5 03, 2014

Mobile Accessories Strike Gold With Aluminum

2015-06-18T15:33:05+00:00March 5th, 2014|

Aluminum is now the metal of choice for the car industry, but on a much smaller scale, it’s driving start-up Kickstarter campaigns to great levels of success. In Chicago, start-up companies are turning to our favorite metal to innovate new ideas for mobile device accessories. Thanks to a balance of design feasibility and sturdy manufacturing, it’s no wonder why aluminum has helped start-ups successfully pass the finish line on their Kickstarters. From the Chicago Tribune:

Apple, the maker of the iPhone, introduced machined aluminum designs in 2002 with the Power Mac G5, kicking off a love affair with the material that sends product designers into a frenzy.

“Machining allows a level of precision that is completely unheard of in this industry,” Jonathan Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of design, said in 2008.

We share details on three Chicago-area Kickstarter campaigns that recently passed their funding goals for iPhone and other mobile accessories made with aluminum.

They’re among thousands of companies that have benefited from the crowdfunding platform: Kickstarter announced on its site Monday that it had surpassed $1 billion in overall pledges. Those pledges involved more than 5.7 million backers and 57,000 successfully funded projects, according to the site.

To read more about these start-ups and their successful Kickstarters, visit the original article at the Chicago Tribune’s Blue Sky Innovation hub.

1 03, 2014

Steel Industry Reacts To Aluminum-Based Cars

2017-01-26T23:37:29+00:00March 1st, 2014|

Aluminum is gaining momentum. There’s no two ways about it. The most obvious sign is the probably the amount of mainstream attention the Ford F-150 has gotten since its unveiling (the second most-obvious sign is the volume of car-related posts on this blog). The steel industry used to be the main force behind automotive manufacturing, and with aluminum being recognized for both its strength and mass properties, the balance of power is shifting. From the New York Times:

The shift to aluminum is gaining momentum. Automakers are under increasing pressure to meet strict new fuel-economy standards by 2025, and their use of lighter aluminum is expected to double between 2008 and 2025, according to Ducker Worldwide, a research firm in Troy, Mich.

As a result, Severstal sees little choice but to move toward making advanced — and lighter — high-strength steel.

This year, it plans to make half a million tons more in its Dearborn facility than last year’s run of 2.1 million tons. Part of that demand will come from the F-150, whose frame has increased its use of high-strength steel from 23 percent to 77 percent, a change that will save up to 60 pounds, according to Ford.

“The F-150 is a big turning point,” said Andrew Lane, a metals analyst with Morningstar. “It’s a bold effort by Ford.”

Other steel makers are changing their ways, too. United States Steel has invested $400 million in a joint venture with Kobe Steel of Japan to make advanced high-strength steel in a Leipsic, Ohio, factory expected to produce 500,000 tons annually.

The consideration by carmakers of using more aluminum is actually opening up opportunities for producers of advanced steel, according to Jody Shaw, manager of automotive technical marketing at U.S. Steel.

“It’s those little changes that they’re willing to accept that’s creating an opportunity,” Mr. Shaw said.

While we’re obviously happy that aluminum is getting greater usage and recognition in the auto industry, the truth of the matter is that this will drive innovation in the steel industry – and the more industries innovate and reinvent themselves, the more the consumer wins.

19 02, 2014

GM Looks To Aluminum For Manufacturing Overhaul

2015-06-18T15:33:05+00:00February 19th, 2014|

Tesla was just the start. Ford was the next domino to fall. Now, America’s other big auto manufacturer is ready to follow suit. General Motors must think aluminum is a good idea, because a report from the Wall Street Journal states that the company wants most of their truck fleet to have aluminum bodies by 2018.

 

General Motors Co. GM +0.66%  is accelerating efforts to field a largely aluminum-bodied pickup truck by late 2018, under pressure from federal fuel efficiency standards and archrival Ford Motor Co. F +0.17%  , according to people familiar with the matter.

 

The No. 1 U.S. auto maker recently locked-in supply contracts with Alcoa Inc. AA +4.56% and Novelis Inc., which are now working to increase their aluminum sheet production to supply the next-generation GM pickup, the people said. Aluminum sheet for automotive bodies is in such high demand that companies need to order it years in advance.

