5 East Packer Avenue
Bethlehem, PA 18015
(610)758-4218 Olga Ramos, Coordinator
(610)758-4252 Wojciech Z. Misiolek, Director
Fax: (610)758-4244
September 27, 2002
Dear Aluminum Industry Representative,
Enclosed please find the summary of the first Industry of the Future
– Aluminum workshop. Your comments concerning these topics will direct
the follow-up meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, November 6, 2002.
Sincerely,
Professor Wojciech Z. Misiolek
Director of Institute for Metal Forming
Dear Attendee:
Earlier this month the first Industries of the Future meeting on the aluminum industry was
held at Lehigh University. Representatives from the industry throughout Pennsylvania
State attended in order to provide their input for the creation of a “roadmap” detailing the
following questions :
“Where are we in the industry today?”
“Where would we like to be?”
“How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?”
This roadmap will be further refined, and in February will be provided to the United
States Department of Energy in order to direct research initiatives to fund precompetitive
research to :




Reduce energy
Reduce pollution / waste
Increase science and technology transfer to increase productivity
Stimulate growth / jobs
Outlines of these discussions follow. We ask that you read through the outlines, and, in
the appendices at the end of the report :



Circle or highlight topics you particularly agree with
Cross-out issues you disagree with
Add your own thoughts.
Then we ask that you e-mail, mail or fax the report to :
Institute for Metal Forming
c/o Olga Ramos
5 E Packer Ave
Bethlehem, PA
18015
voice: 610-758-4218
fax : 610-758-4244
email : olr2@lehigh.edu
When adding comments, please keep this in mind : consider yourself a representative
of your industry, rather than of your particular company. Please include issues which
you feel may apply to any producer in your industry, even if they are issues which do
not specifically apply to your own company.
Thank you.
List of Attendees
Wrought Session Attendees:
Richard Kelly (Chairman)
Werner Co.
John Askeland
AMPAL, Inc.
Glen Kendro
Quaker Chemical
John Schleicher
New York Wire
Paul Wang, Christine Retarides
Alcoa
Recycling Session Attendees:
Byron Johns (Chairman)
Birdsboro Alloying
Joe Barret
DOE – Regional Office
Donald Bogusky
Bosch Rexroth
John Frey
Air Products
Bill Jahn
Jahn Consulting
Jim Dale
Metal Powder Ind.
Will Van Geertruyden
EMV Technologies
Bill Linton
Pennex Aluminum
Sean Wenhold
Yarde Metals
Moderators:
Alexander Bandar and Heather Browne
Lehigh University, Institute for Metal Forming
Cast Session Attendees:
Robert M. Madigan (Chairman)
Blue Ridge Metal
Michael Cuchran and Pete Kornse
Bosch Rexroth
William Easterly
Crescent Manufacturing
Tim Dodge and Artur Jagielski
Dent Manufacturing, Inc.
Paul Roamer and Bill Rossi
Howmet Aluminum
Moderators:
Mario Epler and Frank Gift
Lehigh University, Institute for Metal Forming
Moderators:
Steven Claves and Kelly Wardlow
Lehigh University, Institute for Metal Forming
Meeting Organizers :
Wojciech Z. Misiolek
Director, Institute for Metal Forming
Olga Ramos
Coordinator, Institute for Metal Forming
State / Federal Representatives
David Althoff
Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Protection
Joe Barret
Department of Energy – Regional Office
Wrought Alloy Discussion :
1.
Technology Transfer
Where are we?
 Bottlenecks exist between university, government, and industry. At present,
there is a lagging distance between what can actually be done as compared to
what is being done. There is a dearth of new engineers. University research
pace is slow. Cost of overhead is daunting to small companies.
 There is a significant delay in the approval of new standards. This reflects a
problem in making the aluminum market share larger.
 There is a need for practical scientific data. Information concerning space
frame welding, P/M stock standards, P/M metallographic techniques, and the
effect of long-term corrosion on aluminum needs to be assembled.
