been fully curtailed since the end of 2008. The termination of the contract, which had been set to expire no later than 2038, was effective as of October 1, 2017. While the company sold surplus electricity since the smelter’s curtailment, Alcoa’s cost of power under the contract exceeded the related revenue.
The company expects an annual improvement to net income and adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) of $60 million to $70 million as a result of the contract termination, beginning in the fourth quarter of 2017. In accordance with the early termination agreement, Alcoa made a lump sum payment of $237.5 million on October 10, 2017 and transferred approximately 2,200 acres of related land and other assets to Luminant. The company will record a charge of approximately $250 million (pre- and after-tax) in the fourth quarter of
2017 associated with the transaction. In addition to the power contract, Alcoa and Luminant terminated other related fuel and lease agreements effective as of the same October 1 date. As a result of the early termination, Alcoa has initiated a strategic review of the remaining buildings and equipment associated with the smelter, casthouse and the aluminium powder plant. A decision on those assets is expected by the end of 2017. Separately, the company continues to own more than 30,000 acres of land at the Rockdale site. Aluminium International Today
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INDUSTRY NEWS 3
Sapa acquisition complete Norsk Hydro’s acquisition of Orkla’s 50% ownership in Sapa was completed on 2nd October, giving Hydro full ownership in the global leader in extruded aluminium solutions and making Hydro a leading force in the global aluminium industry. The combination makes Hydro the only global company in the aluminium industry that is fully integrated across the value chain and markets, and gives Hydro unparalleled strength in technology, R&D, innovation and product development, as well as an unmatched product and service offering to the benefit of more than 30,000 customers throughout the world. It also provides Hydro with the capa-
bility and freedom to grow in the most attractive areas of aluminium, as well as further strengthening the sustainable solutions for the future low-carbon economy. Sapa will become a new busi-
ness area in Hydro, Extruded Solutions, and will be headed by Egil Hogna. Hydro will consolidate the Sapa financials in its financial statements and at the same time, Hydro will discontinue reporting Sapa as an equity accounted investment.
NEWS IN BRIEF Rio Tinto talks According to reports, Rio Tinto is in advanced talks to sell its aluminium assets in Australia and New Zealand to GFG Alliance, the investment company run by Sanjeev Gupta. While the talks could end without agreement, Mr Gupta is said to be keen to buy Rio’s Pacific Aluminium business as he looks to build a global industrial conglomerate spanning metals, power, renewable energy and finance.
Falsified data Kobe Steel has admitted to falsifying inspection data on about 20,000 tonnes of metals used in aircraft and automobiles in the latest quality scandal to hit corporate Japan. Products affected included 19,300 tonnes of aluminium plate and extrusions; 2,200 tonnes of copper strip and pipe; and 19,400 cast and forged aluminium parts.
Danieli supplies Logan
Bauxite research
Danieli is to supply Logan Aluminum with the world’s most advanced and productive cold mill. The new investment by Tri-Arrows Aluminum Inc. will feature Danieli DiamondFlex technology for can-stock and automotive
flat products. The new Danieli DiamondFlex 6-High Cold Rolling Mill (CM4 designation) will be installed in a dedicated building at Logan Aluminum, in Logan County, in Western Kentucky, USA. The
operation of the new mill will further enhance Logan’s capabilities by rolling 29,500 kg [65,000 Ibs] coils with maximum strip width of 2133mm [84”] at speeds of up to 2200 m/min [7217 ft/min].
Constellium contract Constellium N.V. has announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement with Bombardier to supply flat rolled products in a rich mix of alloys, shapes and applications for a number of their aircraft programs such as C Series, CRJ Series, Q Series, Global and Challenger. In this new contract, Constellium will become one of the leading suppliers of flat rolled products to Bombardier globally. Constellium and Bombardier are Aluminium International Today
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long-time partners, with a strong history of collaborative research. Bombardier’s C Series aircraft aluminium-lithium fuselage sheets and extrusions are all currently supplied through Constellium’s Airware®platform. “I am proud to see Bombardier and Constellium continuing to build on their partnership. This new contract allows us to further anchor our position as a key supplier of innovative aluminium solutions for Bombardier’s air-
craft programs and as an industry leader more generally,” said Ingrid Joerg, President of Constellium’s Aerospace and Transportation business unit. Bombardier will be served by both of Constellium’s industrial facilities in Ravenswood, USA and Issoire, France.
Emirates Global Aluminium has signed an agreement with The University of Queensland, Australia, to conduct a three-year research programme into turning a by-product of the alumina industry into soil. The ground-breaking research project with The University of Queensland’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences will investigate combining bauxite residue with agricultural and domestic wastes to create a soil for greening and other uses.
Innoval appointment Effective as of August 1st, 2017, Dr Gary Mahon has become Managing Director of Innoval Technology (Innoval). Gary moves into his new position having been a Director of Innoval for the last Dr Gary 10 years. Mahon He replaces Dr Tom Farley who, after much consideration, has decided to retire from the aluminium industry after 28 successful years.
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4 INDUSTRY NEWS
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European Aluminium members European Aluminium, the voice of the entire aluminium value chain, introduced five new member companies during its General Assembly in October, bringing its total membership to over 85 companies and associations representing more than 600 plants in 30 European countries. “I am delighted to welcome the new members and I am certain they will make a tremendous contribu-
tion through their participation in our horizontal Committees and Market Groups,” commented Gerd Götz, Director General of European Aluminium. “The addition of new members also means a stronger value chain and industry voice. With EU legislation and global market trends creating both opportunities and challenges, it is now more important than ever to have a collective
industry response to address issues in key areas such as energy, the circular economy, trade, innovation and sustainability.” New member companies include: Aludium, BOAL, Liberty House Group, E-MAX and Kuusakoski Recycling. An overview of all European Aluminium Members can be found at: www.european-aluminium.eu/ about-us/our-members/
2018 DIARY March 11-15 TMS* Join your colleagues from nearly 70 nations at the meeting that the global minerals, metals, and materials community calls home. Held in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. www.tms.org/TMS2018
19-20 Metals of the Future* A new conference exploring the long-term impact of green technology on metals supply and demand. Held in London, UK. www.events.crugroup.com/ metalsinthefuture/home
22 Gulf Aluminium Council Dinner
ALTEK launches ALUSALT Altek has announced ALUSALT™, a “Mini Salt Slag Recycling” technology that has been developed over the past six years aimed at solving a major aluminium recycling industry challenge. ALTEK have now successfully
installed a large capacity salt slag recycling plant, as a demonstration unit, in Northern Europe at an aluminium recycling operation, where it is currently in the final stages of commissioning and optimisation. The plant has suc-
cessfully taken salt slag, removed the salt, re-crystalised the salt for re-use, and generated oxides (NMP) that can be used in various markets. Full commercialisation of this new technology will start in 2018.
Aluminium Pioneer honoured A pioneering metallurgist has been presented with an award for his contribution to the global aluminium industry. The Aluminium Industry Award was presented to Prof. Scamans at the Aluminium Federation’s 2017 Dinner by Aluminium Federation President Giles Ashmead (pictured). The event, at Tortworth Court in Gloucestershire, was attended by more than 200 guests from across the aluminium sector.
Chief scientific officer at Innoval Technology, Professor Scamans is also Professor of Metallurgy at Brunel University’s BCAST metals research facility. He started his research career in 1974 at Alcan International, initially as research scientist and later as principal scientist, a role he took with him when moving to Innoval Technology in 2003. Over the last 30 years he has initiated and managed a number of R&D programmes on both materials development and technological innovation, making substantial scientific and technological contributions to the light metals sector, his work being described in over 130 publications. A world authority on automotive lightweighting, Prof. Scamans has been closely involved with aluminium car body development for Ford, and subsequently with Jaguar Land Rover, which has resulted
in JLR’s current industry-leading range of aluminium-intensive vehicles. “Geoff has been a great supporter of the Aluminium Federation over many years, always willing to give his time and share his expertise, “ said Mr Ashmead. “He has succeeded not only in becoming an aluminium ‘go-to’ expert, but also in developing and nurturing younger and talented scientists throughout his career. “It’s rare that we make such an award, indeed Geoff is only the fourth recipient. This recognition is well deserved, and Geoff continues to make a significant contribution to the development of aluminium globally.” In November, Professor Scamans will be a keynote speaker at the Advanced Aluminium Engineering for the Automotive Industry conference in Birmingham.
Held at the Shangria La, Muscat, Oman. Invite only event.
May 8-9 Future Aluminium Forum* What does industry 4.0 mean to the future of the aluminium industry and how can it assist in the quest for greater efficiencies? Attend the Future Aluminium Forum to join this debate, hear from experts and network with solution providers and industry peers. Held in Milan, Italy. www.futurealuminiumforum.com
June 5-7 HARBOR’s 11th Aluminum Outlook Summit Over 500 participants, representing more than 260 companies, meet to network, get industry knowledge and the latest aluminum market intelligence and outlook. Held in Chicago, USA. www.harboraluminumsummit.com
*Pick up a free copy of Aluminium International Today at this event For a full listing visit www. aluminiumtoday.com and click on Events Diary Aluminium International Today
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6 PROFILE
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Investing in British aluminium It has been nearly a year since GFG Alliance companies SIMEC Lochaber Power and Liberty British Aluminium announced the takeover of the Lochaber smelter from Rio Tinto, along with plans to invest in the UK aluminium manufacturing industry and changes are afoot. Nadine Bloxsome* recently visited the Fort William site and spoke to Brian King** about the exciting plans for the future. The purchase of the Lochaber smelter at the end of 2016 represented the latest piece in the UK industrial jigsaw being assembled by Liberty House, which has recently bought a number of heavy manufacturing businesses. Not only did the deal safeguard 170 jobs at the site, plans to build an alloy wheel manufacturing facility alongside the smelter will create an additional 300 jobs directly, with another 300 in the supply chain. “The project isn’t just building a wheel factory, it is much bigger than that,” says Brian King, Managing Director, Lochaber Operations. What’s new? The biggest tangible difference when you walk round the plant is the onsite generating capacity, which has been installed over and above the hydropower. I was also thrown by the large new shopping centre that was being built just outside of the main entrance, but Brian assured me this is not part of the development plans! The investment in power means there is now 18MW produced from bio-liquid generators, which reduces the reliance on the grid. “To have new generators already installed within six months of being in operation under new ownership is amazing,” says Brian. “We appreciate that the smelter is an old smelter and we are quite limited to what we can do, but we will be investing in some areas.” The estate also offers potential for small hydro schemes, which could open up an extra 10MW, so this is currently being looked into. “We are planning to install a metal treatment facility and refurbish or replace the main cranes used in the potlines,” Brian continues. “The technology in the potlines isn’t the latest technology, but it works really well and it will continue to go as long as we look after it.”
