Aluminium International Today July August 2019

INDUSTRY NEWS

MINING & REFINING

CASTHOUSE TECHNOLOGY

FOCUS ON:TRADE WAR

www.aluminiumtoday.com July/August 2019—Vol.32 No.4

THE JOURNAL OF ALUMINIUM PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING

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CONTENTS 1

www.aluminiumtoday.com

2 2

LEADER

NEWS

FAF REVIEW 6 Adopting digital initiatives in Al manufacturing

Volume 32 No. 4 – July/August 2019

COVER

Editorial Editor: Nadine Bloxsome Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855115 nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com

INDUSTRY NEWS

MINING & REFINING

CASTHOUSE TECHNOLOGY

FOCUS ON:TRADE WAR

Production Editor: Annie Baker www.aluminiumtoday.com July/August 2019—Vol.32 No.4

THE JOURNAL OF ALUMINIUM PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING

Sales

Sales Director: Ken Clark kenclark@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0)1737 855117

CASTHOUSE TECHNOLOGY 21 New possibilities in metal transfer and furnace

automation

A L U M I N I U M I N T E R N A T I O N A L T O D A Y J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 9 V O L . 3 2 N O 4

Sales Manager: Nathan Jupp nathanjupp@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0)1737 855027

MINING & REFINING 16 Australia, Guinea power bauxite surge

24

Molten metal cleanliness when casting

aluminium slabs - the basics!

Advertisement Production

INDUSTRY 4.0 26 Smelter of the Future 30 The future of aluminium quality assurance 33 A shift to servitisation helps in the path

Production Executive: Martin Lawrence

Managing Director: Steve Diprose Chief Executive Officer: Paul Michael

Circulation/subscriptions Elizabeth Barford Tel +44 (0) 1737 855028 Fax +44 (0) 1737 855034­ email subscriptions@quartzltd.com Annual subscription: UK £245, all other countries £265. For two year subscription: UK £440, all other countries £480. Airmail prices on request.

Single copies £45 Supporters of Aluminium International Today

Cover picture courtesy of Novelis PAE

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16

Future Aluminium Forum

21

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to intelligent production

ELECTROMAGNETIC STIRRING

36

Optimised electromagnetic stirring

in melting and holding furnaces

US ALUMINIUM MARKET 42 What’s the current state of play?

RUSSIA UPDATE 46 Rusal plans to restore position in domestic

ALUMINIUM INTERNATIONAL TODAY is published six times a year by Quartz Business Media Ltd, Quartz House, 20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QX, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855000 Fax: +44 (0) 1737 855034 Email: aluminium@quartzltd.com Aluminium International Today (USO No; 022-344) is published bi-monthly

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and global Al markets

FOCUS ON: TRADE WAR

49

The European Aluminium Market amidst the

Perfect Storm 54

PRODUCTS & PROJECTS

SEARCH FOR ALUMINIUM INTERNATIONAL TODAY

FOCUS ON: ANTIMICROBIAL ALUMINIUM 56 Q&A with A3 Surfaces

July/August 2019

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2 COMMENT

Aluminerie Alouette back to full capacity Aluminerie Alouette successfully finished a major step in its intensive relining program on June 28th and started 140 AP40 pots in 180 days in the frame to move from AP40LE to AP40 Technology.

Aluminerie Alouette is back with 594 pots in operation going on track to achieve 600,000 tpy production and targeting 630,000 tpy in coming years through in-

Back to the future This year is flying. We’ve checked off the Future Aluminium Forum and METEC/GIFA from the calendar, but event season is still just around the corner.

This issue features a full review of the second Future Aluminium Forum, which reinforced the need for collaboration across the industry when it comes to understanding and integrating digital technologies.

More and more news stories and press releases are starting to trickle through that show inhouse developments in companies across the value chain.

One of the most talked about topics at the Forum was ‘Big Data’ and getting to grips with what it means, how it can be applied, measured and analysed. It seems that RUSAL is one of the first to take on this challenge in the potroom...

There are other examples of Industry 4.0 in action in this issue, with a look at how Sohar is positioning itself as a smelter of the future and an overview of how to follow a path to intelligent production.

We also look at new possibilities in metal transfer and furnace automation in an article from Dynamic Concept and ABB presents its work in optimised electromagnetic stirring.

This is alongside market and regional overviews from the US and Russia and an interesting Q&A with a company I met in Quebec, which has developed the world’s first biodegradable, self-disinfecting aluminium surface. Enjoy! nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com

crease to 395 kA intensity & implementation of Forced cooling Network.

“This achievement is underlining great team work, including contractors. It is a great job, well done,” quoted Patrice L’Huillier, CEO and President.

“After visit of Prime Minister J. Trudeau in May 21st in Aluminerie Alouette to announce removal of

US tariffs on Canadian Aluminium & Steel, we have been glad to get the recent announcement about Natural Gas access to North Coast of Quebec (where Alouette is located) and will start to work on project to convert our 4 baking furnaces from Fuel to Natural gas leading to major effect from environmental and cost point of view.”

RUSAL implements ‘Big Data’ RUSAL is launching a potroom control system as part of its production efficiency improvement strategy.

Such a development will use advanced scientific and methodological approaches based on forecast analytics known as ‘BigData’.

The development and implementation of the new system will increase the company’s aluminium production efficiency twofold; by decreasing the abnormalities throughout the process and improving the reduction cell control quality. At the end of 2019, the project investment will amount to around RUB 20 mln.

Currently, the causes of inefficient reduction cell operations are troublesome post factum, whereas there is no control over an operation of efficient reduction cell in the optimum process window. These are limiting factors which handicap the best performance indicators of both a potline and the whole smelter. As such, therefore the Technical Di-

rectorate and IT Department have initiated this project to develop a potroom control system using advanced scientific and methodological approaches based on forecast analytics (BigData). The system is expected to detect the causes of any reduced reduction cell performance, recognise the optimum conditions depending on the status of equipment and most importantly, predict malfunctions.

Several smelters of RUSAL in Siberia are implementing the pilot project. The system, which is currently being designed if suc-

cessful, is due to be rolled out to other productions of the company at no extra cost.

“The use of forecast analytics in potroom control is just one step towards our target that we have set within our R&D framework. If successful, similar approaches will be enrolled for analysis and to increase efficiency at other stages of the production chain. Such efficiencies will assist in minimising our energy consumption and improve our overall performance of the aluminium production,” said Viktor Mann, RUSAL’s technical director.

ASI certifies Hydro Bauxite & Alumina Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) has announced that Hydro Bauxite and Alumina operations in Brazil have have been successfully certified against its Performance Standard and Chain of Custody Standard. Hydro’s Alunorte refinery is the world’s largest alumina refinery outside China. Outputs from the Paragominas mine and the Alunorte refinery are used both in Hydro’s own value chain and are also sold to other companies.

Fiona Solomon, Chief Execu-

tive Officer at ASI said “Hydro has achieved yet another milestone by extending their Performance and CoC Standard certifications to the start of its value chain at the bauxite mine, becoming only the second vertically integrated ASI Member to do so. ASI’s Chain of Custody Standard is designed to

drive implementation of responsible practices from end to end in the aluminium value chain. Certification against both ASI Standards creates a connection to metal production and sourcing, supporting market choice for responsibly produced aluminium. We congratulate Hydro on their strong commitment to ASI, demonstrated by the achievement of their 6th Performance Standard Certification and 2nd CoC Certification covering a range of business units.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS 3

TRIMET starts trial operation of its “virtual battery” TRIMET Aluminium SE has begun the trial operation of its “virtual battery”. Initial research work began six years ago. Now the energy supply for aluminium production at the Essen plant can be controlled flexibly for the first time.

This will create a huge power storage facility that will make it easier to integrate discontinuously generated electricity from renewable energy sources into the power grid.

A total of around 36 million euros was invested in the conversion.

“We have reinvented the electrolysis process for the production of aluminium. For the first time, we will be able to vary the energy supply during operation significantly. This will allow us to react

to changes in the electricity supply, which will benefit the power supply to households in Essen,” says Philipp Schlüter, CEO of TRIMET. “As an aluminium producer, we are naturally an energy-intensive company. As such, however, we are also a valuable partner for the energy revolution,” Philipp Schlüter continues.

With the conversion of a total of 120 furnaces in hall one of the Essen plant, 25 percent more or 25 percent less electricity can be consumed for up to 48 hours without interrupting aluminium production. The energy requirement can also be reduced to zero for up to an hour, if necessary. This means up to 2,000 megawatt hours of

electricity can be stored for use in the energy revolution. The “virtual battery” thus has the capacity of a medium-sized pumped storage facility.

Since its invention in 1886, the aluminium production process has been based on having a constant supply of energy. With its “virtual battery”, TRIMET is abandoning the traditional approach for the first time and is making the energy-intensive electrolysis process more flexible. To achieve such flexible control of the process, TRIMET and Bergische Universität Wuppertal have developed a controllable heat exchanger that keeps the temperature in the furnace constant despite an unsteady energy supply.

EGA starts-up pot lining pre-treatment and crusher facility Emirates Global Aluminium has announced the start-up of a new AED 15 million pre-treatment and crusher facility for spent pot lining in a step forward for the recycling of industrial waste.

The new facility is an important part of EGA’s ongoing commitment to reducing and re-using industrial waste. It will be used to pre-treat spent pot lining so it is ready to be used by cement companies in the UAE as an alternative feedstock.

EGA has worked with UAE cement companies since 2010 to develop the potential of spent pot lining to replace some fuel and refractory materials required in cement manufacturing. Last year, EGA supplied over 41,000 tonnes of spent pot lining to UAE cement companies, reducing stockpiles

Aluminium International Today

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FjordAl plant start-up

The governments of Canada and Quebec are providing a total of $2,780,000 in financial assistance to the company FjordAl Aluminium for the start-up of an aluminium rod manufacturing plant in the Jonquière sector of Saguenay.

The project, valued at $6,590,000, will create 20 jobs.

Bosnia’s ailing Aluminij shuts down operations

Bosnia’s heavily-indebted aluminium producer Aluminij Mostar shut down operations early on July 10 after recent bail-out talks between the government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and potential investors failed.

The power supply was cut off at midnight on July 9 due to unpaid electricity bills, forcing the company’s director Drazen Pandza to order the start of the shutdown process.

The company has been in persistent trouble over high prices of electricity and raw materials.

IAI announces appointment of Miles Prosser as Secretary General

from previous years and making EGA a global leader in the re-use of this industrial waste.

Abdulla Kalban, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said: “SPL is a global challenge for our industry, but over the past decade at EGA we have

been able to turn this waste into value in the UAE. I am pleased that EGA now has its own infrastructure to transform SPL into a useful industrial feedstock, securing this solution and our partnerships with UAE cement companies for the long term.”

Tiwai Point update The owner of New Zealand’s sole aluminium smelter says it has delivered a significantly lower profit for calendar 2018 and that it remains vulnerable to a volatile market this year.

Pacific Aluminium (New Zea-

PEOPLE & PROJECTS

land), which is 80 percent-owned

by Rio Tinto with Sumitomo owning the rest, says the Tiwai Point

The IAI Board of Directors has selected Mr Miles Prosser to be the next Secretary General of the IAI. Mr Prosser will take over from the current Secretary General, Ron Knapp, in January.

GFG appoints top specialist

smelter showed underlying earnings of $22 million for 2018, down from $53 million the previous year.

“The result reflects that during 2018, the operating environment became significantly more challenging,” the company says.

Sanjeev Gupta’s metals, industrials and energy group, the GFG Alliance, has recruited Neil Barrell, a senior partner in Grant Thornton, as its global head of integration and performance with a remit to optimise GFG’s growing network of manufacturing operations.

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4 INDUSTRY NEWS

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Rio Tinto launches Revolution-Al™ Continuing its leadership in the growing market for specialised high-performance alloys, Rio Tinto has launched Revolution-Al™, a new aluminium alloy developed to make lighter car wheels.

Rio Tinto Aluminium chief executive Alf Barrios said: “As we partner with customers we’re seeing an increasing demand for specialised alloys and other products to

meet their specific needs. Developing these products is at the heart of our business, from research and development, to offering technical expertise and marketing as well as collaborating with OEMs.” Rio Tinto’s Revolution-Al™, the latest addition to Rio Tinto’s High Strength 3xx Series Alloys, is a new aluminium alloy for automotive wheel weight reduction.

Alexandria Industries investment Made by Presezzi Extrusion Group (Vimercate, MB-Italy), the press will allow Alexandria Industries to increase its aluminium extrusion capabilities, extrude more complex product features, and hold tighter tolerances, while utilising a variety of alloys.

Alexandria Industries will gain an extra 30 percent in extrusion capacity.

“By combining the latest in aluminium extrusion technology with the best employees, we will continue to lead our industry,” said Tom Schabel, CEO, Alexandria Industries. “This investment also aligns with our company vision

and commitment to excellence.

The new system will provide robust extruded aluminium com-

ponents for our customers, while providing us continued business growth into the future.”

July/August 2019

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CRU’s Aluminum Market Update 2019* The event is designed to give meaningful insights, opportunities for market debate, and time to make connections with others in the industry. www.events.crugroup.com/ aluminummarketupdate

September 12 - 13 ALUMINUM USA* The leading exhibition and technical conference for aluminium products, technologies and investments in the United States. www.aluminum-us.com

International Aluminium 2019* Spend three days gaining latest insights and doing business with key companies at the 34th edition of the largest annual event in Europe dedicated to the aluminium market. www.metalbulletin.com/events/ international-aluminiumconference

October 10 - 12

Shipments of extruded products to domestic markets increased across all sectors in 2018. Building and Construction continues to be the largest market sector for extruded products, although not as significant as a percentage of total shipments as in 2006 (see comparisons below). Shipments to the Building and Construction market totalled 2.12 billion pounds in 2018.

Transportation is the second

largest market sector at 1.82 billion pounds. Shipments to this sector have grown by 16% since 2006. Auto and light truck is the principal growth market for extruded products and shipments to this sector have grown by more than 72% since 2006. Other important market sectors for extruded products are consumer durables, machinery and equipment, electrical, and exports.