 Manufacturing-line data is irregular and unapplied. Measuring the exittemperature of an extrudate 20 feet past the die is not optimum. There is a
need for new sensors and additional information throughout the plant, which
should be collected centrally and catalogued and used in a helpful manner.
 DOD’s ManTech program is growing less helpful for small businesses, and
focusing more on larger companies.
Where do we want to be?
 An atlas of stock P/M powders is desired
 A manual for P/M metallography standards is desired
 An atlas of long-term effect on corrosion of aluminum is desired
 Knowledge of aluminum space-frame welding, as well as rewelding and
straightening of aluminum space-frames is desired
How do we get there? What are some of the barriers to surmount?
 Must decide who best serves the role of technology transfer – the state, the
federal government, trade associations, or universities?

The infrastructure for collecting shop floor data to put towards practical use
does not exist.
 The Office of Industrial Technology should be provided with more data.
 What is the best way to educate young people to think on a scientific /
engineering level about aluminum?
2.
Collaboration
Where are we?
 In the P/M industry, small P/M companies make up the majority of employers
and employees in the state, yet they are not collaborating. They are unable to
employ University, government, or collaborative research programs. Small
businesses lack time; university students may be able to fill that void. The
cost of university overhead can be prohibitive.
 The distinction between precompetitive vs. competitive nature is not clearly
outlined.
 Relationships between suppliers and customers are more adversarial than
partnering. Companies in which a partnering relationship is fostered between
the customer and supplier enjoy greater success.
Where do we want to be?
 Desire to have a network where small companies can have simple projects
researched rapidly by universities.
How do we get there? What are some of the barriers to surmount?
 Make sure that the pre-competitive nature of collaborative research is clearly
defined.
 Increase availability of university research to small companies.
3.
Energy Efficiency
Where are we?
 Energy intensive processes are not optimized. Furnaces, P/M atomizers,
annealing schedules, and even processing steps are not as efficient as possible.
 Recycling is not optimum. Problems of segregation of returned commercial
parts, as well as labeling of shop-floor recycled materials exist.
Where do we want to be?

Much more efficient in the use of furnaces for both melting and annealing.
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
 Investigate adaptive furnaces.
 Reduce processing steps. In the short-term, optimize the process. In the longterm, change the process. Need modeling software which looks at the entire
manufacturing line, not just a single process.
 Reappraise the annealing process. Verify that the annealing schedules are
optimum for the product, rather than just a handbook value or tradition.
Employ university researchers / investigations of journal archives to
determine the impact of altering annealing processes.
 Investigate the need for a “recycled-alloy design”. Promote the notion that
recycled alloys do not mean lower quality.
4.
Process Modeling
Where are we?
 Process modeling software is not practical. Software is expensive, not threedimensional, and does not reflect shop-floor practicalities. Software is lacking
which models the entire manufacturing line’s process.
Where do we want to be?

Desire to have economical, three-dimensional modeling software which
models the entire manufacturing line in a practical, shop-floor manner.
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
 There is a decoupling between the need and the investment between
companies that use tooling and companies that design tooling. New software
to optimize tooling in three-dimensions requires capital. The small aluminum
companies which might provide this capital do not use the software, because
they do not design the tooling – many buy it from independent tool and die
companies. These tool and die companies do not want to fund new software
development.
 Fundamental computer hardware problems exist. Speed, memory, cost.
 Fundamental scientific knowledge is lacking. Three-dimensional capability;
first-principles knowledge; proper materials libraries; practical shop-floor
applicability must all be increased.
5.
Increasing the Aluminum market share through innovation :
Where are we?
 Traditional thinking still rules the industry. There is a need for universities,
trade associations, government, and industry to shed old traditions and to
produce in a thoughtful manner, rather than “the way it’s always been done”.
 There are a host of aluminum image problems. The environmental and
topical toxicity myths, and the perceived “grittiness” of the metal-forming
industry are invalid perceptions which impede policy and deter students from
pursuing the field.
Where do we want to be?
 Increase use of aluminum in applications where other materials are used.
 Create new applications for aluminum.
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
 Let the automotive industry’s drive to reduce automobile weight increase the
use of aluminum and P/M growth
 Building codes (BOCA) must be sensible. In some instances, aluminum is not
used simply because of tradition or lobby, rather than performance issues.
