Electromobility is catching on and is forcing an entire industry to transform. But how do the individual markets develop in terms of demand, production and infrastructure? An analysis of six countries.

The market in the metals industry is constantly on the move - and so are raw material prices. This report, which is published monthly by IKB Deutsche Industriebank, focuses on aluminum and zinc and highlights the most important developments in June 2022.

KS HUAYU AluTech GmbH, a 50:50 Joint Venture of the technology enterprise Rheinmetall AG and the Chinese Automotive Supplier HASCO, has received the biggest order in its company history.

GF Casting Solutions, a division of GF, Schaffhausen (Switzerland), and the leading light-metal castings and assemblies solutions provider Bocar Group, Mexico City (Mexico), have signed an agreement to offer a specialized range of products and services worldwide.

Due to several influences, the aluminum foundry industry has experienced significant change over the last few years. These influences and connected questions are addressed in this strategy review.

Magnesium die casting has an enormous field of application: Many different engineering disciplines benefit from the special material properties of this non-ferrous metal.

In 2013, the IMA published the study "Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Magnesium Components in Vehicle Construction," which was written by the Institute of Vehicle Concepts of the German Aerospace Center. This report details the results of the update.

One of the next decades’ goals will be a further reduction of emissions to lower the growing environmental impact. Considering this, light metals as construction materials are generally viewed to become critical in the future.

While the revolutionary changes in the automotive industry and the overall manufacturing landscape are exciting, it is a reorientate-or-die-situation for the traditional supplier industry. If you perceive change too late, reality hits you all the harder. Against this background, the Korean mono-manufacturer SJM is an eye-opening example of how the change to e-mobility can be managed.

The BMW Group's light metal foundry at the Landshut component plant in Lower Bavaria is now using an innovative multi-plate mold technology for die casting. Central advantage over conventional mold technology: Component weights and dimensions can be reduced through function-optimized component design and an idealized layout of the required sprue positions and flow paths.

YXLON International has introduced a brand-new computed tomography system to the global market with six online events in February. With its compact and durable design, the new YXLON UX50 has been developed especially for the production environment, with a specific focus on the automotive and foundry industry. The system is ideally suited for testing components of traditional drive technology as well as the growing e-mobility with its particular requirements.

The industry is preparing for the future. Growing demand from different sectors goes hand in hand with the need to keep up with new requirements relating to part quality, increasing competition and pricing pressures. It will also be increasingly important for foundries to reduce their environmental footprint. Truly viable and sustainable ways of optimizing production processes are in demand. Select release agents proven to stand up to the demanding applications in practice can support obtaining these goals.

At the IAA, Kirchhoff Automotive presented a hybrid battery housing in lightweight design for pure electric vehicles. It is not only robust, but also suitable for different models.

ItalPresseGauss is launching a new generation of Toggle Free High Pressure Die Casting machines that will deliver ‘custom made’ performance, faster and with less cost, perfectly adapting to casting needs with wide optionality.

TPV Automotive helps to shape the future of mobility through manufacturing components for e-mobility and driving with green electricity. As a development, innovation and production partner for the automotive industry, the company supports car manufacturers in the electrification of their vehicle portfolio. When it comes to aluminum components for e-cars, such as battery trays, the TPV Automotive team highlights its technology and process expertise - including the use of friction stir welding technology.

The light metal foundry at the BMW Group plant in Landshut continues to be pioneer in sustainability. Thanks to electrically powered heating stations, the BMW Group plant manages to save around 60 tons of CO2 per heating station per year.