9 06, 2016

Customer Spotlight: AeroGo

2017-01-26T23:37:28+00:00June 9th, 2016|

AeroGo has been revolutionizing load moving solutions for over 50 years, and Taber Extrusions has been a proud AeroGo partner for over 30 of those years. Located in Seattle, Washington AeroGo provides innovative solutions for moving extremely heavy materials through air bearing systems.

In 1967, AeroGo began engineering design and fabrication for specialized assembling and tooling fixtures for the aerospace industry. Over the years, the company has expanded to provide practical and efficient methods of rotation, alignment, transfer, location, and movement of materials weighing anywhere from 500 pounds to over 5,000 tons through air bearing systems (custom or standard air caster systems).

Over the years, AeroGo has transformed into a problem solving company by supplying customers with latest technology for any load moving challenges. In order to stay current with the latest fabrication and machining technology, AeroGo implements continuous development to integrate the latest technology into moving and assembling the heaviest and most cumbersome loads. Your moving problems are solved with wheel transporters, rails, air casters (bearings), or stationary manipulators.

Air casters are designed to float heavy loads on a virtually frictionless small film of air. Using air bearing systems to move heavy loads provides a clean, quiet, and safe alternative for handling heavy loads and has many benefits, including:

  • Reduced need for cranes and heavy machinery to move heavy and cumbersome loads.
  • Reduced friction and omni-directional transfer, allowing precise handling of heavy and awkward loads.
  • Provides operator with better ability to maneuver in a limited work space.
  • Air casters will not damage floors and have a low profile.
  • Due to the use of pneumatic components, air casters can operate in almost all environments unlike conventional methods of heavy load handling systems.

With applications in aerospace, energy, manufacturing, marine shipbuilding, on and offshore oil and gas, roll handling, military and defense, automotive, entertainment, and modular structures AeroGo is the preferred choice for those who work smarter, not harder.

 

 

26 05, 2016

Aluminum Welded to Steel in New GM Automobiles

2016-05-26T14:57:51+00:00May 26th, 2016|

General Motors first came on the scene as an innovator of aluminum machining technology in 2008 when they employed spot-welding to weld small amounts of aluminum to aluminum on a lift gate vehicle – now a mainstream and widely used technique for welding aluminum. This year, GM has broken another fabrication barrier by welding steel and aluminum together.

As manufacturers face increasingly strict fuel efficiency standards and as consumers demand higher fuel economy the race is on to find lighter (and cost-effective) ways to produce automobiles. GM saw this challenge early and invested over one million dollars into developing a never before used technique for welding steel to aluminum. By welding the two metals directly together, the use for traditional riveting is eliminated – saving materials, weight, cost, and time. 

The different melting points of steel and aluminum created a major challenge for developers, as well as oxides that are present in aluminum and can cause weld failures. The research and development, however, has paid off – with a new successful technique in place that welds steel directly to aluminum and can be used in limitless applications.

Manufacturers aren’t stopping at aluminum machining innovation, though. GM has expressed interest in also using magnesium – a metal lighter than both aluminum and steel – in their production. Aluminum is much more cost effective than magnesium, however, so it remains a favorite for mass production and fabrication. 

As a partner of the National Material Company steel group, we work closely with NMC to deliver high quality aluminum and steel products to our customers in a wide array of applications. With GM’s new aluminum-to-steel welding technology emerging, who knows just how close the aluminum and steel fields will become in the near future.

12 05, 2016

Faster Than a Speeding Bullet: Aluminum Trains of the Future

2017-01-26T23:37:28+00:00May 12th, 2016|

A futuristic, levitating train is in the works by Hyperloop One. Their secret to making it possible? Aluminum.

This levitation train travels at a low-pressure speed of 760 mph, but don’t let that figure blow your hair back. Inventor of the train Elon Musk says that the train will be a “a mix between Concorde, a rail gun, and an air hockey table that could take you from Los Angeles to San Francisco in under 30 minutes.”

levitation_rigIn order to cut costs and keep the train lighter, designers opted for an aluminum “Hyperloop Levitation System” instead of traditional copper coils that make up other Maglev train systems, such as the one in Shanghai, China. Turning to aluminum as a less expensive material alternative increases the chances for levitation trains to be considered feasible transportation alternatives in the future by keeping them more affordable.

Although critics have doubted whether Hyperloop’s ultra-fast train will ever come to fruition, a major step in that dream becoming a reality was taken yesterday. In the middle of the Nevada desert, just outside of Las Vegas, Hyperloop’s first ever real-life demo took place (video).

Read more about how the demo went and watch some cool footage of the testing here. Or, read what USA Today had to say about the mean, lean, aluminum machine.

We here at Taber are interested to know what kind of extrusion shapes would go into this levitation system, and just how big those extruded aluminum parts might be. We would assume that for longevity and performance purposes, the extrusions would be heat treated, anodized, and machined. Aluminum fabrication and machining would be standard on parts like these.

