2012 Digital Official magazine INTERNATIONAL ALUMINIUM EXHIBITION

Transcription

1 Official magazine INTERNATIONAL ALUMINIUM EXHIBITION year month number EXTRUSION ROLLING ASSOCIATIONS DIE CASTING DESIGN Innovative extrusions for value adding applications The European Alufoil production Amafond, top-level change HPDC structural components

2 Innovative extrusions for value adding applications Mario Conserva Alberto Pomari Anna Bertoli ET 2012 NOTE on the manifold applications of extrusions ANNO mese numero EXTRUSION ROLLING ASSOCIATIONS DIE CASTING DESIGN The world extrusion system is undergoing significant changes, from a fragmented regional structure to a globalized market, from concentrations to upstream disintegration, to new entries of low cost operators in the emerging or developing countries. Many applications of extrusions also in the more mature markets are simply adaptations of a basic product; the most successful companies are creative in developing completely new products and adapting old products to fit new uses. The group since many years has outlined and implemented its strategy to add value: investing in fabrication facilities, tailored finishing, getting away from the basic commodity extrusion. An integral European Market (1): Trend of the European demand of extrusions [mil t] part of its strategy is the commitment to promotion and education, through initiatives that aim at stimulating innovative projects for the use of Aluminum extrusions in building and in structural applications. The Window 2 3

3 EXTRUSION ROLLING European Market (1): European end use % of extrusions 2011 (EU 27 + EFTA from 2008) and Door Frame Design International Competition and the Award for Thesis on structural Aluminum organized by Metra Spa continue to attract great interest, demonstrating that extrusions still represent today a market of great potential if faced with innovative products. A picture is worth a thousand words. These pages contain a series of slides presented at the Tenth International Aluminium Extrusion Technology Seminar and Exposition held in Miami last May. 4

4 ANNO mese numero EXTRUSION ROLLING ASSOCIATIONS DIE CASTING DESIGN The european Alufoil production by the editorial staff - redazione@edimet.com The slow start of 2012: some data from EAFA The start into 2012 was calm for the European aluminium foil manufactures in line with the European economic markets. This is what EAFA (the European Aluminium Foil Association) said in a recent. The first three months showed an overall shipments decrease of almost five per cent to 204,000t compared to last year s first quarter according to figures published by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA). Thinner gauges mostly used for flexible packaging and household foil declined by almost six per cent. The shipments of thicker foil segments typically used for semi-rigid container and technical applications fell by almost ten per cent. However, exports* from Europe rose by almost nine per cent underlining the competiveness of the European foil rollers on a global level. Commenting the start of the year and the outlook EAFA s Executive Director Stefan Glimm said: The slow start reflects the overall European economic situation with quite stable regions and less performing areas. The prevention of food waste through its excellent barrier and preservation properties should provide aluminium foil a healthy future. Aluminium foil characteristics are strength, formability and barrier properties which have made it an essential part of many flexible packaging and container applications. Other uses of aluminium foil include automotive and heat exchange components, insulation material and many industrial applications. The Save Food initiative The European Aluminium Foil Association has become a full member of the Save Food initiative which was launched officially in 2011 at the world s largest packaging fair, interpack, in Dusseldorf. The initiative is a joint campaign instituted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and Messe Düsseldorf to provide a platform for activities and the promotion of initiatives to reduce food waste. A key element in this programme is the development and adoption of appropriate packaging solutions. This aligns completely with the work of EAFA to offer innovative and sustainable packaging formats for the protection, distribution and preservation of all kinds of food products. By joining Save Food as a full member EAFA is now completely involved with the next steps to develop the campaign and offer the association s expertise and influence to make a real impact on food waste reduction in all parts of the world. Commenting on the membership the chairman of EAFA s Sustainability Committee, Hans-Jürgen Schmidt said, Our involvement now as a full member with the initiative extends the considerable work we are already doing in the area of sustainability and food preservation. Aluminium foil with its unique barrier properties allows extended shelf life which is one way to reduce food wastage. Furthermore, alufoil based packaging allows energy savings through non-chilled distribution like milk. 6 7

5 EXTRUSION ROLLING This membership demonstrates our commitment to helping to protect valuable food resources while, at the same time, offering realistic and cost effective solutions to the food manufacturing sectors in all countries, climates and economic zones, he added. EAFA was part of the initial advisory group which helped to formulate Save Food and is delighted that the initiative has gained so much momentum in a short time. It will be a very powerful voice for the need to reduce food waste. 8

