shapes magazine 2014 #1 - english

8/11/2019 Shapes Magazine 2014 #1 - English

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Cool curvesThe role of aluminium in Denmarks Blue Planet aquarium

NEWS ON INNOVATIVE ALUMINIUM SOLUTIONS FROM THE SAPA GROUP 1:2014

Aluminium can do so much.

It is light, easy to use, very

flexible and cost-effi cient.

Architect Kim Herforth Nielsen

GREEN SOLUTIONS

ENERGY-POSITIVE

BUILDINGS

HIGH HOPES

GROWTH SIGNS

IN BRAZIL


2/24

TODAY WE HAVE A NEW SAPA, combin-

ing the extrusion, building systems

and precision tubing operations of

Sapa and Hydro. The new company

has 100 plants in more than 40

countries and has joined complementary assets

and skills to become better at delivering value

to customers.

We are stronger, with 23,000 employees who

are passionate about aluminium solutions. And

we are different, with more commercial and

engineering people than our extrusion com-

petitors have employees and we offer a wider

range of equipment than anyone else in the

industry.

I want Sapa to be the industry shaper.

I want us to be first on the list when customers

look for aluminium solutions,

because we understand the

value of working closely with

customers to make smarter and

better solutions in the material

of the future.

Shapeswill be published

twice a year in 17 languages.

It will bring you trends

and new applications,

technical articles andindependent market

analysis. I hope you find

the magazine useful for

your business.

07

Demand on the riseTheres high growth potential for aluminium

in Brazil, with the construction sector a key market.

14

Watery wonderlandAluminium is the favorite material of Kim Herforth

Nielsen, part of the team behind Denmarks national

aquarium.

18

Inspiring creativitySapas Profile Academy gives customers the technical

skills they need to produce truly creative solutions.

22Positive energyBuildings created by Norways Powerhouse alliance

produce more power than they consume.

EditoriAL contentS

Stronger for

our customers

07

18

14

22

President and CEO of Sapa

SVEIN TORE HOLSETHER

Shapes is the Sapa Groups customer magazine. It is published twice a year in 17 language editions.

Editor-in-chief:Kevin Widlic, [email protected] Editorial Assistant:Eva Ekselius,

[email protected] Managing Editor:Ylva Carlsson Art Director: Karin Sderlind

Language coordination: Inger FinellProduction:Appelberg Publishing Group,

Printing: V-TAB Changes of address: Inform your contact person at Sapa or Corporate

Communications at [email protected] Shapes is also available at www.sapagroup.com

Copyright Sapa AS 2013 - Sapa's product names in this magazine are all

trademarks of Sapa Group.

MORE TO READ

How it works/Unigrain 03 In Focus/The New Sapa 04 News 10

Center Spread/Global View 12 Trends 17 Role Model 22


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4/24

4 SHAPES 1.2014

The newly formed Sapa is the worlds largest

supplier of aluminium solutions. Now the company also

has its sights set on becoming the worlds best.

WE ARE THE BIGGEST aluminium solutions

supplier, says Svein Tore Holsether, president

and CEO of Sapa. Now we want to become the

best supplier, and we will do that by investing

in our strengths. Our competence allows us to

challenge traditional thinking and help shape a lighter future.

Norsk Hydro ASA and OrklaASAs fully owned Sapa agreed in

2012 to combine their businesses that produce aluminium pro-

files, building systems and tubing. The newly created company is

a 50-50 joint venture, also called Sapa, with operations in more

than 40 countries. It starts out with leading positions in Europe

and North America, and strong footholds in emerging markets

such as Brazil, Argentina, China, India and Vietnam.

THE NEW SAPA IS THE INDUSTRY leader in terms of global

reach, R&D, technical competence, product range and closeness

to the customer. Customers should benefit, not only because

Sapas combined competence will be available throughout its

100 locations around the world, but also because the stronger

company will force competitors to sharpen their own capabili-

ties to keep pace.