Alloy wheel plant Clearly the project taking the most focus is the alloy wheel plant and at the time of visiting, the planning application was in the process of being prepared for submission. The new factory will use aluminium from the smelter to produce around two million wheels a year, for UK manufactured cars. “We are in discussions with all the UK based car manufacturers and there seems to be a general consensus that with Brexit looming, they want to secure as much UK manufacturing as possible,” said Brian. “Two million wheels is a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s nothing. When you consider that the British car industry is targeting the production of over 2 million vehicles a year within the next few years, with four wheels plus a spare on each car, means over eight million wheels. That’s a lot of wheels!” The wheel plant project will be
community changing, as well as securing a future for aluminium manufacturing in the UK. “It’s interesting, the way the UK car market is going and the key part aluminium is now playing in the automotive industry with light-weighting and low CO2 emissions, the smelter is probably in the strongest position it has been in for a long time to satisfy that market,” says Brian. The Scottish Government is supporting the development and is keen to ensure it is a success. “Housing is at a premium in Fort William and there are around 1,000 people on the waiting list for houses already,” says Brian. “If we are potentially, even conservatively, looking to bring 800 people here, then it is a question of working with the government and local council to ensure we can provide temporary accommodation, as well as all aspects of executive housing through to
*Editor, Aluminium International Today **Managing Director, Lochaber Operations November/December 2017
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starter family housing.” The main challenge being faced by the company is finding skilled workers to fill the positions in the factory. “The local unemployment rate is less that 1%, which means finding 400 people in a population of around 12,000 is a challenge,” continues Brian. “We are working on ways to encourage workers to Fort William and there is a big focus on lifestyle. It is a fantastic location, with a lot to offer, but we will be working hard on the community aspect and maintaining that.”
Other projects Well-known for its outdoor activities, Fort William has lots to offer and Liberty British Aluminium is also getting in on the action with certain projects across the estate. “One of the most exciting ideas we are working on is using the water flow from the tailrace for a white water kayaking course!” says Brian. “We are also working with the local community to source land to build a heliport, because the land the existing one is on is for sale. With so much remote land around, you need helicopters for emergencies, mountain rescue and the air ambulance.” There are also areas of the estate that have fallen into disrepair, so the company is considering refurbishing these and using the land for more commercial causes. The most recent project announced by the GFG Alliance, which owns the Fort William smelter and associated hydro power stations, is a wind farm development by SIMEC Energy of 54 turbines to generate up to 178MW
energy at Glenshero at the north end of the estate. SIMEC says the development of renewable energy across its estate lands will contribute valuable low-cost, lowcarbon power for industrial schemes such as the GFG Alliance’s aluminium smelter and planned Fort William alloy wheels factory and its steel mills in Lanarkshire. Next steps The overwhelming feeling at Lochaber seems to be ‘watch this space’ and exciting times are ahead. “My immediate focus is securing the planning consent for the wheel plant and then the real work begins!” says Brian. “It will be great to see the investments come into fruition on site and there is nothing nicer to be able to say to people than I’ve got several hundred jobs to offer, come and knock on my door and let’s get started.” As the birthplace of aluminium, thankfully it seems that Lochaber has a light and bright future ahead. �
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Photo courtesy of the London Electric Vehicle Company
Focus on: Low emission vehicles Hydro (formerly Sapa) recently re-opened its factory in Bedwas, Wales, UK to supply the growing automotive industry demand for lightweight body structure solutions. Nadine Bloxsome* met with John Thuestad** and Barnaby Struthers*** to find out more about this project and how extrusions are providing solutions.
The first customer to be supplied from the refurbished facility will be the London Electrical Vehicle Company (LEVC), who has developed an all-new zero emissions capable black taxi. Hydro is investing £9.6 million in the plant refurbishment and new equipment to supply advanced aluminium components. The investment is backed by £550,000 from the Welsh Government, which helped secure the project for Wales as Hydro looked into production at another European facility with spare capacity. In excess of 130 jobs will be created over the next five years. “The nice thing is that the first project focuses on the iconic London taxi,” says John Thuestad, heading Hydro’s extrusion business in Europe. “It was clear that the LEVC and Sapa both had a background in aluminium in automotive, so from there, we knew we had something!” An opening ceremony was held on the 18th September 2017 and among those invited were VIPs from the Welsh Government, as well as local media. “This is great day for both Sapa and manufacturing in Wales,” said John at the
event. “The company had to end extrusion operations in Bedwas in 2014 due to overcapacity in the market, but we are
now pleased to be able to return to Wales with our new automotive components business. This is a good example of how
Ken Skates, Welsh Economy and Infrastructure Secretary (left), is proud to have supported the reopening of Hydro’s Bedwas plant.
*Editor, Aluminium International Today **SVP Extrusion Europe, Hydro *** Business Development Manager, Hydro Automotive November/December 2017
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John Thuestad, Ken Skates and Calvin Carpenter cutting the ribbon in front of the prototype of the new zero-emissions-capable black cab.
industrial companies such as Hydro are growing in advanced markets fuelled by demands for lighter vehicles and more sustainable materials,” he continued. Investment In order to work towards the future of extruded solutions, the company has already removed extrusion presses at the plant and it is anticipated that approximately £20 million will be spent on new machinery and equipment. This will happen in phases, as customers grow and business is won. “We’ve seen the way the market is moving and the use of extrusions in body structures and we believe there is a market in the UK for this facility,” says Barnaby Struthers, Business Development Manager in the UK. “Whether the car is electric or fuel, lightweighting is part of tomorrow.“ Lightweight cars fuelling growth Economy and Infrastructure Secretary Ken Skates is delighted the facility in Bedwas will now be brought back into operation. He said: “The Welsh Government is proud to have supported Hydro’s extensive
investment in the refurbishment of its site in Bedwas and I am proud that Wales will be playing a key role in the production of a new generation of environmentally friendly black cabs. “Wales has a growing reputation as a location for supporting innovative new technologies and the Low Carbon Vehicle sector is a particular growth area for our advanced materials and manufacturing industry.” Calvin Carpenter, MD of Hydro’s component business in the UK, added: “The re-opening of this factory is a culmination of nearly three years working with London Taxi throughout its development phases to enable us to supply major body components to the ‘new state of the art’ facility in Ansty, Coventry.” Production for the revamped, green version of the famous London black cab at Bedwas is set to start in the final quarter of 2017. The first London hybrid black cabs are expected to hit the road in November 2017, with the aim of having 150 on the road by the end of this year. �
Note: Sapa became a business area within Hydro called Extruded Solutions on October 2nd 2017, and is now a global, fully integrated aluminium company. With its 35,000 employees, Hydro has a global reach, local presence and activities on all continents in around 40 countries, serving about 30,000 customers globally.
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Lightweighting boosts vehicle safety By Ken Stanford* Optimism continues for the global aluminium industry’s outlook as mass reduction remains a high priority for vehicle makers. With new approaches to weight savings being developed steadily, OEMs and their Tier 1 suppliers are able to expand their options. Over the next decade, high-strength, low-weight aluminium alloy components will increasingly be exploited in vehicle design at a faster pace than any time in history. The continued growth of interest in aluminium is driven by market demands in the areas of fuel consumption, performance, emissions, styling aesthetics, sustainability and recycling. And now, increasingly, considerations of maintaining or improving safety and durability have become prominent for vehicle occupants and other road users, including pedestrians. The central objectives of design and technical innovation are driven by these challenges, and developments continue apace with aluminium at the core. World industry bodies notably The Aluminum Association’s Aluminium Transportation Group (ATG) and the European Aluminium Association have demonstrated the key safety benefits of aluminium in transportation through extensive R&D programs and related field testing. The auto industry has increasingly applied aluminium in vehicle chassis, frames and body, engine and transmission parts. This has meant a dramatic increase in the use of aluminium castings, extrusions, and sheet in recent years. Using aluminium for vehicle components to replace steel delivers a wide range of benefits, notably in terms of weight, strength, fuel efficiency, reduced emissions – and safety. When applied to an optimised automotive body structure, aluminium can provide considerable weight savings compared with a traditional steel structure. And, across the board, aluminium’s property advantages are clear. Because of aluminium's lower weight – on average 10% to 40% less than
Uprated aluminium-intensive Audi Space Frame in new A8 model (Courtesy: Audi)
steel – it allows automakers to increase dent resistance; body panels can be made thicker while still reducing weight. And a lower weight vehicle has better acceleration, better braking and better handling. Reducing mass with aluminium also makes it possible to improve the rigidity of the entire structure. The rigidity provides drivers with more immediate and precise control. In addition, lighter vehicles can haul and tow more because the engine is not carrying unneeded weight. Also, the malleability of aluminium allows designers to engineer vehicle shapes optimised for maximum performance. Around 90 % of automotive aluminium scrap is recovered and recycled. Recycling 1t of aluminium saves energy equivalent to 21 barrels of oil, and using aluminium in vehicle manufacturing gives a 20 % smaller life cycle CO2 footprint compared with using steel. According to a recent Aluminum Association report, replacing a fleet of steel vehicles with aluminiumintensive variants can save 108 million barrels of crude oil and avoid 44 million tons of CO2 emissions.
