Putting the Gleam Back on Metals – A Confluence of Events Puts an Industry in a Brighter Light
A combination of factors is bringing renewed interest to metals, expanding their applications in industries as diverse as automotive and architectural. Part of it can be attributed to higher oil prices, which increases the cost of the petrochemicals used in plastics. In a turn-about that would have been hard to imagine until recently, metals are becoming cost-effective alternatives to plastics in some instances.
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Another factor concerns the technological advances in new alloys coming out of the manufacturing industry and universities around the globe. They are lighter and stronger to better meet today’s needs. A third factor is the increasing interest in the environment that is transforming the perception of a smokestack industry into a green alternative to materials that are harder to recycle.
Advances in Automotive Applications
Price-conscious automobile buyers want less expensive vehicles that are safe. And they want fuel efficiencies in an era of $3-a-gallon gasoline, never mind the mileage requirements that Congress recently stiffened. That means lighter materials that are strong enough to keep passengers safe in the event of a collision. To meet the demand, automakers have turned to light alloys and high-strength steels to reduce weight and to produce more efficient engines.
Titanium has always offered high strength at low weight, though at a higher cost than other metals. Titanium also offers high corrosion resistance and is suitable for use at high temperatures. These properties have led to this metal being widely used in chemical processing and aerospace applications. Once considered too be too expensive for many applications, it is now being used in automotive springs and for motorcycle parts to reduce weight. For example, Nippon Steel, is testing titanium for use in other transportation applications, including exhaust systems and intake valves.
Steel Muscles in on Plastics
The steel industry is gaining new markets and re-entering areas thought lost to plastics. High-strength steels have been developed for applications ranging from fasteners to engines. These high-strength steels allow parts to be smaller without sacrificing safety or durability.
Sound-dampening steels are now incorporating technology that reduces noise inside automobile passenger compartments while remaining completely recyclable. Other metallurgical advances specific to the auto industry are finding their way into many applications, and the ease of recycling metals ensures that manufacturers in many industries will continue to use them. The ability to magnetically separate iron-based materials from waste streams offers a unique advantage to this metal.
Building Architectural Applications
Metals are finding growing markets in architectural applications, and not just in kitchen appliances. Many municipalities are mandating “green building” methods, and any company considering new facilities or renovations must consider incorporating more metals into their plans.
The industry is responding. Stainless steel, with its corrosion resistance and formability, is finding its way into railings, window frames, and cladding. These products retain their beauty even in coastal regions or areas where atmospheric pollution degrades other materials. Engineers and architects can specify alloys and surface finishes that survive contact with salt from road deicing, too.
Aluminum continues to find new applications in buildings and structural applications as well. Aluminum has a high strength-to-weight ratio, and is naturally corrosion resistant. It can be colored though anodizing processes, and changes to the process allow designers to select from a rainbow of colors. Architects and engineers are also using more aluminum for components in bridge decking and domes.