Abstract
In 2001, the aluminum industry continues to benefit from technical innovations made in alloy development, product-manufacturing technologies, and processing equipment over the last century. This paper examines the top ten alloy, product, and process developments that have shaped the industry’s production methods and markets. The interrelationships among the alloy development, process innovations, and markets are highlighted. Omitted are details about patent literature or the inception of many technologies; the major criterion for placement on the list was impact on the total industry.
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Editor’s Note: A hypertext-enhanced version of this article can be found at www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/0002/Sanders-0002.html.
For more information, contact R.E. Sanders, Jr., Alcoa Inc., 100 Technical Drive, Alcoa Center, Pennsylvania 15069; (724) 337-2478; fax (724) 337-2044; e-mail robert.sanders@alcoa.com.
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Sanders, R.E. Technology innovation in aluminum products. JOM 53, 21–25 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-001-0115-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-001-0115-7