Taber has provided machining and fabrication services for extruded aluminum parts in the past within the transportation and infrastructure industries. A levitation system, however, would be a first; and something that we would love to set our CNC machining team loose on!

Maybe one day Taber will be working on machining aluminum parts for levitating trains, planes, and automobiles. For now, though, we’re happy to stay grounded

3 05, 2016

AEC Announces Industry Wide EPD to Promote Sustainability

2017-01-26T23:37:28+00:00May 3rd, 2016|

A recent article published by U.S. Glass Mag talks about the increased effort towards “product transparency” in the aluminum extrusion industry via an industry-wide EPD for aluminum extruders. This urge for environmental accountability comes amidst a global push for more sustainable practices among large producers worldwide.

An industry-standard Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) document is in the works by the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC). These documents will help to track the environmental footprint made by extruders throughout North America, and will detail the sustainability of conventional aluminum extrusions as well as heat-treated extrusions, painted extrusions, and anodized extrusions.

This push toward greater transparency is cohesive with other sectors in the building and manufacturing industries, as global markets strive for greater accountability in production. Guy Charpentier, an AEC Chairman, says of the effort “Providing transparency regarding our environmental performance with extensive, third-party verified data is a key element of aluminum extrusions’ great sustainability story.”

It’s true; the aluminum extrusion industry continues to gain traction across multiple markets not only for its high-quality product performance, but for its eco-friendly benefits. Aluminum alloy products have revolutionized traditional manufacturing and construction; cutting down on resources that lower the overall environmental footprint of traditional projects.

Taber is proud to offer environmentally sound extrusion products to customers for years to come; building not only a stronger future, but a more sustainable one.

 

19 04, 2016

Aluminum Extrusion Oddities: What’s The Weirdest Custom Aluminum Shape Ever Extruded?

2017-01-26T23:37:28+00:00April 19th, 2016|

image002-1

Snapshot taken from one of Taber’s company board rooms at their Russellville, Arkansas plant.

After searching the aluminum extrusion world near and far, tall and wide, flat and hollow, rectangular and round… well, we looked all over the place. Allow us to toot our own horn in saying that it seems Taber Extrusions has at least one corner on the market of speciality custom shape aluminum extrusions – or in other words, some of the weirdest shapes ever extruded.

 

Besides having the only rectangular container in North America, Taber is uniquely positioned to extrude super wide shapes – wider than is capable with traditional round containers. This exclusive rectangular container allows Taber to supply our customers with some of the widest, most complex multi-void hollows in the industry. But what about the really weird stuff? Things people use “for fun?” Is Taber Extrusions able to create anything our imagination creates? Absolutely. There’s a reason Taber claims the title of “ Broadest Capabilities in the Aluminum Extrusion Industry.”

We found some other interesting non-standard aluminum shapes for you to enjoy; like a limited edition chess set created by the Columbia Aluminum Extrusion Group. This extruded aluminum chess set was created for promotional purposes in the mid-1990s.image003-1

 

image005Extruded Aluminum bicycle, anyone? “Mind Bikes” get mailed straight to their customers in a box. As you can see from the image below, these “one-piece” bikes can grow along with the kid! They fit both children and adults, since the entire body can be taken apart and reassembled using only bolts, since the aluminum extrusion frame only has joint structures. The inventors from Osaka, Japan say it’s a perfect eco-product reducing environmental burden. No argument there… the whole family can use the same bike (as long as everyone doesn’t have to be at the same place at the same time. Then we’d have to start inquiring to Taber about tandems.)

29 03, 2016

Global Aluminum Extrusion Market Predicted to Surpass 24 Million Tons by 2019

2017-01-26T23:37:28+00:00March 29th, 2016|

technavioA new research study by leading global tech research and advisory company Technavio has projected the global aluminum extrusion market to to surpass 22 million metric tons (that’s well over 24 million tons for us Americans) by the year 2019.

You read that right: Over 24 million tons of extrusion in three years.

This extrusion demand, according to Technavio’s lead metals analyst, stems primarily from the building and construction industry where a demand for materials that help them achieve “green status” is at an all-time high.

This is no surprise to Taber, who provides aluminum extrusions for a wide array of architectural and construction extrusion needs. Taber has also noticed a trend of higher extrusion demand in the marine and automotive industries, where engineers turn to aluminum extrusions for stronger, lighter, and more durable extrusions which support eco-friendlier and cost-effective manufacturing.

Technavio’s report, Global Aluminum Extrusion Market 2015-2019, is broken down into three aluminum extrusion categories, including mill-finished aluminum extrusion, anodized aluminum extrusion, and powder-coated or painted aluminum extrusion. All three categories are expected to grow at a CAGR rate of at least 6-7% which is promising news for Taber Extrusions, who has plenty of experience working with suppliers in all three types of extrusions including anodizing, painting, and other finishing services.