Cans show carbon emissions reduction Metal Packaging Europe, the association of European producers of rigid metal packaging and their supply chain partners, completed a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of aluminium beverage cans (25, 33 and 50cl volumes).

Using the latest data availa-

August 28 - 29

23 - 25

Extrusion: Record high shipments The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) and the Aluminum Association reported that the aluminium extrusion industry in the United States and Canada reached record high shipments in 2018.

Among key findings, producer shipments totalled 5.51 billion pounds in 2018, which is 4.5 percent higher than shipments in 2017 and 3.2 percent higher than shipments in 2006. This is the ninth consecutive year of growth.

2019 DIARY

ble (2016), the study covers the life cycle of aluminium beverage cans produced in Europe, from raw materials extraction to manufacturing, and end-of-life. When compared to 2006 data, the study records significant reductions in CO2-equivalent emissions. The car-

bon footprint has been reduced by an impressive 31% on average for the three volumes, confirming the industry’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions and to decouple production growth from its environmental footprint.

ALUEXPO* The ALUEXPO trade fair is a high-level gathering place for professionals, deal makers and experts in the aluminium industry.

Held in Istanbul, Turkey. www.aluexpo.com

November 12 - 15 Metal Expo’ 2019 The 25th international industrial exhibition, held in Moscow, Russia. www.metal-expo.ru

19 - 21 ARABAL* The Arab International Aluminium Conference (ARABAL) is the premium platform for the aluminium industry in the Arab world.

Held in the Kingdom of Bahrain www.arabal.com *Pick up a free copy of Aluminium International Today at this event

For a full listing visit www. aluminiumtoday.com and click on Events Diary Aluminium International Today

11/07/2019 16:50:21

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Adopting The second edition of the Future Aluminium Forum was held on 22nd – 23rd May in Warsaw, Poland. Nadine Bloxsome* gives an overview of the topics covered and discussions that took place.

More than 130 delegates from 70 companies attended the Forum, which is the only one of its kind dedicated to helping aluminium manufacturers and processors adopt digital technologies across the value chain.

Organised by Quartz Business Media, the event was held in association with Aluminium International Today and consisted of a two-day conference, a ‘meeting hub’ and ‘exhibitor solution’ displays from companies including Matmatch GmbH, Glama Maschinenbau GmbH, FRIEM, Fives, GHI Smart Furnaces, PSI Metals, Gillespie & Powers and many more.

The idea behind this year’s Forum was to expand on the original understanding of Industry 4.0 and present case studies to show how digital manufacturing technologies are already being adopted across the supply chain.

This industry is not standing still, so the aim of the Forum is to help provide a platform for manufacturers and solutions providers to collaborate and make the move into digitalised manufacturing as smooth as possible. It is also important to highlight the challenges associated with digitalisation and how we can overcome them.

“

Future Aluminium Forum is a good event to get the latest update of what is going on in other aluminium companies and other sectors in digitisation and Industry 4.0 Mahmood Abdulmahlik, EGA

Welcome Hosting the Forum in Poland meant there was only one man fit for the job of opening the conference. Mikolaj Szeptycki, President of Poland Smelting Technologies (POLST) welcomed delegates with an interesting overview of his company and details of the main players in the Polish aluminium industry. He also made sure everyone’s Polish language skills were up to scratch to ensure they got the most out of the networking opportunities!

”

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*Conference Director, Future Aluminium Forum

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digital initiatives in Al manufacturing Keynote Manish Chawla, who is Global Industry MD at IBM, was invited to give this year’s Keynote Presentation, which highlighted transformation journeys from aluminium leaders. Each of the companies he presented has deployed cognitive technologies (AI, IoT and Blockchain) to transform the most relevant areas of their business and can now share lessons in driving transformation, improving data visibility, and achieving a real-time view of production operations.

Manish explained that it’s no longer a matter of “why” do I need to transform to Industry 4.0., but in his experience, aluminium leaders are now asking… how do I transform? Where do I start? What can I do to achieve results faster?

His presentation outlined how manufacturers can begin to take these steps and the importance in innovating products with digital services to raise customer value and strengthen loyalty.

He also highlighted that the digital experimentation of the recent past decade has set the stage for deeper transformation, which was a great way to open the conversation across the next couple of days.

“

I would recommend Future Aluminium Forum. With so many key decision makers in attendance, it really is an event not to be missed.

Manfred Hayk, AMETEK Land

”

Adopting digitalisation The following sessions saw speakers explore how to optimise aluminium production with machine learning, reveal treasures with digital twins and also look at the relationship between autonomous decision making and human-machine interaction for core processes.

Emeli Dral, Chief Data Scientist at Mechanica AI, helped delegates understand more about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it can bring value to a business.

While AI is no longer a new topic, practical adoption is still lagging behind, so Emeli explained how machine learning complements existing process control approaches, based on domain knowledge.

She also presented which lessons can be learned from early pilots and how to avoid typical mistakes with deploying AIbased solutions.

Next it was the turn of Gunther Schober, who is Sales Manager at PSI Metals, Non Ferrous GmbH. His aim was to help delegates see how they can reveal treasures with digital twins. He asked the audience to imagine there is an ITsystem with a central database that is a complete reflection of their company’s production…He then informed them that Aluminium International Today

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with a digital twin, every single movement in production would be available immediately in the system.

Finally, Kevin Sipin, Director at Quantillion Technologies presented a case study involving AGV’s and mixed traffic.

He took delegates on a journey, which shared the company’s experiences of bringing autonomous decision making and Automated Guided Vehicles to core processes at primary aluminium smelters (i.e. potroom, anode storage area and casthouse), as well as working with mixed traffic (i.e. AGVs moving among humans).

Towards a smarter supply chain The next session was geared towards helping delegates understand how to apply digitalisation both upstream and downstream, run smart assets intelligently, work towards a digital and real-time supply chain and also how to select and substitute materials in a digital age.

Marc Gillis, Metals & Mining Industry Manager from Rockwell Automation Chaired the session, which he opened with a presentation on how manufacturers can digitise their business, as well as the mistakes to avoid, which included workforce and skills challenges and no clear business case or return of investment.

With an idea of what manufacturers should be doing now evident, Stefan Koch, Global Lead for Metals at SAP and his colleague Markus Krabel, Business Solution Director, Industrial Machinery at SAP SE, presented on how to run smart assets to achieve better business in a digital world.

They explained that machinery and equipment in aluminium businesses are continually adding more capabilities to improve and automate production processes. Companies are heavily focused on leveraging these advancements to improve operational excellence. In addition, the collaboration with the aluminium industry ecosystem that extends beyond a company’s own borders will be a strong lever for future success and competitive advantage.

The dynamic duo emphasised that SAP supports companies in achieving these goals with smart asset management.

The next presentation turned the focus towards the idea that supply chain management and visibility in the aluminium industry is overdue a technological overhaul…

Simon Serbergsen, Head of Sales & Marketing at Klaveness Digital stressed that a smart smelter and smart(er) supply chains is on the agenda at most industry conferences these days, but the industry still relies largely on spreadsheets and a July/August 2019

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de-centralised way of planning, sourcing and managing logistics.

Spreadsheets are powerful and versatile tools, but they are not cutout for real-time decision-making. Planning and managing a company’s global shipping and raw material requirements is a major task with costly implications. Simon told delegates that the digital supply chain should give complete, end-to-end visibility, allowing all stakeholders to take early preventive action and reduce total logistics costs from fuel, freight, demurrage and storage.

Tying in with this focus on managing a supply chain, Melissa Albeck, CEO, Matmatch GmbH engaged with delegates to ask them their thoughts on the top three issues faced by the aluminium industry today.

Interestingly, the main offenders were price, cost, competition, sustainability and energy consumption. Melissa then went on to ask where delegates believe engineers and designers search for material solutions? The top answer was from current suppliers, with Google/ Online coming in a close second.

This supported her theory that the vast majority of designers stick with the conventional material selection from the past for the sake of ease and engineers hesitate to discover new alternatives due to potentially unreliable data and

challenges with sourcing.

She went on to explain how digital technology can change the materials industry; in particular with a tool by her company that facilitates the connection between engineers and material suppliers.

Industry 4.0 in action Dr Mark Dorreen, Vice President, Technical at Energia Potior Chaired the discussion on applying Industry 4.0 and began with a presentation which highlighted that work conducted by the Light Metals Research Centre has shown that continuous PFC emissions is a problem that primary aluminium smelters will need to mitigate.

He said that while Industry 4.0 and better and cheaper sensors will make potroom emissions monitoring easier for smelters, it will also make it easier for regulators to monitor emissions and set new standards.

“Fortunately, good potroom practices can mitigate bad emissions profiles.

Embracing the knowledge bank Industry 4.0 delivers will be key to emission mitigation and staying ahead of future emissions regulations,” he said.

Next it was the turn of Remco Dumortier, Business Development Manager at Aluro, who demonstrated his company’s use of integrated vision systems to scan the strips and extrusions before assembly, to check for mistakes and verify the exact dimensions for extrusion tolerances.

He explained that this same ‘vision system’ would contribute to fully automated thermal break assembly.

Coming back to the smelter, JeanFrancois Desmeules from Dynamic Concept looked at the challenges, solutions and possibilities when it comes to robotisation in the smelter.

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He explained that it is easy to understand that there are many challenges when attempting to automate - let alone robotise - these complex smelter tasks such as spent anode cleaning, cell tapping, anode changing or furnace tending, just to name a few. One difficulty is the fact that the job to be performed, for example anode changing, is often disseminated in many places, requiring mobile applications. However, the biggest concern remains with the robot to human interaction, where safety is of paramount importance. When leaving the confined environment of a robotic cell, ensuring operator safety is a complex task.

Jean-Francois told delegates he believes we are now close to the moment where these challenges will be overcome thanks to advances in industrial vision and artificial intelligence.

Data-driven approach in mining, refining and smelting This year saw the addition of two collaborative sessions; one of which was with ICSOBA and brought together dedicated panellists and speakers to discuss a data-driven approach in mining, refining and smelting.

The papers were spread over two sessions and focused on digital transformation in bauxite mining, use of digital twins and smelter process optimisation.

Michael Missalla, VP New Business Opportunities at Outotec introduced delegates to the ‘Pretium Plant Optimiser Application’, which is a digital closed-loop solution, introduced for the operation of different types of processing plants.

He explained that the optimisation is based on Outotec’s overall process understanding as well as equipment knowhow. A complementary online simulation model, a virtual plant (VP), was developed, building on installed base and operational experience. It offers a prediction of process parameters over a wide operational range and allows a comparison to plant measurements in real time. The VP is used to improve the performance of advanced process control and optimisation algorithms.

The session returned for another look at digital twin technology, but this time the subject was presented by a manufacturer and supplier.

Ioannis Karnachoritis, Potlines Manager at Aluminium of Greece and Laith AlHindawi, Global Sales Manager, Digital Smelter at GE Power joined forces to show the way their companies worked together to implement the digital twin concept.

Important key-points and milestones were analysed concerning this journey, for all the stages executed so far and lessons learnt were shared with the audience.

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The presentation also looked at technical subjects and results, which clearly show the high added value of this pioneering project, not only in the field of costing but also in the field of process ownership, process control. In the presentation’s final stage, the project’s next steps and future ideas were provided, giving segments of the next generation digital smelter.

One of the final speakers in the session was Mahmood Abdulmalik from EGA, who presented the company’s vision for the smelter of the future. He said that EGA’s plan is to deliver the most costcompetitive quality aluminium globally through Industry 4.0 solutions.

Cooperative empowering of people through training, communication and recruitment of specialists will accompany these technology changes. Mahmood also touched on the company’s Industry 4.0 Roadmap in his presentation, which shows that by 2025, the CAPEX for implementing these initiatives will break-even and the financial benefits will generate millions of USD per year.

This session concluded with a panel and audience Q&A, which saw speakers from the day’s proceedings join together for a roundtable discussion.

Delegates commented on how useful it was to be able to have so many representatives from international companies together in one place for an open discussion about how best to collaborate on digital technologies.

The evening concluded with a networking dinner at a local restaurant, which was sponsored by Gillespie & Powers. All delegates and spouses were invited to join for an evening of sumptuous food and drink and excellent opportunities to carry on the discussions.

RUSAL Case Study Day two of the Future Aluminium Forum thankfully saw everyone return in one piece after the networking dinner had carried on until late into the night (I am reliably informed..!)

The programme begun with a presentation carried over from the ICSOBA session from Viktor Buzunov, Director, Aluminium Technology & Technical Implementation at United Company RUSAL Engineering and Technology Centre.

His focus was on applying digitalisation to processes at RUSAL’s aluminium smelters and he explained that RUSAL keeps following modern trends in process digitalisation and continues to develop and improve in-house Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), the ‘SAAT’ Reduction Process Control System, and the Virtual Cell dynamics model.

These projects, as well as others are the drivers for development across RUSAL’S facilities.

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“

Matmatch is a digital platform and so the discussion surrounding industry 4.0 is extremely important to us. Future Aluminium Forum is a very well organised event with a high calibre of attendees.

Melissa Albeck, Matmatch

”

Electricity: At what cost?

It was now time for something completely different with Geoff Matthews, Vice President at Energia Potior.

Geoff told the audience that understanding the changes ahead is mission critical to aluminium smelting.

“If alumina (the other major cost input into making aluminium), was undergoing the type of structural change we are experiencing in power generation, then I’m sure the aluminium industry would be having monthly crisis meetings about it,” he said.

His presentation brought the subject of electricity, the second largest cost input into making aluminium, to the table and demonstrated that it is currently undergoing one of the fastest and most unprecedented transformations in history.

Driving data One of the most asked questions by delegates at this year’s Forum seemed to involve data. Whether it was how to store it, what to do with it or what it actually means; the industry is still unsure as to how certain data can be harnessed.

Three speakers were on hand to discuss the idea of driving data with delegates and it was the job of Hans Peintinger, General Manager at QuinLogic GmbH to begin with a look at the power of accumulated data for rule-based, continuous quality monitoring.

