ALUMINIUM AND MAGNESIUM: EQUIPMENT AND PROCESS COMPARISON

摘要

Aluminium and magnesium share the distinction of being the principal lightweight structural metals Both industries share a positive outlook for the future, however the development and general awareness of equipment and processes for the preparation of magnesium and its alloys lags that of aluminium by a considerable margin. With the impending growth of the magnesium industry there is an attendant need to develop equipment and practices to satisfy customers' demands. One of the impediments to this development is the supply of equipment specifically suited to magnesium, as most of the suppliers have limited exposure to the metal. Similarly there is a need to build a pool of knowledge, and experienced personnel familiar with the production of magnesium alloys on a large scale. While such developments will not happen until there is a more significant magnesium industry, most of the immediate answers are likely to come from the aluminium industry. This paper examines the physical properties of the two metals and their alloys and reviews the casthouse processes and equipment used for both metals. There appears to be an opportunity for both industries to learn from the experiences of the other.