 Increase rate of approval of new standards.
 Emphasize new thinking.
 Ensure that technology is pulled by the market rather than pushed on it.
 Increase speed-to-market of new products.
Cast Alloy Discussion :
1.
Labor
Where are we?
 The labor force is, in general, resistant to change and difficult to retain.
 There are problems with communication. This includes technical phraseology
as well as primary language.
 There are problems with work ethic and with absenteeism.
 For technical, entry-level employees, there is a high turn over rate. This is
the “three-year-syndrome”. Technical entry level employees are hard to find
and hard to keep. There is also a general problem with a lack of practical
knowledge.
Where do we want to be?

Compete by manufacturing value-added products created by economical,
skilled labor; not by unskilled mass-production.
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
 Increased use of automation.
 Increased technical training.
 English classes for employees.
 Hire people with experience.
 Establish and participate in semi-skilled training programs.
2.
Global Competition
Where are we?
 Small businesses are unable to compete with non-value added, mass-produced
overseas imports. Labor and “up-front” costs are very high in the United
States.
Where do we want to be?

Not just locally competitive, but globally competitive. “If you’re not globally
competitive, you won’t exist locally for very long.”
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
 Import uncompetitive products; compete where you can.
 Set up manufacturing operations in global locations (follow big business).
 Remain competitive through labor reduction.
 Collaborate to identify opportunities and risks, and expand the leverage of
Pennsylvania companies.
 Expand engineering services into consulting services, instead of simply giving
technical expertise to customers gratis.
 Adapt to companies seeking short-term low costs and profits – an alternate
business model.
3.
Energy
Where are we?
 Gas and electricity costs are high and variable.
Where do we want to be?

More thoughtful and efficient about the use of energy.
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
 Convert to modern and more efficient furnaces (oil to electric).
 Reduce scrap (wasted melting and heat treatments).
 Produce new alloys that do not need a heat treatment.
 Investigate alternative energy sources like solar energy and wind.
 Replace iron parts in cars with aluminum parts to reduce overall automotive
energy use.
4.
Technical issues
Where are we?
 Present alloys do not have optimum fluidity during casting and/or mechanical
properties upon solidification.
 Berylliosis is still an issue.
 Porosity defects still plague the industry.
 Pollution with waste stream and reclamation of metallic solids are problems.
Where do we want to be?
 Consistently producing safe, porosity-free product in a rapid manner.
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
 Develop a new “356” alloy, with increased fluidity and improved mechanical
properties.
 Eliminate beryllium from Al-alloys such as “357”, “535”, and “5 series”.
Characterize Be-free alloys. Attempt to modify Department of Defense policy
Increase efficiency by reducing pollution. Reduce water-based waste stream
along with capturing and recycling metallic solids.
 Collaborate with university, government, and industry to share
precompetitive methods to reduce porosity.
Recycled Alloy Discussion:
1.
Scrap
Where are we today?
 The recycling process is uncentralized
 Composition of received material is not always known.
 It is not known how much scrap is produced in-house vs. recovered from
recycled end products.
 Environmental needs / policies change.
 Cost of aluminum varies widely, and hence so does the price of scrap.
 Unclear how much energy is saved when lower quality scrap is recycled.
Compared to the extra homogenization time, is this efficient?
 The driving force for change is not as great as the inertia to remain the same.
The amount of scrap used in production is fixed.
 The state-of-the-art of aluminum recycling is not universally employed.
 Reprocessing mills in North America are closing. Why?
Where do we want to be?
 We would like to increase the quality of recycled scrap so that less primary
material is needed.
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
 Must document the performance of alloys created from scrap.
 Must get industry to sort aluminum more efficiently. Must pick how to sort
scrap – all aluminum, aluminum series (1xxx-9xxx), or individual alloy?
 Must be more involved with the environmental policy makers. These must be
factually based, rather than lobbied for.
 Must find niche markets for the varying grades of aluminum Must also
determine what products can be made of higher or lower qualities of recycled
scrap.
