12 03, 2014

Two Months Later: What Has Ford Learned About Aluminum?

2017-01-26T23:37:29+00:00March 12th, 2014|

These days, aluminum and the Ford F-150 are pretty synonymous. Since the big reveal a short while back, the automotive industry has been buzzing and Ford has been in the media non-stop answering questions and responding to comments about the topic.

 

At the recent 2014 Geneva Motor Show, Ford executives reflected on the past two months since the reveal, and Motor Trend has it covered:

 

Mark Fields, Chief Operating Officer: This Was Not A Risky Bet

“Well the first thing we learned is people really like it… not only the response at the show, but obviously in looking at the blogs, in looking at the comments. I think people love the design, because it’s very progressive.

 

They’re very curious around… tell me more… tell me more about the payload, towing, fuel economy, things of that nature. So it’s been a lot of learning around that, which is really helpful for us as we look at our go to market strategy. So we’re very pleased with the response we’ve had so far.

 

Jim Farley, Executive Vice President, Global Marketing, Sales, Service and Lincoln: About The Repair Training Program

“I think we learned a lot to be honest. There was a lot more questions about repairability, so we’ve suddenly had to take our service engineering team primetime with the media now.

 

“We are about halfway into signing up the number of dealers that we need for the repairability. You know about 20% of the repairs for full size trucks are done by dealers, about 80% are independent repair body shops. We signed up about 400 dealers now – I think it’s just shy of 500 dealers – and so we’re about halfway to our goal. And we’ll have that training done by the third quarter, and all the equipment installed, the rivet guns, the MIG welders, all the containment

[gear]…

 

For much more, including further responses from Fields and Farley, as well as input from Global Product Development Vice President Raj Nair, see the full article.

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.

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!

12 12, 2013

When Aluminum Met Grapefruit

2015-06-18T15:33:06+00:00December 12th, 2013|

You don’t usually think about fruit when discussing metals or manufacturing. However, German scientists have found a way to bring the two together in conversation. Their new innovation has produced possibly the most advanced aluminum-based alloy we’ve ever seen, and the inspiration comes from the peel of a simple piece of fruit — specifically, the pomelo, which is an Asian grapefruit. From Popular Mechanics:

Materials scientists in Germany figured out how to build the same type of structure of aluminum. They say their new fruit-inspired composite has the best attributes of pure aluminum and an aluminum-silicon alloy, yielding a hybrid that resists deformation and is tough to break. Their work appears this week in the Journal of Materials Science.

Many man-made composite materials sacrifice one mechanical property for the sake of another. Either they’re tough, absorbing plenty of energy without rupturing, or they’re strong, withstanding greater force without yielding. Ceramic, for example, is strong but not very tough—it doesn’t bend, but it breaks. Some natural structures, however, such as bone, wood, and sea sponge needles, nicely combine both attributes.

Pomelos do this, too, but their peels are not as well understood. So researchers from the RWTH Aachen University and the University of Freiburg sliced open some store-bought fruit, sputtered their peels with gold and studied them under a scanning electron microscope. They saw that the cells were laid out in a hierarchical structure, comprising a foamy matrix of struts that shields the juicy fruit within. With their fluid-filled interiors and sturdy walls, the cells essentially act as pneumatic structures, with a ductile center surrounded by a strong outer shell.

Fruit-inspired metals may be the wave of the future when it comes to manufacturing. However, there’s still one trick that remains to be seen. This new alloy may be inspired by fruit, but is it also edible? We’re guessing this one’s a long, long way off.

4 12, 2013

Car Dealerships Prepare For Influx Of Aluminum Repairs

2017-01-26T23:37:29+00:00December 4th, 2013|

We’ve often talked about how aluminum is impacting the design and manufacturing of the next generation of cars. If every car ran flawlessly across its lifetime, things would end there. However, it’s a fact of life that car repairs happen, and with the advent of aluminum manufacturing, that means a new skill set for those that work on cars. For the country’s leading dealership group, it’s all about a crash course in aluminum. From Automotive News:

In the battle for dealership profitability, Group 1 Automotive is betting on a metal, and it’s not gold.

 

Group 1, the nation’s fifth-largest dealership group, wants all of its 28 body shops to be certified to do aluminum repairs by Jan. 6.