I think this will help lift the industry, Holsether says.

Combining the extrusion businesses of Sapa and Hydro will

require care, however. Holsether is aware that the new com-

panys sunny outlook will probably look cloudier in areas where

restructuring is on the agenda. This is especially the case in

Europe, where most markets and segments have been suffering

for the past five years.

EVEN SEPARATELY, BOTH COMPANIESwould have had to

restructure, Holsether says. I believe that by combining our

operations, with the aim of bringing forward the best from both,

we can adjust to the current market situation in a better way

than we would have been able to do individually. Having a strong

and solid partner, able to deliver, should also benefit customers.

The new goal is to be the bestsolutions partner in any indus-

try for customers, Holsether says.

This is our goal, nothing less, Holsether says. Both Hydro

and Sapa had been working on their own toward becoming the

preferred supplier in the industry. Combining the best of both is

like creating a dream team. We want to be a drea m supplier.

While Holsether says he expects the positive trends regard-

TEXTKEVIN WIDLIC PHOTOKRISTOFER SAMUELSSON

Smarter

better

THE NEW sapa


5/24

We want to take

on the role of

industry shapeR.Svein Tore Holsether,

president and CEO of Sapa


6/24

6 SHAPES 1.2014

CUSTOMERS WELCOME THE NEW SAPA

With the merger giving

birth to a bigger new Sapa,

tube customers expect

that greater technical

resources will be commit-

ted to improve product

properties to ensure supe-

rior tube forming, expan-

sion and flaring without

metal build-up on tools

during mass manufactur-

ing. Another expectation is

to enable tube customers

to build robust products

with improved corrosion

resistance and strong leak-

proof joints.

Dr. R. K. Malhotra

Chairman, Spirotech Heat Exchangers

New Delhi, India

As an extrusion cus-

tomer of both Hydro

and Sapa, we believe

that a united company

will increase their flex-

ibility and ensure and

even improve delivery

stability and quality. The

innovative forces within

extrusion profiles of

the newborn Sapa will

hopefully keep our prod-

ucts one step ahead,

especially in reducing

extrusion tolerances and

volume cost.

Thomas Rubaek,

Project Manager, Fionia Lighting

Snders, Denmark

We have long-standing

working relationships with

both Hydro and Sapa.

Over the years, we have

overcome diffi culties to

arrive at an effective way

of working together. The

consolidation of these two

companies will create new

opportunities in the alu-

minium market and lead

to new possibilities and

areas of cooperation onmany levels. We hope that

our future cooperation will

be even more fruitful.

Aldona Berczyska,

Purchasing Manager, Altrad-Mostostal

Spka Siedlce, Poland

ing aluminium usage per capita to continue in emerging

markets such as Brazil and China, he is counting on more

mature markets such as Europe and North A merica to stay

in the forefront in developing sustainable applications that

can meet the requirements of global megatrends like urban-

ization and climate change. I also believe China will play

an important role in aluminium innovation, he says.

Meanwhile, Sapa will keep striving to find solutions

where aluminium makes sense for the customer, using its

enhanced knowledge of materials and applications.

We need to be more creative in using aluminium to

replace other materials, like copper and steel, because in

many cases, customers will not ask, Holsether says. We

know aluminium and must show the opportunities.

Growing demandGGlobalmegatrends of strong ur-banization, higher living standards,

climate change and an increasing

need for energy require innovative,

effi cient and sustainable solutions.

GThe demand for lighter vehiclesand energy-effi cient buildings is

growing. New design trends include

aluminium products. Aluminium is

infinitely recyclable, with no loss of

its positive characteristics.

THE NEW sapa


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1.2014 ShapeS 7

CONSUMPTION OF EXTRUDEDaluminium in

Brazil is running some 7.5 percent ahead of last

years pace, thanks in part to construction for

the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic

Games. The Brazilian Aluminium Association

(ABAL) expects consumption for 2013 to total

366,000 metric tons.