 Microstructures should be studied to determine exactly the effect of recycled
alloy in new material. Should this be done after casting? After deformation?
In the final product?
 Must determine how much longer homogenization times are necessary as a
function of percent of included recycled product.
 Must find elements to neutralize tramp elements in the recycled melt.
2.
Education / debunking of myths
Where are we today?
 It is presently perceived that recycled aluminum is of lower quality, when in
fact it can be made to high standards.
 It is not widely understood how much energy is saved by using recycled
aluminum. It is not widely known how much aluminum is produced each
year, vs. how much aluminum is recycled each year (and at what savings in
energy / cost).
 It is not widely known how much scrap is generated
(Education / debunking of myths, continued)
Where do we want to be?
 We wish to promote a positive public image about aluminum, so that
aluminum products possess a desirable quality beyond the simply mechanical
and formative properties.
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
 The performance of recycled aluminum is not gauged.
 It is desirable to have the percent of recycled aluminum content indicated on
beverage cans.
Appendix A –
Outline of wrought aluminum “roadmap” topics
1. Technology Transfer
Where are we?
• Bottlenecks exist between university, government, and
industry.
• There is a delay in the approval of new standards.
• There is a need for practical scientific data.
• Manufacturing-line data is irregular and unapplied.
DOD’s ManTech program is growing less helpful for small
businesses, and focusing more on larger companies.
Where do we want to be?
• An atlas of stock P/M powders is desired
• A manual for P/M metallography standards is desired
• An atlas of long-term effect on corrosion of aluminum is
desired
• Knowledge of aluminum space-frame welding, as well as
rewelding and straightening of aluminum space-frames is
desired
How do we get there? What are some of the barriers?
• Must decide who best serves the role of technology transfer
– the state, the federal government, trade associations, or
universities?
• The infrastructure for collecting shop floor data to put
towards practical use does not exist.
• The Office of Industrial Technology should be provided
with more data.
• What is the best way to educate young people to think on a
scientific / engineering level about aluminum?
-
2. Collaboration
Where are we?
• In the P/M industry, small P/M companies make up the
majority of employers and employees in the state, yet they are
not collaborating
• The distinction between precompetitive vs. competitive
nature is not clearly outlined.
• Relationships between suppliers and customers are more
adversarial than partnering.
Where do we want to be?
• Desire to have a network where small companies can have
simple projects researched rapidly by universities.
How do we get there? What are some of the barriers?
• Make sure that the pre-competitive nature of collaborative
research is clearly defined.
• Increase availability of university research to small
companies.
-
3. Energy Efficiency
Where are we?
• Energy intensive processes are not optimized.
• Recycling is not optimum.
Where do we want to be?
• Much more efficient in the use of furnaces for both melting
and annealing.
How do we get there? What are some of the barriers?
• Investigate adaptive furnaces.
• Reduce processing steps.
• Reappraise the annealing process.
• Investigate the need for a “recycled-alloy design”.
-
4. Process Modeling
Where are we?
Process modeling software is not practical.
Where do we want to be?
• Desire to have economical, three-dimensional modeling
software which models the entire manufacturing line in a
practical, shop-floor manner.
How do we get there? What are some of the barriers?
• There is a decoupling between the need and the investment
between companies that use tooling and companies that
design tooling.
• Fundamental computer hardware problems exist.
• Fundamental scientific knowledge is lacking.
-
5. Increasing the Aluminum market
share through innovation :
Where are we?
• Traditional thinking still rules the industry.
• There are a host of aluminum image problems.
Where do we want to be?
• Increase use of aluminum in applications where other
materials are used.
• Create new applications for aluminum.
How do we get there? What are some of the barriers?
• Let the automotive industry’s drive to reduce automobile
weight increase the use of aluminum and P/M growth
• Building codes (BOCA) must be sensible.
• Increase rate of approval of new standards.
• Emphasize new thinking.
• Ensure technology is pulled by the market – not pushed.
• Increase speed-to-market of new products.
-
Appendix B –
Outline of cast aluminum “roadmap” topics
1. Labor
3. Energy Efficiency
Where are we?
