<<Aluminum – identified with the symbol AL – is a common element that constitutes 8% of the Earth’s crust, and occurs in nature in the form of a mineral: bauxite>>. It is a fundamental metal for technological development with immense possibilities of industrial use: from construction to aerospace, to electronics and packaging. The historic electrolysis process, used for the production of aluminum in large low-cost quantities, was improved by the enormous progress made in the production of electricity, and eventuallty by the technique for extracting aluminum oxide from bauxite.
Hence the importance of the tools made by Harditalia’s team, tools with dimensions that have never made before in our production facility, used for the transit of bauxite within the tool at high temperatures.
These tools must resist various and contrasting stress levels during their use:
- resistance to temperatures from 250° to 300° C.;
- resistance to pressures up to 38 bar;
- resistance to bauxite corrosion: ph 13-14.
Therefore, the contribution of our metallurgists was fundamental to the creation of these tools. They defined the appropriate grade of carbide to guarantee the three above stated characteristics. As well as, guaranteeing reduced deformation during the sintering process, which normally is very accentuated in pieces of this caliber, thus ensuring dimensional and geometric reliability.
We are talking about tools with a diameter of 140mm, a 120mm hole and a length of 330mm.
Further difficulties were faced and resolved in the following phases: correctly pressing, “soft” turning, and drilling carbide parts of this size, without breaking them or risking chipping them.
For this feat, the head of the turning department, Moliterni Nicola, found a solution and took care of it. He is rightly proud, and as are we!