More than half of the demand has come from

the construction sector, especially in frames,

and ABAL technical director Ayrton Filletti says

the sector should continue driving extrusion

consumption over the next years. He says part of

the growth is tied directly to construction for the

World Cup and Olympics, where extrusion-related

projects include stadiums and airports.

In the medium and long term, the increased

demands for quality and environmental comfort

thermal and acoustic and greater accuracy in

meeting the performance standards of frames and

faades should contribute to increased consumption

of extruded products in construction, Filletti says.

Other market segments in Brazil also have

high growth potential, he says. The main one is

transportation, which accounts for 15 percent of

extruded products demand.

IN THE TRANSPORTATION segment, ABAL ex-

pects the growth of aluminium profiles consump-

tion to be sustained by the need for lighter bodies

for cargo transport. This trend is being pressed

forward by requirements related to the environ-

ment, such as reduced fuel consumption, Filletti

says.

We also see great potential for extrusions in

other modes of people transport, such as railways,

urban surface trains and subways, he says. The

shipping and offshore industries are also likely

to use more extruded aluminium in the next few

years, he says.

Brazils per capita consumption of extruded

ayt Ftt,

T t

ABAL.

Experts predict continued

growth in aluminium in

Brazil in coming years.

TEXTkevin widlicPHOTOiSTockphoTo,

paulo GuimareS

B RAZI L outlook

High hopes


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8 SHAPES 1.2014

REGARDLESS OF WHO WINSthe World Cup

soccer championship at Maracan Stadium in Rio de

Janeiro next year, Sapa is already satisfied with one

result: The refurbished stadium contains more than

50 metric tons of its extruded aluminium solutions.

The upgrade of Maracan Stadium, which

hosted nearly 200,000 people for the final match

of the 1950 World Cup, includes extruded alumin-

ium components on the main faade and on the

stadiums entry doors, or portals. The customers

wanted an aluminium frame that will last and

that is attractive to the eye, says Sapa commercial

manager Marcelo Santos.

Sapas extrusion company in Itu, near So Paulo,

has also supplied solutions to the Arena Per-

nambuco in Recife, another venue for the World

Cup games, and to the Governor Roberto Santos

products is just under two kilograms a

year, about half that of more economi-

cally developed countries.

Consumption is growing slowly and

gradually, Filletti says. We do not see

the prospect of a quantum leap in the

coming years in Brazil.

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGEfor the ex-

trusion industry is to make the productbest known in all the market segments

where it can be applied. There is little

literature on the extrusion process and a

general lack of knowledge regarding the

properties and comparative advantages

of extruded aluminium profiles among

specifiers and industries.

ABAL and the extrusion companies

in Brazil have undertaken sustained ef-

forts to promote the material and bring

knowledge of it to technical engineering

and architecture schools and to industryprofessionals, he says.

outlook BRAZIL

Amandio

Nascimento,

the owner of

Grupo Paris.

Sapa in BrazilSAPA HAS TWOoperations in

Itu, outside So Paulo, employ-

ing more than 500 people.

The aluminium extrusion

plant, the larger of the oper-

ations, serves the Brazilian

market with extruded products

for a variety of applications,

primarily in the construction

and transport industries.

The smaller operation in-

volves the production of preci-

sion aluminium tubing for fluid

transport and heat transfer

applications.

Sapa is playing a key role in theupgrade of the Rio de Janeiros

Maracan Stadium.TEXTKEVIN WIDLIC PHOTOSAPA

The rightframework


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1.2014 SHAPES 9

The projectSite:Maracan

Stadium in

Rio de Janeiro

Supplier:Sapa

Extrusions

in Itu, Brazil

Consultants:

Crescncio

Petrucci and

Luciene Longo

Metal builder:

Grupo Paris

Construction

company:

Construtora

Odebrecht

Stadium in Salvador, in the state of Bahia.

