Alcoa develops production ready aluminium alloys for automobile and construction sectors

On September 13, Alcoa declared that it is currently developing new aluminium alloys, named A210 ExtruStrongTM and C611 EZCastTM, to further optimise its supply division and establish itself as a successful American alloy provider.

Among the two latest discoveries, the company has introduced a new high-strength, 6000 series alloy, A210 ExtruStrongTM, proving to be beneficial across a varied range of extruded solutions, like construction, transport, consumer goods and the industrial sector. The other aluminium alloy has been named C611 EZCastTM alloy, a high-performance material that does not need any specific heat therapy.

The C611 EZCastTM alloy has been widely acknowledged this week, winning an international award at the 2022 International Die Casting Competition in Lexington that was organised by the North American Die Casting Association.

The C611 EZCastTM alloy has won the title for superior structural die casting owing to its direct application in mega casting, a process through which large vehicular components are high-pressure die casted as a singular piece, decreasing production costs and promoting enhanced ability. Megacasting is usually done by the automotive industry to forge the outside shell of a vehicle, and the C611 EZCastTM alloy is very much suitable for casting machines.

Alcoa’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Kelly Thomas, stated: “Aluminum is a material of choice for the low-carbon future, and alloy innovations such as A210 ExtruStrong and C611 EZCast are key to providing fit-for-purpose solutions that help automotive and industrial customers drive down costs and achieve their sustainability ambitions. Innovating new aluminium alloy technologies that can be used in sustainable applications like electric vehicles aligns with our vision to reinvent the aluminium industry for a sustainable future.”

NIO, a Chinese multinational electric vehicle maker, is the first to certify the alloy as appropriate for mega-casting operations. NIO has professionals across the globe aiding its line of all-electric vehicles to successfully transform C611 EZCast alloy into raw material, ultimately ensuring increased productivity, efficiency and security.

NIO’s Director of New Product Introduction, Engineering, Gary Hughes, exclaimed: “Alcoa’s C611 alloy is the first great step in NIO’s future casting development. We reduced energy consumption and carbon emission by using C611.” The C611 EZCast alloy has been used to make front and rear longitudinal beams and floor frames.

The alloy also does not need any specific heat treatment gaining final properties smoothly from the normal paint-baking process that is included in every automotive manufacturer’s assembly line. The alloy also saves energy, lessens carbon dioxide emissions, and reduces the complexity of a vehicle’s production technique.

Alcoa has completely licensed the Shanghai-based CSMet New Material Group Co to produce and sell the company’s patent C611 EZCast alloy in China. CSMet is responsible for nurturing mega casting operations alongside providing the alloy to NIO and other well-established automotive OEMs in China. Alcoa’s conglomeration with CSMet enabled the application of the alloy for NIO’s mega casted components, like a rear floor design that has now become 20 per cent lower in weightage than it was before.

A210 ExtruStrong alloy was first introduced for making crash protection components since it is 40 per cent stronger than contemporary alloys, despite having a lighter weight and reduced thickness.

The A210 ExtruStrong alloy is completely corrosion resistant alongside, sporting a great durability score. The material is designated for thin-wall structures, and extruded profiles made with A210 ExtruStrong alloy can be thinner than the contemporary 6000 or 7000 series alloys. The tensile and yield strength have been greatly enhanced while confirming an increased elongation percentage. Moreover, the outcome of anodising has proven to be beneficial, gaining nearly 30 per cent in fatigue resistance if compared with its competitors.

Other than being applied in the automotive sector, the alloy can be used safely in the construction sector, supporting the building of new bridges and for application in various other end-user products such as bicycles.

With the initiation of A210 ExtruStrong and C611 EZCast alloys, Alcoa wishes to up its alloy production game. The company has a rich history of developing more than 44 different wrought alloys and 40 casting alloys, also boating to be the first in the world to develop aluminium alloys. For decades, Alcoa’s Technical Center and its Centers of Excellence have been urging the world into a metallurgical arena and, at present, is developing light-weighting solutions for electric vehicles.