Production of an innovative, worldclass, environment-friendly aluminium foam and the development of its recycling technology

Aluinvent Zrt. is the beneficiary of a non-refundable grant from the Norway Grants on the basis of its application for the call „Increased Use of Environment-Friendly Production Technologies”, launched in the framework of the Green Industrial Innovation programme, a part of the 2009–2014 Norwegian Financial Mechanism.

The aim of the supported project is the development of green production capacities in one of the industrial areas of the disadvantaged Northern region of Hungary, in the subject of materials science which is a priority area according to the region and the call for grants.

As a precursor to the project, the project owner used his own funds to create a one-module pilot plant, with a production capacity of 30 t/year/shift of aluminium composite and 60 t/year/shift (200mmx1200mmx50mm3) of aluminium foam block per shift.

The current aluminium foaming technology of level TRL7 enables the production of foams of different size and the homogeneous distribution of cell sizes, making our aluminium foams unique among the products of competitors. This is the first reliable and reproducable aluminium foam that may be used as structural material, and its qualities may be planned according to the needs of customers.

As the pilot plant yielded positive results and the international, industrial and scientific community is extremely interested in the technology and the product alike, Aluinvent Zrt. intends to elevate its current technology to level TRL9, which consists of a plant with a capacity of 300/t/year/shift, producing aluminum foam panels of 600mmx1200mmx50mm. The project will also develop and implement technologies for recycling and heat-treating the aluminium foam.