Sapa delivered the supporting structure for the

solar panels that generate energy for the stadium

in Salvador. The structure was built with anodized

and machined extrusions.

Crescncio Petrucci and Luciene Longo were

the consultants who handled the project together

with the metal builder Grupo Paris and construc-

tion company Construtora Odebrecht.

WHEN I WAS IN ARCHITECTURE school, there

was a lot of disagreement between students, but

one thing everybody would always agree on was

the advantage about aluminium usage in our

projects, says Longo. That is why I have chosen

to work with this material since then, due to its

strength, performance and beauty.

Once the material was decided, Amandio Nasci-

mento, the owner of Grupo Paris, says selecting the

extruder became a simple exercise because of the

companys quality products and quality service.

When we were awarded the Maracan project

the icon of our football we could not help but

share this with the Acro team in Itu, assigning

them to supply the aluminium solutions for this

unique work we are proud to be part of.

Santos agrees that this is something special.

When the people here heard they would be supply-

ing aluminium parts for the upgrade of Maracan,

they really got excited, he says. All customers are

equally important, but because the World Cup is a

showcase for Brazilians, we may have moved a little

faster in meeting the deadlines and shipping the

products within the tight specifications required.

Maracan Stadium will

host seven FIFA WorldCup 2014 matches,

including the final.


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10 SHAPES 1.2014

news

Inspirational winners

SAPA HAS CONDUCTED

its first Friction Stir Welding

(FSW) trial on production

equipment using the bobbin

FSW tool, a welding tool that

consists of two shoulders act-

ing on a welded section from

both sides.

This is an exciting develop-

ment within the field of FSW,

says Mike Tozier, technology

development manager at Sapa

Extrusions North America.

It enables us to weld thicker

material than ever before and

hollow profiles that previously

could not be welded cost-

effectively.

He sees the technology as

most applicable for structural

components for mass trans-

portation applications and

bridges, as well as for various

industrial and consumer prod-

ucts that use hollow extrusions

and require a robust joining

method. Sapa is now working

to identify the right applica-

tions and commercialize the

technology.

Exciting results from friction stir welding trials

SIX PROJECTS USING aluminium

have won prizes at the World Architec-

ture Festival (WAF) in Singapore.

Held last year on October 2-4, WAF is

the worlds largest architectural event.Awards were presented to projects across

30 categories, including offi ces, places of

religion, family homes, schools and shop-

ping centers. Both completed and future

architecture projects were recognized.

The gold medal in the category Future

Projects Experimental went to the White

Collar Factory in London, UK. The

16-story tower will soon stand tall at the

Old Street Yard in Londons emerging

Tech City Quarter. It is a new offi ce build-

ing that takes its cues from the multilevel

type of factory.

THE WHITE COLLAR Factory has been

carefully designed to meet a progressive

energy effi ciency and carbon reduction

strategy. Externally the building will

have glazing interspersed with solid

areas of faade made up from anod-

ized aluminium panels with punched

holes, inspired by Jean Prouvs Maison

Tropicale, a 1950s prefabricated housing

system. These panels also help control

solar gain the south-facing faade will

have more solid areas and the north will

be fully glazed.

Other projects involving aluminiumthat received awards were: A Simple Fac-

tory Building in Singapore; conversion of

the Palais Rasumofsky in Austria; Statoil

Regional and International Offi ces in

Norway; the Blue Planet aquarium in

Denmark; and Emporia shopping center

in Sweden.

THE WHITE COLLAR FACTORYis an original concept for the design and construction of new

offi ce buildings. The tower will accommodate nearly 20, 000 square meters of workspace.

READ MORE AT:

www.worldarchitecturefestival.com


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1.2014 SHAPES 11

news

UMBROSA NV IS A BELGIANhigh-

end manufacturer of designer sun

screens, or shade creations, made

with aluminium. The company dis-

tributes its products to more than 40

countries.

