Ovako Steel’s 2018 investment in a vacuum tank degassing (VTD) facility is a critical development for the Smedjebacken mill. Removal of hydrogen by a state-of-the-art vacuum process now enables Ovako to address the needs of forgers that require high-performance, reliable and cost-effective steel for demanding applications such as those in the automotive industry.

Anchor Harvey, an aluminum forging company that seeks to set new standards for sustainable transportation, announced the launch of its new Electric Vehicle (EV) Workgroup. The new in-house working group draws from Anchor Harvey’s technological leadership and experience in forging components for the automobile and motorsports industries. By creating high-strength, lightweight forged aluminum components – such as steering knuckles, control arms, suspension components and structural nodes – the EV Workgroup will focus on vehicle parts built for increased range in support of manufacturers creating the next generation of transportation.

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) secured the next-generation axle and driveshaft program for Ram’s heavy-duty pickup trucks. As Ram’s strategic driveline supplier through 2030, AAM expects current and future sales related to this program to exceed several billion dollars over its lifetime.

Schuler installed two forging lines, including the dies and furnaces, in China. The screw press and the crank press forge aluminum chassis parts fully automatically. Screw presses from Schuler feature a press force of 250-28,000 tons. The water-cooled servo direct drive transmits the torque of the motor without losses and offers a high level of precision, operational reliability and economy. The 750- to 16,000-ton crank press is suited for mass production. Depending on the specific requirements, the press frame and drive system are designed for high manufacturing precision and high production rates.

American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc. (AAM), a global automotive supplier of driveline and metal-forming technologies, and Suzhou Inovance Automotive Ltd. (Inovance Automotive), a provider of automotive power electronics and powertrain systems in China, formed a technology development agreement that will accelerate the development and delivery of scalable, next-generation 3-in-1 electric drive systems, which integrate an inverter, electric motor and gearbox. The collaboration will seek to enhance the power density, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of electric drive technology offered in the global market.

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) will supply its EcoTrac Disconnecting All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) for Chrysler’s new 2021 Pacifica minivan. AAM’s system seamlessly provides AWD safety and performance only when the vehicle senses it is needed, including during cold temperatures, windshield wiper use, front-wheel slip, heavy accelerations, electronic stability control activation, abrupt steering and rough road conditions. AAM’s Pacifica’s power transfer unit (PTU), rear drive module (RDM) and the drive train control module (DTCM) are the heart of its AWD system and use vehicle sensor data to constantly evaluate traction and assist the driver through difficult weather and challenging road conditions.

General Motors plans to invest $71 million into two Ohio manufacturing facilities, including $39 million at its Toledo transmission plant and $32 million at its Defiance casting plant. Work will begin immediately at the two locations. The Toledo investment will be used to upgrade and enhance the production of GM’s eight-speed rear-wheel-drive transmission, and the Defiance investment will be used to prepare the facility for future engine casting components work. The investments will enable the company to retain 240 jobs.

Can-Eng Furnaces International Ltd. received a contract from a Tier 1 manufacturer of forged suspension components for a system that will produce lightweight forged-aluminum parts for passenger vehicles. The system includes a pre-forging rotary-hearth aluminum heating furnace, water quench and continuous aging furnace. The equipment will be integrated into an automated forging cell that includes specialized material-handling components and advanced controls.

Viking Analytics, a Swedish provider of advanced analytics solutions for predictive operations, and Bharat Forge Kilsta, a Sweden-based supplier of forged components, began collaborating in a data-driven production quality project. In the coming months, Viking Analytics will prepare an assessment of the data collected by sensors installed in the oven that heats steel rods used in the production of crankshafts and front axle beams for heavy-duty vehicles. In Bharat Forge Kilsta’s Karlskoga plant, the forged steel is first heated in an induction oven, whose temperature varies according to different steel grades and products. If a disruption occurs, the oven must be adjusted to keep the metal at a constant temperature. This process is currently performed manually, which sometimes causes human-related deviations in the proper temperature-level records.

ArcelorMittal announced its intention to build an electric-arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking facility at AM/NS Calvert in Alabama. Once completed, the planned facility will be capable of producing 1.5 million tons of steel slabs annually for the hot-strip mill. It will also produce a broad spectrum of steel grades required for Calvert’s end-user markets. Construction is expected to take 24 months, and the new facility is anticipated to create 300 new jobs.