Couplings with aluminum hubs have low inertia

Couplings with aluminum hubs have low weight and low inertia making them an excellent choice for servo motor and other precision motion control applications.

Zero-Max CD couplings with aluminum hubs have low weight and low inertia making them an excellent choice for servo motor and other precision motion control applications.

Available in single and double disc pack models, these couplings have high torsional stiffness and zero-backlash.
These aluminum hub CD couplings provide the same torque as the steel hub versions along with a 15 to 20% increase in the couplings rev/min rating for most models.
Both single and double disc pack models combine the best features found in steel disc and elastomeric couplings through the use of a patented open arm disc design made of rugged composite material.
This unique design provides the high misalignment capacity found in many elastomeric couplings but with higher torsional stiffness.
Cmpared to steel disc couplings, CD couplings with aluminum hubs offer superior damping and isolation of shock and vibrating loads, including elimination of fretting corrosion and dramatic reduction of stress fractures at the bolt hole locations.
The CD coupling also provides excellent chemical and moisture resistance in hostile environments that prove difficult or impossible for elastomeric or steel disc couplings.
The aluminum hub CD Single Flex models are available in either clamp style or keyway with set screw style hubs from 1.85in to 6.00in diameters.
They handle speeds from 5,200 to 17,000 rev/min and have torsional stiffness of 1,800 to 41,485 in.lb/deg depending on size.
The aluminum hub CD Double Flex models are available in either clamp style or keyway with set screw style hubs from 1.85in to 6.00in diameters.
They handle speeds from 4,400 to 17,000 rev/min and have torsional stiffness of 850 to 20,196 in.lb/deg depending on size.
CD couplings are also available with custom designed disc packs for virtually any type or style of application.
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/zer/zer107.html

EPA to clean up abandoned aluminum smelter in Vestal

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will clean up an abandoned aluminum smelter in Vestal under the federal Superfund program.
Smokey Mountain Smelters on Maryville Pike is one of eight polluted properties nationwide to be nominated for the National Priorities List, the EPA announced Tuesday. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation referred the site to the EPA for inclusion on the list.
According to the EPA, the two-part cleanup will scrub the site of contaminants that are leaching into groundwater and a nearby creek from the aluminum recycling performed from 1979 to 1994 by the now-defunct Rotary Furnace Inc.
"Cleaning up this site is a good thing for the community and Knox County," TDEC spokeswoman Tisha Calabrese-Benton said. "The potential of turning it back to productive use is a positive step."
The first part of the cleanup would remove about 2,700 cubic yards of aluminum dross, a waste product, and demolish the dilapidated main processing building at a cost of up to $3 million, all in federal funds.
In an internal memo, TDEC's remediation director, Andy Binford, outlined the potential danger of inaction: "As this building continues to collapse, if a large amount of water were to contact the unreacted portion of aluminum dross, such as during a severe weather event, a fire and release of ammonia gas could result."
An estimated 2,545 people, including residents of the Montgomery Village housing project, live within a four-mile radius of the site.
The second part of the cleanup would occur after the 27-acre site is added to the National Priority List and would address 75,000 cubic yards of salt cake left over from agricultural chemical production from 1922 to 1979.
According to TDEC, a feasibility study would determine the scope and cost of the work. EPA would pay 90 percent of the second phase, with the state paying the remainder.
The Tennessee Clean Water Network, an environmental advocacy group, has studied the site and pressed state officials to clean it up for years. Renee Hoyos, the group's executive director, said Tuesday's announcement augurs well for an eventual cleanup.
"That's excellent," she said. "That site was leaching the periodic table of elements into that creek."
According to the EPA, the contamination from the aluminum recycling includes aluminum nitride, sodium and potassium chlorides, PCBs and heavy metals like arsenic. The agency reported that arsenic in excess of federal drinking water standards is in the groundwater.
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/mar/03/epa-to-clean-up-vestal-site/

Couplings with aluminum hubs have low inertia

Couplings with aluminum hubs have low weight and low inertia making them an excellent choice for servo motor and other precision motion control applications.

Zero-Max CD couplings with aluminum hubs have low weight and low inertia making them an excellent choice for servo motor and other precision motion control applications.

Available in single and double disc pack models, these couplings have high torsional stiffness and zero-backlash.
These aluminum hub CD couplings provide the same torque as the steel hub versions along with a 15 to 20% increase in the couplings rev/min rating for most models.
Both single and double disc pack models combine the best features found in steel disc and elastomeric couplings through the use of a patented open arm disc design made of rugged composite material.
This unique design provides the high misalignment capacity found in many elastomeric couplings but with higher torsional stiffness.
Compared to steel disc couplings, CD couplings with aluminum hubs offer superior damping and isolation of shock and vibrating loads, including elimination of fretting corrosion and dramatic reduction of stress fractures at the bolt hole locations.
The CD coupling also provides excellent chemical and moisture resistance in hostile environments that prove difficult or impossible for elastomeric or steel disc couplings.
The aluminum hub CD Single Flex models are available in either clamp style or keyway with set screw style hubs from 1.85in to 6.00in diameters.
They handle speeds from 5,200 to 17,000 rev/min and have torsional stiffness of 1,800 to 41,485 in.lb/deg depending on size.
The aluminum hub CD Double Flex models are available in either clamp style or keyway with set screw style hubs from 1.85in to 6.00in diameters.
They handle speeds from 4,400 to 17,000 rev/min and have torsional stiffness of 850 to 20,196 in.lb/deg depending on size.
CD couplings are also available with custom designed disc packs for virtually any type or style of application.
http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/zer/zer107.html

Alcoa to develop world's lowest-cost aluminum complex in S Arabia news

Alcoa, the largest aluminum company in the US and Saudi Arabia's mining company Ma'aden yesterday agreed to invest $10.8-billion joint venture to develop the world's lowest cost aluminium complex in Saudi Arabia.