 

The push to develop what the industry calls an “aluminum intensive” large pickup marks an apparent change of direction for GM, which has pursued smaller and lighter weight steel-bodied trucks.

 

The article goes on to state that Chrysler, the other member of Detroit’s Big Three, is looking to increase fuel efficiency by looking at other options: transmission mechanics, axle efficiency, and gasoline options. From our perspective, though, we’re inviting them to come take a look at the aluminum revolution — we think they’ll be pleased with what they find.

12 02, 2014

Analysts See A Boom Period For Aluminum

2015-06-18T15:33:06+00:00February 12th, 2014|

We’ve been saying for a while now that the biggest paradigm shift that the aluminum industry will see (at least in modern history). It looks like the outside perspective is catching on to this, particularly from an investment and financial perspective. From StreetInsider.com:

“We believe gradual conversion of automotive exposed body to aluminum (Body-in-White or BiW) will be a game changer for downstream aluminum use, with a growth rate higher than any other end market for specialty metals for the rest of this decade,” said analyst Sal Tharani.

“In the US, the CAFE rules require a 50% reduction in auto carbon emissions by 2025, leading OEM’s to look at alternative materials for light weighting vehicles. As OEMs turn to aluminum, we expect to see significant growth in the automotive aluminum sheet market. Some industry sources, including consultant agencies on environmental regulations, expect aluminum auto sheet to grow at a 14% CAGR from 2012 through 2025. Ford unveiled its 2015 F-150 model at the Detroit Auto Show, with an all-aluminum body that weighs 700 pounds less than its predecessor and has 30% better fuel efficiency, based on data provided by the company. We believe that Ford F-150 is the tip of the iceberg, and expect several other automotive platforms from all major OEM’s to move toward partial or full aluminum BiW in coming years.”

The F-150 was a watershed moment for the industry in many different ways. Internally, it changes how we allocate our focus and resources. Externally, it changes the perception of what our materials are capable of, despite aluminum being used in bodies and frames for military and other purposes. Let’s see what else 2014 has to bring.

5 02, 2014

Aluminum Repair Industry Reaches New Heights

2015-06-18T15:33:06+00:00February 5th, 2014|

One of the many questions coming out of the Detroit Auto Show involved the repair process of aluminum-body cars. More specifically, pundits were concerned with the new type of repair and manufacturing needed to enact repairs on an entirely new material, and there was even word that Ford would subsidize F-150 repair costs.

On the other side of this, companies that make aluminum repair tools must have seen dollar signs when all of these concerns were voiced. For example, VSG member Elektron polished off a brand new press release just the other day. From PR Newswire:

Elektron’s new MultiTool Aluminum Dent Repair Station is a complete mobile workstation equipped with the tools technicians need to properly repair dents in aluminum sheet metal body panels and hoods.

Because ferrous metal can contaminate aluminum and cause corrosion (leading to adhesion issues and paint failure), best practices for aluminum repair call for dedicated aluminum repair areas and equipment. Elektron’s MultiTool Aluminum Dent Repair Station includes a work area as well as space for storing the tools used exclusively on aluminum components.

“The new MultiTool Aluminum Dent Repair Station is self-contained and mobile, making it easy to use in shops with dedicated aluminum repair bays as well as those that only work on aluminum occasionally and need something that can be pulled out as necessary,” explains Mike Cranfill, vice president of collision for Vehicle Service Group (VSG), Elektron’s parent company. “Many vehicle hoods are already made out of aluminum and the use of aluminum in vehicles in North America will continue to increase. The Elektron MultiTool Aluminum Dent Repair Station represents an affordable investment in a shop’s future by providing equipment necessary to work on the next generation of cars and trucks.”

MotorTrend also took a look at this from a more objective perspective:

There are multiple new requirements for dealerships and repair facilities that work on aluminum bodies. However, Ford is making some concessions to dealerships by waiving a the requirement for a completely separate “clean room” and just requiring a curtained-off work area for the aluminum body. It’s important to keep aluminum and steel separated to prevent possible galvanic corrosion.