The significantly lower weight of vehicles with aluminium components can save around 0.7 gallons of fuel per 100 miles, a reduction of 15 % in fuel consumption over steel vehicles. Similar fuel savings are made when aluminium is used in hybrid, diesel and electric vehicles. Aluminium components in auto applications benefit from needing less rust repair and an increased service life, and are ideal for vehicles in challenging environments, including off-road and military. Safety focus Latest generation vehicles are required to meet increasingly stringent safety regulations, both regarding vehicle crash management, such as EuroNCAP and IIHS, and for pedestrian protection. But car safety is not only a question of the material used – the design applied and the complementary manufacturing concepts and techniques with aluminium are equally important. In order to deliver the range of safety requirements demanded, modern vehicles
*Correspondent November/December 2017
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Aluminium safety components contribute to vehicle safety while delivering weight savings, which resulting in more fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly vehicles (Courtesy: Constellium)
include a stiff, stable passenger cell to ensure the necessary survival space in the event of an accident. This is surrounded by deformation zones where the crash energy is efficiently absorbed without exceeding critical acceleration levels. In the development of the car body structure, the most important thing is to devise an optimum compromise between structural stiffness, crash energy absorption capacity and further body requirements and add-ons. Aluminium is an ideal material to offer solutions to meet often conflicting goals while still providing maximum performance and lowest possible weight. Aluminium body structures are equal or superior in strength to steel and absorb twice as much crashinduced energy. Primary-structure weight savings also allow other vehicle systems to be downsized, including the engine, transmission, suspension and wheels. Aluminium can be used to increase the size and energy absorption capacity of a vehicle’s front and rear crumple zones, enhancing safety without incurring corresponding weight penalties. Lower weight improves vehicle handling and reduces braking distances, both of which are important factors in avoiding accidents. Keeping braking power constant, lightweighting reduces braking distance, which allows downsizing of the brakes – in turn offering further weight saving potential. Road handling is improved by lightweighting in a variety of ways: Handling of a lighter car is easier in demanding driving situations. Reducing body weight lowers the centre of gravity, improving the car’s stability and reducing the risk of roll-over. Given that the optimal weight Aluminium International Today
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Bumper boost for crash protection in lightweight vehicles Lightweight aluminium cars and trains will no longer need to rely on heavy steel bumper beams and crash boxes for impact protection, thanks to advanced aluminium alloys and casting techniques being perfected at Brunel University in west London. The Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology (BCAST), a global leader in metallurgical casting research, is working closely with UK foundry partner Sarginsons Industries and others on the development of high-performance cast aluminium alloys as part of the Lightweight Energy Absorbing Aluminium Structures for Transport (LEAAST) project. Two aluminium alloys have been developed within the project and have proven to be successful in industrial trials, offering improved strength and ductility. A new 6xxx series wrought alloy can provide yield strength and elongation of more than 500 MPa and 10%, distribution between front and rear axle is 50:50 and that the front axle is usually overloaded, using lightweight aluminium components for the front parts of cars is particularly beneficial. Complementary benefits Reducing vehicle mass by using more aluminium has additional benefits, which enhance overall safety: Keeping the car
respectively. A new 3xx series cast alloy is about three times lighter than steel and, compared with previous alloys, has yield strength of 310 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of 365 MPa and elongation of 10%. This provides a ratio of strength to density that enables parts made from these alloys to absorb the required stresses and deform in a controlled manner under impact. BCAST research is well supported by a variety of UK and EU funding bodies and a network of industrial companies including Constellium, Jaguar Land Rover and Aeromet. Overall, aluminium will also continue to have a leading place in the industry, especially for larger exterior panels, chassis, engines, transmission parts and wheels, where the properties of the metal offer great benefits in delivering significant mass reduction and associated safety and performance indices. acceleration performance constant, which is generally reflected by the powerto-weight ratio, saving weight allows downsizing of the power train – engine, transmission, axle and differential – and thus provides additional weight savings. Keeping the power train unmodified, reducing weight increases the powerto-weight ratio and therefore improves acceleration. November/December 2017
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12 AUTOMOTIVE
Aluminium has proven to be a key enabler in vehicle lightweighting, delivering cost-efficient and safer solutions in vehicle construction – here, car door side impact beam
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Production of crash management systems (Courtesy: Constellium)
BCAST and Sarinsons Industries – advanced aluminium alloy vehicle castings offer improved impact performance (Courtesy: BCAST)
Saving weight on unsuspended parts like wheels not only increases driving comfort of the car, but also reduces the hammering effect on uneven roads, thereby reducing wear of vehicle components. Furthermore, several international studies have shown that vehicle size, not weight, is the better determinant of safety. Certainly, crash compatibility is a vital index. Large differences in vehicle weight are, of course, significantly more dangerous for the lighter vehicle. Consequently, the lightweighting of all vehicles while maintaining their size would improve the survival rate for all road users overall. Reducing vehicle weight reduces the crash forces that must be managed and the energy that must be absorbed during an accident, and this applies to all vehicles involved. If the vehicle size is reduced, both the interior survival space and the available crush space of the vehicle are reduced. Consequently, making cars lighter without making them smaller is a positive measure from a vehicle safety viewpoint. The same principles also apply to pedestrian protection where properly designed aluminium front end structures and bonnets help to prevent injuries and reduce the fatality risk. Design for pedestrian protection requires sufficient deformation space and the use of a construction material offering a low initial peak force and closely controllable energy absorption characteristics. Proper selection of the aluminium alloy and product form enables lightweight components to be produced that fulfill all requirements. Furthermore, the potential for lightweight design with aluminium facilitates the reduction of the risk of severe knee and head injuries by the addition of lower bumper stiffeners and the use of pop-up bonnets. Crash management systems Ever more capable crash structures are November/December 2017
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demanded by increasingly stringent collision safety regulations. In vehicle collisions, the crash energy is primarily absorbed by the front and rear crash management systems, followed by the deformation of the longitudinal beams. Crash management systems consist of a bumper beam and two crash boxes that are designed to minimise the damage to the vehicle in low-speed impacts and to absorb a maximum of crash energy by deformation in higher speed impacts. Aluminium crash management systems are generally based on extruded profile designs. Proper alloy selection ensures that crash management systems deform heavily before crack formation starts. At equal energy absorption, aluminium allows weight savings of about 40% compared to steel solutions. Lightweighting through new alloy developments, part design and production is critical for providing the automotive industry with options to reduce mass and counter the added-weight of, for example, electric and hybrid cars. Battery packs require protection in event of a collision so further lightweighting of the vehicle overall is needed to offset the extra weight of the power pack and fittings. With greater volumes of electric and hybrid vehicles produced this extra lightweighting will be an increasingly important consideration. Some recent industry examples illustrate the level of development focused on aluminium lightweighting technologies. From volume production, workhorse vehicles like the Ford F-150 and the new London Taxi, through to luxury cars such as Audi, Mercedes Benz, Morgan, Jaguar Land Rover and Tesla, aluminium is increasingly the first choice material for vehicle makers thanks to its range of property advantages. Audi’s new A8 model launched this year, based on the company's pioneering
experience with lightweighting, incorporates aluminium technologies based on its revised Audi Space Frame (ASF) architecture. Aluminium alloy accounts for 58% of the new A8’s composition, mainly castings, extrusions and sheet. The body shell of the company's flagship saloon car reflects current vehicle design trends: Its dynamic stiffness is up by 24%, which should contribute to improved handling, steering and refinement. Audi says that in maintaining the aluminium DNA it has developed a new technique to make the walls of aluminium castings thinner and stronger. Components are 50% stronger but the wall thickness is reduced by 15%, resulting in a weight reduction of 19%, while maintaining rigidity. Niche prestige UK car builder, Morgan has embraced innovative design in terms of its use of materials and technologies, for example having produced the first car in the world to feature a body made entirely from super formed aluminium parts. Additionally, use of a bonded aluminium chassis delivers rigidity and weight saving while providing the ability to conform to modern standards of safety and environmental impact. Structural durability is also increased and the intrusion pulse is softened during crash tests, the firm says. A key aspect of the new electric taxi design from LEVC in the UK is its aluminium structure, which is bonded using advanced adhesives. It is 30% lighter than an equivalent steel structure, and the bonding method is more than twice as strong as welding. The resulting structure is remarkably strong the company claims, making the new taxi the safest it has ever produced. Tesla Model 3’s aluminium-intensive composition and structure are combined in a vehicle that has attracted top worldclass safety ratings. � Aluminium International Today
07/11/2017 11:36:42
8-9 MAY • HOTEL MICHELANGELO MILAN • ITALY
Applying Industry 4.0 to the aluminium industry What does Industry 4.0 mean to the future of the aluminium industry and how can it assist in the quest for greater efficiencies? The Future Aluminium Forum is a live discussion that will examine how Industry 4.0 and ‘smart manufacturing’ will revolutionise aluminium manufacturing and processing and analyse the benefits that can be gained from doing so. Speakers from academia, across the aluminium supply chain and technology providers will explain key concepts behind the digitalisation of aluminium manufacturing; as well as covering the importance of cyber security, the role of human beings in the factory of the future, autonomous equipment and the all-important process safety and control. Join us to find out how and where Industry 4.0 will be applied across the aluminium value chain and the impacts. GET INVOLVED: If you are interested in finding out more, please contact us TO SPONSOR/EXHIBIT: Ken Clark International Sales Director +44 (0) 1737 855 117 kenclark@quartzltd.com
John Lane Business Development Manager (Europe) +44 (0) 1737 855 014 johnlane@quartzltd.com
TO SPEAK: Nadine Bloxsome Programme Director +44 (0) 1737 855 115 nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com
Official Media Partner
@alu_forum
Organised by:
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14 AUTOMOTIVE
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Capturing aluminium’s potential with systems engineering Cross-disciplinary approach reduces time to market and improves responsiveness to customer objectives. Aluminium - long the material of choice for aerospace, European automotive design and other industries - is being rapidly embraced by North American automotive designers for its high strengthto-weight ratio, light weight and corrosion resistance. However, aluminium exhibits different characteristics than steel that require a Systems Engineering approach to unlock maximum value. Systems Engineering provides an open exchange of ideas directed at a common goal: Developing the aluminium alloy best capable of achieving functional and regulatory-related design goals while optimizing manufacturing efficiencies to meet cost and timeline requirements. The resulting refinements and
improvements are catalysing the development of next-generation aluminum alloys with functionality and costs that are improving the profitability of automakers worldwide. How systems engineering works In a traditional engineering scenario, material innovations are developed using a waterfall approach, in which various engineering functions are tackled in a linear fashion. If an obstacle occurs during the piloting phase, multiple steps must be retraced to find and correct the underlying problem, adding time and cost to the development process. Systems Engineering takes a life-cycle view of material development. It integrates R&D, production and management engineers into a single team responsible for designing and managing customer-driven solutions. This cross-
disciplinary team of engineers collaborates from the outset, reducing time to market and improving responsiveness to customer objectives. Functional design In Systems Engineering, material development engineers work closely with the internal automotive design team to clearly define each functional element of design. For example, the automobile may require the sharp lines characteristic of steel-based profiles, significant reductions in overall weight, a high level of impact resistance and/or optimum recyclability. Simultaneously, the material partner’s production engineer provides input on the production variables relevant to achieving the designer’s goals. By weighing the advantages and disadvantages of various die designs, stamping processes or dimensional
Systems Engineering at work Mixed aluminium Consider the challenges involved in choosing the best material for an automotive closure, such as doors. The manufacturer has already determined that steel cannot meet the weight requirements necessary to comply with environmental regulations, so an aluminium processor is consulted. But which alloy to use? Material development engineers work with production engineering to evaluate various alloys, dies and stamping methods to ensure the safety and robustness of the resulting design.
Uni-alloy aluminium
5000/6000, 5000/6000, 6000/6000, 6000/6000, 6000/6000, PHS 7000 6000 PHS 7000 Weight Savings (2 doors)
BASE
(2.4lbs)
(1.1lbs)
(1.2lbs)
(3.6lbs)
$/lb. Weight saved
BASE
2.31 - 2.83
3.00-3.86
(0.02) - 0.27
1.50-1.99
Current state
7000 SIB Reduces thermal expansion difference complexity
Uni-alloy eliminates scrap sorting complexity * Information provided based on market pricing as of May 2017
November/December 2017
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06/11/2017 10:03:27
AUTOMOTIVE 15 5 IN A TYPICAL AUTOMOTIVE SCENARIO, MORE THAN 300 FIXED AND VARIABLE COSTS ARE EVALUATED DURING THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING PROCESS.
controls, an experienced production engineer can help optimise the manufacturing process for operational efficiency and performance.
Materials handling solutions for your industry
System cost In a typical automotive scenario, more than 300 fixed and variable costs are evaluated during the design, development and manufacturing process. Knowledgeable cost analysts on a Systems Engineering team use industry-recognised models to evaluate the impact of every conceivable optionon total life-cycle cost. For example, a cost-adding change in the material’s formability characteristics may be offset by adaptations during production. Moving forward Once an automotive manufacturer determines that environmental weight requirements rule out the use of steel, the next step is to talk with an aluminium processor to assess available options. By partnering with a material processor that takes a Systems Engineering approach to aluminum development, an automotive manufacturer can gain the benefits of light weight, corrosive resistance and a high strength-to-weight ratio. �
Cost analysis: A mix of 5000 series material for the inner door and a 6016-based alloy for the outer panel are most commonly used today, but new 6000 grades can meet inner door formability requirements. Applying an industry-recognised cost model shows a door design using 6000 inner and outer panels can yield a slight weight and cost savings when all factors are considered. 7000 series aluminium also has shown promise for door beam structures, providing a further weight savings over press-hardened steel beams. Stamping optimisation: Compared with steel, aluminium exhibits a very rapid strain hardening response. Special care must be taken in designing draw beads that allow maximum stretch for outer panels. In addition, new higher-formability grades of aluminium support unialloy closure concepts. Through simulations and actual press trials, similar - and sometimes superior - formability can be achieved. Other considerations: Even when desired cost, formability and surface quality are met, other influences should be assessed to optimise overall closure system requirements. Weldability/joining behavior, corrosion control and tribology specifications are examples of other key factors that should be assessed in detail.
