ALUMINUM MARKET TRENDS
Automotive
Aluminum Alloys use in the automobile industry marks the highest growth from all other aluminium applications and remains the fastest growing automotive material over competing materials due to the increased demand of lightweight materials and its implications in improving fuel economy, carbon neutrality and high performance. The mechanical properties of aluminium, high strength stiffness to weight ratio, good formability, good corrosion resistance, and recycling potential makes it the ideal candidate to replace heavier materials in the car to respond to the weight
reduction demand within the automotive industry. This important material shift in the automotive sector is driving the demand for aluminium and also for the equipment and technology suppliers who are contrib- uting towards quality and process improvement in aluminium producers all through the value chain.
Aircraft & Aerospace
Aluminum was the leading matierial in the aerospace industry for many years with as much as 70% of an aircraft being made from aluminum. Today, less than 25% of an aircraft uses aluminum while other light- weight compositites, alloys, and carbon-fibers are being applied for non-critical structural areas. While the amount of aluminum in an aircraft have been in decline, the use of the material has been steadily increasing over the past 20 years. Composite materials use in aircrafts, including carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs), have been driven by the performance improvements offered compared to conven- tional aluminum alloys, including the ability to reduce weight and maintenance costs. In cases that
carbon fiber reinforced polymers are unsuccessful or are not cost friendly, aluminum has beenable to gain momentum with the help of Titanium aluminide (TiAl) and aluminum
lithium (Al-Li). These alloys have been growing in the aerospace industry due to their low density, higher strength, and fatigue and corrosion resistance. The high stability of these alloys makes them ideal for use in mechanical components, which also benefit from aluminum’s high electrical conductivity. Most commonly utilized in fuselage, wing, and supporting-structure construction, aluminum offers a range of benefits for both aircraft and space flight engineering.
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