Constellium and UACJ joint venture to open aluminum sheet plant
September 21, 2016
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Constellium N.V., Paris, and UACJ Corp., Japan, announce the official opening of their new manufacturing plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to supply aluminum automotive body sheet to the North American automotive industry under their joint venture, Constellium-UACJ ABS LLC.
The strategically-located 225,000 square foot facility will house an initial capacity of 100,000 metric tons. It has secured its metal supply with both partners' rolling mills. With cutting-edge equipment and technologies, the facility expects to offer a flat rolled product portfolio for a wide range of applications including closure panels, as well as body structures. The plant is currently in qualification phase, with ramp-up planned over the next two years. As of today, the line is essentially committed with orders from leading automotive OEMs in North America.
"Today's opening represents a significant step towards securing our position as a leading player in the fast growing North American automotive body sheet market," said Simon Laddychuk, Chief Executive Officer of the joint venture. "Constellium and UACJ's combined industrial legacy and best-in-class assets, as well as our leading position in innovation with the opening of a new R&D hub in Plymouth, Mich., position the joint venture to be the partner of choice for North American automotive OEMs."
"The opening of the first North American automotive body sheet finishing line with our partner UACJ, is an important milestone in our goal to become a global leader in aluminium automotive solutions," added Jean-Marc Germain, Chief Executive Officer of Constellium. "As a one-stop shop, Constellium is well-positioned to provide automotive OEMs with innovative rolled and extruded products, which lighten vehicle weight, while offering exceptional performance characteristics."
www.constellium.com
Constellium N.V., Paris, and UACJ Corp., Japan, announce the official opening of their new manufacturing plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to supply aluminum automotive body sheet to the North American automotive industry under their joint venture, Constellium-UACJ ABS LLC.
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Bodycote acquires Nitrex Metal Technologies for precision gas nitriding
September 12, 2016
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Bodycote, Macclesfield, England, announces that it has acquired Nitrex Metal Technologies, which specializes in precision gas nitriding and ferritic nitrocarburizing in both batch and continuous processes.
Nitrex potential-controlled gas nitriding and potential-controlled gas nitrocarburizing heat treatment technologies are applied in industries such as precision parts, automotive, aluminum extrusion, defense, gears, tool & die, plastics, machinery, and many others. Continuous gas nitriding and ferritic nitrocarburizing are unique in the industry and are particularly suited to high-volume automotive work.
The addition of Nitrex Metal Technologies to the Bodycote Group broadens the range of thermal processing services that Bodycote offers. These services range from conventional atmosphere heat treatments such as batch IQ, vacuum, and induction, to more exotic specialty technologies such as LPC, BoroCote, and Corr-I-Dur.
According to Dan McCurdy, President of Bodycote Automotive and General Industrial Heat Treating in North America and Asia, "Nitrex Metal Technologies is a great addition to the Bodycote Group. Along with the rest of Bodycote's existing service offerings, this acquisition really cements our position as the go-to expert source for all things nitriding."
www.bodycote.com
Bodycote, Macclesfield, England, announces that it has acquired Nitrex Metal Technologies, which specializes in precision gas nitriding and ferritic nitrocarburizing in both batch and continuous processes.
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Strong scandium-aluminum-magnesium powder-metal alloy designed for 3D printing
September 7, 2016
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Airbus Group APWorks GmbH, Germany, in cooperation with Airbus Group R&D, has developed Scalmalloy, a high-performance scandium-aluminum magnesium powder metal alloy designed for additive manufacturing of high-strength aerospace structures. In addition to its high strength, Scalmalloy is also very tough, and has exceptional high-fatigue properties.
Scalmalloy is corrosion-resistant, and combines the low weight of aluminum with specific strength approaching that of titanium. In comparison, the AlSi10Mg aluminum silicon powder, widely used for additive manufacture, is only half as strong.