Eurovac, a small manufacturer of specialized vacuum and air extractors based in Concord, Ontario, which currently has 25 employees, expects that number to grow substantially in the years ahead. Rob Retter of Eurovac calls the new F-150 “the biggest thing in the history of our company.” Ford is requiring the purchase of a specialized vacuum to remove aluminum dust from shop floors. The Eurovac II vacuum model costs $10,125.

Not only is the aluminum manufacturing industry benefitting from the recent trend, it’s now clear that the business tangential to the industry will reach new highs as well.

28 01, 2014

Bloomberg TV On The New F-150

2017-01-26T23:37:29+00:00January 28th, 2014|

The Detroit Auto Show has come and gone, and now that the curtain has been lifted on Ford’s aluminum-based 2015 F-150 trucks, mainstream pundits are looking at the impact of aluminum on the auto industry. Bloomberg TV dedicated an entire segment to this topic, and you can see the whole video here.

Some highlights include:

  • The fact that the aluminum body makes the F-150 700 lbs less.
  • Audi has been using aluminum for more than 20 years.
  • The F-150 is “the most important” unveiling of the year.

Now that the public has seen the F-150, dealerships are considering the logistics of this new model, particularly the repair. More on that in the coming weeks.

22 01, 2014

Ford Finally Unveils Aluminum-Based F-150

2015-06-18T15:33:06+00:00January 22nd, 2014|

It’s finally here — the largest shift in the American auto industry in years. Just a few days ago, Ford unveiled the 2015 version of the long-running F-150 truck. With the unveiling came plenty of questions and reaction, and there’s going to be much more of that as we get closer to the vehicle’s official public on-sale. For now, though, let’s see what some of the critics say.

 

From The Car Connection:

 

At the top of that list of changes is an aluminum body. Far from the flimsiness of a beer can, the high-strength aluminum alloy in the F-150’s body is, Ford claims, tougher than ever. The material also allowed Ford to execute an exterior design that’s more aerodynamic while retaining the “signature Built Ford Tough appearance” derived from the “machined cubic-style shapes,” according to the F-150’s chief designer, Gordon Platto. Inside the 2015 Ford F-150, the look isn’t such a great departure from previous versions of the pickup, though there’s a new level of upscale look and feel on premium trims. Blocky shapes and sturdy structures are the visual theme to back the F-150’s chosen mission.

 

From CNET:

 

Aluminum bodies are nothing new, but putting an aluminum body on a machine destined for as much punishment as your average truck seems like a recipe for disaster. The rust-free nature of aluminum is an obvious advantage, but the durability of aluminum is lower than steel. To ensure that the aluminum bed could cope, Ford started by making prototype bodies that were visually identical to the current truck. Without telling anyone, the company deployed them in the real world.

 

The company went through four separate generations of previous-gen aluminum bodies, making subtle revisions each time to get the right thickness where needed for durability, the right thinness where possible to save weight and cost. These were mounted on the previous truck’s frame, and Ford engineers were even so bold as to give these prototypes out to privileged customers for testing — unbeknownst to them. One aluminum-bodied prototype F-150 was sent to a Utah gold mine, its drivers told to treat it like any other truck. They did, and the 1.4mm-thick aluminum used in the bed proved even more durable than the steel in the current model.

 

This is just the beginning, though the early reports are positive. Of course, traditional thinking can sometimes be hard to break, but in the end, performance usually wins out — and given the potential of the aluminum-based F-150, that’s a good thing.

16 01, 2014

Unique Uses Of Aluminum: Kitty Repellent

2017-01-26T23:37:29+00:00January 16th, 2014|

Yes, there’s a nonstop flow of news about cars and mobile devices using aluminum. But given the onslaught of criticism and/or praise we’re going to hear in the next few weeks over Ford’s big unveiling, we thought we’d lighten the mood a little bit here and focus on the internet’s favorite thing ever: cats.

Thanks to the internet, cats are no longer just our furry friends, they’re an endless source of fascination. The idea of using aluminum foil to keep cats off counters has been one thrown around anecdotally for ages, but now we’ve got video proof of it — and it’s pretty funny.

