AL_n5_OTTOBRE_2016

0070-0073 4
Aluminum Cast: China dominates its Competitors
Global aluminum cast production (in million tons)
2022
2020
2018
2016
2014
2012
‣ Germany gains market shares within Europe at the expense of Western European competitors. We expect a recovery process in Eastern
Europe (Russia, Ukraine) and a catching-up of Turkey
‣ Most of the growth in the NAFTA region happens due to investments of foreign OEMs and global foundry groups
‣ Korea und Japan lose market shares to China. China surpassed the 6-million-ton production-mark for the first time in 2015
1) Includes Australia
Sources: World Census, CAEF, IKB
NAFTA
2.6 2.5 2.7 2.9 3.0 3.1
Western Europe
Eastern Europe
2.3 2.5 2.6 2.9 3.0 3.1 1.5 1.7 1.5 1.7 1.8 1.9
Rest of the world
0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
Rest of Asia-Pacific 1)
isthatafoundryindustrythatlookstothefutureshould
not concentrate on commodities, or standard productions
in great volumes, but on high added value products,
paying great attention to technical innovation and to
product design carried out in partnership with customers.
3.2
4.5
5.9
3.6 3.3 3.4 3.4 3.5
China
6.4 6.3 6.4 6.5
Source:"GlobalEconomyandthesituationoftheFoundryIndustry",Dr.Heinz-JürgenBüchner,IKB,IFFSeptember2016
23
Anaspectworthnotinginouropinion
is the further growth of the aluminium
foundry in the preferences
of the automotive industry. It is now
possible to produce large light metal
casts, allowing reductions in weight
of up to 40% with respect to the
samecomponentmadeoutoftraditional
materials. As Ralph Hattler, senior
Vice President, Power Train BMW,
remarked, choices concerning cars
of the near future will have to take a
complex and rapidly evolving scenario
into account. Issues that need to be
tackledaretheenvironment,national
and regional development policies,
urbanization, lifestyle changes and
sustainable mobility requirements,
as well as the impact of digitalization
and connections. The automotive industry
is changing, such new hi-tech
players as Google, Apple and Tesla
entered the playing field, the evolution of the automotiveindustrypointstowardshydrogen,electricpowerand
self-driving.Butofcourse,asregardsmaterials,thefuture
will be characterised by a decrease in vehicle weight, with
asharpfocusonfoundrycasts.
❚
Evolution of production strategies:
Industry 4.0 is powered by digital transformation
Industry 1.0
Mechanisation
Late 18th Century
1784 –
First mechanized loom
Industry 2.0
Manufacturing
Late 19th Century
1870 -
First conveyor belt,
Cincinnati slaughterhouse
Industry 3.0
Automation
Early 1970s
1969 -
First Programmable Logic
Controller (PLC), Modicon 084
Cyber Physical
Systems (CPS) by
digital transformation
Automation by electronics and IT
Mass production and division of labor powered by electrical energy
Mechanical production facilities powered by water and steam power
Industry 4.0
Integration
Today
formazionetecnicadelpersonaleeservizioalclientesaranno
sempre più fattori critici per il successo o la sopravvivenza
delle fonderie. Il vecchio mondo, in sostanza, ha
ancoraunsolidopatrimoniodafarvalere,mailmessaggio
conclusivo è che la fonderia che guarda avanti non è quella
delle commodities, delle produzioni standard in grandi
volumi, ma quella dei prodotti ad alto valore aggiunto,
con grande attenzione all’innovazione tecnica e all’ingegnerizzazione
del componente insieme
al cliente.
Dirilievo,dalnostropuntodivista,è
l’ulteriore crescita della fonderia alluminio
nelle preferenze dell’industria
automotive. Oggi è possibile realizzare
getti di grandi dimensioni in
metallo leggero, che permettono riduzioni
di peso fino al 40% rispetto
allo stesso componente realizzato
con i materiali tradizionali. Come
ha rilevato Ralph Hattler, senior Vice
President di Power Train BMW, le scelte
riguardo alle automobili del prossimo
futuro devono tener conto di
uno scenario complesso e in grande
evoluzione. Le questioni da affrontare
riguardano l’ambiente, le politiche
di sviluppo nazionali e regionali,
l’urbanizzazione, i cambiamenti dellostiledivitaeleesigenzedimobili-
tàsostenibile,maanchel’impattodelladigitalizzazionee
della connettività. L’industria automobilistica è in trasformazione,
nuovi player Hi-Tech come Google, Apple e Tesla
sono entrati nell’arena, l’evoluzione dell’automobile si dirige
verso l’alimentazione a idrogeno, la trazione elettrica
e la guida autonoma. Ma certamente, per quanto riguarda
imateriali,ilfuturosarànelsegnodell’alleggerimentodei
veicoli con grande attenzione alla fonderia getti. ❚
October 2016 N° 05
- 73