Airbus Group's continued work in AlMgSc alloy technologies has resulted in development of the second-generation Scalmalloy. The maximum profile cross-sections for parts depend on the billet size, with possible diameters up to 15-18 inches. Scalmalloy provides robust solutions when high specific strength and exceptionally high corrosion resistance are needed – while also offering the additional advantages of robust manufacturing chains and low-cost production schemes. Additionally, it has the highest microstructure material stability for "low carbon footprint" applications.
This unique combination makes the alloy especially interesting for high-performance applications in the robotics, automotive, and aerospace industries. Together with the design freedom provided by metallic 3D printing, products can also have levels of functionality that were previously unattainable.
http://www.apworks.de/en/scalmalloy/
Airbus Group APWorks GmbH, Germany, in cooperation with Airbus Group R&D, has developed Scalmalloy, a high-performance scandium-aluminum magnesium powder metal alloy designed for additive manufacturing of high-strength aerospace structures.
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How manganese prevents oxidation in high-strength steel
August 30, 2016
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A team from the University of Warwick, UK, discovered that the amount of oxide that forms at the surface of automotive high-strength steels depends on the ratio between manganese and additional alloying elements. High-strength steels are obviously an important backbone for applications in the automotive industry, but cost-efficient manufacture requires the suppression of oxides within the steel during sheet production.
When steel sheet is produced in rolling mills at high temperatures, the surface oxidizes quickly, but the grain boundary oxides underneath define the depth of the corroded zone and also the forming limit. Hence, oxidation plays an essential role during the manufacture of high strength steels for automotive applications, because they often contain a higher amount of manganese. Due to their unique mechanical properties, this allows for a significant reduction of sheet thickness, allowing vehicles to be lighter in weight with lower carbon emissions.
The research was led by the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick. The research, led by Dr. Michael Auinger of WMG, together with the Vienna University of Technology (Austria) and Voestalpine Stahl GmbH (Austria) developed a better understanding for the oxidation behavior inside steels during hot rolling, which could potentially help manufacturers to reduce the amount of steel lost during production. Therefore, adapted process parameters and knowledge about the admissible limits of alloy content would help to prevent negative effects of grain boundary oxidation during further steel processing and in-service properties of HSS car body parts.
Dr. Auinger and his co-researchers analyzed the oxidation behavior of different iron-based alloys. They found that particularly the combinations of iron-manganese and a second alloy addition - representing a simplified version of many high strength steels - undergo severe oxide formation along grain boundaries if not processed appropriately.
"Isotope exchange experiments verified that grain boundaries in manganese-containing steels are extremely susceptible to oxide formation. On the other hand, oxide particles inside the grains strongly bind their oxygen atoms. It means that new oxygen has to penetrate the entire oxide zone before forming a new oxide particle at the front," Dr. Auinger says. "The reduced depth of internal oxidation is suggested to be caused by lowering the oxygen diffusion due to trapping reactions at crystal imperfections."
Dr. Auinger argues that from a scientific point of view, this work is particularly important, since it indicates not that the oxidation along grain boundaries is enhanced, but that the oxidation of the alloy additions inside the metallic grains is significantly slower than predicted by theoretical simulations. This helps the understanding of the mechanisms of oxide formation. It also may enable inventing novel strategies that could help to prevent unwanted oxidation, which is currently determined by the cooling efficiency after hot rolling.
The University of Warwick, England, announces that a team of researchers has discovered that the amount of oxide that forms at the surface of automotive high-strength steels depends on the ratio between manganese and additional alloying elements.
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AK Steel launches advanced high-strength steel for automotive applications
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AK Steel, Westchester, Ohio, launches Nexmet 440EX high-strength steel, which provides improved ductility, strength, and formability for automotive applications. The steel is designed for automotive light-weighting in all types of structural and exterior parts. The products are especially designed to help original equipment manufacturers meet their U.S. Corporate Average Fuel Economy targets for the year 2025.
This new exposed-surface-quality product combines high yield and tensile strength at thinner gauges to facilitate lightweight designs. This results in enhanced performance where surface appearance and dent resistance are critical. Nexmet 440EX is currently available and is being qualified by automotive OEMs as a steel solution for exposed body panel lightweighting needs.