• Improved storage utilisation • Safer product handling • Increased productivity • Indoor / Outdoor
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16 AUTOMOTIVE
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Getting real with recycling Jaguar Land Rover, the UK’s largest vehicle manufacturer, is expanding the use of recycled aluminium in its car bodies to cut waste and reduce carbon emissions.
The £2 million project, called REALITY (Recycled Aluminium through Innovative Technology) has set a target to enable the closed-loop recycling of aluminium from vehicles at the end of their life, back into high-performance product forms for new vehicle body manufacture in the UK by Jaguar Land Rover. The 34-month project enables the development and industrial deployment of sensor-based scrap sorting technologies to separate wrought and cast alloys, and then to further separate wrought alloys into alloy types for the first time in high volume. Full-scale recycled scrap based sheet and castings will be produced and evaluated. End-of-Life vehicles will be shredded and automatically sorted using state of the art sensing and sorting technologies. The recovered wrought and cast scrap will be alloyed, then supplied for either coil production or commercial scale shape casting production by high-pressure vacuum die casting with melt conditioning to remove or tolerate impurities. Materials evaluation and characterisation will then be carried out on both the resultant sheet and cast product forms. Cost effective automated separation processes for shredder scrap will enable the closed-loop recycling of End-of-Life vehicles, providing significant CO2 savings November/December 2017
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(due to their being less, or no primary metal) and major cost savings. Innovations in the sorting and separating technologies applied to automotive end-of-life waste streams will also help other sectors, including packaging and construction. It is driving a new culture to further develop the circular economy model to deliver both financial and environmental benefits by treating waste material as a high-value commodity. Quality will remain paramount, and the project will evaluate aluminium grades at a chemical and microstructure level to increase tolerance to recycling. Resource recovery specialist Axion has joined the project to develop the sorting technologies for the recovery of high grade recycled aluminium. The project partners are Jaguar Land Rover, Axion Recycling, Novelis, Norton Aluminium, Brunel University London, WMG University of Warwick, Innoval Technology and Innovate UK. REALITY builds on the REALCAR (REcycled ALuminium CAR) and REALCAR 2 projects allowing tens of thousands of tonnes of aluminium generated in the manufacturing process to be recycled and reused in a closed loop. Aluminium from other sources, including End-of-Life vehicles, have the potential to be graded and ‘born again’ in the manufacture of
new cars. REALCAR began as a partnership between Jaguar Land Rover, Innovate UK, Novelis, Norton Aluminium, Stadco, Brunel University London, Zyomax and Innoval Technology. The original project and subsequent work with suppliers enabled Jaguar Land Rover to reclaim more than 75,000 tonnes of aluminium scrap and re-use it in the aluminium production process in 2016/17. REALCAR was a research project based on high recycled sheet aluminium developments from closed loop sources. The Jaguar Land Rover led project was funded by the Innovate UK from 2008 to 2011 and resulted in the development of a modified aluminium sheet alloy. The alloy accommodates higher recycling rates through closed loop recycling of high quality segregated scrap at Jaguar Land Rover press shops and key external suppliers. To support the project, investment has been made in internal Jaguar Land Rover press shops to upgrade scrap segregation processes to retain alloy quality. The modified alloy has been developed for application as a sheet alloy in the latest generation Jaguar Land Rover vehicle body structures. Implementing closed-loop aluminium recycling has involved cutting-edge chemistry, new infrastructure and Aluminium International Today
06/11/2017 10:08:39
AUTOMOTIVE 17 5
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investment of more than £13 million. The project, part-funded by Innovate UK, has involved more than 10 press shops (Jaguar Land Rover and external suppliers) with aluminium being re-melted by Novelis. Jaguar Land Rover have invested more than £7m across its own Halewood, Castle Bromwich and Solihull press shops to install intricate segregation systems to capture and distribute the aluminium scrap for re-melting, reducing waste, retaining higher quality and value in the material. Project partner, Novelis, also expanded its recycling plant in Latchford, Warrington in the UK in 2013, with an investment of approximately £6m, to enable the closed loop manufacturing for growing automotive aluminium sheet market. The investment in new equipment for recycling automotive aluminium scrap included a dedicated furnace, upgraded casting system, magnetic separation and handling equipment, as well as world class environmental controls. The next innovation project REALCAR 2 was launched in February 2013 in conjunction with Innovate UK to investigate opportunities to exploit additional recycled aluminium from postconsumer sources through extraction
from advanced waste separation facilities. This was a £1 million project to explore the business case and technology for including an additional 25% of recycled post-consumer, non-automotive scrap (including drink cans) in a new grade of aluminium alloy. The challenge was to develop an alloy that can absorb the wider range of chemical variations that result from post-consumer recycled materials, and still provide the high performance required for use in car body structures. The project also evaluated the potential for aluminium sourced from End-of-Life vehicles. REALITY builds on the technological, commercial and value chain opportunities identified within REALCAR and REALCAR 2 to refine the process of turning aluminium from ‘end-of-life’ cars into new vehicles. The project continues to deliver significant sustainability benefits with aluminium recycling requiring up to 95 per cent less energy than primary aluminium production. Innovate UK awarded a grant of £1.3 million to the project in 2016 as part of its Manufacturing and Materials Round One funding competition. Simon Edmonds, Director of Manufacturing and Materials at Innovate
UK, said: “Innovate UK is proud of our support for the REALCAR programme, and this exciting latest stage of the project, REALITY, is another excellent example of collaboration between large and small businesses in the supply chain, supporting them to scale up and become more productive. These projects have been a model in terms of professional delivery of complex research and development.” Jaguar Land Rover are members of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI), a global, multi-stakeholder, nonprofit standards setting and certification organisation. It is the result of producers, users and stakeholders in the aluminium value chain coming together with a commitment to maximising the contribution of aluminium to a sustainable society. The REALCAR and REALITY projects support the Material Stewardship Principle in the ASI Performance Standard to take a life cycle perspective and to promote resource efficiency, collection and recycling of aluminium within its operations as well as within the value chain. � For more information on how the REALITY project is an evolution from the REALCAR project, visit: www.youtu.be/2493lsmnCHM www.media.jaguarlandrover.com
TAILOR-MADE INNOVATIONS FOR ROLLING MILLS PUSHER TYPE FURNACE FOR INGOTS
OTTO JUNKER GMBH Jaegerhausstr. 22 52152 Simmerath Germany
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Phone: +49 2473 601-0 | Fax: +49 2473 601-600 E-Mail: info@otto-junker.de
WWW.OTTO-JUNKER.DE November/December 2017
06/11/2017 10:08:39
Introducing an aluminum mill de-drossing solution that’s versatile, easy to use and reliable Gradall is introducing an XL 4210 V maintenance machine that is the proven solution to efficiently skim dross and maintain the walls and bottoms in aluminum furnaces. With a 49-foot (14.9 m) boom reach and mobile crawler undercarriage, this unique Gradall can quickly and accurately skim the molten surfaces in one or more furnaces while minimizing door opening times. For an actual case study, visit: www.Gradall.com/Novelis Call 330-339-2212 to learn about Gradall metal mill maintenance machines engineered to meet your needs — another reason why nothing works like a Gradall.
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PROJECTS & PRODUCTS 19
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The aluminium industry is constantly embarking on new projects and developing new products. In this regular feature, Aluminium International Today presents the latest announcements in these areas. If you’d like the opportunity to be considered for publication, please contact: nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com
Kick off for production expansion with Achenbach technology
Tenova contracted as supplier of processing lines by Chalco Ruimin
Combilift unveils new electric multidirectional counterbalance 4,000 kg capacity forklift truck
Chalco Ruimin Co.,Ltd, held by Aluminium Corporation of China (Chinalco), one of the world’s largest aluminium producer, has contracted Tenova a continuous annealing line and a chemical pre-treatment line for processing strip coils for aluminium market, to be realised in Fuzhou Economic Technical Development Area, China’s South Eastern Coast. The two new lines will process automotive and aircraft aluminium alloys, family series 5XXX, 6XXX and 7XXX, with a strip width range from 1.000mm up to 2.200 and thickness range from 0,5 up to 4mm. The envisaged total production for the continuous annealing line is 100,000 tons/year with a process speed of 80 m/min, while for the chemical line is 120.000 tons/year with a process speed of 60 m/min. The thermal line is equipped with an entry side trimmer and a degreasing section. The exit side includes a tension leveler, an automatic surface inspection system and a rotary shear.
Combilift has unveiled a new all-wheel drive, electric, multi-directional counterbalance forklift truck, with a lift capacity of 4,000 kg. The Combi-CBE 4t forklift was launched by Managing Director Martin McVicar at the recent GIS show at the Piacenza Expo centre in Italy. The innovative Combi-CBE 4t is based on the original and very successful Combi-CB which Combilift launched in 2008, and until now the electric models in the range have been available with a maximum lift capacity of 3,000kg. The all-wheel drive Combi-CBE 4t, coupled with large rubber tyres, allows the truck to work effortlessly indoors and out and on all types of terrains. Its versatility enables it to offload from HGVs, bring product directly to racking or free stacking areas, as well as to feed production lines. Combined with load sensing steering and no fumes, this makes it ideal for indoor warehouse operations. Driver convenience and comfort was a priority during the design phase. Side shift comes as standard and an integrated hydraulic fork positioner is an option to facilitate the handling of various sized loads, without operators having to leave the cab to manually adjust the forks. Quick service and maintenance procedures with easy access to the tried and tested components avoid any inconvenience for the end user. www.combilift.com
Siemens technology for pilot plant
The HUAFON Aluminium Corporation based in Chongqing and part of the HUAFON Group took the strategic decision to expand its production due to its success in the production of a wide range of flat rolled products particularly for household and building technology and for the automotive, packaging, transport and electronic industry. For this purpose a new production site is established in Chongqing, Sichuan province, Central China. One of the first investments are two Achenbach OPTIMILL® Foil Rolling Mills: One Roughing Foil Rolling Mill and one Finishing Foil Rolling Mill; the worldwide renown Achenbach technology together with short delivery times were convincing.
Siemens will supply components and expertise, and take charge of system integration and commissioning for Hydro’s Karmøy plant. With a length of 34 meters and encompassing 25 switch panels, the high-current and generator switchgear supplied by Siemens for the project is the largest the company has ever constructed. The equipment supplied includes a VB1 generator circuit-breaker switchgear with vacuum switching technology and direct current supply. The system solution protects devices such as transformers and generators from overvoltage and short circuits. Six converters, each configured for over 100 kilo amperes (kA) of direct current, work with the associated control and protection systems to ensure an uninterrupted power supply. These convert AC and DC current for operating the power-intensive smelting furnaces. The Simatic PCS 7 including distributed I/O is used as the process control system.
Combilift’s new Combi-CBE 4t
The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) preferred ASASC ASAS continues to be the pioneer in aluminium sector after establishing the first ministry approved R&D Centre in Turkey last year and producing axial corrugated aluminium heat pipes for the communication satellites. By winning two tenders under a project carried C
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out by the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), which is recognised worldwide by scientific researches and inventions on particle physics, ASAS became the first and only Turkish supplier of CERN in the aluminium sector.
