INDUSTRY NEWS
GM Casts Magnesium Prototype Part in China T e General Motors China
Advanced Technical Center (ATC) an- nounced its research and development facility has completed the initial low- pressure casting of a magnesium part. T e team developed a prototype magnesium alloy control arm. T e part, which is used in vehicle chassis systems, is 30% lighter than a similar part made from aluminum. Lighter parts mean improved fuel effi ciency for consumers. T e company called the achievement a milestone in light- weight automotive materials research. “Today’s consumers want their
vehicles to be more stylish, safer, more durable, more aff ordable and more fuel effi cient,” said John Du, director of the GM China Science Lab. “T is is re- sulting in demand for lightweight yet strong materials that make a vehicle
Bremen Castings Grant Helps Win Clean Air Award
As a result of plans to install new melting furnaces, Bremen Castings Inc., Bremen, Ind., was one of three recipients of a clean air award given by local commerce groups. Bremen won a grant of $100,000
from the Indiana Department of En- vironmental Management in late 2011 and will use the funding to install fur- naces as part of a $3.4 million project to expand its iron melting operations. Bremen said at the time of the grant the project would create 36 new jobs and recycle an additional 12,000 tons of steel annually. T e Michiana Area Council of
Government and Northern Indiana Public Service Company give their “Partners for Clean Air Award” annu- ally based on energy savings reported in their Recycling Promotion and Assistance Fund Recycling Market Development Grant. Bremen is a metalcasting and ma-
chine shop producing gray and ductile iron castings for customers in a variety of industries.
June 2012 MODERN CASTING | 11
more economical to operate.” According to a GM press release, the China-based research facility with metalcasting capability is part of the fi rst phase of the ATC. T e facility includes a battery cell testing lab, bat- tery material lab, metallography and electrochemical lab, and cell fabrica-
tion lab. It has initially focused on research in lightweight materials such as magnesium and battery cells to im- prove the effi ciency of electric vehicles and other advanced technology ve- hicles. T e ATC’s fi rst phase opened in September 2011. T e second phase is scheduled to open later this year.
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