He highlighted that over the past decades, huge volumes of quality data collected through continuous and regular monitoring of individual processing lines from the flat metal industry have been accumulated.

“It is now time to reap returns on past investments made in expensive and precise quality measuring equipment,” he said.

Aluminium International Today

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With the Forum well and truly underway, it became clear from presentations that the progress of digitalisation is creating new opportunities for the improvement of overall efficiency and quality in aluminium production.

At the same time, end-customers are demanding aluminium products at higher quality levels. They look for tailormade aluminium-grade solutions, short development times for new grades, and the manufacturer’s ability to swiftly respond to quality deviations that have resulted in rejections. The number of customers requesting zero-defect products is constantly growing. As a consequence of this trend, aluminium producers need to target even higher quality levels, increased process stability, greater process flexibility, and high production efficiency, in order to be successful at manufacturing challenging products for demanding customers.

Producers require quick and complete access to quality- and process-relevant data, a deep understanding of how a change in process parameters will affect the properties of their products, and the know-how to develop products quickly and successfully.

To meet these requirements, Bernhard Wessling from Primetals Technologies introduced the ThroughProcess Optimization (TPO) solution to delegates, which targets the smart, digital interconnection of various process units and the accumulation of know-how along the entire aluminium-production chain.

Finally, the session concluded with a look at another tool, the Smart Industry 4.0 Assistant, which was presented by Mart Althuisen, a Data Scientist at Bright Cape. Mart used a case example to explain how a Smart Industry Assistant (SIA) helps

manufactures to achieve improvements and costs savings.

Digitalisation automation for circularity The second collaborative session this year was presented by European Aluminium, who brought together experts involved in the Innovation Hub to highlight how digitalisation, automation and advanced sensor-based technologies enable smarter recycling for full aluminium circularity.

The discussion was lead by Christian Leroy, Manager, Innovation Hub at European Aluminium and speakers included: � Hans Erik Vatne, Chief Technology Officer at Norsk Hydro � David Bastin, University of Liège at Laboratory of Minerals Engineering and Recycling � Gregory Lewis, R&D Engineer at Comet Treatment � Magdalena Garczynska, Recycling ´ Director at European Aluminium Magdalena opened the session with an overview of the aluminium recycling industry in Europe, which showed that approx. 8M tonnes of scrap is recycled, but it needs to invest in the circular economy in order to keep this Number One spot.

Hans Erik Vatne highlighted that recycling is a fantastic advantage for aluminium. He also presented Hydro’s low-carbon product 75R with certified minimum 75% post consumer scrap and the company’s recycling initiatives.

Gregory Lewis then introduced Comet Traitments activities in automotive recycling, while David Bastin presented on the use of robotics and sensors for sorting aluminium scrap for a rounded view on the areas sustainable technologies can assist in closing the loop.

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14 FAF REVIEW

Cyber Security Workshop While the past year has seen greater strides being taken towards completely transforming the manufacturing process of aluminium, the flip side has shown how seriously this digital age needs to be taken.

Cyber security was touched on at the last Forum, but this year I thought it was imperative to help delegates gain a greater understanding of just how easy it is to become a victim and the steps that need to be taken to protect a plant, data and people.

In order to get the message across, Alexeis Garcia-Perez, Reader in Cyber Security Management at Centre of Business in Society of Coventry University (UK) introduced the principles of cyber resilience and their implications for the aluminium sector.

Emphasis was made on the role of the Management Board in managing operational risks resulting from cyber threats, and the efforts of the sector to continuously operate despite an adverse cyber event.

In an interactive session, delegates were set to task with how they would cope with a potential cyber attack on their company. Different tables played different roles in the Management Board to gain an understanding of how to pull together to assess and then deal with a threat.

Blockchain buzz Sustainability, social responsibility and the circular economy have certainly made their mark on our industry. The mission statements of most aluminium companies now reflect the desire to become better stewards of the earth’s finite natural resources and this focus is good for the planet and good for business.

In this session, Bala Seshank, Partner at IBM, Global Metals lead at IBM discussed how Blockchain technology is transforming the minerals supply chain, by tracking responsibly sourced cobalt from mines to electric cars.

He presented how a shared view of minerals transactions across trading partners can eliminate human error and July/August 2019

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Pictured: Poll results Delegates were encouraged to interact and vote in polls via a communication platform.

costly delays, as well as how transparency in paper recycling is allowing the forestry industry to save trees.

“Deploying Blockchain is a team sport, requiring a coordinated approach across natural resources firms, manufacturers, distribution networks, financial entities and consumers,” he said.

Furnaces of the future The final session ended on a ‘hot note’ as the Chairman, Claudio Goldbach, CEO of Termica Soutions joked with delegates.

Furnaces is one area of the aluminium industry that is making huge investments into Industry 4.0 technologies such as augmented reality, algorithms supporting the decision-making process, predictive maintenance systems, remote repairs and training, and optimising plant energy consumption.

Speakers in this session all supported the notion that Industry 4.0 technology allows manufacturers to keep track of KPI’s in real time, get personalised notifications of critical alarms, see customisable information and get a realtime view of the plant’s parameters. This control can be done from a PC, a tablet or a smartphone.

Closing remarks It was clear from the amount of delegates and the interest in this year’s Future Aluminium Forum that the industry is already working towards developing or implementing digital technologies and the Forum was the perfect platform to discuss

these projects and moving forward.

To encourage even more interaction and discussion between delegates, we used a communication tool throughout the event, which allowed us to gauge interest in certain subjects and conduct polls.

One poll in particular asked delegates what area of the aluminium industry do you see Industry 4.0 making the biggest impact?

The results were in favour of the downstream sector with 46% of the votes.

Value-added products came in second at 36%, while upstream was 25% and mining and refining was at 21%.

Interestingly, a lot of the papers were geared towards the primary sector with the smelter of the future playing a big role, so it would be interesting to develop these ideas on how downstream producers could play a key role in the future.

Interestingly, in another poll that asked what is the biggest challenge when it comes to human interaction with autonomous technology, the answer with the highest votes was ‘loss of knowledge and skills’. This is certainly an area that needs to be addressed within the industry and again, something that should be brought to the forefront of discussions as we continue to develop technologies across the value chain.

Machines are certainly a huge part of the future, but as Hans Erik Vatne nicely summed up: “Industry 4.0 is people. We need more collaboration and sharing to make it a success.” � Aluminium International Today

10/07/2019 11:15:10

16 MINING & REFINING

Global bauxite resources are estimated to run to 55–75Bnt, distributed among Africa (32%), Oceania (23%), South America and the Caribbean (21%), Asia (18%) and elsewhere (6%). Any discussion of bauxite processing is centred on the USA, by way of the sheer volume involved and the dominant fact that domestic bauxite resources cannot meet longterm USA demand. Unsurprisingly, it is a US-based institution, the US Geological Survey (USGS), which provides crucial information on prevailing trends.

One such statistic is for last year’s consumption of bauxite, stated by USGS to have been 3.9 Mt at an estimated value of US$120 million. On a countrywide basis, the USA’s bauxite imports came from Jamaica (77%) and Brazil (19%). Imports of alumina told a different story, with Brazil achieving pre-eminence at 56%. The next country was Australia (19%): Jamaica generated a mere 9%.

This article will look at certain worldwide trends in the bauxite sector. It will then look at the sector as it is unraveling within key individual bauxite-mining countries.

Where is bauxite found?

Lee Bray, mineral commodity specialist with the USGS, comments, “Most bauxite deposits are found at or near the surface.

Bauxite forms as a result of chemical weathering of minerals that contain aluminium. Slightly acidic water produced by the reaction of carbon dioxide with rainwater breaks down bonds in the minerals and leaches silicon dioxide, potassium, calcium and other elements away.

This leaves behind aluminium hydroxide and iron oxide as well as trace amounts of titanium dioxide and some other elements.”

A consequence of this process is that the bauxite is found at the surface: hence mining usually takes place as a surface operation along the many miles over which the deposits extend. Lee Bray points out that underground extraction of bauxite is uncommon - comprising around 10% of all bauxite mined - and occurs when sedimentary rocks or lava flows have gone on to cover the deposits.

That is even before the cost factor which means that deep deposits are financially overshadowed by surface operations.

(One aspect of alumina production is that at present bauxite is the only raw material used to produce alumina on a commercial scale in the USA. While not commercially competitive, massive resources of clay are technically feasible sources of alumina.

Such potential sources include alunite, anorthosite, coal wastes and oil shales; silicon carbide and alumina-zirconia can substitute for alumina-based and bauxitebased abrasives but cost more).

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Australia,Guinea power bauxite surge

Michael Schwartz reviews the last twelve months of bauxite production.

The Bayer process Still the primary process 132 years after its discovery for extracting alumina from bauxite, the Bayer process enables the realisation of the final aluminium product.

The alumina is smelted using the Hall– Héroult electrolytic process; in the case of the USA two refineries based on the Bayer process generated an estimated 1.5 Mt. Understandably, some 65% of the alumina generated went to primary aluminium smelters, the rest to non-metallurgical products, eg, abrasives, cement, chemicals, ceramics and refractories.

There are also many more specialised uses. They include use as a fuel component for solid rocket boosters, on superconducting devices such as quantum interference devices and electron transistors and even as a dosimeter for radiation protection. Lee Bray summarises: “Some bauxite still has a high level of silica that inhibits the reagents used to extract aluminium hydroxide. This bauxite is used for other uses such as abrasives, in certain

types of cement, as a slag adjuster in the steel industry, or to produce aluminium sulphate. Some bauxite has extremely low levels of iron and silica, so is suitable for use as a refractory material. These uses account for the 10% of bauxite that does not go into alumina production.”

Indonesia’s change of policy The influence of Indonesia on bauxite worldwide has been substantial since January 2014. That is when the government of Indonesia banned exports of bauxite.

The ban did not apply to certain projects within Indonesia, as export permits were issued in 2014 for five years to companies constructing refineries in Indonesia. Two have been completed, with another to be completed in 2019.

Answering questions from Materials World, Lee Bray stated that, “The easing of the export ban by Indonesia has resulted in more bauxite available to certain consumers, mainly in China…This has had a minimal impact on the overall supply and Aluminium International Today

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17

PROFILE: AUSTRALIAN BAUXITE LTD The reasons for Australia’s predominance in the bauxite sector are many; a portrait of one such company, Australian Bauxite Ltd (ABx, listed on ASX since 2009), conveys the strengths this national industry possesses and offers. ABX does not conform to the traditional role of being a supplier to the aluminium sector, as it also supplies into the fertiliser and high-specification cement industries.

ABx commenced production in 2004 from its Bald Hill site in Tasmania. More recently, the company announced a tripartite MoU with Tianshan Aluminium and Rawmin to generate 0.5-1.5 Mt/y from its Binjour project in Queensland. This project experienced 51% growth last year to 37 Mt, meaning company resources now stand at 137 Mt. Binjour is conveniently located for the Bundaberg Port 115 km away; flagship status within ABx is predicted for five years time.

A review of ABx over the last year is telling, not because the company has achieved the successes expected of a “normal” bauxite miner but also because there are achievements which are leading edge. They include: � the granting of a global exclusive licence for a bauxite refining technology that produces aluminium fluoride as its main product and to be used in aluminium production, lithium-ion batteries, and by-products from Tasmanian-type bauxite. This product yields over ten times its unrefined value per tonne;

pricing.” On the question as to whether a policy or price change is good or bad, he says that he never characterises them as good or bad: “A consumer is happy with increased availability and decreased price and a producer is less happy when the price decreases. Therefore, I stay neutral on what is good or bad.”

In contrast, Malaysia is still banning bauxite mining although allowing exports of stockpiled bauxite. This ban was imposed in January 2016 because of concerns about pollution from mines and uncovered stockpiles at ports.

Guinea Aluminium Corporation Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC), which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emirates Global Aluminium, is currently developing a bauxite mine and associated export facilities in the Boké region of the north-western Republic of Guinea. GAC’s decision falls in with other mines already operating in the Boké region, thereby reinforcing that area’s high reputation Aluminium International Today

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among bauxite miners.

GAC is licenced to mine for 25 years initially, then for another 25 years automatically, with conditions applicable for a further ten years. Once production is stabilised, GAC anticipates an annual output of roughly 12 Mt, all of which is destined for export. Reflecting the comment earlier in this article that bauxite deposits lie at surface or very shallow level, GAC’s Boké concession area mostly comprises low hills. Currently under construction infrastructure will support open-pit drill-and-blast operations.

The resulting broken material will be loaded onto trucks and then crushed. In fact, rail transport is the key to transport, with GAC’s mine close to a railway operated by Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée; this facility is shared by other companies transporting their bauxite ore to the port at Kamsar some 75 km southwest (the latter is a $49 million investment yielding even greater value as general trade makes its own use of the

� product development of the TasTech innovation, which produces a spectrum of bauxite grades and handling characteristics, along with increased yields at low cost. Multiproduct shipments are possible to different customers, reflecting different quality requirements; � ABx’s wholly-owned subsidiary ALCORE Ltd has secured the minimum funding needed to commence stage 1 of the ALCORE Project aimed at generating Aluminium Fluoride (AlF3) test samples via a pilot plant in New South Wales. Simultaneously, the local ALCORE research centre is structurally complete. It intends to set up a routine production line to produce onspecification AlF3 samples for three potential customers to evaluate. � Up to four more production modules will be constructed, tested and added into the production plant each year as demand grows year-byyear for the ALCORE AlF3. ALCORE and ABx are encouraged by the simplicity of the ALCORE refining process and cost-efficiency to date, well within budget; and � a letter of intent negotiated between ABx and Aziz Group of Bangladesh whereby ABx will develop and supply chemical- grade bauxite to manufacture PAC (Polyaluminium Chloride) for the treatment of industrial waste water. Aziz Group will be market ABx cement-grade bauxite in Bangladesh.

port facilities). A spur to link up with the main railway is now under construction, part of a modernisation strategy which will both utilise GAC’s own rail loops and facilities to load ore onto barges at Kamsar, from where specially deepened changes will carry the ore to ocean-going vessels.

