With the progress of science and technology and the renewal of materials, aluminum alloy plates are gradually favored by military manufacturers.
Alcoa defense, a branch of Alcoa, cooperates with the US military to produce the world’s largest single piece forged aluminum shell for combat vehicles.
Cleveland works factory is responsible for the production of this shell, using a 50000 ton cutting-edge forging press. Eric Roegner, President of Alcoa defense, said that through the professional knowledge of materials and the production capacity of the world’s largest aluminum structure, the company will put the theory into practice in the shortest time and is ready to manufacture other parts for combat vehicles. The forging adopts advanced 5083 aluminum plate, which is widely used in vehicles, shipbuilding and other fields.
The newly created shell is undergoing explosion test in Maryland to determine the durability, and the test will continue in the next few months. This move is mainly aimed at improving the military’s defense capability against improvised explosive devices.
One part of the Cleveland Works plant is responsible for the manufacture of truck tires, and the other part focuses on aerospace applications.
The factory was founded in 1917. Aluminum casting began in the first World War and forging began in the Second World War.
Roegner added that this is a unique forging press that can forge aluminum, titanium, nickel and steel, while most forging presses can only forge one of them.