Rio Tinto has partnered with Comptech to bring a new generation of aluminium alloys to the market for use in advanced technologies such as electric vehicles and 5G antennas.
Rio Tinto’s metallurgical experts have designed the alloys for Comptech’s semi-solid Rheocasting process, to meet the requirements of producing large, specialised single piece designs, known as giga-casting.
The Rheocasting process is ideally suited to giga-castings for electric vehicles, where a single large aluminium part is produced to significantly reduce the number of components, weight and assembly time and cost.
It also offers significant advantages in the production of 5G antennas, where a single large aluminium housing can deliver high thermal conductivity and sealing features with reduced manufacturing, installation and maintenance cost.
Rio Tinto vice president Sales and Marketing Aluminium Tolga Egrilmezer said the new range of specialised alloys was designed to deliver high performance, lower cost solutions for advanced applications like electric vehicles and 5G antennas.
“This is an area of emerging demand where our industry leading research and development capability allows us to deliver products that meet the specific needs of manufacturers and end customers,” Mr Egrilmezer added.
Comptech Group CEO and owner Per Jansson said Rheocasting allows fast, low cost production of advanced lightweight designs with high strength and extremely low porosity.
“We are in the capacity ramp up for the next generation of advanced technologies across sectors such as automotive and communications, and our customers, both foundries and OEM´s will need the development of more advanced parts,” he continued.
“This partnership positions us to offer customers the combined advantages of our casting process expertise and Rio Tinto’s technical strength and preferred alloys suite.”