Economic opportunities will increase for GAC and its local communities as the Boké project advances. Most directly, the government of Guinea will receive revenue from output, but the project’s policy of reducing the amounts of imported equipment and expertise will lean substantially in Guinea’s favour.

To enhance the quality of goods and services - and the efficiency of tendering for the same - a training programme has been developed. In the last five years, GAC has trained nearly 1,000 young people in the appropriate skills, eg, maintenance, welding and electrical services. Forty micro-projects, including small start-up businesses have been awarded.

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The bottom line is that since 2016 more than 56% of the total number of supply contracts GAC has awarded have been won by Guinean companies. The total value of these contracts is over US$37 million.

Australia While Guinea is emerging as a very strong player in international bauxite production, the long-term leader Australia is itself enjoying growth. The joint importance of these two countries is brought home in a review by consultancy group Fitch Solutions.

The consultancy predicts strong production growth in 2019. While there will be a “ramp up in Indian and Indonesian production,” new projects coming online in Australia and Guinea will be the principal driving force. This is predominantly due to Australia owning 12 of the 29 new bauxite projects in the Finch Solutions Mines Database, this number being the largest for any individual country.

Finch Solutions forecasts Australian bauxite production growth to average

15% year-on-year in 2019, up from 4.0% in 2018. It singles out Rio Tinto’s expansion at its Amrun project as driving bauxite production growth in Australia over the coming quarters: first production started there in December 2018, with 22.8 Mt the target for 2019. In another project, Metallica Minerals is currently waiting to finish a haul road from its Urquhart deposit to Cape York Peninsula in order to start production, while the Urquhart deposit is expected to produce 6.5 Mt of saleable bauxite.

By comparison, Guinea boasts the second highest number of new projects – seven. According to Fitch, Guinea’s bauxite production is likely to grow from 59 Mt in 2018 to 82.3 Mt by 2028, supported by demand from China.

Fitch also highlighted several key projects (including the GAC project). In 2017 France’s Alliance Minière Responsable (AMR) signed a deal with Société Minière de Boké (SMB) to exploit bauxite near the

Boké region. The deposit in question offers an estimated 430 Mt of bauxite, planned annual production running between 6 Mt and 10 Mt. In addition, August 2018 saw Alufer Mining start production at the Bel Air project. The plan here is to produce 5.5 Mt/y, reaching 10 Mt/y over 15 years.

Conclusions Lee Bray summarised for Materials World some highly varied price developments in the bauxite sector. In 2018, the average price Free Alongside Ship (FAS) for USA imports for consumption of metallurgicalgrade alumina in 2018 was US$590/t, 20% higher than that in 2017, while it ranged between US$450/t and US$930/t.

World alumina production in 2018 decreased slightly (1.5%) compared with that in 2017. In 2018, the estimated average price (FAS) for USA imports for consumption of crude-dry bauxite was US$31/t, 3% less that that of the same period in 2017.

In brief, successful operations in several varied countries testify to the stability and financial viability of bauxite. �

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Mechatherm’s SafeTAP is a new device that fundamentally improves the safety of transferring liquid aluminium from a static melting furnace to either a holding furnace or casting machine Control An off-the-shelf control actuator, integrated into the SafeTap assembly provides highly accurate metal delivery control.

Shutoff A dedicated shut-off arm is employed automatically, either in a normal transfer end or a transfer abort.

The control assembly can be removed to allow room for the shutoff arm.

Access Our innovative design allows for the entire unit to be folded against the furnace backwall to allow full access to the launder and furnace spout.

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New possibilities in metal transfer and furnace automation

By Jean-Francois Desmeules*

Industry 4.0 is the new buzzword in the business. The aluminium industry is climbing in the train like all others.

However, many plants still have to implement classic 3.0 automation and in most cases we are far from reaching autonomous 4.0 plants. Still, it is desirable to make every effort to improve the automation level and tend towards autonomous processes.

Many factors put pressure to do so, including manpower cost and availability, especially in the Western countries. Increasing energy cost and fierce competition force casthouses to be imaginative and innovative to improve and optimise their processes. Since it is not always realistic to invest in new machinery when existing equipment is performing well, it makes sense to work on improving the existing technology.

Many possibilities are available to do so, some of which described hereafter.

Siphoning: The most efficient method for metal transfer Metal transfer is omnipresent in the casthouse. A common configuration is having a direct chill casting pit or other casting machine that is fed from a tilting casting furnace, itself fed from a stationary melting furnace. Metal transfer from a furnace to another must be done in minimal time, using high metal flows.

The most common transfer system is by removing a plug in the melting furnace to fill the casting furnace via a launder. This promotes the generation of dross due to exposure of the turbulent metal flow to atmosphere. The metal chute and the splashing in the furnace also create a lot of air exposure to the metal.

Siphoning is often used in smelters to transfer metal from potroom crucibles to furnaces. It is also used to transfer metal from furnace to furnace but to a lesser extent. Some systems use refractory lined siphons with mostly manual operation.

Siphon system

Dynamic Concept developed a fully automated furnace to furnace siphon metal transfer system that uses a large bore, state of the art one-piece cast iron siphon tube. An automated system positions the tube and creates a vacuum to initiate the transfer. The vacuum level is automatically controlled to provide the proper flow. Refractory is shaped in both furnaces to minimise the amount of remaining metal in the melting furnace as well as metal heel required in the casting to prime the siphon. This facilitates alloy changes by allowing to fully empty the casting furnace. The metal heel for the next batch is created by melting a small amount of metal in the casting furnace, typically around 1000 kg.

This system can transfer metal in minimal time without operator intervention. No skimming is required after transfer, saving operation time and minimising melt loss and tooling cost.

Dynafeed: A craneless crucible discharge system Although siphoning is often preferred over other transfer methods, other considerations can direct to different transfer technologies. Among them, discharging a crucible by tilting it is a very popular means to get 100% of the metal from a crucible. It can be done using a crane with an auxiliary hoist or a tilting table. In both cases, a high capacity overhead crane is required.

Moreover, skilled operators are required since these cranes are not automated and fine movements are required to latch the crucibles on the lifting beams.

A technology called the Dynafeed was developed to eliminate the need for an overhead crane for crucible tilting.

Different configurations are available depending on the crucible transport truck configuration. The crucible is simply deposited by the transport truck

*Vice-President Technologies and R&D Dynamic Concept, www.dynamic-concept.ca Aluminium International Today

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22 CASTHOUSE TECHNOLOGY

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Flaser

Dynafeed

(or AGV) within reach of the Dynafeed.

An automated locking sequence follows and the metal transfer can then be done automatically. The weight of the crucible is monitored in real time. This means that mass flow transfer of the metal is possible thanks to an advanced PID sequence.

Having a controlled flow of metal helps reduce the formation of dross due to minimised turbulence. Moreover, the full and empty weight of the crucible is provided, eliminating the need for a separate scale.

With operator reduction and fully automated sequences, the Dynafeed is a great step towards casthouse automation and can even be used to feed casting machines directly from the crucible.

Furnace level measurement Knowing the amount of metal in a furnace with accuracy is very important for furnace charging, alloy preparation and general casthouse cycle time. Having to adjust alloy composition can cause great losses of production time. This is why there is a need for accurate measurement.

Many technologies are available for this, including direct measurement of the metal weight for tilting furnaces which is even better than measuring the metal level. However, for stationary furnaces, except using load cells which is only possible for small furnaces, there is no direct weight measurement possible.

Thus, metal weight estimation must rely on level measurement.

The two choices are radar and laser measurement. The radar must be mounted in the roof while it is possible to use a laser through a wall and use a correction factor for the angle. In both cases however, presence of dross, especially when preparing reactive alloys such as high magnesium alloys or when processing potroom metal which can contain pieces of solidified electrolyte, the measurement can be overestimated.

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The FLASER was developed to overcome this. It uses a state of the art blue laser level measurement system from Precimeter, with an enclosure specially designed to be mounted on the furnace wall. A high accuracy mechanism rotates the laser to sweep a part of the molten metal surface, measuring the level over a series of points. An algorithm then determines the elevation of the baseline and the percentage of the readings that are affected by dross accumulation. It is then possible to use these values to determine the amount of metal in the furnace or even to decide if skimming is required. The measurements are made on an on-demand basis since the level only changes after metal addition or transfer.

When the unit is not measuring, the laser is positioned in a standby position to shut the reading orifices and keep the unit cool.

Furnace temperature measurement In addition to proper level measurement, temperature of the melt is another parameter that can affect many aspects of the process, including global cycle time.

Problem is, for many furnaces there is no automatic stirring of the melt. This causes the metal temperature to be variable from the top to bottom, with higher temperatures at the surface due to lower density of the molten metal. Therefore, when measuring the temperature using a thermocouple, the location thereof will have an influence on the reading.

A thermocouple with depth control is the solution to evaluate the correct temperature distribution. Coupled with a system like the Flaser, the thermocouple can be used to properly evaluate the average temperature of the melt and provide information for process decisions.

Since the temperature of the metal in a furnace is a parameter that is long and expensive to control, an increase in accuracy when measuring it can help a casthouse operate more efficiently.

Conclusion The trend towards Industry 4.0 automation is only at its beginning. New equipment is mostly 4.0 ready, however the existing casthouses are working to integrate the concept in their daily operations. Many technologies are available to upgrade existing equipment to further automation levels, some of which are presented above* but there are many other possibilities. These upgrades then allow for streamlining and automation of the global casthouse process from charging to casting.

About Dynamic Concept Our mission is to increase the competitiveness of light metals producers by supplying custom-fit equipment and systems adapted to the specific conditions of each process line.

We assist our clients at all stages of a project, from preliminary studies to start up, including design, engineering, fabrication, testing, erection of equipment, and the supervision of commissioning and start up.

Our success is measured by the longevity of our business relationships with our customers as well as their satisfaction. � *All the technologies described above are patent pending.

References “Past, Present and Future Cast House Technology”, C. Weaver, Aluminium Cast House Technology, 2007, edited by JF Grandfield and JA Taylor “Oxidation, Dross and Melt Loss Issues Involved in the Aluminium Cast House”, JA Taylor, Aluminium Cast House Technology, 2007, edited by JF Grandfield and JA Taylor “Design Considerations for Holding and Casting Furnaces”, Migchielsen, Grab and Schmidt, Light Metals 2008, edited by D.H. DeYoung Aluminium International Today

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Molten metal cleanliness when casting aluminium slabs – the basics!

By David Humphreys* Molten metal cleanliness is one of the key challenges for most casthouses. They must produce a slab with a sufficiently low level of hydrogen, alkali metals (mainly sodium) and inclusions to make the finished product suitable for its final end use. This is particularly important where the slab will be rolled into sheet for the manufacture of beverage cans or foil.

Molten metal cleanliness needs to be correctly managed, through a combination of having the right equipment and ensuring that it is correctly operated.

Initial molten metal cleanliness It is important to start by ensuring that the melting and holding practices employed prior to casting are as close to best practice as possible. The higher the molten metal cleanliness is prior to the degassing/filtration operation, the cleaner it is likely to be after treatment.

Some key areas that typically require careful management are: � The purchase of primary metal, hardener materials and scrap from proven/ qualified sources � The addition of alloying elements at the correct temperature (particularly magnesium) � Thorough skimming and regular cleaning of the furnace � Employing the settling practices as appropriate � Minimising metal turbulence, particularly in the transfer launders.

Degassing Depending upon the product, the next critical operation is likely to be that of the degasser. There are many different types of degasser, but most rely upon a subsurface spinning rotor.

The rotor injects a chemically active reactant (normally either chlorine gas

or a solid salt flux) mixed with a carrier gas (such as argon or nitrogen) as fine bubbles into the molten metal. The key to operating such devices for optimum efficiency is to use a rotor design and practices that generate a small bubble size with a long bubble sub-surface residence time.

A well operated degasser should be capable of reducing the incoming hydrogen concentration by at least 50%.

In addition, it should also reduce the alkali metal and inclusion levels. However, whilst a degasser will remove some inclusions, filtration achieves most inclusion removal.

Filtration For inclusion critical products, some casthouses use a deep bed filter. This normally involves filtering molten aluminium through a bed of varying size ceramic media. Whilst these are normally very efficient (typically 85% plus), they can be expensive to operate. This is due to the floor space required and the limited life of the filtration media. They typically require regular replacement and disposal.

The final filtration step is generally a ceramic foam filter (CFF). This is a single use disposable filter made of a tough porous ceramic foam with tightly controlled pore sizes. These are often the sole filtration equipment in many casthouses due to their simple operation and good results for short runs.

Three critical parameters for a CFF are: � The filter area – the larger the area, the larger the potential metal flow rate.

However, large tiles can be difficult to handle due to the risk of damage. � The pore size – the smaller the pore size the more efficient the filter. However, it’s more likely to block mid cast. � The thickness – the thicker the filter, the better the filtration efficiency.

However, it could be more difficult to initially prime it.

For some extremely critical applications, it’s common to use more expensive ceramic tube filters.

Disturbances during filtration Whichever filters are used, care needs to be taken to ensure that the filters aren’t subject to excessive vibration or metal level changes. These “disturbances” can cause a release of inclusions which may end up in the finished product. Good process control downstream of the final filtration device is particularly important.

This should include careful launder preparation with special attention if any repairs are required.

Additionally, casthouse operators should be careful to minimse turbulation in certain areas, such as around the metal distribution bags.

An input of very dirty metal will overwhelm even the best available filtration technology. Therefore, the importance of correctly conditioning the metal prior to filtration cannot be overstated. The cleaner the metal entering the filter, the finer the filters that can then be used, resulting in “even cleaner” metal exiting the filter.

Casthouse expertise To summarise, there is no “silver bullet” to achieving good molten metal cleanliness.

However, using the correct equipment in conjunction with a knowledgeable workforce who are capable of maintaining good process control is the best way to ensure success.

