A brand new manufacturing course of developed by provider large Magna International Inc. and the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory may quickly make it doable to scale back aluminum components suppliers’ reliance on new aluminum.
The course of — Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion — permits an organization to gather scrap and leftover aluminum trimmings and immediately flip it into materials appropriate by automotive requirements.
Typically, recycled aluminum utilized in auto components is added to newly mined aluminum to make sure increased high quality.
But decreasing the necessity for brand spanking new aluminum would assist firms reduce carbon emissions by as a lot as 90 p.c in contrast with typical processes, in response to Magna and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Staff Reporter John Irwin spoke with Aldo Van Gelder, 57, basic supervisor of Magna’s company R&D heart, in regards to the collaboration. Here are edited excerpts.
Q: What spurred this partnership?
A: It’s tied to the elevated consumption of aluminum and extrusions in automobile buildings. As that turns into extra essential, we’re taking a look at what sort of processes and applied sciences are coming to market that we may use that might present us a aggressive benefit and garner extra market share.
The expectation is the marketplace for extrusions will double within the subsequent 10 years. We’re shifting with the market in that course, with the best way prospects are designing these automobiles. It’s matching our course of and footprint with the market and our prospects.
What does this require from a capital perspective?
You can name it heavy manufacturing, so it is capital intensive. If you take a look at casting or stamping or injection molding, all of those are capital intensive. Very few product areas that we function in aren’t capital intensive. The undeniable fact that this could present strategic benefits when it comes to vitality effectivity and decrease value is the first motive we’re on this know-how.
Source: www.autonews.com