AK Steel will launch its other next-generation Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) products, Nexmet 1000 and 1200, in early 2017, following completion of upgrades at AK Steel's Dearborn Works hot-dip galvanized line. These AHSS steels will offer significantly improved ductility at tensile strengths of 1000 and 1200 MPa, and will serve to help lightweight automotive body structures.
www.aksteel.com
AK Steel, Westchester, Ohio, launches its Nexmet 440EX high-strength steel that provides greater ductility, strength, and formability for automotive applications.
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Aleris Aluminum to be acquired by Chinese aluminum extrusion company
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Aleris Corp., Cleveland, Oho, a global aluminum rolled products producer, announces that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Zhongwang USA LLC, a Chinese company. The aggregate value of Aleris amounts to $2.33 billion, comprising $1.11 billion in cash for the equity to be paid by Zhongwang USA, plus $1.22 billion in net debt.
The acquisition of Aleris reflects commitment to disciplined operating investments over the long-term by Mr. Liu Zhongwang, the majority owner of Zhongwang USA, in an industry to which he has been committed for two decades. In addition to his role at Zhongwang USA, Mr. Liu is also the chairman and founder of China Zhongwang, the second largest aluminum extrusions product developer and manufacturer in the world, and the largest in Asia. With the acquisition of Aleris, Mr. Liu will now oversee companies that have complementary geographic footprints and capabilities.
Aleris will continue to be headquartered in Cleveland, and will be operated as an independent entity. The Aleris management team will remain in place, providing continuity for Aleris employees and customers, and supporting the continued implementation of the Aleris strategy.
Aleris will retain its name and continue to serve its customers with no changes to current operations, contracts, or commitments. It will continue with the implementation of all strategic growth projects, including its major expansion project in Lewisport, Kentucky, which will enable Aleris to meet the North American automotive industry's growing demand for aluminum auto body sheet.
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2017, following the customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions.
Aleris is a privately held, global leader in aluminum rolled products serving diverse industries including aerospace, automotive, building and construction, commercial transportation, and industrial manufacturing. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Aleris operates production facilities in North America, Europe and Asia.
www.aleris.com
Aleris Corp., Cleveland, Oho, a global aluminum rolled products producer, announces that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Zhongwang USA LLC, a Chinese company.
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Purdue receives grant to design strong and ductile aluminum
August 17, 2016
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Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., announces that ASM member Prof. Xinghang Zhang has been awarded a $450,000 grant from the Dept. of Energy to investigate methods for increasing the strength of aluminum alloys.
"One of the major issues with aluminum alloys is that strength is much lower than steels," he said. "Aluminum is ductile, but it's very soft." The research will be done at the microscopic level by using a transmission electron microscope that can reveal the atomic arrangement inside aluminum. The School of Materials Engineering recently acquired an advanced transmission electron microscope for the deformation project and future research.
"This grant allows us to explore fundamental science on mechanical behavior of nanotwinned aluminum and could eventually lead to the design of high strength and ductile aluminum alloys," he said.
Nanotwinned metals can be used in many applications because they simultaneously demonstrate high strength and high ductility, characteristics usually thought to be mutually exclusive. Deformation mechanisms describe how a metallic material can change its geometry under external force.
"You have to really look at why an aluminum alloy is soft and what you have to do to make it much stronger and remain ductile," Prof. Zhang said.
www.purdue.edu
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., announces that ASM member Prof. Xinghang Zhang has been awarded a $450,000 grant from the Dept. of Energy to investigate methods for increasing the strength of aluminum alloys.
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Nucor to acquire steel plate mill in Texas
July 27, 2016
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Nucor Corp., Charlotte, N.C., has agreed to acquire the Joy Global steel plate mill in Longview, Texas, for approximately $29 million. The mill produces carbon and alloy steel plate products with heat-treating capabilities, and has an annual capacity of 180,000 tons. The mill produces specialty plate products with the capability of producing plate that can range from 1 to 12 inches thick and up to 138 inches wide.