Design and innovation are pillars in

Umbrosas business strategy, as the

company strives to differentiate its

product range in the market. Welded

aluminium tubes are materials of

choice due to a superior strength-to-

weight ratio and brilliant aesthetics,

compared with other materials.

Aluminium shade solution

SAPA CHALCOAluminium

Products celebrated its formal open-

ing in November. The joint venture is

owned equally by Sapa and Chinalco,

and it is located in Chongqing. The

modern aluminium extrusion and

fabrication plant includes facilities

for research and development. China

is the worlds largest consumer of

aluminium extrusions.

Start-up for venture in China

Kids paint the futureJAPANESE SCHOOLCHILDREN

between the ages of 10 and 14 have

painted their ideas of how they

think aluminium will be used in the

future. The competition, organized

by the Japan Aluminium Associa-tion, saw 2,000 schools in Tokyo take

part. Some paintings illustrate how

aluminium will be used in spaceships,

cars, airplanes and buildings. Others

imagine how pets will be replaced

by aluminium robots, and one even

depicts an underwater aluminium

school bus. This years contest is the

third annual edition of the event,

which started in 2011.

A MAN IN AMERICAstarted collecting alu-

minium cans 30 years ago to help fund his two

grandsons college tuition fees.

That took a lot of cans, says Bob Johnson,

who now has about 60,000 US dollars for his

grandsons.

Johnson, of New Richmond, Wisconsin,

collects and stores the cans, only selling

them annually around Earth Day in April, when

most companies pay more for them.

Cans fund grandsons college

The approximate proportion of

all the aluminium ever produced that

is still in productive use.


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GLOBAL VIEW

12 SHAPES 1.2014

A world of solutionsBringing together two market

leaders in the extrusion business

means the new Sapa can serve

customers across the planet.

SAPA HAS A GLOBAL OFFERINGwithin

general extrusions, aluminium building systems

and precision tubing for heat transfer applica-

tions. The company has 100 production units in

40 countries. The head office is in Oslo, Norway.

Sapa Extrusions are used in buildings, cars,

transportation, electronics and millions of other

applications around the globe.

Sapa Building Systems offers a wide range

of branded value-added systems and solutions

for building and construction based on aluminium

profiles.

Sapa Precision Tubing is a global provider

of aluminium solutions for automotive, solar and

HVAC&R ( heating, ventilation, air conditioning

and refrigeration) heat transfer applications.


13/24

countries

40

presses

casthouses

anodizing

lines

welding lines

paint lines

employees

23,000

1.2014 SHAPES 13


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14 SHAPES 1.2014

The Blue Planet aquarium is about storytelling,

says architect Kim Herforth Nielsen.

profile KIM HERFORTH NIELSEN

WaterworldTEXTLARS STERLIND PHOTONILS BERGENDAL

SHIMMERINGmetallic building

in the shape of a

giant whirlpool

stands beside the

sea, giving visitors a

taste of what awaits

them inside. This

is Denmarks new

national aquarium, the Blue Planet, inspired by the

shape of water in endless motion.

Visitors can stroll through 53 separate aquari-

ums and get a breathtaking, up-close look at some

450 species of fish and other aquatic creatures.

We wanted to bring our visitors down to the fish,

not the other way around, says Kim Herforth

Nielsen, principal par tner at the Danish architec-

tural fir m 3XN, whose design for the aquarium

won the World Architecture Festival Display

Award 2013.

THIS BUILDING ISa habitat for fish, he says.

What makes our approach different is that we cre-

ate a building not only from the exterior but from

its interior as well. Some 20 people were involved

in the project at 3XN, which landed the designcontract in 2008.

The architects came up with the whirlpool after

experimenting with many different versions of the

form. It was a long process to develop the final

design of the building, Herforth Nielsen says. The

challenge was to find a material flexible enough for

the shape and at the right price.