If you need further information or support to achieve good molten metal cleanliness, please do not hesitate to contact one of our Casthouse Experts. We can assist you to optimise your process to meet your metal quality requirements. �

*Senior Consultant, Innoval Technology July/August 2019

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26 INDUSTRY 4.0

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Smelter of the Future True to its reputation as a technology and innovation-driven company, Sohar Aluminium is harnessing the transformational potential of the 4th Industrial Revolution in its quest to position itself as the ‘Smelter of the Future’.

Its brief 10-year history as one of the Middle East’s youngest greenfield aluminium smelter is punctuated with accolades and milestones attesting to its superior technological underpinnings and operational excellence. From the use of leading-edge smelting technology with progressive increase in amperage, to the deployment of state-of-the-art production, efficiency and safety optimization tools, technological innovation has long been the cornerstone of its ambition to become the benchmark smelter in the region.

Today, Sohar Aluminium is on the cusp of yet another exciting, if momentous, leap into the future, this time around aided by a raft of emerging technologies that form part of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

From Mobile Connectivity, Artificial Intelligence and Big Data to Robotics, Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Learning, Industry 4.0 has the potential to accelerate the digital transformation under way at Sohar Aluminium.

Daunting mission Notwithstanding the universal buzz surrounding the 4th Industrial Revolution, July/August 2019

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the IT and Automation Team at Sohar Aluminium is little fazed by the daunting task ahead of them. After all, keeping Sohar Aluminium on the cutting-edge of smelting technology and operational excellence has been their overarching goal from the outset of the company’s launch a decade ago.

“Sohar Aluminium has embraced some elements of Industry 4.0 ever since we came on stream and we continue to evaluate new technologies and innovations as they materialize. This is a continuous journey of improvement which we don’t foresee an end to,” explained Abdullah Al Maamari, IT Manager.

Indeed, automation – a key facet of Industry 4.0’s suite of breakthrough technologies has long been the hallmark of Sohar Aluminium’s investment in a modern smelter. Advanced automation technologies are a defining characteristic of the company’s operations. Similarly, robotics is an integral part of the company’s Casthouse operations, eliminating any potential for human interaction with unsafe material handling, thereby reducing the risk of injury to its

operators. Robotic cranes assist in the stacking of the refined metal bundles and applying labels to them.

A potential game-changer for Sohar Aluminium is the Internet of Things (IoT) – an ecosystem of connected machines, equipment, devices and physical objects that can communicate with each other.

“In our case, we use the Industrial IoT, which connects all of our systems with the enterprise,” said Ibrahim AL Maawali, Automation Superintendent “Thus, all of the data from the shop floor, production units, and so on, is captured on our dashboards in real time. Right now, we are evaluating various IoT solutions that add value to our business.”

Equally promising is the deployment of Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions to improve process control at Sohar Aluminium.

With a combination of ML and AI, the IT and Automation team sees the potential to automatically record, network and use numerous machine and system parameters that can be harnessed to plan downtimes, increase productivity, and drive quality.

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Machine Learning are already part of Sohar Aluminium’s processes – the result of an abiding commitment to staying abreast of technology, according to Paul Ridgway, Automation Specialist. “Machine Learning has been around for quite some time, under the guise of Intelligent Systems.

It’s only now been rebranded as Machine Learning. Still, we are looking into the use of ML in some of our processes to better formulate our set-points, and so on.”

Data Analytics – another Industry 4.0 technological offering is also proving handy in enhancing maintenance and operational processes at Sohar Aluminium.

“We use our historical data to forecast equipment failures and process deviations.

This improves our uptime and allows us to do more proactive maintenance rather than reactive and it also enables us to achieve a high level of operational production,” said Ibrahim.

Industry 4.0 promises to unleash a wide range of game-changing benefits for Sohar Aluminium, says Paul. “Sohar Aluminium believes that Industry 4.0 helps in improving productivity, efficiency, safety, resource utilization, increasing machines uptime and reducing breakdowns by using smart sensors and such technologies.

Also, it enables self-diagnosis, reducing turnover time, preventing breakdowns, reducing the human intervention which will reduce human errors.”

Abdullah, Ibrahim and Paul are part of a core team of subject experts drawn from the company’s IT and Automation Department with the mandate to make Industry 4.0 a reality within Sohar Aluminium. “We are a young, dynamic group of professionals with the requisite skillsets to unlock the potential of the 4th Industrial Revolution for the benefit of our operations. Our management, recognizing the immense potential of Industry 4.0, is eager for the comprehensive roll-out of July/August 2019

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these solutions across all facets of our operations and indeed the wider value chain.”

The adoption of Industry 4.0 tools began in earnest last year with members of the Core IT Team evaluating the applicability of these technologies and their deployment in key departments within the organization. At the same time, the IT team has begun to engage with vendors of 4.0 technologies and solutions with a view to ascertaining their efficacy within Sohar Aluminium.

Furthermore, as talented professionals in their own right, members of the IT and Automation Team have come up with their own in-house solutions as cost-effective alternatives to vendor-promoted offerings.

As for a timeline to have Industry 4.0 technologies up and running within Sohar Aluminium, there is none! Abdullah explained: “Technologies, by their very nature, keep evolving. Before Industry 4.0, there were three different waves that also evolved over decades.

Our responsibility is to look at technologies and trends, as and when they come on the market, that will help us enhance our productivity, costefficiency and competitiveness. Industry 4.0 is just another leg on this continuous journey in our quest for business and operational excellence. Besides, as some of these technologies represent expensive investments, we need to suitably evaluate them to ensure there are returns for the company.”

Mindful that the roll-out of Industry 4.0 is no small feat, Sohar Aluminium has embarked on a plant-wide awareness programme designed to ensure that the company’s sizable technical staff are fully on board in the delivery of this ambitious project. At the same time, the company is also engaging with key stakeholders and local communities on the importance of this initiative in ensuring the safe, successful and sustainable operation of Sohar Aluminium well into the future.

Sohar Aluminium was formed in September 2004 to undertake a landmark Greenfield aluminium smelter project in the Sultanate of Oman. Inaugurated in 2009, Sohar Aluminium is jointly owned

by Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C., Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) and Rio Tinto. �

Aluminium International Today

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The future of aluminium quality assurance Autonomous Machine Vision will overcome the challenges of the past.

We are well and truly into the age of aluminium. From mobile phones to nanotechnology to rocket fuel, the applications for the material seem endless.

Despite its widespread use, until now one challenge has gone unsolved. Here Zohar Kantor, VP Sales & Project Management at Inspekto, explains the challenges of machine vision in the aluminium industry and how to overcome them.

To ensure that products are high quality, manufacturers employ visual quality assurance (QA) to identify whether defects are present in the components they are producing. This can either be done manually by a human, or alternatively by a machine vision tool. By opting a for a machine vision tool, manufacturers can move their employees to a more productive area of the business, better use their labour costs and human resources, and improve productivity and profitability.

However, whether the material is forged or casted, aluminium alloys are challenging to inspect, partly because of their inconsistent grey colouring providing a huge challenge for traditional machine

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vision solutions. Such alloys are not 100 per cent repetitive in surface, texture and colouring, making it difficult to define what constitutes a defect when inspected by such traditional solutions. Ultimately, when considering inspection options for production line operations, it is important to realise that traditional machine vision is inherently extremely expensive, cumbersome and complex to install, set up and train, and falls short when it comes to aluminium-based use case scenarios.

The challenges of inspecting aluminium A traditional machine vision assembly contains a myriad of components; lighting, cameras, lenses, filters and more. Because typically such projects are complex and require special expertise, manufacturers are often forced to hire an external vision systems integrator to run the project, identify issues, create Proof of Concepts, select the components and integrate the solution onto the line.

Once installed, solutions based on artificial intelligence will require a

monitored learning curve to be applied.

This process involves exposing the machine vision solution to hundreds and sometimes thousands of images of what constitutes a good product and what constitutes a defective one.

Extensive training, for inaccurate results Training a machine vision solution is an intensive and sometimes practically impossible process, especially if the manufacturer isn’t producing enough faulty components to train the machine vision solution regarding every possible defect. For example, if the solution is checking for a scratch on the surface of the part, it is unfeasible for the manufacturer to train the machine vision solution on the size, location and orientation of every scratch that could possibly occur.

Because a traditional machine vision solution finds it so difficult to identify what constitutes a defective product, it is likely to make mistakes. Firstly, the solution could be over sensitive and generate false positives − incorrectly classifying

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a product as defective and marking it as scrap, drastically increasing costs.

Alternatively, it could be not sensitive enough, missing defects and wrongly classifying a defective product as perfect.

Consequently, such classification errors would result in a poor-quality product being sent to the next tier in the supply chain, damaging customer relationships and tarnishing the company’s reputation.

Despite the challenges, manufacturers must still perform visual quality assurance to ensure they are supplying products that have been manufactured to specification.

After the die casting process, components must be checked for misruns and cold shuts, which may be caused by various factors such as ventilation, lubricant, metal temperature or dirty metal. Inspection will also check for any other possible defects like gas porosity, shrinkage porosity, hot tears or flow marks. It is extremely complex and challenging to distinguish between porosity and another defect type like chips caused from certain machining processes. Thus, a defect can

be classified by a machine vision solution as permittable porosity.

Similarly, in an aluminium forging plant, it is critical to identify any failures in the forging process. Defects can also be introduced during handling – introducing a scratch to the surface – or during machining. In some cases, the defect may be effectively hidden in the pattern of the material, constituting yet another challenging situation for even the most advanced classical machine vision solutions to deal with.

Overall, machine vision solutions are inherently incapable of accurately and consistently distinguishing between genuine defects on the surface of aluminium alloy items and what constitutes natural and acceptable variation in the alloy. Manufacturers therefore need an extremely capable and intelligent machine vision tool, so that they do not have to rely on manual visual inspection.

An autonomous future With the advent of Autonomous Machine Vision entries into the market, accurate inspection of aluminium components has now been made possible. Using Plug and InspectTM technology, the Inspekto S70 system can be applied to any stage during aluminium processing, whether it be forging, die casting or machining. The system can be installed without a vision systems integrator, become effectively operational in less than an hour, requiring just 20 to 30 good samples. From these samples, the system self-learns what constitutes a good

presentation of the product, taking into account the surface variations of the samples in the gold standard group. There is no need to teach it about defects, as it will automatically self-learn them and highlight them.

If the system highlights a defect that the operator deems as a good product, the operator can easily feed this input into the system so that from that moment on, it will not be picked up again. An Autonomous Machine Vision system therefore eliminates the risk of false positives, directly reducing the number of

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products that are incorrectly marked as scrap and immediately making a dramatic improvement to the plants productivity and profitability.

As the category name suggests, Autonomous Machine Vision systems are easy to install. It requires manufacturers to have no machine vision knowledge, no artificial intelligence expertise and no changes on the manufacturing line. that the only tool needed is a standard computer mouse on the systems graphical user interface (GUI).

In addition, Autonomous Machine Vision systems carry an affordable price tag, in the range of ten times lower than traditional solutions and also have zero wait time for installation. Manufacturers can therefore use these systems to introduce visual QA at far more stages on the manufacturing line. After every stage in the process, manufacturers can inspect products for flaws so that they can be scrapped as soon as a defect is introduced, improving yield, reducing scrap and increasing profits. This was never possible before, due to the time, effort and high-costs associated with building and training a traditional solution for aluminium applications..

Though we are already well into the age of aluminium, we are only now entering the era of Autonomous Machine Vision.

Manufacturers can now turn to these new, advanced machine vision tools to ensure their aluminium products are produced to specification, improve productivity and reduce scrap. Autonomous Machine Vision is here to improve profitability per line like never before.

Contact www.inspekto.com

July/August 2019

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A shift to servitisation helps in the path to intelligent production

By Gill Devine* The aluminium industry, like many others, needs to modernise. Disruptive forces in the metals industry make it imperative for companies to reinvent themselves by embracing digital, according to a recent report by IBM. Digital transformation, and the path to intelligent production, is one of the biggest challenges for the manufacturing industry, and the aluminium sector is no exception. As well as adopting new technologies, manufacturers are having to review their business models and the way customers interact with their products, placing far greater emphasis on the service supply chain.

Industry 4.0 facilitating a move to uptime Results from a survey conducted last year at the Aluminium World Trade Fair (of 240 aluminium experts from 39 countries), found that Industry 4.0 applications are on the agenda for roughly 90 per cent of companies, while 62 per cent are already

developing strategies or have reached the implementation phase.

There are many opportunities that arise from Industry 4.0, including greater efficiency in the production processes, increased productivity and enhanced collaboration within the supply chain.

New technologies have enabled machine learning, smart parts and remote performance monitoring. Equipment can be monitored for optimum performance, providing data to enable predictive maintenance, rather than the traditional break-fix service model that results in machinery being out of action while repair parts are sourced and a service is conducted. Intelligent production is what Industry 4.0 is all about.

These new capabilities are enabling manufacturers to respond to customer demand for 24/7 service. In our connected world with its ‘always-on’ mindset, manufacturers are having to look to maximise product uptime. With this comes a major shift from simply selling

products to selling the output or value that products deliver in a move known as servitisation. Success relies on an efficient after-sales service operation and a whole new – or at least revamped – skill-set that, quite literally, views time as money. Well-oiled servitisation processes can increase profit margins and revenue, as well as providing brands with a way to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

An ever-changing market landscape is forcing manufacturers, in all verticals, to redefine the way they manage after-sales service, evolving to selling subscriptionbased, uptime service contracts as opposed to individual service parts. Those succeeding are the ones finding ways to accommodate these demands; those who don’t risk being left behind.

Warning: Disruptions ahead Several external forces are having an impact on this shift to maximised product uptime and manufacturers must be

*VP EMEA, Syncron Aluminium International Today

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able to adapt to these – and any future disruptions – which means having strategies and technologies in place that can scale to keep up with the changes.

1. Emerging technology. From IoT, to virtual reality and 3D printing – emerging technologies continue to impact organisations across a variety of industries, including in the aluminium sector. As these technologies continue to evolve and new trends emerge, manufacturers must be equipped to use them to their advantage to become more efficient and effective.