• The labor force is, in general, resistant to change and
difficult to retain.
• There are problems with communication. This includes
technical phraseology as well as primary language.
• There are problems with work ethic and with absenteeism.
• For technical, entry-level employees, there is a high turn
over rate.
-
Where are we?
• Gas and electricity costs are high and variable.
Where do we want to be?
• Increase use of aluminum in applications where other
materials are used.
Create new applications for aluminum.
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
• Increased use of automation.
• Increased technical training.
• English classes for employees.
• Hire people with experience.
• Establish and participate in semi-skilled training
programs.
-
2. Global Competition
Where do we want to be?
• More thoughtful and efficient about the use of energy.
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
• Convert to modern and more efficient furnaces (oil to
electric).
• Reduce scrap (wasted melting and heat treatments).
• Produce new alloys that do not need a heat treatment.
• Utilize alternative energy sources like solar energy and
wind.
• Replace iron parts in cars with aluminum parts to reduce
overall automotive energy use..
-
4. Technical barriers
Where are we?
• Develop a new “356” alloy, with increased fluidity and
improved mechanical properties.
Where are we?
• Small businesses unable to compete with non-value added,
mass-produced overseas imports. Labor and “up-front” costs
are very high in the United States.
-
• Eliminate beryllium from Al-alloys such as “357”, “535”,
and “5 series”.
• Collaborate with university, government, and industry to
share precompetitive methods to reduce porosity.
-
Where do we want to be?
• Not just locally competitive, but globally competitive. “If
you’re not globally competitive, you won’t exist locally for
very long.”
-
Where do we want to be?
• Consistently producing safe, porosity-free product in a
rapid manner.
-
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
• Import uncompetitive products; compete where you can.
• Set up manufacturing operations in global locations
(follow big business).
• Remain competitive through labor reduction.
• Collaborate to identify opportunities and risks, and expand
the leverage of Pennsylvania companies.
• Expand engineering services – don’t “give them away”.
• Adapt to companies seeking short-term low costs and
profits – an alternate business model.
-
How do we get there? What barriers must be surmounted?
• Develop a new “356” alloy, with increased fluidity and
improved mechanical properties.
• Eliminate beryllium from Al-alloys such as “357”, “535”,
and “5 series”. Characterization of Be-free alloys and
government acceptance.
• Reduce pollution. Reduce water-based waste stream along
with capturing and recycling metallic solids.
• Reduce porosity.
-
Appendix C –
Outline of recycled aluminum “roadmap” topics
1. Scrap
2. Education / debunking of myths
Where are we today?
• The recycling process is uncentralized
• Composition of received material is not always known
• It is not known how much scrap is produced in-house vs.
recovered from recycled end products
• Environmental needs / policies change.
• Cost of aluminum varies widely
• Unclear how much energy is saved when lower quality
scrap is recycled.
Where are we today?
• It is presently perceived that recycled aluminum is of lower
quality, when in fact it can be made to high standards.
• It is not widely understood how much energy is saved by
using recycled aluminum.
• It is not widely known how much scrap is generated
-
• The driving force for change is not as great as the inertia to
remain the same.
• The state-of-the-art of aluminum recycling is not
universally employed.
• Reprocessing mills in North America are closing.
-
Where do we want to be?
• We wish to promote a positive public image about
aluminum, so that aluminum products possess a desirable
quality beyond the simply mechanical and formative
properties.
Where do we want to be?
• We would like to increase the quality of recycled scrap so
that less primary material is needed.
How do we get there? What are some barriers?
• Must document the performance of alloys created from
scrap
• Must get industry to sort aluminum more efficiently.
• Must be more involved with the environmental directives.
• Must find niche markets for the varying grades of aluminum
• Microstructures should be studied to determine exactly the
effect of recycled alloy in new material.
• Must determine how much longer homogenization times are
necessary as a function of percent of included recycled
product.
• Must find elements to neutralize tramp elements in the
recycled melt.
-
How do we get there? What are some barriers?
• The performance of recycled aluminum is not gauged.
• It is desirable to have the percent of recycled aluminum
content indicated on beverage cans.
-