The building comprises a series of curved wings,

designed to imitate the shapes generated by swirl-

ing water. The main entrance, reached by follow-

ing the longest arm of the whirlpool, leads into a

circular foyer at the heart of the building. There,

visitors can look up through a glass ceiling into a

pool directly overhead. Exhibitions are distributed

throughout the curved w ings, and there is no fi xed

route through the building. This way, 3XN aims to

shorten the lines of visitors for the most popular

aquariums.

Many parts of the complex construction feature

aluminium. The outside is covered with thousands

of diamond-shaped aluminium plates, known as

shingles. The design and the pattern of the faade

had to be simplified time and again to stay within

the budget. 3XN tested many different materials


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1.2013 ShapeS 15

Kim Herforth Nielsen

Hometown:

Copenhagen

Age: 59

Family:Wife and four

children

Education: ArchitectMAA/RIB from the

Aarhus School of

Architecture, where

he now is a professor

of architecture

Next challenge: We

have many new proj-

ects abroad, such as a

college in India and a

library in Canada.


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16 SHAPES 1.2014

THE BLUE PLANET

Denmarks new National

Aquarium, the largest

aquarium in Northern

EuropeIts 53 aquariums contain

7 million liters of water

The Blue Planet displays

more than 20,000 animals

and 450 species

The faade is covered

33,000 aluminium

shingles, measuring

12,000 square meters and

weighing a total of more

than 40 tons

The gross floor area is

9,700 square meters

The aquarium, situated

1.5 km from Copenhagen

Airport, opened on March

22, 2013

including glazed tiles, fiber concrete and fiberglass.

I finally chose shingles in aluminium for the

faade, which reflects the sun and the sky in a fan-

tastic way, Herforth Nielsen says. In the winter,

the aluminium takes on a new look when ice forms

intriguing patterns on the shingles.The Blue Planet stands on an elevated headland

facing the sea, north of Kastrup Harbor. Its dis-

tinctive shape is clearly visible to travelers arriving

by plane at the nearby Copenhagen Airport. In ad-

dition, aluminium is used for the large panoramic

windows in the restaurant overlooking the sea.

HERFORTH NIELSEN SAYSaluminium is his

favorite material. He uses it in some form in all

buildings the firm creates. Aluminium can do so

much, he says. It is light, easy to use, very flexible

and cost-efficient. At 3XNs elongated, white-

colored office in a former warehouse building in

central Copenhagen, the floor is made of alumin-

ium. I think that aluminium will be used more

frequently for floors in the future, he says. Weve

done the same thing in the Maritime Museum in

Helsingr. The aluminium floor reflects the day-

light very nicely.

The architectural firms studio, housed in a

listed building from 1763, was renovated in 2008.

It is designed as a large open loft with two levels.

The amount of light entering at the upper level,

where meetings are held, is limited, so a light ceil-

ing 40 meters long and four meters wide simulates

natural daylight. The light is reflected in the white

surfaces and the a luminium floor.

3XN has designed many public buildings, such

as the Muziekgebouw concert hall in Amster-

dam, the restad College in Copenhagen and the

Stockholm City Station. The firm is also known

for many spectacular bank a nd company build-

ings, such as the Saxo Bank in Copenhagen and

Swedbanks head office in Stockholm. All build-

ings that make a difference are interesting, says

Herforth Nielsen. Our philosophy is that archi-

tecture shapes behavior, and that the building

always should add a new and positive quality to

the context. He points to the restad College as

a good example where design is both functional

and decorative. There we have created rooms

where people can interact, which creates synergies

between people, he says.

profile KIM HERFORTH NIELSEN

THE CHALLENGE

WAS TO FIND A

MATERIAL FLEXIBLE

ENOUGH FOr THE

SHAPE AND AT THE

RIGHT PRICE.Kim Herforth Nielsen


17/24

1.2014 SHAPES 17

automotive-industry trendsThe automotive sector will become the aluminium

industrys major market in the years ahead, according

to Christian Wellner, executive director of the German

Aluminium Industry Association.Shapesasked himwhere the greatest opportunities and challenges lay.