The only way to maximise product uptime is to invest in the proper technologies that will support the new service model.

2. Digitisation. As the shift from bricksand-mortar sales into a more digital, web-based sales model becomes more common, manufacturers should also expect a shift to an online presence in service part sales. While digitisation used to be incredibly expensive for companies to consider, it’s finally becoming more attainable as the technologies to support this shift are becoming more affordable to implement, track and optimise.

3. Predictive analytics. With such a heavy focus on maximised product uptime as the key to organisational performance, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics are playing an increasing role

in the service supply chain. Preemptive maintenance is at the core of a service model centered on maximised product uptime, and predictive analytics is the only way to make this possible.

4. Proactive maintenance. The shift from ownership to access means that new product sales aren’t going to cut it to meet revenue expectations anymore, so that means proactive maintenance is a new profit lever for manufacturers. Smoothly operating service supply chains are vital for stable profits, and predictive analytics and proactive maintenance are both ways to combat the loss of productivity that unexpected product downtime causes.

The business landscape is changing for all sectors of the manufacturing industry.

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36 ELECTROMAGNETIC STIRRING

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Optimised electromagnetic stirring in melting and holding furnaces

By Joakim Andersson*

WHAT IS EMS?

Aluminium is typically melted using gasďŹ red burners. Without stirring, this would usually result in a very high meniscus top temperature and a very low bottom temperature (the temperature difference between the top and bottom of an unstirred bath is typically between 50 to 80oC). A very high surface temperature results in more rapid surface oxidisation, with a resulting increase in dross formation.

An electromagnetic stirrer works by placing an induction coil beneath or at the side of the furnace, away from the shell and applying electrical power to the coil.

This generates a magnetic force which travels through the stainless-steel plate and furnace refractory and into the melt.

The interaction between the magnetic ďŹ eld and the electrically conductive metal bath creates a stirring action

*Metallurgist at ABB Metallurgy Products July/August 2019

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For aluminium producers, increasing productivity while simultaneously reducing operating costs, energy consumption and dross volume during processing are business priorities. ABB’s Joakim Andersson explains the crucial – and increasingly sophisticated – role of electromagnetic stirring in melting and holding furnaces.

Aluminium production is a multistage process, but efficient stirring of the aluminium melt is one of the most decisive factors in accelerating the kinetics of reactions while improving heat and mass transfer, with the ultimate aim of improving productivity, quality and costeffectiveness.

Introducing a forced motion on the aluminium melt by applying electromagnetic stirring (EMS) is an elegant solution, as it dispenses with the requirement for mechanical contact between stirrer device and melt (with associated maintenance for moving parts) while improving key parameters such as melt rate and energy efficiency.

Of course, metals producers have been

1

which increases the heat utilisation of the gas-fired burners and harmonizes the temperature in the bath (generally reducing the temperature difference between top and bottom to under 5oC roughly two to three minutes after stirring commences).

In so doing, EMS results in a higher driving force for energy transfer to the melt, improving the dissolution rate

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using electromagnetic applications since the first induction furnaces were patented in the early twentieth century.

Today, aluminium manufacturers are increasingly turning to highly sophisticated EMS technology that combines stirring with automated process control to address three of the main challenges currently facing aluminium manufacturers using melting and holding furnaces: dross generation, environmental footprint and productivity.

ABB’s experience in EMS for aluminium ABB is the market’s most experienced supplier of EMS systems for steel and aluminium production having completed more than 950 customer projects worldwide consisting of over 1850 stirrers, over 300 of which are for aluminium furnaces.

Leading-edge solutions from ABB offer rapid chemical and temperature homogeneity, and are proven to reduce dross formation, increase aluminium yield and prolong furnace lining life. In addition,

their usage results in lower energy consumption and reduced maintenance costs, and overall optimisation of the furnace process.

Customers using ABB’s aluminium EMS (AL-EMS) solutions can expect to improve furnace productivity by up to 25%, reduce dross generation by up to 15% and benefit from up to 10% lower electrical energy consumption.

ABB continues to offer the widest range of AL-EMS solutions on the market including both bottom and side mounted models for furnaces of up to and exceeding 200tons. This comprehensive series of stirrers – together with many years of experience – enables ABB to easily recommend the right model to suit each customer, providing maximum added value for their particular process conditions.

Enabling the use of cheaper hard alloys In addition to general efficiency gains from temperature harmonisation, EMS has additional benefit; namely, full

2

of alloys, reducing dross generation, producing a more uniform chemical composition and improving productivity.

Generally, all liquids that are electrical conductors can be stirred with EMS electromagnetic stirring in aluminium furnaces. AL-EMS efficiently mixes the entire melt with minimal operator involvement. Installation is simple and maintenance is negligible.

1. The forced convection generated by the ABB AL-EMS, here installed under the furnace, increases the heat utilization of the gas burners

2. ABB AL-EMS installed on the side of an aluminium furnace

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38 ELECTROMAGNETIC STIRRING

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1. Schematic sketch of the temperature homogenisation when AI-EMS is turned on 2. Dross reduction from customers using ABB AI-EMS

power stirring that facilitates the use of ‘hard’ alloys with a high melting point for alloying. This has been implemented successfully by one of ABB’s customers in Northern Europe.

The customer is a primary melter with a very small percentage of titanium in its products. Their furnace previously used a master alloy containing 5-10% titanium and then switched to a cheaper harder master alloy with an 80% titanium content.

This alloy has a very high melting point of around 1,600°C, compared to the melting point of 660–700°C for aluminium. The customer found that its mechanical ‘robot’ stirrer was resulting in the master alloy dissolving very slowly.

Frustrated by the limitations of the mechanical stirrer – which required extensive maintenance – the company replaced it with an ABB AL-EMS solution.

This resulted in a much faster dissolve of the 80% titanium alloy in the furnace, with associated cost savings due to the significantly lower cost of the titanium master alloy.

Recent research summarised in my paper ‘Optimized Electromagnetic Stirring in Melting and Holding Furnaces’ recently published in the journal Light Metals, demonstrates that stronger stirring power in aluminium furnaces allows for more cost-effective alloying with hard, and traditionally cheaper, master alloys, as well as a safer and more consistent alloying praxis, with improved analysis accuracy.

aim of fully automating operations and optimising electrical energy consumption and aluminium melt quality.

The system works by translating signals generated by the master programmable logic controller (PLC) of the furnace into data on burner flow which can be used to calculate when we should start the ABB AL-EMS, essentially facilitating dynamic interaction with the furnace. This allows for a more optimised stirring profile and helps reduces the energy consumption of the stirrer itself.

Without ABB AL-EMS Control, operators would typically run the stirrer on full power even when it’s not necessary, resulting in higher energy consumption.

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By analysing process data, we can optimize energy consumption and much more. For example, once the furnace contents are fully melted and we have reached a flat bath operation, we need to focus on homogenising temperature.

Since this process step requires only very gentle stirring, power to the stirrer can be reduced. In summary, the AL-EMS Control’s optimised stirring profile offers complete and automatic control of the AL-EMS, from starting to emptying of the furnace and provides a significant contribution to optimising furnace operations.

CASE STUDY: CENTRAL EUROPEAN ALUMINIUM PRODUCER This Central European aluminium plant is operated by a global supplier producing aluminium plates, sheets and extrusions for multiple market segments including the aerospace, defense and automotive industries.

ABB collaborated with the customer to install a pair of ABB AL-EMS systems and then its ABB AL-EMS Control solution to give furnace operators the level of control they require during processing.

The installation included a bottommounted ORZ320 stirrer for one furnace and a side-mounted ORD24 stirrer for another. Initially the primary focus was the stirrer but then the scope was extended to include AL-EMS Control.

The aluminium producer was interested in this technology because they supply

What’s next for AL-EMS? In addition to the physical benefits of EMS, we are also exploiting the opportunities it affords for process automation.

ABB’s latest EMS offering is AL-EMS Control. This solution collates data from sensors in the furnace itself with the July/August 2019

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aluminium to the aerospace sector and therefore require a very high level of control during production, ideally increasing automated control and reducing manual operator intervention.

Using ABB AL-EMS Control, they were able to set parameters to run continuously, making it easy to optimise operations by monitoring data, leading to positive results in terms of stirring, as well as dross and cost reduction.

ABB used an IBA logger to monitor and collect process data from the stirrer and signals from the furnace. This was then analysed and used to calculate process parameters which formed the basis of a stirring profile, providing automatic control of the stirrer and allowing for gains in both process efficiency and safety.

ABB is currently developing this intelligent product into a remote service that analyses data and incorporates alarms that automatically detect anomalies and allow the customer to act before these unwanted events impact the furnace process negatively. This will enable ABB to support our customers remotely and contribute to further improvements in process efficiency.

Aluminium International Today

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ELECTROMAGNETIC STIRRING 41 5

A fully automated stirring proďŹ le for an entire furnace cycle is shown below together with other control functions

Conclusion For the reasons outlined here, electromagnetic stirring for aluminium has become a well-established technology used to enhance chemical and thermal homogeneity in melting and holding furnaces, while also reducing both

cycle time and dross formation. Moving forward, bringing together AL-EMS technology with automation gives producers opportunities for unrivalled process control, with associated efficiencies, productivity gains and cost savings. ďż˝

July/August 2019

08/07/2019 16:32:29

42 US ALUMINIUM MARKET

What’s the current state of play?

While U.S. aluminium demand was somewhat underwhelming during the first half of the year, that has been on the back of adverse weather conditions that delayed the onset of the spring construction season, a buildup of inventories throughout the supply chain and a challenging and uncertain trade environment.

“Typically starting in April or May the U.S. market experiences a boost as the spring building season kicks in, but any such surge was yet to transpire as of the beginning of June,” Doug Hilderhoff, CRU Group’s principal North American aluminium analyst, observes.

Nevertheless, the U.S. market remains more resilient than those elsewhere in the world. In fact, helped by continued strength in the transportation sector, 2019 aluminium consumption could end up being slightly better than it was in 2018, which has been described by some market observers as being an incredibly strong – even record – year. This is expected to come from a combination of factors, including a delayed pickup in construction activity and the positive impact of recent targeted antidumping and countervailing duties, particularly those imposed upon imports of aluminium foil and common alloy products from China.

“Broadly speaking we have had a tremendous run of demand growth in the North American aluminium industry since the recessionary trough in 2009 when U.S. and Canadian shipments had fallen to about 18.7 billion pounds,” Matt Meenan, senior director of public affairs for the Aluminum Association says, noting that by last year they had increased 50.8 percent to a historical high of 28.2 billion lbs. and that North American aluminium mill product shipments were up 1.1 July/August 2019

USA Myra.indd 1

percent year on year in March.

There are, however, certain mixed signals about where they will go from here.

Yang Cao, a senior research analyst for Fastmarkets MB estimates that total U.S. aluminium demand will increase by about three percent in 2019 to about 6.1 million metric tonnes from 5.9 million tonnes last year, although the rate of growth will vary by sector. He says that while the U.S. smelting industry has been recovering with several companies, including Century Aluminum Co. and Magnitude 7 Metals LLC restarting idled capacity, the growth in demand for U.S. extruded products slowed quite sharply in early 2019.

Jeffery Henderson, president of the Aluminum Extrusions Council (AEC), says that even though it did start to pick up again late in the first half of 2019, for the year as a whole, it is likely that U.S. extrusions demand will be flat to slightly down. “Extruders are still busy. They are just not quite as business as they were last year,” which he described as a “breakout year” market by record extrusion shipments – even higher than those in 2006.

Meanwhile, Ryan Roush, chief commercial officer of JW Aluminum, says that in the first quarter U.S. rolled aluminium demand was fairly flat vs. fourth quarter 2018 levels after rising by a low- to middle-single digit percentage rate in 2018. However, Roush maintains that due to the seasonal nature of certain end markets, particularly the construction sector, what happened in the first quarter is not necessarily indicative of where the market will settle for the year as a whole.

Roush notes that rolled aluminium demand by the automotive sector is up about 15 to 20 percent year on year, which is higher than for many other

end markets, helped by conversion from steel to aluminium in certain automotive applications. By comparison, rolled aluminum consumption in building and construction, commercial transportation and flexible packaging is only expected to see about 2 to five percent growth year on year.

John Mothersole, director of research for IHS Markit’s pricing and purchasing service, notes that while the United States stands out as the one area of the world where new orders from aluminium consuming industries continue to improve, he says that even there the rate of growth appears to be slowing down.

While globally IHS Markit’s new orders index for aluminium consuming industries has been below 50 points – the breaking point between expansion and contraction – for over six months (registering 48.1 points in March), to date the U.S. index has remained positive. However, in April it only registered 50.5 points down from 53.2 points in March and 54-55 points in the second half of last year.

Mothersole attributes much of this softening to the recent inventory destocking cycle as opposed to actual weaknesses in actual underlying demand, which he says was largely responsible for U.S. apparent consumption declining plummeting about 17 percent in 2018 in step with the dramatic slowdown in the rate of new order growth over the past six to eight months. “While we could see a little bounce in apparent consumption this year, it is unlikely that it will be a big rebound given the dynamics of domestic aluminium consuming industries,” Mothersole predicts.

That is supported by recent statistics.

In its latest Aluminum Situation, the Aluminum Association reports that Aluminium International Today

08/07/2019 14:24:32

43 5

apparent consumption was only 1.3 percent higher in the first quarter than during the first three months of last year, including only a 0.7 percent year on year increase in March.

Trade issues – including Section 232 and Section 301 tariffs and the resultant retaliatory trade wars – have also been a factor. Cao notes that starting late last year it had become increasingly clear that primary aluminium demand was being negatively affected by the deteriorating trade environment, although the depth of the impact remains largely uncertain, partly because the disruption to global trade flows has made apparent consumption calculations less reliable than usual.

CRU’s Hilderhoff says that another factor impacting U.S. primary aluminium demand is the expected three to five percent increase in the use of recycled aluminium, or aluminium scrap. “It is all cost related,” he says, explaining that while aluminium scrap prices have been falling for the past several years, they have now fallen to a point that it makes sense for companies to invest in additional equipment to enable them to process and melt more scrap and, therefore, capitalise on today’s historically wide spreads, which are reportedly double what they had been in 2017.