6 Amafond, top-level change Mario Conserva ANNO mese numero EXTRUSION ROLLING ASSOCIATIONS DIE CASTING DESIGN The new president is Francesco Savelli, of Savelli Spa, a leading company in the field of design During the annual general meeting held on 22 May, the Trade Association of Italian Equipment Manufacturers and Suppliers to the Foundry Industry, a point of reference for the operators of the foundry and metalworking industries, appointed its new president: Francesco Savelli, of Savelli Spa, a Brescia company that is world leader in designing, manufacturing and supplying machinery and equipment for foundries. In realistic and propositional terms, one the first thoughts of the new president, who is 40 years old and is the youngest president in the history of Amafond, has been to underline the heavy doubts of the foundry industry at such a complex moment like the one we are living, with the reversal of all schemes by the cyclone of globalisation. It is clear that taking into account the constant challenges to be faced in the context of international competition, we should acknowledge the Italian and European economic scenario, which is far from encouraging; therefore, a strong positive sign is the fact that the industrial sector represented by an association that is not extremely large with 85 companies but which is a solid proof of extraordinary technical and cultural heritage that gives the touch to the entire manufacturing sector of our country, has been able to counter world competition in such a delicate and complex sector. These are companies that export 70% of the products they manufacture, and a great sign of strength and deep entrepreneurial responsibility is represented by the fact that, clearly in opposite 10 11

7 EXTRUSION ROLLING order to continue moving in these difficult times. Amafond, ID card trend, the companies had been able to a large extent to resist with the strength of intelligence and experience the pressures or the sirens of delocalisation; this is a path that has already affected countries like England and the United States, and which entails, sad to say, the risk of deindustrialisation and social costs that are often extremely heavy. Entrepreneurial pride and the steadfastness that characterises the young new president, Francesco Savelli, together with the marked tendency to planning that has always been typical of Amafond companies, leave little room for resignation and strong attention to innovative and bold strategies, which are forced choices in AMAFOND is the Trade Association of Italian Equipment Manufacturers and Suppliers to the Foundry Industry. It was established in 1946, and it is a point of reference for the operators of the sector offering technical, regulatory, economic and legislative services. Since its establishment, it is a member of the Union of Commerce and Services of the province of Milan. Amafond is also founding member of Cemafon European Committee of Manufacturers of Machinery and Equipment for Foundry. The Association has the purpose of coordinating, protecting and promoting the technical and economic interests of the sector of machines and products for foundry, in general of all the suppliers of metalworking industries. 12

8 HPDC structural components Franco Bonollo ANNO mese numero EXTRUSION ROLLING ASSOCIATIONS DIE CASTING DESIGN THE SECOND International Forum at Metef-Foundeq 2012 The Second International Forum on Structural Components by High Pressure Die-Casting was held last 20 April as part of the METEF 2012 Expo. It was organised by the Associazione Italiana di Metallurgia (Association of Italian Metalworkers) (Light Alloys and Die-Casting Study Centres) together with Alfin-Edimet Spa, with the support of Amafond, Assofond, Assomet, Cemafon and Caef. The event aimed at assessing the prospects and main challenges the die-casting industry has to face. This technology is becoming more and more crucial within the light alloy scene, and in order to keep and increase its competitiveness, it has to act on alloys (either aluminiumor magnesium-based), production processes, engineering methods, and approaches to markets. The Forum was co-ordinated by Piero Parona (President of the Die-Casting Study Centre of AIM), and the speakers were Federico Casarotto (Aluminium Rheinfelden), Franco Bonollo (University of Padua, Vicenza branch), Gregor Branner (Audi), Götz Hartmann (MAGMA), and Andrea Donato (Assofond). Federico Casarotto stressed the excellent characteristics that can be obtained by using aluminium alloys with optimised composition, designed to be used in die casts, which can provide excellent results in terms of toughness, ductility, proof stress, and impact strength. On the other hand, Franco Bonollo pointed out the main challenges the die-casting industry has to face: - Defect minimisation, - Introduction of tools/equipment and real-time technology to control processes, 14 15

