Aluminium for the Railway Sector

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Aluminium products and solutions for the Railway Sector

The use of aluminium substantially reduces the unladen weight of the train wagons. This makes it possible to increase the payload capacity for the same total weight. All this results in an improvement in the service of locomotives and wagons.

For this reason , aluminium is very present in the railway sector. In addition, the higher market value and at the end of their useful life of trains made with aluminium also means the possibility of increasing income by disposing of it. This is due to the ability of aluminium to be recycled countless times while maintaining the same properties and with energy savings of around 95% compared to the use of primary aluminium.

Benefits of aluminium in the railway industry:

Resistance: aluminum alloys can be as strong as steel at one-third the weight, making it an appropriate material for many of a vehicle’s different components.
Corrosion resistance: the oxide layer that naturally coats aluminium gives it an effective barrier against the elements, compared to other metals. There are alloys specially produced and treated to increase this resistance to corrosion.
Recyclability: Aluminium is 100% recyclable using only 5% of the energy needed to produce the primary product. Currently, approximately 95% of the aluminium used in vehicles is recycled and accounts for around 50% of its material value at the end of its useful life.

Durability: alloys that are specially developed for the transport sector are corrosion resistant and immune to UV rays, thus ensuring optimal performance over a long period of time.
Flexibility: The combination of the different properties of aluminum allows it to be formed through any industrial transformation process, including rolling, extrusion, forging, casting,… allowing, in practice, total freedom of design.
Lightness: the low density of aluminum compared to other metals has great advantages in the transportation sector. Any type of vehicle, being lighter, requires less energy to move without compromising safety or comfort. On the other hand, for the same total weight, a lighter vehicle allows more cargo to be transported at once.