Defense

Part of the Aleris Europe strategic plan is to develop new aluminum plate materials and solutions for armored vehicles with the highest possible performance properties in extreme dimensions – in particular, with respect to thickness and width. To that end, we’ve carried out various development projects, investment programs, and other activities. The result? Aleris Europe is now one of the most important suppliers of aluminum armor plate products to the world’s defense industry.

Plate Products

Our plates represent the optimum solution for any kind of structural application -- with specific ballistic performance, if required. They allow the consistent design of low-weight, reliable, and cost-efficient components for light armored civilian and tactical vehicles, as well as for heavy constructions like military bridges. Using aluminum plate in place of steel also improves the agility and transportability of defense and rescue components (by air transport, for example) into areas of conflict or disaster. Aluminum armor plates with ballistic requirements are being tested at certified testing laboratories such as the BWB (Germany), TNO (The Netherlands), or APG (USA) considering national and international regulations and standards.

Aleris aluminum armor plates with ballistic requirements are characterized in detail and compared to minimum values specified in TL and MIL standards. Additionally, typical mechanical properties past fusion welding and friction stir welding (FSW) demonstrate the advantage of Aleris’ Alustar® alloy in a cost-efficient manufacturing process.

Alloys series for Defense industry applications:

• 2xxx  (alloys)
• 5xxx (alloys)
• 6xxx (alloys)
• 7xxx (alloys)
• Alustar®  (AA5059)

The shipbuilding industry faces added corrosive challenges and requirements. Aleris’ Alustar® alloy was developed and made applicable to the defense industry where corrosion performance is essential to operate not only amphibian but also other armored vehicles in corrosive environments. With the ever-increasing need to extend the life cycles of current and future military platforms, new materials like Alustar® will play a major role thanks to its outstanding corrosion resistance and excellent ballistic protection.

Extruded Products

Aleris Europe is furnished with sophisticated production facilities in addition to a wide range of extrusion presses utilizing the whole line of necessary equipment, including CNC machines and MIG / TIG welding for the production of approved defense extruded products (extruded rods, bars, and customized shapes). In order to produce small, medium size, wide, and heavy extrusions (either as open or hollow sections made of 5xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx series alloys), various extrusion presses operate in direct or indirect mode up to 90 MN at different Aleris sites. 

Aleris Support

One of the keys to our success – and ultimately your success – is the support we provide to the OEMs in the form of expertise, engineering know-how in extrusions and components manufacturing, on-site aluminum welding facilities and machining equipment, order processing, after-sales service, and more. Customers appreciate the single point of contact – the ability to work on a project with a single source partner.

Research & Development Activities

Aleris’ R&D activities cover two basic areas: 1) product development, and 2) the development of new technologies to improve processes.

Specific areas of research:

• Alloy and technology development
• Casting technology
• Hot- and cold-rolling technology
• Optimization of heat treatment processes
• Numerical and physical modeling of processes and product performance
• NDT-Technology
• Corrosion and surface technology
• Forming technology
• Welding technology (e.g. LBW, FSW)
• Other joining techniques (brazing, adhesive bonding, mechanical joining)
• High-speed machining
• Product design support and numerical simulation in close cooperation with OEMs

For more detailed information, please see our brochure Defense Aluminum and our datasheet AA 5059 - Alustar for armor plate