Alcoa and its partners will own 40 per cent of the joint venture, while Ma'aden will hold 60 per cent and bring the stalled project back on rails.
The project had stalled in 2008 after Rio Tinto's Canadian aluminum subsidiary; Rio Tinto Alcan, holding a 49-per cent stake had pulled out of the project for lack of financing due to the global credit crisis.
Of its 40 per cent, Alcoa will hold 20 per cent and its partners the rest. Each of Alcoa and the partners will invest $900 million over a four-year period and will be responsible for their pro rata share of the project financing, in addition to specific completion commitments.
The Pittsburgh-based aluminum maker said its share of the project is $2.2 billion.
The joint venture will set up a 1.8 million ton-per-year refinery, a 740,000 ton-per-year smelter, a bauxite mine with an annual capacity of 4 million tons and a rolling mill with a capacity of up to 460,000 tons.
http://www.domain-b.com/industry/Aluminium/20091222_alcoa.html

Scrappers charged with stealing aluminum cable near Joliet

A citizen's tip led Will County sheriff's police to take two would-be scrappers into custody last week for swiping 50 feet of aluminum cable from a ComEd site just outside Joliet, police said.

Brian W. Sniegowski, 38, of the 1800 block of Nicholson Street, Crest Hill, and Gordon N. Neitzel, 46, of the 24700 block of East Street, Plainfield, are charged with misdemeanor theft, police said.

Deputies said they tracked Sniegowski to a metal recycling facility in Joliet as he was transporting cable in Neitzel's sport-utility vehicle. Neitzel, who had been barred from the facility, was waiting at a nearby fast-food restaurant when deputies took him into custody, police said.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/southsouthwest/chi-stolen-cable-blotter-sw-25dec25,0,2765368.story

Century Aluminum Company Announces Successful Completion of Consent Solicitation Related to Its 1.75% Convertible Senior Notes Due 2024

Century Aluminum Company (the "Company") (NASDAQ: CENX) today announced that it has successfully completed its solicitation of consents to amend the indenture governing its 1.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2024, CUSIP Nos. 156431AE8 and 156431AD0 (the "2024 Notes"), to modify certain events of default relating to certain bankruptcies and insolvencies. The Company has been advised by the information and tabulation agent for the consent solicitation that approximately 90% of holders of the 2024 Notes consented to the proposed amendments.
Century Aluminum Company owns primary aluminum capacity in the United States and Iceland. Century's corporate offices are located in Monterey, California.
Cautionary Statement
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. The company has based its forward-looking statements on current expectations and projections about the future; however, these statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, any of which could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed in its forward-looking statements. More information about these risks, uncertainties and assumptions can be found in the risk factors and forward-looking statements cautionary language contained in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and in other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company does not undertake, and specifically disclaims, any obligation to revise any forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date such forward-looking statements are made.
Certified Advisors for the First North market of the OMX Nordic Exchange Iceland hf. for Global Depositary Receipts in Iceland:
Atli B. Gudmundsson, Senior Manager - Corporate Finance, NBI hf.
Steingrimur Helgason, Director - Corporate Finance, NBI hf.

Contacts:
Media
Mike Dildine
831-642-9364
Investors
Shelly Lair

831-642-9357

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0559251.htm

Chinese aluminum output may increase by 9pct in 2010

Bloomberg reported that China's aluminum production may gain 9% to 14.5 million tonnes in 2010 as capacity idled because of the financial crisis is restarted after prices rebounded.

Mr Peter Deneen an industry consultant with New Jersey based River Edge said that "Chinese aluminum production has come roaring back and is likely to reach 13.3 million tonnes 2009."

The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association has said that output of 2008 was 13.2 million tonnes.

Aluminum output in China, the world's biggest consumer and producer has gained after CNY 4 trillion government stimulus plan boosted demand and prices. Smelters had reduced output of the metal used in aircraft and cars after aluminum prices plunged 36% in 2008.

Mr Wang Feihong analyst at a unit of China Minmetals Corporation said that aluminum production in 2009 might be flat to even higher than 2008's 13.2 million tonnes because smelters have been bringing back idled capacity since the Q2 at a faster speed than the market had anticipated.

Mr Huang Zichao president at the consultancy Guangzhou KCTH Trading Company said that the effect of the financial crisis will likely cut output of primary aluminum to 12.75 million tonnes 2009.

According to the statistics bureau, China posted an 8% increase in output of the metal in September compared with the previous month to 1.2 million tonnes. Aluminum Corporation of China Limited posted its first profit in Q4 on increased demand and prices.

Mr Deneen who was attending a conference in Hong Kong said that as with aluminum production, China's alumina output will be flat at 24 million tonnes 2009 before rising to 28 million tonnes 2010 leaving little scope for alumina imports. 2 tonnes of alumina is needed to produce one ton of aluminum. He said that China will rely on bauxite to feed its growing alumina production capacity, which is forecast to rise 11.1% to 40 million tonnes in 2010.

Mr Paul Messenger CEO at Cape Alumina Limited said that "China has achieved self sufficiency in aluminum and effectively in alumina but has been unable to do so in bauxite."
http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/11/05/MTE5MDM5/Chinese_aluminum_output_may_increase_by_9pct_in_2010.html