As the global market continues to shift to more sustainable building materials, it appears that aluminum extrusion will continue to gain speed as a major player in the building industry. We’re rolling up our sleeves, and look forward to a promising future for aluminum extrusion.

15 03, 2016

Aluminum Man: Move Over Tony Stark

2017-01-26T23:37:28+00:00March 15th, 2016|

aluminum alloy diving suitMove over Iron Man, the Aluminum Man is here and he’s soaring to all new depths.

Okay, so maybe it’s not called “Aluminum Man”. But we aluminum enthusiasts can dream, right?

The Exosuit, as it is formally known, is the latest and greatest invention from famous Canadian entrepreneur, deep-ocean explorer, scientist, inventor of the Newtsuit, and founder of Nuytco Research Ltd. – Phil Nuytten. CNN recently did a piece on this awesome aluminum apparatus, complete with a video capturing the suit in action.

So, why are we gunning for this aluminum alloy suit to be Marvel’s latest blockbuster?

“The suit has thrusters like the superhero character. But instead of soaring through the air, sea divers use these thrusters to ‘fly’ through the water.”

So. Cool.

“Think about what it must be like to work in a 530-pound aluminum-alloy suit 1,000 feet under water.” All we can think is, incredible.

 

 

Exosuit3-descendHere’s some more amazing facts about Aluminum Man:

ADS ( Atmospheric Diving System) ‘Exosuit’ Specifications

General:
-1000 Foot depth rated
-A536 Aluminum Alloy
-Weight 500-600 LBS depending on config

Life support:
-2 Redundant oxygen systems, total capacity 50 hours
-50 hour Carbon Dioxide scrubber
-Back up battery with automatic change over on power failure
-Lung powered scrubber back-up

Propulsion:
-4 x 1.6 HP thrusters (expandable to 8)
-Direct drive, magnetically coupled thrusters
-Quiet operation – Responsive (quick windup)

*Select content courtesy of Nuytco Research Ltd

3 03, 2016

Extruded Aluminum Alloys: Improving Shipbuilding and Repair Efficiency

2017-01-26T23:37:28+00:00March 3rd, 2016|

one

Allan Bennett, VP of Sales and Marketing, and Jay Sodera, VP of Technical Services presented their subject, Extruded Aluminum Alloys: Improving Shipbuilding and Repair Efficiency at ShipTech 2016 yesterday.

The presentation covered key areas of focus and recent innovations in shipbuilding technology. New breakthroughs in aluminum alloy composition, along with machining and fabrication techniques are helping pave the way to lighter, faster, more durable marine vessels.

“Taber hopes to shape a stronger – and more economically sustainable – future for the marine industry.”

Taber Extrusions has been a leading supplier of marine aluminum applications for many years, and brought their wealth of shipbuilding knowledge to this year’s conference for shipbuilders, naval directors, and maritime scholars. By working together with those in attendance, Taber hopes to shape a stronger – and more economically sustainable – future for the marine industry.

 

1 03, 2016

Taber Extrusions presents at ShipTech 2016

2017-01-26T23:37:28+00:00March 1st, 2016|

IMG_20160301_122031893It’s anchor’s away here at ShipTech 2016! Taber is here in Charleston, SC presenting our selected abstract on Aluminum Magnesium Alloy AMX602: Potential Naval Armor Applications as well as presenting our subject Extruded Aluminum Alloys: Improving Shipbuilding and Repair Efficiency.

We are so excited to be a part of this elite group of industry experts, naval personnel, and academic professionals discussing how to translate advanced technological manufacturing to achieve affordable fleets. We are here today and tomorrow. (March 1,2)

We hope to leave ShipTech 2016 empowered to achieve the conference’s goal: “reduce total ownership cost of naval ships while enhancing the competitiveness of the domestic shipbuilding industry.”

 

2 02, 2016

Come Check Us Out at World of Concrete

2017-01-26T23:37:28+00:00February 2nd, 2016|

Taber Extrusions will be at the World of Concrete trade show Tuesday through Friday, February 2-5.

Taber Extrusions will be at the World of Concrete trade show Tuesday through Friday, February 2-5. 

booth-photosTaber Extrusions is at the World of Concrete show in Las Vegas this week, February 2-5, 2016.

Come swing by the Taber booth, #C6804, to see how we’re shaping a stronger future with complex aluminum extrusions for virtually any application – including concrete. See map for exact location.

While you’re here, you can take a look at (and even hold!) some of our most unique aluminum shapes, grab a pamphlet, learn about our aluminum alloy casting, quiz our experts on their aluminum extrusion knowledge, find our more about our aluminum fabrication services, learn about aluminum machining, meet our company president, take a selfie with our gorgeous booth, steal a pen, …you get the idea.

Thank you, thank you – we’ll be here all week!

 

Screen Shot 2016-02-02 at 12.33.27 PM

Taber Extrusions Booth #C6804

 

 

 

 

 

Go to Top