Automotive engineering and construction are among the growth and innovation drivers of the aluminium industry. That’s why the ALUMINIUM trade fair from 7 to 9 October will dedicate two special areas to the latest developments in both segments: entitled “Automotive Innovations” and “Building Innovations”, they will feature exhibitors presenting distinguished high-tech products – from heat sink with integrated fluid passages to anti-graffiti powder coatings to modular railing systems.

Today’s cars contain approximately 150 kilograms of aluminium – a figure that is set to rise to 180 kilograms by 2020, according to estimates by the European Aluminium Association (EAA). The special area “Automotive Innovations” will showcase some of the latest aluminium solutions.

Fot: ALUMINIUM

Drahtzug Stein combicore will present in Düsseldorf highly stable cores used by foundries to implement oil and cooling channels in castings. For the first time, this method enables undercuts even in high-pressure die casting. At the Innovation Area, combicore will present a transmission casing with integrated oil channels. GLEICH Aluminiumwerk from Kaltenkirchen will come to Düsseldorf with their distortion-free and form-stable aluminium precision plate G.AL C250 ELOX Plus, which features superior properties for anodising and hard anodising. AHC Oberflächentechnik will present a novel process for oxidising aluminium surfaces without the use of chemicals. LASOX-COAT® is a laser-based selective oxidation process for aluminium surfaces. This selective surfacing process also enables the creation of letterings or patterns. Chemetall will present Gardo®Flex at ALUMINIUM, a new multi-metal pre-treatment for the automotive industry. The new Gardo®Flex system consists of a large number of high-performance modules utilising zinc-phosphate technology.

The product range on display at the special area “Building Innovations” is similarly diverse. In Germany alone, more than 500,000 tonnes of aluminium are used in building projects every year. When it comes to façades, windows and doors, sanitation facilities, and bridge or weight-bearing structures, the material meets the highest standards of functionality, corrosion resistance, surface properties and design.

(Aluminium 2014)