November/December 2017
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SURFACE TREATMENT 21 5
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Thermal glass technology prevents aluminium corrosion Highly alkaline car wash products are used worldwide, especially in the United States and have caused serious corrosion problems for the automotive industry. Trim, which must withstand constant weathering, is particularly vulnerable to filiform corrosion when it is repeatedly exposed to such high PH levels. Filiform corrosion tunnels beneath traditional coatings and a distinctive ‘bubbled’ pattern forms. A soft metal like aluminium is unable to withstand such corrosive force and begins to degrade. A new thermal glass coating from Metal Coatings Technologies provides a unique solution to this problem. OxSiCoat – MCT’s third generation coating is a transparent thermal glass that bonds to anodised aluminium on a molecular level, creating a seal that prevents filiform corrosion from occurring. The molecular bonds are so tight that they prevent the formation of ‘pin holes’. OxSiCoat is a water based liquid glass coating that can withstand prolonged exposure to PH levels in excess of PH14 without any degradation to the glass outer layer or to the bonded metal. It has been extensively tested in the laboratory as well as in the harshest natural marine environments. The coating is already in use to protect trim for major worldwide car manufacturers. Production capacity has been increased recently in order to deal with demand from additional car manufacturers. The coating has many advantages over alternative methods of protection. It will preserve the look of the metal exactly as it is presented at the time of bonding, whether that is a brushed finish, a highly polished or coloured surface. The appearance and feel of the metal will remain in tact. As a glass it is incredibly easy to clean and doesn’t require any further treatment or polishing. Aluminium International Today
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“Trim is a very important aspect of car design, it accentuates the form, emphasising the sleekness of line. It is very important therefore that ‘trim’, which functions to highlight shape, looks and feels good” commented Michael Szczesniak, Technical Director of MCT. It is an enduring problem that the automotive industry has wrestled with for some time. “Plastic has been used on trim but that has its own issues, it can wrinkle but most importantly it feels like plastic, which is a consideration especially for top of the range models where you want the look and feel of metal. This holds true for a wide variety of products where aesthetic appeal is as important as durability”. OxSiCoat is also perfect for yacht trim and other marine applications that face specific corrosion problems. Industrial tests for resistance to salt spray have been met, but samples of the first generation coating were also placed along the Atlantic coastline more than a decade ago where they remain exposed to the elements and free from corrosion. OxSiCoat not only prevents corrosion without altering the tactile quality of the metal, it also protects it from scratching. As a soft metal aluminium is vulnerable and that has proved limiting for its applications. MCT have extensively tested the abrasion resistance of their third generation glass coating and have achieved an unprecedented degree of scratch resistance. The combination of corrosion and abrasion protection that the glass provides are key qualities for applications like trim or hand held technology, but the glass holds other interesting qualities. It can be virtually weightless. The glass can fully protect the bonded metal even when applied as a layer measured less than one micron. For MCT this has very exciting possibilities, “The Boeing 737 carries around 2 tons of
weight in paint layers, the weight saving that could be made on aircraft if OxSiCoat were used to protect the metal is really significant,” said Michael Szczesniak. The glass coating is thermal and can operate for prolonged periods at very high temperatures. It has a much higher temperature resistance than the anodized metal that it protects. This property is a really intriguing aspect of the technology. The heat resistant quality is important for all sorts of casings or elements that are subjected to high temperatures. The coating has been used on solar reflectors that were developed to work in desert temperatures, with exposure to moisture and sand abrasion. Critically they also needed to retain a very high reflectance. This third generation glass has achieved these goals and it is hoped that the technology will enable developing economies to harness solar power effectively and sustainably. “The beauty of the technology in this context is that it is sustainable. It is designed for longevity and is incredibly easy to maintain, the glass can be wiped with a wet cloth and that’s all it takes to clean and retain its reflectance. It is very important in such challenging conditions that maintenance is kept very simple and affordable,” added Michael. The coating is a ‘green technology’ in that it is non- toxic and can be disposed of safely without any special measures, meeting EU and US industry standards. OxSiCoat is water based and contains no VOC’s. The coating process uses a fraction of the electricity consumption of other coating technologies. This energy efficiency coupled with the ease of disposal can result in significant cost savings over traditional coating methods. � Contact www.vitreus.systems
November/December 2017
06/11/2017 10:10:34
22 HEALTH & SAFETY
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Making safety a priority This is the fourth in a series of interviews on safety related topics with industry leaders. Conducted by Alex Lowery* in June 2017 when Egil Hogna led Sapa Group. Egil took the helm in 2015 and quickly went about leading the company to get better in terms of safety. From instituting innovative safety initiatives such as this year’s “The Safe Way is the Sapa Way” to travelling the globe promoting safety, Egil and Sapa Group took a leadership role in safety in the aluminium industry. On October 2, 2017 Norsk Hydro acquired Sapa Group. Sapa has now become a business area within Hydro called Extruded Solutions. Egil is now Executive Vice President and Head of Extruded Solutions.
Q. How do you view safety? A. Safety is a passion for me and is the first topic on the agenda at our corporate management team meetings and at all plant visits. Every injury is a great disappointment to me and a lesson that we learn from. We can and will do more to eliminate all injuries. But, one of the things that concerns me is that when we speak about safety it’s about something negative. One of the risks is that are too negatively focused and we don’t really recognise all of the achievements, which are not related to the accident rate, but related to systemic improvement, better conditions, and better machinery safety. This is something I would like to focus more on. We can give a more positive twist to safety. Q. Was there a particular incident that formed your views on safety? A. Yes, in one of my previous jobs for a different company we once discovered through an audit that a small location in an emerging market had experienced a fatal contractor accident without reporting it internally. While there had been a correct external reporting, the accident had been hidden to company management. Because they had zero accidents for two years and to them keeping the zero was more important than behaving decently and doing the right thing. What had happened was both a tragedy and a great failure for the company. Q. Can you explain Sapa’s recent EHS program in the UK? A. We realised that one of the most important steps we could take to further improve our safety culture was to make
sure all of our supervisors have this strong mindset on safety. We found the IOSH training that we tested out in the UK gave some really good results. We saw better reporting, better culture and really focusing on doing the right thing. Q. Can you finish this sentence: “Safety is important because?” A. Safety is important because it’s all about people and is a core Hydro value. It is not acceptable for anyone working with, or for Hydro, to be injured while at work. If you are good at safety, you are also good at business and therefore creating a sustainable future. Q. How did EHS at Sapa evolved over your tenure? A. Sapa’s safety performance had been improving every year even though the TRR jumps around a little. During my time at Sapa we focused on the severity of incidents and this is improving. I promoted the three key areas of safety (EHS) excellence of EHS systems, people engagement and leadership. Without all three we will not get the results we want. Q. Do the environmental, health, and safety regulations in some countries place Hydro at a disadvantage when competing with firms from outside that country? A. Hydro is a global business with a global approach to EHS. Our standards are the same at all our sites and are at or above country requirements based on our EHS management system. Clearly not all countries require the same levels of EHS that we have, but Hydro will not compromise or approach and good safety
is good business wherever you are. Q. Can you explain how SAPA promoted safety to your workers? A. Some examples are visits by myself and other corporate management team members to our sites, regular town hall meetings, daily management at the sites (every shift), Safety days at all our sites annually, injury free event reporting, monthly EHS reports, weekly and monthly calls at business area levels, safety videos, engagement metrics (>80%), global and regional EHS awards etc. Q. How does Hydro learn of new best safety practices? A. The Group EHS team and BA teams keep current through attending conferences, research, benchmarking and lessons learned from the EA, IAI etc. Continuous professional development is important. Q. As more workers are approaching retirement age, how should the industry deal with that loss and train the next generation of aluminium workers? A. Focusing on employee turnover in general is important. When workers reach retirement age they will naturally leave the company. But what we have experienced is that this is a much bigger issue in the USA compared to Europe or other places where we have operations. We train younger people, but they leave. Too many of them leave. We need to make sure that we hire the right people that we train them properly and that we are able to retain them. We need to develop them for the future.
*General Manager, Wise Chem LLC November/December 2017
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Aluminium International Today
06/11/2017 10:11:54
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Q. How did SAPA deal with minimising the interaction of moveable equipment and pedestrians? A. We had well-developed mobile equipment/pedestrian segregation processes ranging from eliminating forklift trucks within the location to protected walkways to “blue lights” on forklifts. One of our greatest risks is loading trailers and this has been a key improvement area. We also focus heavily on training, medical fitness, equipment design, maintenance etc. Q. How can our industry’s workers evolve from being consumers of safety education to producers in terms of promoting safety to their co-workers? A. Worker engagement for me is key. Engagement in Hydro is not just about listening; it’s about getting involved or “doing stuff”. This doing ranges from being a member of an improvement team, developing and reviewing job safety analysis, reporting and acting upon IFE. Q. In terms of safety what were you most proud of within Sapa? A. How safety was viewed by our teams, how we focus on it and how important it’s seen by all our workers and those who work for us. Creating a safe environment is one of the most meaningful parts of my job. Q. What are the challenges with having a multiple language, cultural worksites? A. In Hydro I believe this to be key strength and we truly believe we can all learn from each other. Clearly in some of the countries we work in, it’s safer to work in our plants than it is outside! This can cause some challenges, as some cultures are not as advanced in understanding our EHS ethos and values.
Q. Will safety always be a priority in the future? A. Safety and EHS is a business value and very important to us and people health and safety and care for the environment will not change. Q. Explain the basis of this year’s safety campaign; “The Safe Way is the Sapa Way?” A. At Sapa we built upon EHS success and less on annual campaigns. We have done this in the past of course and “EHS
by Choice and not by Chance” is one that has lasted. We work with safety as a philosophy everyday. Safety is not a campaign. We do not want to be too campaign focused with banners and so on. Yes, you will see more permanent banners in our plants. Not something that is changing. We have the need to renew ourselves and make sure that safety is something fresh all of the time Q. What are you most looking forward to regarding the recent acquisition of Sapa by Hydro? A. Coming together with Hydro will bring new elements to our business that will make us even stronger than before. It will strengthen our ability to grow and we will be able to provide our customers with even more and better solutions. Just like Sapa, also Hydro has a strong focus on EHS. Together we can learn from each other and become even better. I am very excited to be part of this journey to create the new force in the world of global aluminium. �
Q. How does Hydro prevent the accumulation of aluminium fi nes in your facilities? A. We have worked hard to ensure all our teams, particularly cast houses are knowledgeable on the dangers of dust and its potentially explosive nature and health effects. We have good extraction systems of the correct design and ongoing housekeeping programs. Aluminium International Today
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Improved technologies for mill roll inspection By Frank L Weinmeister & Borja G Lopez* In the fall of 2002, a revolutionary method by which to inspect mill rolls was introduced to the metal producing industry. This ultrasonic approach was designed to overcome the inadequacies of existing inspection techniques while maximising return on investment. Since then, a number of improvements have been made, and with input from many roll shops, the latest technologies provide the most comprehensive tool available for the inspection of all types of mill rolls. This paper provides an overview of mill roll inspection technology and the effects that various inspection technologies can have on the efficiency and costs associated with operating a roll shop. It will also highlight how new techniques provide alternatives otherwise not available. Mill roll inspection The inspection of mill rolls is a requirement in the operation of a safe, efficient mill. Work rolls used in steel production are susceptible to work hardening and accumulation of residual surface stresses leading to the production of cracks. If not completely removed prior to the reintroduction of the roll into service, the cracks can grow and result in sudden catastrophic failures, or spalling. In the aluminium industry, caster rolls are also predisposed to cracking, however the mechanism is more related to fatigue cracking as a result of thermal cycling. In both cases, rolls are periodically removed from service and sent to grind machining that mechanically remove the outer layer of material where cracks form and propagate.