9 ANNO mese numero EXTRUSION ROLLING ASSOCIATIONS DIE CASTING DESIGN - Monitoring and interrelating operational variables, - Transition from experiencebased approaches to methods based on know-how, - Implementation of multi-discipli- nary technologies adapted to the current situation of the SMEs that are the backbone of this industry. Gregor Branner illustrated Audi s car strategy for Cars will be manufactured applying design criteria based on lightness so as to ensure performance as well as efficiency. The examples showed helped emphasise AUDI s strategy in terms of resource protection and environmental sustainability. In this strategy the key factor is the light component design, and diecasting is the main process to produce such components. It is logical to envisage that die-casting will be more and more used to obtain light components in the vast ranges typical of the automotive industry. Götz Hartmann highlighted the need to have solid and reliable diecasting processes that have to be fine tuned following sound engineering criteria. From this perspective, the quickest and most efficient tool is numerical simulation that facilitates: - Designing casting runners with minimum harmful turbulence, - Designing dies and their thermal treatments to ensure low tensile levels, - Optimising thermal treatments for castings so as to obtain the micro-structural and mechanical characteristics desired. Finally Andrea Donato described the current scenario of the diecasting production and market, highlighting how space limitations can be a critical factor for companies, and how competitiveness has to be the result of a decision to innovate and not merely the result of lowering costs. The Forum ended with a short debate, a proof of the interest the issues dealt with arises in the industry operators, and the more than ever compelling need for a co-ordinated joint action of suppliers, foundries, designers, and final users combined in order to make die-casting a competitive and successful process

10 EXTRUSION ROLLING A mythical music by the editorial staff - redazione@edimet.com The versatility of aluminium at the service of an innovative SPEAKER Troll is defined as the most innovative speaker in the world. A small, refined, versatile design object of the essential line that emits amazing sound. This is an ultra-compact speaker that, unlike other regular speakers, propagates sound to the support surfaces, thus transforming such surfaces into large, powerful sound sources that emit sound 360º. Its body is completely made of aluminium, and the controls are miniaturised. Troll is not only a speaker that can be connected to your fixed or portable device; as it is fitted with a practical infrared remote control, it can also be used Stand Alone thanks to the MP3 player function, just by inserting an SD card in the corresponding memory slot. It can also be used to listen to the radio, thanks to the integrated FM Radio. 18

11 metef web TV INTERNATIONAL ALUMINIUM EXHIBITION.com the aluminium portal INTERNATIONAL FOUNDRY EQUIPMENT EXHIBITION LIVE IMAGES, INTERVIEWS AND COMMENTS OF METEF-FOUNDEQ 2012 This year the communication of Metef-Foundeq has been enriched by the service Metef Web TV. What better way, than by live images, to communicate the opinions and comments of some of the protagonists of the aluminium and technological metals industry that took part in Metef-Foundeq and Metalriciclo-Recomat 2012! The new Web TV service has been included as a logical completion of communication options offered by Alfin-Edimet, publishers of technical literature and organizer of exhibitions dedicated to the world of metals: the magazines AL-Aluminium and its alloys and PTF Diecasting & Foundry Techniques, the digital editions A&L Digital and P&TF Digital, PTF digital 2012, the periodical online on aluplanet.com, the D.E.M Direct Marketing and the exhibitions. A pochi giorni dall edizione 2012 di Metef Foundeq con Metalriciclo-Recomat la macchina organizzativa della 10 edizione in programma a Verona dall 11 al 14 giugno 2014 è già in moto e molte sono le iniziative in preparazione, in collaborazione con Veronafiere, per raccogliere le sfide del futuro e offrire agli operatori dell industria dell alluminio e dei metalli tecnologici le migliori opportunità di successo. Have a look to the interview with Selee, Dubal, Hydro, Wagstaff: Info: Alfin-Edimet - T commerciale@edimet.com

12 MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION A&L2012digital Technical communication has changed a lot and will change even more in the future: fast, direct and essential information is needed, so Edimet starts 2012 with AL2012digital, a new digital format of the magazine, a lean product and quick reference that will be published every three weeks in anticipation of the subsequent in-depth exploration of the issues in the hard-copy of the magazine. With this initiative, we are able to reach with absolute ease an audience of over 100,000 companies, even with personalized newsletters. The magazine which, since 1989, has appeared in hard-copy on your desk can now be accessed with one click on your computer. A&L Digital: 18 issues per year posted on aluplanet.com, the aluminium portal with more than 700,000 visits each year, it anticipates the contents of the paper version. It is also conveyed on the network to a database of 25,000 Italian and foreign users, visitors with a profile of Alfin-Edimet exhibitions. SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE it s simple, click here.