As far as the impact of trade remedies upon the market, Jean-Marc Germain, chief executive officer for Constellium, said at a recent Aluminum Association press roundtable said that while he was unable to point to many measures of success from the 10% Section 232 tariffs, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a role for trade enforcement in the U.S. aluminium industry, explaining, “Not all tariffs are created equal.”

Meenan agrees, explaining, that it is Aluminium International Today

USA Myra.indd 2

the Aluminum Association’s view is that if a country is designated as a market economy, if it is broadly playing by the rules based upon the definition set by the Commerce Department, tariffs aren’t appropriate. “However, we absolutely think that targeted trade enforcement is appropriate and really needed.”

In support of this view, JW Aluminum’s Roush says he believes that the foil and common alloy sheet trade cases filed by the Aluminum Association on behalf of its members have had a positive impact on the market, creating a more level playing field while also addressing Chinese overcapacity concerns.

Aluminum extrusions could also benefit from the anticircumvention case against China Zhongwang Holdings Ltd. and its affiliates that asserts that Vietnam has been shipping product into the United States that were made for aluminium previously extruded in China, therefore avoiding antidumping and countervailing duties imposed in 2011. In mid-May the U.S. Commerce Department issued an affirmative preliminary determination in that case. AEC’s says the industry has already felt much of the impact of this case, which has been pending for a while. He also pointed out that there have recently been increased extrusion imports from such other Southeast Asian countries as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, possibly due to transshipments from China.

Roush says that these trade cases have been a factor in recent US aluminium capacity investment, which he says is now at a greater level than it had been in about 20 years. For example, JW Aluminum is investing $300 million in continuous casting operations in Goose Creek, S.C., including in new melting, casting, rolling

equipment, which Roush says will give the mill capabilities – including width capabilities – that surpass those of other domestic suppliers. JW plans to phase in those investments over the next few years, starting in mid-2020. The company is also spending another $30 million to upgrade equipment at its other operations.

This and several other rolled aluminium investments come as, even with the restart of previously idled capacity demand exceeds supply, observes Craig Bouchard, chief executive officer of Braidy Industries Inc., which, in cooperation with UC Rusal, is building what it claims to be the first greenfield aluminium rolling mill in the United States in 37 years. He says that currently U.S. aluminium sheet and plate production is only 4.6 million tonnes vs. about 6 million tonnes of demand. Novelis Inc. has also announced plans to build a 200,000 tonne per year greenfield auto sheet mill in Guthrie, Ky. Scheduled to come online in 2021, the Braidy Atlas rolling mill in Ashland, Ky., is expected to have ability to produce 500,000 tonnes of hot rolled band and 300,000 tonnes of sheet – about 200 tonnes of auto sheet and 100,000 tonnes of common alloy sheet – per year, Bouchard says, stating that the mill’s capacity is already sold out for its first seven years of production. In addition to investing $200 million in the mill, Rusal has agreed to supply Braidy Atlas with 130,000 tonnes of slabs and 70,000 tons of P1020 ingot per year for 10 years from their smelters in Russia.

This comes as recent restarts of idled capacity is expected to result in a 30.5 percent increase U.S. primary aluminium production this year, but Cao says that has done little to dent the 4-5 million tonnes per year of primary aluminium imports July/August 2019

08/07/2019 14:24:35

44 US ALUMINIUM MARKET

needed by U.S. aluminium companies.

He notes that Alcoa Corp., which has already restarted two of the three potlines at its Warrick, Ind., smelter and plans to restart the third as well for a total capacity increase of 161,000 tonnes per year, was the first to take such a move. That was followed by Century Aluminum Co., which restarted three lines at its Hawesville, Ky., smelter late last year, and Magnitude 7 Metals restarting two of the three potlines at its New Madrid, Mo., smelter.

Mothersole says that even compared with the rest of the world the U.S. aluminium market stands out as an island of prosperity, underlying demand has been somewhat mixed thus far this year with lightweighting initiatives in for transportation equipment – its largest end-use sector – playing to aluminium’s strengths, while, at least to date, consumption by the construction sector has been somewhat disappointing, partly because of lingering adverse weather conditions. Meanwhile the other major end market – packaging – is, as is traditionally the case, seeing very modest growth, although, Meenan says that it is possible that going forward aluminium use there could start to pickup of demand for aluminium cans given increased environmental and health concerns related to plastics.

“Even though U.S. automotive sales have come down slightly year on year, we haven’t seen a falloff in aluminium demand from that sector because of the increased usage of aluminium per vehicle in many different applications, especially light trucks,” CRU’s Hilderhoff points out. And that trend is generally expected to continue. In fact, Nate Beavers, president and founder of the Plymouth, Mich.,-based Automotive Aluminum Advisors consultancy group, predicts that, driven by a number of factors, including more stringent fuel economy and emissions standards and changes in the vehicle mix, the amount of aluminium consumed by the U.S. automotive market to double by 2025.

July/August 2019

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While U.S. light vehicle sales are expected to ease this year to about 16.9 million units from 17.2 million units in 2018 and 17.7 million units at its peak in 2016, other factors – including vehicle mix – have been supportive of aluminium use, including that about 73 percent of the autos produced in the United States ae light trucks, which use more metal, including aluminium. “Also there have been several new launches of models with greater aluminium content,” Beavers observes, “And over the next several years we will likely see further increases in aluminium use, not just for closure panels, but also in the body-in-white,” especially as more electric vehicle models are brought to market. “Given the weight of their batteries and the need for greater range, electric vehicles require a lightweight vehicle architecture and aluminium is natural fit for that,” he explains.

Hilderhoff says that such dynamics has resulted in in a surge of in auto sheet consumption over the past several years. He says that while it is likely to continue to grow, the rate of growth has been slowing from the previous “lofty” numbers – 31 percent growth in 2017 and 20 percent growth last year. He says that 2019 growth is about 15 percent and it is expected to ease further to about eight percent next year.

He says this is due to a number of factors, including the amount that the aluminium share has already grown and competition for advanced high strength steels and other materials. Still, Braidy’s Bouchard says that he expects U.S. aluminium auto body sheet demand to reach 1.3 million tonnes by 2023, up from a projected 950,000 tonnes in 2019 and 880,000 tonnes last year.

Aluminium use for other transportation equipment is also seen strong. Demand for commercial trucks and truck trailers likely to remain at or near the record levels achieve last year. Also, despite Boeing cutting back the production

levels for its 737 MAX aircraft following a second catastrophic accident this March, Mothersole says it appears that the aerospace industry is on the cusp of an upswing.

Meanwhile U.S. aluminium consumption by the construction, while being okay, has been somewhat softer than what had anticipated, partly because of adverse weather conditions which have delayed the onset of the spring building season. But even though those issues are now largely behind us, Hilderhoff says that he isn’t expecting to see a massive surge in demand for aluminium going into construction during the second half of the year, especially given a shortage of construction workers.

Aluminium use in building and construction and HVAC is largely tied to housing starts and remodeling activity and Hilderhoff says that he believes that U.S. housing starts are likely to be on par or even a little lower than 2018 levels despite the fact that they had moved up 5.7 percent month on month in April and the National Association of Home Builders reports that builder confidence is at the highest level since October 2018.

Roush says, noting that a combination of increases in new household formation and the age of the nation’s housing stock are supportive of the market. He says that about 50 percent of that demand will come from remodeling activity as, according to a recent study, about 80 percent of US houses are currently at least 20 years old with 40 percent at least 50 years old. “That gives us confidence that demand for building and construction products will remain robust,” he says.

“I believe that the U.S. aluminium market will pickup some later this year,” given positive trends in transportation equipment and expectations of at least slight growth in construction demand, Hilderhoff says, with further upside next year – largely driven by the automotive sector. � Aluminium International Today

08/07/2019 14:24:35

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46 RUSSIA UPDATE

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Rusal plans to restore position in domestic and global Al markets Russian Rusal plans to gradually restore its positions in the domestic and global aluminum markets in years to come, thanks to the recent lifting of the US sanctions against the company and its former owner Oleg Deripaska.

The existed restrictions had a negative effect on the business of the company and even forced the government to design a package of measures for its support.

According to latest statistics, published by the company, its major financial indicators for Q1 of the current year, such as EBITDA, net profit and revenue, significantly declined on year-on-year basis.

Weak performance became the result of serious problems of the company, caused by sanctions and the decrease of global aluminum prices.

Rusal expects this year the growth in global aluminum demand will not exceed +3%, compared to 2018, when these figures grew by +3.6%.

Still, despite the existing problems, the company remains positive, hoping to fulfill all of its initial goals and obligations which were set prior to sanctions.

Perhaps, the most priority goal of the company involves the expansion of its range, with paying a particular focus for the increase of production of high added value products. The imposition of the US sanctions resulted in the decline of the share of such products in the overall structure of production of Rusal from 48% in Q1 2018 to only 20% a year later.

However, the company expects that it may reach 40% already this year and about 50% in 2020.

According to Yevgeny Nikitin, CEO of Rusal, in order to implement these plans the company plans to allocate significant funds this year.

In addition to the expansion of highadded value range, the company also plans to continue the construction of some of its major aluminium-producing facilities.

That involves building of the first stages of its Taishet and Boguchansky Smelters, which combined designed capacity will exceed 1 million tonnes annually.

At present building of these facilities are currently ongoing. In regard to

Boguchansky plant, several weeks ago Rusal, together with RusHydro, (the world’s second-largest hydroelectric power producer), have officially commissioned the second stage of the Boguchansky Smelter (BoAZ), so its capacities reached 298,000 tonnes of aluminum per year.

The commissioning of a new stage of BoAZ allows Rusal to increase its overall output by almost 4%.

The new Boguchansky Smelter is built

by Rusal together with a large scale hydropower plant (that will be operated

by RysHydro), that will act a major energy supplier for its needs. According to Rusal, the volume of investments in the project is estimated at US$1.69 billion.

The company puts big hopes on its BoAZ facility, which is expected to be Russia’s largest plant for the production of casting alloys for the automotive industry.

One of its major distinctive features will be the focus on the manufacture of products with low carbon footprint, the content of which will be about three times lower than those in similar products, which are produced by Rusal’s major competitors.

According to Nikitin, that will be mainly achieved by the use of carbon-free energy sources in the manufacturing processes of the company.

Nikitin has also added Rusal expects a high global demand for its innovative low carbon footprint products, due to a big interest of some global enterprises and corporations for the reduction of the carbon footprint in their production processes, and during the procurements of raw materials.

In addition, the list of other innovative products, that will be produced by the company will include an electric wire, that will be mostly intended for the use in the construction and automotive industries.

Finally, as part of the plans of Rusal is more active use of aluminum technologies for 3D printing.

In regard to BoAZ, its total design capacity will be 600,000 tonnes of aluminum per year. The company does not disclose its plans, when it will be able to achieve such output.

According to Oleg Mukhamedshin, Rusal’s director for strategy, business development and financial markets, in addition to Boguchansky Smelter, another priority project for the company involves building of its Taishet facility, which is another currently built plant, located in the Irkutsk region of the Russian Siberia.

The volume of investments in this project is estimated at RUB 80.3 billion (US$1,5 billion), most of which are expected to be allocated from the own sources of the company, while the remaining will be provided by VEB, one of Russia’s largest banks, owned by the state.

According to Mukhamedshin, the commissioning of the Taishet plant is scheduled for 2021.

Overall, the cost of investment program for Rusal this year will reach US$900 million, that will be comparable to the figures of 2018. The same sum is also planned for 2020.

In the case of Taishet, Rusal began its construction 2006, however three years later decided to suspend it, due to the consequences of the global recession.

The design capacity of the plant is set at almost 429,000 tonnes of aluminium per year.

Currently the annual volume of production of Rusal is estimated at 3.8 million tonnes, however the company hopes to increase these figures up to 4 million tonnes already during the next several years. �

July/August 2019

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11/07/2019 10:30:05

FOCUS ON: TRADE WAR 49 5

www.aluminiumtoday.com

The European Aluminium Market amidst the Perfect Storm: Faltering WTO and Escalating Trade War

By Markus Taube*

In early April the WTO published its decision on a Russian-Ukrainian dispute over the legitimacy of Russian restrictions on exports originating in Ukraine based on the claim of national security concerns. The tone of the judgement was professional and strictly matter of fact. But the subtext hidden behind the announcement is one of defiance against the Trump administration’s endeavours to undermine multilateral global economic governance mechanisms and communicates a strong determination to reassert the WTO’s authority over global trade matters. The WTO stated clearly that (i) it has the authority to determine and rule whether a specific situation warrants trade restrictions on the grounds of national security concerns; and (ii) it outlined what situations and developments may constitute such legitimate national security concerns.

It needs no reminder that in 2018 the Trump administration justified its import tariffs on a broad range of aluminium product from nearly all over the world in terms of national security concerns. Taking recourse to a national law from the coldwar era it postulated that the quantities and circumstances of aluminium imports threaten to impair the national security and impair the country’s ability to defend itself as defined by Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act of 1962. This entitled the President to singlehandedly impose countervailing trade measures.

A memo of Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in which he finds that “the U.S. military

requirements for steel and aluminum each only represent about three percent of U.S. production. Therefore, DoD [Department of Defense] does not believe that the findings in the re-ports impact the ability of DoD programs to acquire the steel or aluminum necessary to meet national defense requirements” had no effect on the President’s actions.

The latest WTO ruling gives now a clear indication that these U.S. tariffs stand outside the realm of WTO-rules and constitute a unilateral breach of multilateral agreements on the ordering of international trade. According to WTO regulations any trade restrictions rationalised with national security concerns must be based on “a fundamental change of circumstances which radically alters the factual matrix in which the WTOconsistency of the measures at issue is to be evaluated”. This is certainly not the case for the global aluminium industry and the role of the U.S. therein.