TEXTMICHAEL LAWTON ILLUSTRATIONISTOCKPHOTO

ENVIRONMENTAL

ADVANTAGE

The automotive industry is

under permanent pressure to reduce

fuel consumption and thereby

carbon dioxide emissions. That

means reducing vehicle weight andlightweight construction is linked

with the use of aluminium .

INCREASED DEMAND

Aluminium can be used in

almost all parts of a car. We expect

particular growth in extruded sec-

tions and milled semi-finished prod-

ucts for body parts, drive units and

car interiors. Aluminium is attractive

because it can be processed in differ-

ent ways, as well as in combinations

of different processes.

GLOBAL PRESENCE

Automotive manufacturers are

global players who want to be able

to profit consistently from the advan-

tages of aluminium. That means the

aluminium industry should enter into

joint ventures and co llaborati ons to

benefit from the worldwide growth

in the market.

TECHNOLOGICAL

INNOVATION

Innovation is our life insurance.

Theres a lot of research going on

in the field of joining aluminium

components to one another or to

other materials using adhesives or

laser welding. Another area of focus

is improving aluminium screws.

CONTINUED

CHALLENGE

The big automotive manufac-

turers are working to develop new

combinations of materials not just

aluminium, but also lighter steels

and carbon-fiber-reinforced resin.

We are innovating in our research to

optimize materials and processes to

ensure that aluminium continues to

be the material of choice.

TrendsTrends


18/24

18 SHAPES 1.2014

Sapas Profile Academy

teaches customers how

to design cost-effective,

functional and clever

solutions.

TEXTCARI SIMMONS

PHOTOCLAUDETTE CARRACEDO, CHRIS RYAN

INDUSTRIES AND INDIVIDUALSare beginning

to recognize the flexibility, light weight and aes-

thetic advantages that come with using aluminium

and are eager to learn more about this versatile

material, used in everything from coffeemakers to

computers to cars.

Sapa is sharing its expertise by working with

colleges and universities, many of which want to

incorporate information about aluminium profiles

into their engineering and design curriculums,

often for the first time. Customers and others can

learn more about aluminium design through the

Sapa Profile Academy, a multi-day program held in

a host of different countries (see sidebar). Partici-

pants get hands-on assistance from internal and

external design experts who can help them turn

ideas into innovative, functional and cost-efficient

solutions.

Through the Profile Academy, par ticipants

become more proficient in designing aluminium

DEVELOPMENT DESIGN

Learn&create


19/24

1.2014 SHAPES 19

Broaderperspective

How did the Sapa Profile Academy

help you with product design?

The combination of technical

and design expertise of the Sapa

speakers and staff, combined with

the experience of seeing product

development in all the stages from

raw material to final end product,

helped to envision the endless

possibilities of product design and

at the same time understand some

of technical processes.

How are you using the knowledge you

gained in your daily work?

The technical and design knowl-

edge that I gained from the Sapa

staff allows me to now look at

new product design and current

products from a much broader

perspective, and I can draw from

more aluminium-based products in

everyday life for some inspiration.

How would you define good design?

Good design is being able to

incorporate pleasing visual and

tactile appeal to the practical

elements of product engineering.

In 2013, Desmond Chan,

president of Wedge Clamp

Systems, attended Sapa

Profile Academy in Portland,

Oregon, USA.

DESMOND CHAN is the president of Wedge Clamp Systems,

a company based in Vancouver, Canada, and Suzhou, China,

that produces innovative automotive hoists.


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20 SHAPES 1.2014

profiles, says Peter Hedman, manager of Sapas

North American technical center, in Portland,

Oregon. We give them access to product design-

ers, metallurgists and other internal and external

specialists.

The Profile Academy also provides an oppor-

tunity to work with a customers specific profile.