they can quickly grow to a size resulting in a spall condition. A work roll that fails in service leads to damaged product, it can also damage neighbouring rolls and requires the line to shut down for hours while material and rolls are removed. Similarly, a caster roll with existing cracks can introduce small imperfections in the product that can easily go undetected until a significant amount is produced. Therefore, it is important for the plant to employ the most effective and reliable crack detection technique available. Prior to the early 2000’s, rolls were inspected exclusively using Eddy Current techniques, Ultrasonic Surface Wave (Rayleigh Wave) technique, or Dye Penetrant Testing. Each of the currently used technologies had problems and limitations that were not necessarily related to a specific system model, but it is characteristic of the method itself. For example, Eddy Current methods can offer relatively good sensitivity to surface cracks, but have a problem with false calls due to localised residual magnetisation and other conditions of the roll. Roll
magnetisation occurs when the roll temperature is elevated during use in an environment where stray magnetic fields created by high current devices (such as motors) are common. Localised magnetic fields effectively can both mask or create a false call condition making the results unreliable. Another critical limitation of these systems is that eddy currents cannot be generated in materials with low conductivity such as rolls with high chrome content thus they are ineffective for inspection of caster rolls and some work rolls. Finally, eddy currents, ultrasonic surface waves, and Dye Penetrant are all limited to surface or very-near surface defects. After many requests from existing customers, Innerspec Technologies in 2002 developed a patented roll inspection technique which was performed by employing uniquely designed ultrasonic sensors that generate high frequency sound that is sensitive to surface defects without being effected by surface contamination, such as grinding fluid,
Crack detection The profitability of a plant can be affected on the efficiency and effectiveness of the roll shop and its method of roll inspection. First, the system deployed must be capable of reliably detecting “micro-cracks�. Micro-cracks are small fractures that break the surface of a roll and act as stress risers. If these flaws are not completely removed prior to reintroducing the roll back into the mill, *Innerspec Technologies Aluminium International Today
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06/11/2017 10:13:24
Setting The Standards For Highest Efficiency In Thermal Processing
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water, etc. Since then, many roll inspection systems have now added ultrasound in combination with eddy current, with the ultrasonic inspection limited to defects with reflectors parallel to the roll surface. The patented sensor design from Innerspec produced a surface-skimming wave that is commonly used throughout the nuclear industry for crack detection in piping welds and other applications. The sensor design facilitated the detection of micro-cracks smaller than that possible using any commercially available equipment on the market. All other techniques, including Die Penetrant Testing, have the ability to detect cracks of 2-3mm in length. The new technique allowed detection of cracks with lengths down to 1mm. The probability of missing a micro crack large enough to result in a catastrophic roll failure and mill stoppage, with all its associated costs, is almost nil. Another critical advantage of the new technique is the ability to use the same transducer assembly to inspect deep inside the roll for defects, at any orientation. While the surface-skimming wave can penetrate down to 2mm in the roll, the deeper modes can penetrate and detect defects down to 50mm or more into the roll. Soft/bruised areas, and shell thickness & core-shell disbond on shelled rolls, can also be inspected without the need to change inspection sensors. Roll wastage Mill rolls are a direct expense to the mill. The grinding process is a costly procedure considering that every pass reduces the life of the roll. The cost of a new or refurbished roll can run from $100K to $500K per roll. Caster roll shells with less than 4” of usable life are equally expensive. Although an inspection system cannot reduce the number of grinding passes over the life of a roll, it can control the number of grinding passes per production cycle. Off-line inspection systems require the operator to grind a predetermined number of passes prior to an inspection. This is performed over and over until the roll inspects defect free. Although effective, it commonly results in many more grinding passes then actually needed to clean the roll of all defects. The most efficient method is real-time inspection while grinding. This feature provides the operator with continuous roll status so that grinding can cease as soon as the roll is defect free. The only two methods available are Eddy Current and the comprehensive ultrasonic techniques discussed above. Although available, eddy current inspection has difficulty with real-time inspection due to its sensitivity to lift-off. Slight lift-off variations of an eddy current probe can result in significant reduction is sensitivity. Aluminium International Today
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The lodging of grinding slurry particles between the probe and the roll surface can lift the probe and cause a localised reduction in sensitivity. In contrast, the ultrasonic transducers are not sensitive to lift-off variations of this magnitude. In addition, couplant ports that force filtered fluid between the transducer and the roll flush out and prevents and grinding slurry from entering the crevice between the transducer and the roll surface. This real-time mode maximises roll life by minimising the number of grinding passes performed for each use cycle. When factoring the number of rolls associated with a mill and the resulting life extension earned for each roll, just the material costs savings can be high enough to justify the equipment investment in less than a year. Equipment utilisation Inspection efficiency is directly linked to grinder utilisation. The more efficient the process the fewer grinders that are needed to assure interruption free operation of the mill. The most inefficient roll inspection method commonly used is found in the aluminium industry. The liquid penetrant method requires about two hours per inspection cycle and is very labour intensive. Many automated systems require that the entire scan of a roll be complete prior to displaying data. This process also is inefficient since the detection of one crack at the beginning of a scan could be enough to require more grinding. Therefore, to assure maximum scan efficiency, the inspection system must be capable of displaying data as it is being collected. This feature informs the operator that a crack is present as soon as it is detected so that the inspection can be halted and further grinding commenced. In addition to this, each time a specific roll serial number is in the grinder, the previous inspections should be available for review and automated analysis commences to determine the predicted life of the roll based on previous scans, and the condition of propagating internal defects. Ease of use A commonly over looked characteristic of an inspection system is the overall complexity of the machine design and ease of use. An inspection system should be designed roll shop operators can solve the majority of repair scenarios. For this to be possible, the system must be designed based on a modular component philosophy. Significant costs can be incurred when a roll shop is required to contract specialists to visit their site to perform system diagnostics and repairs. A modular based system containing plug-in components can be diagnosed and repaired remotely
where replacement parts are shipped to the customer. Maintenance must be simple with plug-and-play, quick connect equipment, and automated notification of any component failure. Every automated roll inspection system requires calibration to assure sufficient sensitivity during data collection. The process involved can be costly where periodic visits from the manufacturer are involved. Many calibration techniques can be very involved since the probes are sensitive to material type and probe wear (lift-off). In this case, calibration is required often to offset variations in liftoff due to probe wear, and can involve the use of several different calibration blocks that represent variations in metallurgical composition of different roll types. In contrast, newer UT technologies provide automatic self-calibration simply by positioning the transducer on top of the roll. The process is quick (1 minute) having minimal effect on productivity. The most important aspect of inspection hardware is the presentation and ease of interpretation of the data. Automated roll inspection equipment varies greatly in the format in which data is displayed. Eddy current systems have data presentations that vary greatly. System outputs range from strip chart records to colour blocks maps where each block represents a region of a roll. The latest technologies produce images that can be quickly interpreted (the colour is an indicator of a crack) but also clearly shows the shape, size and location of the defect. For more detailed information on the scan, individual displays are available for each type of defect. All data is recorded for post analysis and easily output for roll database management. Conclusions A roll inspection system is not only a necessary safety tool in any modern rolling mill, but it can also have a significant influence in the economics of the whole operation. Designed and manufactured exclusively by Innerspec Technologies, the Rollmate® is the most cost effective inspection tool designed to provide superior rates of return by: � Increasing revenue through guaranteed crack-free rolls that will not damage the final product. � Reducing costs in inspection time and roll material waste. � Optimising asset utilisation in both the grinder and the rolling mill. � Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Joe Baczynsky (WHEMCO Steel Castings), Jack Wan (Canyonspring NDT), Mark Wilcox (Innerspec Technologies). November/December 2017
06/11/2017 10:13:24
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Hot rolling emulsion monitoring By Chris Pargeter* Aluminium hot rolling emulsion undergoes physical and chemical changes in use. This is due to the high temperatures and pressures experienced in the roll bite, as well as contact with the freshly exposed aluminium surface during deformation. Changes that can potentially occur are: � Evaporative losses � Oxidation and/or polymerisation � Formation of metallic soaps � Contamination with fluids from the rolling equipment � Degradation through microbial contamination It’s important to monitor such compositional changes and control them to ensure consistent lubricant performance during rolling. Hot rolling emulsion analysis Hot rolling emulsion has good cooling efficiency. However, small changes in oil concentration can have a significant effect on the cooling experienced on the hot mill, as well as the lubricating characteristics of the deposited oil. The conventional way to determine oil concentration is to ‘split’ the emulsion with a mineral acid such as hydrochloric or sulphuric acid. You do this by putting the emulsion and acid together in a flask with a graduated neck, and leave it in a water bath until separation is complete. It’s then possible to use the resulting oil phase for
the analysis of specific additives. Plate-out The hot rolling emulsion must yield its oil, or ‘plate-out’ on the hot metal surfaces in a controlled manor during rolling. This is to facilitate wetting and adsorption of the functional additives. Emulsion stability affects the plate-out, but it’s possible to monitor it by measurement of the emulsion’s oil droplet size distribution. Techniques typically utilised in the aluminium rolling industry are based on either laser diffraction (Fig 1), or particle counters using the Coulter principle. When plate-out occurs, additives form a thin, tightly packed layer of molecules on the surface. This is to help withstand high reduction loads and protect the aluminium surface during deformation. Infrared spectroscopy monitors the major additives such as organic acids and esters in the oil phase (Fig 2). Contamination The kinematic viscosity of the separated oil phase can potentially highlight contamination by ingress of lubricants from the mill system. You select the viscometer tubes according to the expected viscosity range for the oil phase. The testing temperature is 40°C. Ash content (ASTM D482-13) is a gravimetric technique applied to the
emulsion to determine the level of inorganic residue within it. The residue may be in the form of insoluble metallic fines generated during rolling. It could also be soluble ash-forming materials that might be present either from the lubricant or from other contaminants. The emulsion pH and conductivity can affect its stability. Instability will cause the oil to separate. Decreases in pH can occur due to bacterial contamination, while increases in conductivity can be a measure of make-up water quality. It’s possible to use simple, inexpensive probes to quantify pH and conductivity. Bacterial contamination can lead to poor performance, offensive odours and corrosion of pipework. However, you can take preventive action, such as through the addition of biocides, before these problems occur if you analyse biological activity. You can use either dip slides or the HMB test (based on the generation of key enzymes by bacteria during biological activity) to do this. Good control is essential Analytical control should be viewed as an essential part of the overall quality cycle, and not simply as an overhead cost. Such costs can often be quite low in comparison to the overall costs associated with production downtime and quality problems. �
8 Breakdown mill emulsion
Finishing mill emulsion
0.20 C=O (acid) 0.16 Absorbance units
Differential volume (%)
6
4
0.12 C=O (Ester) 0.08
2 0.04
0 0.1
0.00 1 10 Upper size limit of channel (µm)
Fig 1. Oil droplet size distributions obtained using a laser diffraction particle sizer
100
1800
1770
1740 1710 Wavenumber (cm-1)
1680
1650
Fig 2. Infrared spectrum of a hot rolling lubricant containing ester and acid additives
*Aluminium Process and Product Consultant, Innoval Technology Limited November/December 2017
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Aluminium International Today
07/11/2017 14:12:35
FIVES TECH + FIVES TEAM
THE COMBINATION OF A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES WITH A NETWORK OF LOCAL EXPERTS IN THE ALUMINIUM INDUSTRY FIVES’ EXPERTS ARE COMMITTED TO ASSISTING CUSTOMERS in both improving their plant’s performance and availability, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of their installations. Thanks to highly-skilled and proactive Aluminium teams based in Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Europe, India, Russia, South Africa and UA E, Fives provides an efficient response to your daily needs. From preventive maintenance, modernization, inspection, repair to audit and training, Fives has a unique technical expertise coming from its experience as both equipment designer and supplier, and global solution integrator. Fives aims at enhancing production on a long-term basis while ensuring operators’ safety and equipment reliability.