Against this background the EU’s complaint against the U.S. tariffs at the WTO stand a good chance of being successful. But in the short run, this will not help the industry as the tariffs remain in place and the global aluminium industry needs to adjust to the new global market environment. And if the U.S. administration will accept the verdict, once a WTO judgement on its latest rounds of tariffs hikes is passed, remains an open question. As a matter of fact, this ruling may come only after the next election in the U.S. and encounter either a

substantially strengthened and even more assertive Trump administration or a new, decidedly different government.

But irrespective of the outcome of this juridical conflict, the underlying problem is real and this has nothing to do with any national security problems the global aluminium value chain may pose to the U.S. The fundamental issue lies in the fact that during the last decades (economic) globalisation has been too successful for its own good. The economic dynamics it has unleashed, the geographical reorganisation of capital and trade flows as well as the shifting economic power constellations it has brought about have fundamentally changed the “game”.

All this has led to a situation where the institutions that have facilitated economic globalisation until today are no longer fit to effectively coordinate the interaction of billions of economic subjects in the world system. The WTO is probably the most obvious example of these global multilateral institutions in need of a new set-up.

In the decades preceding the economic boom in many less developed and emerging economies, the incumbent industrial nations had allowed the WTO to establish an asymmetric global trade order. In order to promote economic development worldwide, this order granted less developed economies higher import tariffs and other protectionist practices while the leading industrial economies committed themselves to low tariff rates for everybody and (comparatively) open

*University of Duisburg-Essen Aluminium International Today

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July/August 2019

10/07/2019 11:08:43

50 FOCUS ON: TRADE WAR

markets. As the unfolding globalisation and massive economic catch-up of less developed economies in recent decades has shown, this policy has been tremendously successful. But it has come with two major design faults. First of all, the operating design follows the strategic postulate which is known in German as “Wandel durch Handel”, literally “tradeinduced change”. In the meantime this strategy appears to have lost its empirical justification. And secondly, the formerly less developed economies have no incentive to re-negotiate the existing arrangements and bring the WTO to higher stages once they have now reached higher stages of development. At the same time, the leading industrial economies have no goodies to hand-out anymore, as their economies are already more or less as open as they can be.

It is necessary to take a closer look at these problems in the design of the WTO accords. The idea of “Wandel durch Handel” is that intensive economic interaction will lead to institutional changes in the less developed or nonmarket partner economies and trigger a convergence process towards the “Western” model. As this convergence is expected to materialise relatively quickly, asymmetric rules for bilateral economic exchange and discriminatory practices against own firms appear to be acceptable.

By definition, this is the price to be paid for these very economies’ fast transition to the Western ordering system (eventually not only economy-wise, but also in terms of democratic political structures). In order to work out, this policy hinges on two parameters: (i) the own, Western, ordering system must proof itself to be superior thereby exerting a natural pull towards its “better”, transaction-cost reducing and welfare enhancing institutional set-up. (ii) Own firms and industries discriminated against by the less developed economies must be significantly superior in terms of their business models, technological and innovation capabilities as well as financial means in order to be able to absorb any unfair treatment.

Taking a look at the realities of today, these two parameters appear no longer to be a given. The credibility and alleged superiority of the Western model of competition-based market economies has been seriously compromised by a series of crises (sub-prime, Lehman, Euro, etc.). At the same time, especially Asian economies have gone through remarkable processes of economic development and growth by implementing un-orthodox policies and institutional arrangements. And in the course of these developments, a significant number of highly competitive and financially strong firms have arisen in July/August 2019

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these economies that are now challenging the old incumbents in their home economies.

The second design fault highlighted above, relates to the negotiation deadlock preventing the WTO from adjusting its institutional set-up to the requirements of an altered global economic landscape (in terms of relative strengths as well as technological features). The newcomer economies have little incentives to give-up their privileges without any compensation.

But the industrial economies having accepted an asymmetrical global ordering system favouring the (former) less developed economies and having reduced their own market entry barriers to only minor tariff barriers and comparatively liberal market access regimes, now have little left to buy-in the consent of the former for a less asymmetrical global world order and a more effective WTO. Negotiations have stalled.

This stalemate must be broken up and a new WTO that is better qualified to meet the coordination needs of today be established. This is the perhaps only way towards a new, peace safeguarding and welfare creating global (economic) system. The Trump administration’s blunt power politics may have dealt a catalysing shock to the, until then immobilised stakeholders and pave the way to new agreements. Slim hopes remain. But doubts exist about the true

motives of the current U.S. administration and their willingness to support such a supranational ordering agency at all. Two proposals for a major reform of the WTO drafted by the European Union and jointly issued with support of China and India as well as Australia, Canada, Iceland, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea and Switzerland did not find an affirmative response from the U.S. The alternative to a reformed WTO would be a world that, in the better case, retreats to a spaghetti bowl of bilateral treaties, or, in a worse constellation, a world that becomes walled up in adversarial blocks again. All these scenarios would massively impede global economic welfare by dislocating existing global value chains and foregoing the gains of cross-border labour division.

No solution appears to be at hand at the moment. In the meantime, we observe governments world-wide to establish new bilateral or regional trade and investment treaties designed to fill the voids left by an increasingly dysfunctional WTO and the demise of a consensus-based global economic governance regime.

This is the more or less constructive side to it. At the same time, we also note an increasing number of unilateral initiatives to decouple national economies from the international context in order to establish national solutions to global problems.

The dramatic tightening of Chinese import regulations for a broad range of plastic garbage, scrap metals (including aluminium scrap), and other waste-based resources constitutes a good example for this development.

In a world that is less and less able to communicate and find joint solutions to pressing problems, these measures (perhaps) provide a best-practice solution to a major challenge to man-kind. But it lies far apart from the ecological optimum – not to mention the disruptions reverberating through the global aluminium value chains.

For the time being, it looks as if the aluminium industry should better prepare itself for increasingly insular national markets, as global value chains (of the aluminium industry itself as well as those of aluminium processing customers) are disintegrating. In the short run, this implies a global build-up of capacities on all tiers of the value chain. This build-up of these new, domestic-market oriented facilities, however, will turn into over-capacities on the global market once the global system becomes re-integrated. Crisis potential heaped on existing crisis. No matter what scenario will apply, in the next couple of years managing aluminium businesses will be an exciting (and certainly challenging) job. � Aluminium International Today

10/07/2019 11:08:44

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THE COMBINATION OF A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES WITH A NETWORK OF LOCAL EXPERTS IN THE ALUMINIUM INDUSTRY FIVES’ EXPERTS ARE COMMITTED TO ASSISTING CUSTOMERS in both improving their plant’s performance and availability, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of their installations.

Thanks to highly-skilled and proactive Aluminium teams based in Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Europe, India, Russia, South Africa and UA E, Fives provides an efficient response to your daily needs. From preventive maintenance, modernization, inspection, repair to audit and training, Fives has a unique technical expertise coming from its experience as both equipment designer and supplier, and global solution integrator.

Fives aims at enhancing production on a long-term basis while ensuring operators’ safety and equipment reliability.

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54 PROJECTS & PRODUCTS The aluminium industry is constantly embarking on new projects and developing new products. In this regular feature, Aluminium International Today presents the latest announcements in these areas.

If you’d like the opportunity to be considered for publication, please contact: nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com

Aluminium profiles for e-mobility in highest quality Hammerer Aluminium Industries (HAI) is investing in a high-end production line at its Austrian site in Ranshofen. The aim is to produce aluminium profiles of the highest quality for the future topic of e-mobility. With an automatic crane and a fully automated buffer store, the SPS Group and Vollert ensure damage-free material flow between the existing and extended production lines. From planning to commissioning, the intralogistics specialists needed only 12 months.

With the investment in a new fully automated production line announced at the beginning of 2018, the HAI Group is consistently pursuing its ambitious growth targets until 2025.

Gillespie & Powers Partnership Gillespie & Powers Inc. has entered into a Strategic Partnership with Remelt Technologies, Inc. to offer Remelt Technologines Homogenising Furnaces, DC Casting Machine Automation and DC Casting Machines.

Remelt Technologies Inc. has a 26-year history of supplying quality equipment. Mr. Jack Gillespie Vice President of Gillespie & Powers said “ Gillespie & Powers Inc. is proud that Mr. Gary Bowden, President of Remelt Technologies has entrusted them to continue providing equipment and services that will continue this legacy.”

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Alexandria Industries buys new extrusion press Alexandria Industries has invested in a new aluminium extrusion press. The press will make aluminium components that go into customer products people see and use every day.

Made by Presezzi Extrusion Group (Vimercate, MB-Italy), the press will allow Alexandria Industries to increase its aluminium extrusion capabilities, extrude more complex product features, and hold tighter tolerances, while utilising a variety of alloys. Alexandria Industries will gain an extra 30 percent in extrusion capacity.

“By combining the latest in aluminium extrusion technology with the best employees, we will continue to lead our industry,” said Tom Schabel, CEO, Alexandria Industries. “This investment also aligns with our company vision and commitment to excellence. The new system will provide

robust extruded aluminium components for our customers, while providing us continued business growth into the future.”

Hydro Extrusions Hungary reaps benefit with Ametek Land’s Spot Al EQS Pyrometer Hydro Extrusions Hungary, the largest European extrusion plant for worldwide aluminium company, Hydro, recently incorporated AMETEK Land’s SPOT AL EQS pyrometer and SPOT Actuator to optimise the quality of its extruded aluminium profile products.

Hydro Extrusions Hungary was looking for an infrared pyrometer that would enable fast profile tracking and highly-accurate temperature measurement results. The company also required a pyrometer that was compact in size, insensitive to outside light conditions and easy to set up.

AMETEK Land’s SPOT AL EQS pyrometer was ideal for this application as it operated in the temperature range 200 to 700°C/392 to 1292 °F while offering quick and accurate temperature measurements. The pyrometer was installed on two presses at the profile exit and quench. Hydro Extrusion Hungary integrated the data into their

advanced data collection system, delivering enhanced process control.

With a focus on client needs: Pilot casting complex In March 2019, the Casting Centre of Rusal’s Engineering and Technology Centre began operating a new pilot casting complex. The new facility was designed to ensure the company’s leading position in treatment and casting of aluminium.

The complex is physically located at the Krasnoyarsk smelter and is equipped with advanced process and analytical equipment. It will be used to tackle complicated production tasks to ensure Rusal’s smelters offer its customers high quality and cost efficient products. It will also help provide basic and advanced training for casthouse operators and process engineers. The services of the complex are also available to other market participants.

The complex includes several furnaces, slab and billet casters, a whole range of melt refining and filtration equipment, and facilities for thermal treatment and rolling of slabs. All this is supported by a solid analytical and control suite

to assure quality during casting and subsequent operations. In total, the company invested over USD 30 mln in the project.

10/07/2019 11:09:48

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QA 56 FOCUS ON: ANTIMICROBIAL ALUMINIUM

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Nadine Bloxsome spoke to Maxime Dumont, Operations Manager at A3 Surfaces about the world’s first biodegradable, self-disinfecting aluminium surface.

1. How does A3Surface technology work with aluminium?

A3 Surfaces developed this technology which enables the anodized layer created artificially to enclose broad spectrum antimicrobial substances. This process makes the surface microbiocide. In other words, bacteria or germs (ae: bacteria, viruses, yeast, etc.) that come in contact with the surface are exterminated in less than 5 minutes. The effect on the population is noticeable in seconds.

2.How important is aluminium when creating a bacteria-free product?

We believe that a self-disinfecting surface offers humongous advantages to prevent cross contaminations in public and health care areas like schools, hospitals, health clinics, etc. The costs of nosocomial infections for a country are surreal and they generally come from cross contamination.

In Canada, 200 million dollars are spent each year to deal with such infections.

Therefore, having surfaces that kill bacteria within 5 minutes would definitely help governments or health institutes cut expenses.

3. What are the benefits of this technology?

The major benefit with the A3S technology is that it changes the need to disinfect surfaces in institutes such as hospitals.

We want to decrease the cost of surfaces disinfection and human error which cost a lot to health industry and users. We want to bring an additional safety measure to the system.

4. What projects/areas of development is the company focusing on?

We are finalising a project with the

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hospital of Chicoutimi for isolation chambers that host patients contaminated with C. difficile, E. coli and other nosocomial infections. The goal is to show that our surfaces help prevent cross contaminations. Commercially, we are focusing for the moment on door handles, push plates, floor and wall tiles.

There are other projects coming in such as disinfecting water in cooling towers but the market is less accessible and we are finalising the specific surface for this field.

5. How are you rolling out the technology across Canada?

We are the provider so people and companies needing such a product call us and we then can either treat the parts they send us or order their parts and treat them. We also think that the project with the hospital of Chicoutimi is going to bring some visibility in Canada and even the United States. Also, we participate regularly in show cases in other countries such as United Arab Emirates and Germany.

6. What other markets/areas of interest are you focusing on?

We have many ideas such as operating room in hospitals, laboratories, commercial kitchens and such. We are in the process of being certified by Health Canada and EPA to develop every possible market.

7. Are there any other applications/ products this technology could be applied to?

Everything that is or could be made in aluminium could be treated with our technology to fight diseases and eliminate microorganisms. For example, operating tables that are made out of steel could be made out of aluminium instead and be treated to be antimicrobial so that the surface would be disinfected continuously.

8. What does this sort of breakthrough mean for the aluminium industry and aluminium as a product of the future?

We offer an aluminium surface that didn’t exist before and in markets where aluminium has a trivial place.

Since our technology is only possible with aluminium for the moment, every company that wants our product must convert the parts they wish to be treated to aluminium.

Concurringly, we believe that aluminium could get more opportunities in markets that were until now locked. �

July/August 2019

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Aluminium International Today

08/07/2019 14:30:21

The balancing artist Inside a scorching hot electrolyte cell is where Pedro spends most of his time. He travelled more than 10.000 kilometers from Sao Paulo to Årdal to research aluminum, but at Hydro’s research center the distance between theory and practice is short. The calculations made on the computer must be carefully analyzed and verified under real-life conditions. Pedro is trying to find the perfect energy balance needed to produce the world’s greenest aluminum.

We are aluminium Read more at hydro.com