"This acquisition builds on our strategy to capture a growing share of higher value-added plate products, and complements the capabilities of our two existing plate mills," said John Ferriola, Chairman, CEO, and President of Nucor. "The Longview mill will serve as a valuable addition to Nucor's plate products, which we believe can be further leveraged by our Nucor commercial team."
Nucor's existing plate mills are in North Carolina and Alabama, and have a combined capacity of 2.9 million tons per year. Nucor's existing mills produce plate for manufacturers of barges, bridges, heavy equipment, rail cars, refinery tanks, ships, wind towers, armor, and other markets. Nucor plate products are also used in the pipe and tube, pressure vessel, transportation and construction industries.
Nucor and its affiliates are manufacturers of steel products, with operating facilities primarily in the United States and Canada. Products include carbon and alloy steel as bars, beams, sheet, and plate; steel pilings; steel joists and joist girders; steel decks; fabricated concrete reinforcing steel; cold-finished steel; steel fasteners; metal building systems; steel grating; and wire and wire mesh. Nucor, through the David J. Joseph Company, also brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron and HBI/DRI; supplies ferro-alloys; and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap. Nucor is North America's largest recycler.
www.nucor.com
Nucor Corp., Charlotte, N.C., has agreed to acquire the Joy Global steel plate mill in Longview, Texas, for approximately $29 million.
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Bodycote adds nitrocarburizing service at its new Georgia plant
July 6, 2016
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Bodycote, U.K., announces that it will add nitrocarburizing to its heat treatment services at its new 60,000-square-foot heat treatment plant in Covington, Ga., which replaces the plant in Conyers.
The brand new facility will primarily serve automotive and general industrial customers, offering all of the processes and capabilities which had been offered at the Conyers location, as well as the addition of ferritic nitrocarburizing.
At more than double the size of the plant it replaces, the new Covington facility immediately increases the capacity available to serve the Georgia and Florida marketplaces with a wide range of heat treatment processes.
This investment is part of Bodycote's further expansion in the Southeast United States. Bodycote is committed to offering world-class heat treating services and is investing in improvements as part of an ongoing strategy to provide the best possible capabilities, mix, and geographical network to better serve customers.
www.bodycote.com
Bodycote, U.K., announces that it will add nitrocarburizing to its heat treatment services at its new 60,000-square-foot heat treatment plant in Covington, Ga., which replaces the plant in Conyers.
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AFC-Holcroft heat treating systems to process aluminum auto parts
June 27, 2016
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AFC-Holcroft, Wixom, Mich., announces that a Tier 1 automotive supplier has ordered a roller hearth homogenizing furnace and a solution heat treat line for the processing of aluminum auto parts. The first order will consist of a roller hearth homogenizing furnace for processing aluminum products. The complete system includes a multi-position loading table, a multi-position furnace, a cooling station, and a multi-position unload table.
The second order is for a solution heat treat line, which will also be used for processing aluminum products. This system will include charge and discharge transfer cars, a multi-position solution furnace, water quench system, multi-position age furnace, multi-position accumulation charge and discharge tables, accumulation cross-over mechanism, and a tray pull-off station.
Additionally, AFC-Holcroft will provide its Remote Diagnostic Service during the furnace warranty period. This service provides a complete remote monitoring and diagnostic package, including transmission and analysis of machine data, targeting the most common or noteworthy events and identifying root causes. The Remote Diagnostic Service transmits data automatically to AFC-Holcroft's secure servers, eliminating the human time and cost associated with manually gathering historical data for the same purpose.
"While AFC-Holcroft is best known for providing equipment for the processing of steel components, we also have a long history of providing equipment to the aluminum industry," stated Mark Johnston, Aftermarket Equipment Sales. "This order is a further inroad into this growing market." Field installation, start-up and commissioning are included with both orders.
www.afc-holcroft.com
AFC-Holcroft, Wixom, Mich., announces that a Tier 1 automotive supplier has ordered a roller hearth homogenizing furnace and a solution heat treat line for the processing of aluminum auto parts.
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