www.fivesgroup.com Aluminium
30 ROLLING Göksal Güngör, the General Manager of Assan Alüminyum
Assan Alüminyum’s expansion The largest flat-rolled aluminium producer of Turkey, Assan Alüminyum’s new investment plans are in full force. Assan Alüminyum, a subsidiary of Kibar Holding, has currently reached an installed annual production capacity of 300,000 tonnes as of the final quarter of 2017. This year’s expansion plans included two new casting lines, which have started production in the first half of the year, and a universal foil mill, which has just started production. As a result of these investments, the company now has a total of 19 casting lines and 10 foil rolling mills. Göksal Güngör, the General Manager of Assan Alüminyum, notes: “We believe that aluminium will play a key role in the advancement of many industries, with its superior qualities, such as lightness, formability and excellent barrier properties. Therefore, we plan to invest further in aluminium. With our current investments this year, our annual foil production capacity is projected to reach 100,000 tonnes very soon, which makes us the third largest foil production capacity in all of Europe. The new foil mill will allow us to focus more on highvalue-added flexible packaging products. While making plans to grow further, we always have our core values of reliability, flexibility and innovativeness at the center of our strategies. As a result, we dedicate ourselves to providing tailor-made solutions for our business partners.” Assan Alüminyum, founded in 1988, currently has an annual installed production capacity of 300,000 tonnes of flat-rolled aluminium and 60,000 tonnes of aluminium coil pre-painting. It produces out of two facilities: Istanbul Tuzla and Kocaeli Dilovası. Göksal Güngör also states that sustainability is a main focus in their growth strategies at Assan Alüminyum: “We have acquired a renewable energy power plant to ensure that all necessary electricity is supplied from renewables. With a strong focus on sustainability, Assan Alüminyum has become one of the November/December 2017
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worldwide pioneers of continuous casting technology, both in terms of production capacity and technical know-how.” In order to reduce the overall carbon footprint even further, the company continues to work on new energy-saving projects every year. The recycling capacity of the aluminium recycling facility, which has acquired a few years ago, is projected to increase through a series of investments. This facility also serves the company’s sustainability perspective.
Assan Alümniyum exports more than 75% of its products, mainly to Western European countries. With the core brand values of reliability, flexibility and innovation, the company clearly has a customer-oriented business approach. The results of the customer satisfaction survey, which is carried out regularly every year, confirm the company’s approach, with an 89% satisfaction rate, which is well
above the industrial averages in Europe. The company’s focus on R&D (Research & Development) is also a significant contributing factor to the consistently high customer satisfaction and continuing growth trend. Assan Alüminyum’s officially certified R&D Center is dedicated to continuous progress through process innovations, which sheds light on the industry through many papers and proceedings published and presented at specialised global conferences throughout the years. Most of the R&D projects are triggered by customer requests and expectations, ultimately developing customised and better-performing products for the customers. The Industry 4.0 Revolution is also an important concept for Assan Alüminyum. The company is working on building a strong foundation for Industry 4.0, while developing new investment projects in accordance with it. Within the year 2017, a new ERP system has been implemented, which fully integrates all processes of the company. Assan Alüminyum aims to maximise customer satisfaction and corporate performance with its new fully integrated ERP system. The Supply Chain Optimisation Project is yet another high-value-added, extensive project that aims to improve process efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction. About the company’s future plans, Göksal Güngör states: “As Assan Alüminyum, which is currently ranked as the 41st largest industrial company of Turkey, according to the statistics of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, has become a prominent player in the Western aluminium market with its position as the third largest aluminium foil producer in Europe. We are currently in line with our end-of-2017 sales figure of 266.000 tonnes. We also take pride in the fact that we are the fastest growing flatrolled aluminium producer in Europe and will keep advancing thanks to our devoted and highly qualified 1,350 employees. � Aluminium International Today
07/11/2017 14:14:22
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11/01/2017 11:16
Esecutivi_A3_grigio_2017_02_08_A3 esecutivi 08/11/17 16:32 Pagina 34
DANIELI ALUMINIUM HOT ROLLING MILL TECHNOLOGY FOR COMPETITIVE PLATE / STRIP PRODUCTION
Danieli technological layouts and process know-how fully satisfy the widest market demand in terms of product mix, high productivity and flexibility, tight geometrical tolerances. As of March 2016 Fata Hunter is part of the Danieli Team.
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Latest references out of total 26 hot rolling mills ALCOA DAVENPORT USA Commisioned in 1974, it is one of the largest hot mills in the world. With a 5600-mm barrel length the mill is still in operation, serving aerospace industry with hot rolled plates.
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OARC - OMAN ALUMINIUM ROLLING COMPANY OMAN Two-stand 4-hi hot mill for 660 and 1350 x2300 mm strip. Part of a turnkey complex producing 140,000 tpy of multi-purpose Al sheets supplied by Fata EPC (Danieli Group).
www.danieli.com
Esecutivi_A3_grigio_2017_02_08_A3 esecutivi 08/11/17 16:32 Pagina 34
DANIELI ALUMINIUM HOT ROLLING MILL TECHNOLOGY FOR COMPETITIVE PLATE / STRIP PRODUCTION
Danieli technological layouts and process know-how fully satisfy the widest market demand in terms of product mix, high productivity and flexibility, tight geometrical tolerances. As of March 2016 Fata Hunter is part of the Danieli Team.
> > > > >
Hot rolling mills Twin-coiler hot rolling mills Tandem hot rolling mills Plate mills Band sawing lines
Latest references out of total 26 hot rolling mills ALCOA DAVENPORT USA Commisioned in 1974, it is one of the largest hot mills in the world. With a 5600-mm barrel length the mill is still in operation, serving aerospace industry with hot rolled plates.
Aluminium casters, rolling mills, stretchers, processing and finishing lines
AMAG AUSTRIA Twin Coiler hot rolling mill. Modern aluminium hot rolling mill integrated with Innoval spray impact model for the aerospace and automotive plate, coil and tread plate production.
Danieli Headquarters 33042 Buttrio (Udine) Italy Tel (39) 0432.1958111
KUMZ RUSSIA Complete 1+1 hot rolling mill line. Innovative finishing stand designed for the flexible production of both hot rolled coils and cold rolled sheets.
DANIELI TEAM A CENTURY OF PARTNERSHIP EXPERIENCE
OARC - OMAN ALUMINIUM ROLLING COMPANY OMAN Two-stand 4-hi hot mill for 660 and 1350 x2300 mm strip. Part of a turnkey complex producing 140,000 tpy of multi-purpose Al sheets supplied by Fata EPC (Danieli Group).
www.danieli.com
34 ROLLING
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Stressometer flatness control: On a roll for 50 years By Lars Jonsson*
Fig 1. Stressometer installed at Gränges Aluminium, Finspång, Sweden
For 50 years, ABB’s Stressometer system has helped rolling mill operators improve quality and productivity. The technology has evolved greatly over the past halfcentury and this article looks at the innovation that has been a key ingredient in overcoming the many challenges that arise in rolling mills. On April 14th, 1967, Asea, a predecessor of ABB, delivered the world’s first strip flatness measurement system for a metal rolling mill. The customer who received this new product – the socalled Stressometer – was the Canadian aluminum company Alcan (now Novelis). Using it, Alcan was immediately able to make huge strides in productivity, profit and quality. After many technical enhancements and breakthroughs since
1967 – and more than 1,200 systems delivered – ABB is now highlighting the 50th anniversary of Stressometer (Fig 1). ABB’s Stressometer has its roots in Pressductor® technology. Pressductor is a transducer, developed by Asea and patented in 1954, that measures mechanical force using the magnetoelastic effect. This effect exploits the fact that the magnetic properties of some materials are influenced by mechanical forces applied to them. Because Pressductor transducers are not reliant on physical movement or deformation, they combine sensitivity with an extraordinary tolerance to overloads and virtually no built-in limit to the number of load cycles. ABB Pressductor transducers produce high-power, low-impedance AC signals that are very resistant to electrical
interference and earth faults. As the demands of metal strip processing increased in the 1960s, interest arose in finding a way to measure flatness during cold rolling to achieve an automatic flatness control (AFC). Up until then, flatness during cold rolling had been manually controlled through visual and audible observations by the operator. In the mid-1960s, Alcan of Canada and Asea started a joint development to make a sensor that would measure strip flatness. A decision was made early on to base the product on a mill-duty measuring roll equipped with Pressductor sensors. The first system was installed in 1967 in Alcan’s cold rolling mill in Kingston, Canada, where it underwent comprehensive tests (Fig 2).
Global Product Manager, Flatness Control, ABB AB, Sweden www.abb.com/measurement November/December 2017
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Aluminium International Today
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StressometerÂŽ Systems. Turning aluminium into gold.
With the StressometerÂŽ System, you will improve speed and productivity in your rolling mill. Improvements include yield increase and reduction of strip breaks, rejects and pass time. Altogether, it adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars/euros in savings and increased profit. No wonder all our customers believe we are turning aluminium into gold. Stressometer ÂŽ System. www.abb.com/stressometer
ABB AB Measurement & Analytics Force Measurement Phone: +46 21 32 50 00
36 ROLLING
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The idea was to control the transversal stress distribution in the strip, thus improving strip flatness. The assumption was that a controlled strip stress distribution, ie, strip flatness, would lead to improvements in strip quality and mill productivity. The hypothesis turned out to be correct: By using the Stressometer equipment and a flatness control system, Alcan substantially improved the flatness of the rolled strip, achieved higher yield, reduced the number of strip breaks, and raised productivity through higher mill speed and shorter pass times. 50 years of customer collaboration In the 50 years since that first installation, the demand from strip users, and from other types of rolling mills, for ever more sophisticated flatness control has increased dramatically. ABB has, therefore, in collaboration with customers, continuously developed the Stressometer system (Fig 3). The improvements enable mill operators to fully utilise the rolling mill to produce a high-quality strip with maximum yield while keeping maintenance needs to a minimum. The Stressometer system of today is designed for both hot and cold rolling, and handles thickness and product ranges from 0.005 mm aluminium foil up to 12 mm stainless steel. What is strip flatness control in a rolling mill? Flatness control is about controlling the roll gap in the mill so that it exactly matches the thickness profile of the incoming strip. If there is a mismatch, then flatness problems will arise (Fig 5). The Stressometer measures the force distribution (Fi) on the roll (Fig 6). Using strip tension (T), width (w), length (L) and thickness (t), the stress distribution in the strip can be calculated. When this value is divided by Young’s Modulus, the (un) flatness distribution can be derived. The flatness distribution is measured in I-units, which correspond to the relative elongation distribution multiplied by 100,000, ie, one I unit corresponds to an elongation of 1 mm on a 100 m strip. The I-unit was introduced by Asea in the 1960s as a way of quantifying flatness and has since become the de facto, industry-wide flatness measuring unit.