 

Carmakers are using more aluminum to lower vehicle weight and raise fuel economy. Because aluminum’s metallurgical characteristics differ from steel’s, dealership collision departments will need to invest in more training for technicians and in new welding, riveting and metal bending equipment.

 

Until now, aluminum body panels have been used mainly on expensive low-volume luxury cars such as the Audi A8 and Jaguar XJ. But according to a number of industry reports, the redesigned Ford F-150 pickup, due next summer in showrooms, will have more aluminum body panels and other parts. Ford declines to confirm these reports.

 

It remains to be seen how individual repair shops will approach this paradigm shift. However, with dealership repair personnel looking forward at aluminum, it certainly sounds like this will be a trend that pushes the entire automotive industry forward.

20 11, 2013

Aluminum helping the wine industry innovate

2017-01-26T23:37:29+00:00November 20th, 2013|

Aluminum cans have been at the heart of the beer and soda industries for decades. But what about wine? The world’s other favorite alcoholic drink has stayed strictly in glass bottles (and the occasional box) for decades. However, at least one winemaker is looking at making vino more accessible and easier to carry. From Business Insider:

 

What began as a promotional product for Portland’s Feast 2013 food and wine festival, Union Wine Company’s wine in 12oz cans will actually be making its way to shelves. Its initial limited edition release drew rave reviews, for both its pretenseless “pinkies down” philosophy and the quality of the wine within. The idea of wine in a can was inspired by Union’s company mission to make wine more accessible, and this very well may do the trick.

 

We found the product to be novel and the experience enjoyable, but we were surprised by how great the wine was—causing us to rethink previous notions about bottling. The cans carry both Underwood Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, with grapes from across Oregon. Reasonably priced and with the craftsman spirit of the region, the cans are just an added bonus. And if drinking wine from a can isn’t your thing, pour it into a glass and let it breathe because the product is deeper than the packaging.

 

Ryan Harms, the owner of Union Wine Co., is a firm believer in the saying “it takes a lot of good beer to make good wine.” He likes the way a beer can feels in your hand and its portability, but he didn’t seriously think about canning wine until that rebranding meeting in June. He and his team talked about wanting their products to be accessible, both in the approachability of the varietals’ flavors and the ease with which one could grab a drink. They wanted to see their wines included on a backcountry skiing trip or packed for an exploration of Mount Hood. All of a sudden, the can seemed like a viable wine-delivery option.

 

Not all wines are ideal for being inside aluminum. And the wine industry itself features strict guidelines about bottling and shipping. Of course, for pure kitsch value, we’re hoping that someday you’ll be able to buy matching generic yellow cans labeled BEER and WINE.

12 11, 2013

Could Aluminum Power The Next Leap In 3D Printing?

2015-06-18T15:33:06+00:00November 12th, 2013|

3D printing is all the rage in a variety of industries, from ambitious DIYers to military and industrial manufacturing. Currently, 3D printers use a range of epoxies and resins as their ink. However, recent advances in 3D printing technology show that aluminum might be the next big thing in 3D printing. From My Fox Philly:

 

Right now, the Vader Printer, as it’s known, is not exactly a desktop item. It’s huge, heavy, and expensive, as pilot projects often are. As such, it’s not really ideally suited to consumers who want the convenience of fabricting metal objects at home, but it’s not inconceivable that such printers could make their way into hardware stores and other locales for custom printing projects — a Los Angeles plumber, for instance, could fabricate plumbing components on demand. And, maybe someday, consumers will have their very own 3D printers at home to make whatever they want.

 

This system replaces existing three dimensional metal “printing” techniques, many of which involve the use of lasers to carve away at metal blocks, or the deposition of metal filings as opposed to liquid droplets. If it’s successful, the Vader could become a leader in the field of 3D metal printing, paving the way for further refinements to create custom hardware and other components at a fraction of current costs, which is good news for everyone, including architects, scientists, electricians, and more.

 

What could you do with aluminum and 3D printing? For the construction industry, that could mean all sorts of custom screws, fasteners, brackets, bolts and more, opening the door to non-standard design possibilities. That’s just the start; other industries could easily take advantage of this technology, particularly where materials stronger than a plastic resin are necessary.

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