Influence of the natural aluminium oxide layer on ... - ALU-WEB.DE

Photos: GIA
In autumn 2009 Gerhardi Alutechnik in
Lüdenscheid, Germany, began operating its
second extrusion line which was supplied by
GIA. Its centrepiece is a 35 MN short-stroke,
front-loading press <strong>of</strong> GIA Clecim Press design.
The press enables short extrusion cycle
times and so achieves correspondingly high
productivity.
To understand and appreciate <strong>the</strong> big step
this project was for GIA Clecim Press, it is
worth mentioning <strong>the</strong> challenges and <strong>the</strong> importance
<strong>of</strong> this contract. It should be known
that Gerhardi’s production programme is not
concerned with mass goods but contains many
special products for niche markets, some <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong>m made in relatively small quantities to
<strong>the</strong> highest quality standards, e. g. stretch-bent
decorative trim strips <strong>of</strong> a high-gloss alloy can
be mentioned here. The Gerhardi contract is
one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> projects where GIA engineering
shows state-<strong>of</strong>-<strong>the</strong>-art technological developments,
which <strong>the</strong> extrusion industry in highlydeveloped
industrialised countries now demands
from extrusion plant manufacturers.
Gerhardi is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> extrusion companies
with <strong>the</strong> highest level <strong>of</strong> flexibility without giving
away any productivity ratios. This extrusion
plant meant a great step forward for Gerhardi
but for GIA also as it shows <strong>the</strong> Spanish
company is at <strong>the</strong> level <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most demanding
extruders.
The more than 100 extrusion presses built
so far by GIA are almost without exception
used in extrusion lines which, from <strong>the</strong> log
store to <strong>the</strong> finishing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sections, were
designed and constructed by <strong>the</strong> company.
GIA group is divided in several business units
coordinated to provide complete solutions to
extruders. GIA Matriceria, as ever, produces
extrusion dies and all kind <strong>of</strong> tooling for extrusion.
Log stores, shears, billet saws, billet loader,
extrusion presses, handling and puller systems
are all designed and made by <strong>the</strong> core
unit GIA. Special positioning devices for <strong>the</strong>
section saws ensure precise lengths and rapid
material flow. The fully automatic stackers
developed by GIA not only ensure a rapid
and reliable production sequence, but are so
constructed as to protect <strong>the</strong> finished sections
from damage.
Besides pure extrusion lines, under <strong>the</strong>
trade name ‘GIA Aplicaciones’ GIA supplies
units for heating and heat treatment within
<strong>the</strong> extrusion line which include log furnaces,
die heaters, ageing ovens and die nitriding
furnaces. In addition, o<strong>the</strong>r units developed,
designed and manufactured by <strong>the</strong> company
itself are <strong>of</strong>fered, which are important for finishing
<strong>the</strong> sections, namely units for powder
coating and anodising. Thus, <strong>the</strong> company can
supply complete extrusion plants, from <strong>the</strong>
EXTRUSION
log store right up to <strong>the</strong> surface finishing <strong>of</strong>
<strong>the</strong> ready sections.
Ano<strong>the</strong>r company <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> group, GIA Hidraulica,
not only builds hydraulic power units
for various applications in general mechanical
engineering, especially in combination with
GIA’s own extrusion machines. This unit also
specialises in electrical and electronic equipment
for <strong>the</strong> control and automation <strong>of</strong> extrusion
plants and is, moreover, responsible for
commissioning <strong>the</strong> plants supplied by GIA.
There is a fifth business unit, GIA Suministros,
in charge <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> service and supply <strong>of</strong>
spare parts for GIA Clecim Press extrusion
equipment. This unit keeps a great number <strong>of</strong>
parts in stock in order to provide a perfect
service to its customers.
GIA Clecim Press is located, as ever, in
Albacete, Spain, which is nowadays <strong>the</strong> only
manufacturing plant with 35.000 m2 <strong>of</strong> bays
and where counts with 275 employees exclusively
working in <strong>the</strong> field <strong>of</strong> extrusion.
Core business for GIA Clecim Press is <strong>the</strong>
manufacturing <strong>of</strong> extrusion and surface treatment
plants and 90% <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> jobs are turnkey
projects. Its strategy <strong>of</strong> non-subcontracting let
<strong>the</strong>m get <strong>the</strong> highest quality for such equipment.
GIA Clecim Press holds a manufacturing
ratio <strong>of</strong> 80%, which means that all equipment
is manufactured, assembled and tested
in <strong>the</strong>ir own facilities.
�
ALUMINIUM · EAC CONGRESS 2011 39