Stress: ∆σi = Fi - F x T [N/mm2] F w x t Unflatness: ∆Li = -∆σi [x105 = I -units] L E
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deflection and temperature change so no compensation software is needed and very fast measurement response time is achieved. The roll is divided into 26 or 52 mm measuring zones. A hardened steel ring is shrunk onto each zone to protect the sensors and to present an appropriate surface to the metal strip being rolled. A digital transmission unit (DTU) provides contact-free power and signal transmission with the sensors in the roll (figure 7b). Each zone measures independently the local force directed radially from the strip. Four measurements are obtained for each revolution of the roll, at speeds of 1 to 4,000 rpm. The Stressometer roll measures the entire strip force including the edge stresses. The actual strip flatness is presented in I-units.
Fig 2. First Stressometer roll delivered to Alcan Kingston Canada 1967
How does the Stressometer technology work? The Stressometer measuring roll is the key to successful flatness measurement and control. It consists of a solid core with four axial grooves that accommodate a large number of Pressductor sensors. Each measurement zone across the width has, therefore, four sensors. This four-sensor approach has been fundamental to the Stressometer design since the very beginning and confers upon the system the advantage of a physical, automatic compensation for both roll
Stressometer innovations over the years From the beginning, six main design principles were adhered to in order to secure a reliable, accurate and fast flatness measurement: � Sensors must function reliably and accurately for many years in a rolling mill without the need for recalibration. � Measurement should be of the whole force distribution across the strip in one instant – ie, no force shunting to the roll body. � The four-sensor principle. This enables measurement of the whole force distribution four times per roll revolution while keeping the measurement signal unaffected by temperature changes and roll deflection. � The force measurement must be stiff – ie, the deformation of the strip and of the force sensor should be negligible. Thereby, a direct and reliable force
STRESSOMETER DEVELOPMENTS
1967 World’s first flatness system delivered to Alcan Kingston, Canada (figure 2,4)
1970 Improved measurement resolution: 52 mm zone width from 84 mm
1976 First microprocessor-based system (Intel 8080)
1977 World’s first digital closed-loop flatness control (Kobe Steel, Japan)
1980 World’s first flatness control system for a cluster mill (Outokumpu)
1982 Resolution improved further: 26 mm from 52 mm
1989 Digital color-graphic human-machine interface (HMI)
1989 World’s first flatness control based on actuator models
1990 New technology for measurement of strip width and edge position – MSS (Millmate Strip Scanner)
1993 Measurement and compensation for strip temperature in steel applications
1994 New transducer and roll for foil applications
1998 World’s first HMI based on a Web browser for industrial applications
2001 New generation with future-safe architecture (FSA)
2002 Seamless roll for surface-critical applications
2006 Predictive flatness control
2007 Foil roll with 26 mm resolution
2011 Flatness control with automatic process identification
2013 Optimal coordinated control through ESVD for cluster mills
2014 Digital maintenance-free signal transmission (DTU)
2017 Fully digital system RoHS (restrictions on hazardous substances) compliant
Fig 3. Stressometer Developments
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Fig 4. Flatness measurement HMI from 1967
Fig 5. Match between the roll gap and the strip means flat strip
measurement is achieved without any stress filtering due to strip deformation. � Sensors with the same thermal expansion coefficient as the surrounding material must be used. This minimises inaccuracy due to thermal effects. � The signal output from a measurement zone must be directly proportional to the strip coverage degree. This will enable accurate measurement of the strip edges. Necessary requirements on a modern flatness system If the flatness control system is to make a difference to yield, pass times and number of strip breaks, it must comply with a number of tough requirements: � Reliability is the most important requirement. The system must not cause any unplanned stops in the mill (planned stops are acceptable). In this respect, the Stressometer system has an MTBR (mean time between repair) that exceeds 20 years and utilises a maintenance-free, contact-free signal transmission from the roll. � Accurate measurement. Without an accurate measurement of the complete stress distribution, no flatness control can do a good job. (Stressometer system measurement accuracy is typically 0.5 I-units.) � The measurement must be unaffected by mill disturbances such as variable strip tension. � The measurement must operate equally well at all mill speeds and include edges, and the head end and the tail end of the strip, regardless of the strip thickness. � The measurement system must, within milliseconds and several times per rolled meter of strip, provide accurate outputs to the flatness control system. � It is essential to visualise the flatness for the operator in an intuitive way. � The system must, without any Aluminium International Today
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capable of selecting the most efficient combination. No manual control should be needed. Here, the Stressometer system has advanced control facilities, including extended singular value decomposition (ESVD) and adaptive/predictive control (Fig 8).
Fig 6. Stressometer measures the force distribution
adjustments, be able to handle a wide range of products and it should never deteriorate the strip surface. � The flatness control system must be able to simultaneously and efficiently use all mill actuators on all occasions and for all products. Since several actuator combinations might have the same flatness effect, the system must be
Fig 7a. Signal processing hardware, one measurement zone, 1967
Challenges and potential for flatness control The rolling industry has faced many challenges over the past 50 years and there are sure to be more in the future. One ongoing challenge is to produce in a sustainable way so that environmental and climate effects are minimised. The Stressometer system improves quality and yield, which means less energy is needed per ton of finished product. Another challenge is to provide facilities that can produce, within short delivery times, the increasing number of products, alloys and dimensions that the market wants – and short-run, custom requests for these. These demands make
Fig 7b. DTU - Digital Transmission Unit
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it necessary to switch within seconds from one type of product to a completely different one – without deterioration in quality or productivity. Cost reduction is an area in which the Stressometer provides great potential: Rolling mill productivity is directly affected by yield achieved, pass times and mill downtime due to strip breaks. In an aluminium cold mill, bottom line sensitivity (BLS) to a strip break is typically $10,000. For yield, BLS is typically $150,000 per 0.1 percent and for pass time it is $100,000/s. With such substantial sensitivity factors, every improvement, no matter how small, brings with it a significant financial payoff. The 50 years of development of the Stressometer system have led to significant enhancements in the product: � Use in any hot- or cold-rolled product � Extremely high roll reliability with MTBR of over 20 years � Improvements in resolution, accuracy, response time and visualisation � Expansion of flatness control to a general concept that includes all existing mill types, with an optimal use of the available actuators
Actuators
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Fig 8. Flatness control with ESVD
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Mean flatness and control strategy
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Further customer collaborations will establish how quality and productivity can be taken to the next level – perhaps by extending flatness control to upstream and downstream operations. This then includes control of the strip profile during hot rolling so that consistent and controllable flatness can be achieved
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downstream. Systems in the future will also be securely connected to the socalled IoT – the Internet of Things. This connectivity will be based on the ABB AbilityTM platform and enable ABB to also remotely assist customers in the pursuit of the optimal long-term operating performance of their rolling process. �
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BUYERS’ GUIDE TASTER
As a leading resource for the aluminium production and processing industries, the Buyers’ Directory reaches the most senior buyers and suppliers in the business. HANDLING & STORAGE
CLAUDIUS PETERS PROJECTS GMBH Schanzenstraße 40 DE-21614 Buxtehude, Germany T: +49 4161 706-0 F: +49 4161 706-270 E: info@claudiuspeters.com W: www.claudiuspeters.com Claudius Peters stockyards, pneumatic conveyors, silos, clinker coolers, grinding mills, and packing systems can be found in Cement, Coal, Alumina, and Gypsum plants across the globe. The group’s other principal Division, Aerospace, manufactures aircraft parts for Airbus. PRIMARY REDUCTION/SMELTER PRIMARY
ALUMINIUM BAHRAIN B.S.C. (ALBA) Building 150, King Hamad Highway Askar 951, Bahrain T: +973 1783 0000 F: +973 1783 0083 E: alba@alba.com.bh W: www.albasmelter.com Aluminium Bahrain has been consistently ranked as one of the largest aluminium smelters in the world and is known for its technological strength and high quality aluminium. FURNACE
HERTWICH ENGINEERING GMBH Weinbergerstr. 6, Braunau, Upper Austria, 5280, Austria T: +43 7722 806-0 F: +43 7722 806-122 E: info@hertwich.com W: www.hertwich.com Hertwich Engineering, a company of the SMS group, is active worldwide with design, supply, construction and commissioning of speciality equipment for the aluminium industry, in particular for aluminium casthouses.
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Distributed to more than 50 countries and read by thousands of industry contacts, it contains a comprehensive alphabetical listing of company and contact details. SLITTING
DANIELI FRÖHLING Scherl 12, D-58540, Meinerzhagen, Germany T: +49 2354 7082 0 F: +49 2354 7082 200 E: info@danieli-froehling.de W: www.danieli-froehling.de Danieli Fröhling is synonymous for innovative tailor-made solutions for the aluminium industry. Fröhling customers trust in nearly 70 years’ experience in manufacturing of rolling mills and cutting lines.
CARBON ELECTRODES
R&D CARBON PO Box 361, Sierre 3960, Switzerland T: +41 27 459 29 29 F: +41 27 459 29 25 E: rdc@rd-carbon.com W: www.rd-carbon.com R&D Carbon provides expertise for the worldwide metal, oil and coal industry through R&D studies,onsite audits and process optimisation, carbon test equipment, quality control, certification and training courses. QUALITY TESTING & MEASUREMENT
POLYTEC GMBH Polytec Platz 1-7, D-76337, Waldbronn, Germany T: +49 7243 604-0 F: +49 7243 69944 E: info@polytec.de W: www.polytec.de Polytec is the market leader for non-contact, laser based vibration and velocity measurement instrumentation. Our innovative solutions allow our customers to maintain their own technical leadership across many fields.
Here is a sneak peak at some of the listings that will appear in the 2017 Buyers’ Directory.
SAFETY
AJ CHARNAUD & COMPANY (PTY) LTD Tel: RSA +27 11 794 6040 T: +27 11 794 6040 EU: +44 (0) 1133 507651 E: aj@charnaud.co.za W: www.charnaud.net With over 40 years of experience AJ Charnaud & Company (Pty) Ltd. has been at the forefront of the development and manufacturing of specialized personal protective clothing. With a complete head-to-foot range of certified products, supported with advanced professional and technical assistance. SHEET CASTING CONSUMABLES
ZIRCAR CERAMICS INC 100 N. Main St Florida, NY USA T: +1 845 651 6600 E: sales@zircarceramics.com W: zircarceramics.com ZIRCAR Ceramics, Inc. is a US based manufacturer and international marketer of castertips, graphite release agent, boron nitride coating, vacuum formed, and pre-cast refractory products for use on all makes of continuous aluminum sheet twin roll, belt and block casters. HEAT PROCESSING SOLUTIONS
SECO/WARWICK S.A. 8 Sobieskiego Str., 66-200 Zwiebodzin, Poland T: +48 68 38 20 500 F: +48 68 38 20 555 E: info-poland@secowarwick.com SECO/WARWICK has 11 companies located on three continents with customers in nearly 70 countries. It provides standard or customized state-of-the-art heat processing equipment and technologies and is a leader in innovative heat processing solutions. Expertise includes end-to-end solutions in 5 categories: vacuum heat treatment, atmosphere and aluminum thermal processing, controlled atmosphere brazing of aluminum heat exchangers and vacuum metallurgy.
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