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_jTM_w3wnc

In some cases, you might need to tag-team the aluminum foil with some packing tape.

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLSejSn6nYI

Why does this work? The simple idea is that cats don’t like the texture or noise of aluminum foil, so landing on it instead of a counter tile throws off their sensibilities. For some cats, it only takes a few times before the lesson is learned. Of course, cats can be pretty darn stubborn, so there’s no guarantee this will work — but if you’re recording it, you’ll at least have funny memories to share.

8 01, 2014

Aluminum’s “Tough” Side On Display At Detroit Auto Show

2015-06-18T15:33:06+00:00January 8th, 2014|

For years, Ford’s slogan has been “Ford Tough!” Now, with the North American International Auto Show less than a week away and the new aluminum-bodied Ford F-150 ready for its big coming out party, Ford is looking at how to reinforce that familiar statement. Despite aluminum being a significant part of the manufacturing process for many successful vehicles, including Tesla’s award-winning Model S, the notion of being “tough” is still a sticking point with the core buyers of F-150 trucks. Enter Ford’s marketing gurus (courtesy Clean Technica):

Ford has asked suppliers at Alcoa to provide a sample of “military grade aluminum” for display alongside the new 2015 Ford F-150 set to be unveiled at January’s Detroit Auto Show. It’s believed that the move is meant to put a tough “spin” on Ford’s extensive use of aluminum, rather than steel, in the construction of the new pickup, and keep the marketing message away from any comparisons to pop cans.

Ford’s switch to aluminum in the new 2015 Ford F-150 is part of a recent Ford trend to tech-ify its trucks, improve the fuel economy of its truck fleet, and is a logical next step in the modernization of Ford’s truck line-up, along with better suspension, more isolated cabins, and the addition of the Ecoboost 6-cylinder turbo engines which supplanted the old-tech “Modular” V8 engines in Ford’s half-ton trucks a few years ago.

Whether or not the public will “buy” the idea of tough aluminum, though, remains to be seen. “This is already the most significant debut at the auto show,” explained Joe Langley, a production analyst for industry research firm IHS Automotive in a telephone interview with Bloomberg a few days ago. “Everybody’s going to be dissecting (the 2015 Ford F-150) for a long time, especially since Ford will be taking such a big gamble.”

The NAIAS opens its doors on January 13. Chances are, you’ll see plenty of aluminum-related chatter across the motor industry in the coming weeks due to this, so stay tuned.

7 01, 2014

Aluminum, The Instigator For African Crime Enterprises

2015-06-18T15:33:06+00:00January 7th, 2014|

2013 saw plenty of big news for the aluminum industry. As we gear up for significant debuts at the Detroit Auto Show in a few weeks, let’s usher in the turn of the calendar with something more along the lines of the absurd. That’s right, it’s time to beware of aluminum — foil, no less — as a low-tech means of stealing candy and cigarettes from gas stations.

 

How does that work? The FBI wants you to know, via Businessweek:

 

Here’s how the theft goes down. First, someone climbs onto the roof of a store and uses aluminum foil to block the satellite antenna that the store uses to receive data from credit card companies to authorize sales—a gadget called a feed horn that looks like this.

 

With the signal blocked, stores can’t validate credit and debit card transactions. That opens the door, so to speak, for bandits to enter the store, load up their carts with electronics or cigarettes, and pay with stolen credit cards. Retailers often permit sales even if the link with the credit card company is down, figuring the transactions will go through once the connection is back up.

 

When contacted on Friday, FBI spokeswoman Whitney Malkin said no one was available to answer questions about the scheme.

 

The agency has blamed “African criminal enterprises” for the crimes. The stolen loot is “taken to New York, where it may be sold at pawn shops or exported to Africa,” the FBI’s Mollie Halpern explains in this podcast (yes, podcast) about the scam.

 

The effectiveness of this technique sounds a bit dodgy, but who knows? While we don’t recommend scaling buildings to their satellite antennas with rolls of aluminum foil, we have to admit that part of us is curious to see if it actually works!

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