Sometimes, customers will come to us with a

complicated design with features that are dif-

ficult to achieve, says Hedman. After learning

about design basics and options for aluminium

in the first day of the academy, participants will

frequently grab one of our team and were off

drawing.

By the end of the program, original designs have

often been rehashed into something that saves

customers time and money with a product that is

more feasible from a production standpoint. Wediscuss cost drivers, Hedman says. If you dont

know about the manufacturing process, it is hard

to design profiles that are cost-effi cient.

The Sapa Academy includes information

about such things as tolerances and how various

parts can be made to fit together. It also includes

a seminar on how to understand and interpret

often-complicated industry standards regarding

tolerances.

NEW IDEAS ARE frequently sparked by a presen-

tation showcasing customer cases using alumini-um design. A customer in one industry can get in-

spiration using techniques across disciplines. For

example, one customer working with refrigerated

delivery trucks borrowed an insulation technology

from the aluminium window industry.

During the program, participants from differ-

ent industries work in small groups on various

aluminium designs and solutions, something that

helps the creative process, says Peter Richter, the

marketing coordinator responsible for the Profile

Academy in Sweden. We might put a buyer, an

engineer, a designer and a president from different

industries together in a work group, and we see

how doing this raises the level of creativity w ithin

each person.

Although participants come from different en-

vironments, each one contributes to the group. As

Richter says, Good design has to do with seeing

something from a different perspective.

Richter has observed an increased focus on

design in general. Its the outside of a product that

catches the eye first, he says. Those who dont

pay attention to design will not be in business

tomorrow.

THE SAPA PROFILEAcademy is

held in more than 20 countries across

the world, in the Americas, Asia and

Europe.

MORE THAN 5,000 PEOPLEhave

attended the Profile Academy since

the first academy in 1996.

PARTICIPANTS INCLUDEdesigners,

technicians, engineers, product

developers and architects across

all industries.

Across the world

DEVELOPMENT DESIGN

IF YOU DONT know

about the manufac-

turing process, it is

hard to design pro-

files that are cost-

effi cient , says Peter

Hedman, manager

of Sapas NorthAmerican technical

center.


21/24

1.2014 SHAPES 21

INNOVATION BREAKTHROUGHSoften

happen when things are not going quite the way

you expected, Jeffrey Insalaco says. When that

happens, its important to dig in and find out

why something is not working. Learning from

mistakes is often when you take a step forward

in developing new technologies and productsthat lead to patents.

Ive been working with heat transfer

technology ever since doing a university project

in 1985, and Ive developed a passion for it. Its

so important to be passionate about what you

do because thats when you start having fun,

become an expert and contribute to business.

What I really like about Sapa is having the

freedom to innovate and explore new ideas. I

spend a lot of time with customers, talking to

product designers to find their value point or

visiting manufacturing facilities to see how they

integrate our materials into their processes.

Inventing patents is a bit like being an art-

ist you go through creative cycles. One of my

favorite patents was a back extrusion process

for forming a manifold port. It applied several

engineering disciplines and different proper-

ties of aluminium, die design, finite element,

lubricants and coatings. It covered everything

that would have been part of a core curriculum

in mechanical engineering! Having one of my

patents end up as a component in 130 million

cars was very satisfying.

A passion forinnovation

ROLE MODEL

Jeffrey Insalaco, chief engineer

for extruded products in Sapa,

has 13 patent certificates.TEXTCARI SIMMONS PHOTOSCOTT COOK

Jeffrey Insalaco

Occupation:Chief engi-

neer, extruded products.

Work location:Sapa

operations in Florida,

USA.

Age:51

Number of engineers in

the family:Four (includ-

ing Jeffs son and two

brothers).

Hobbies: My work is my

hobby in a sense. I also

like to play golf and exer-

cise when Im not with

my three grandchildren.

Theyre another hobby.


22/24

A positive contributionClever design and modern materials mean Norways first energy

positive buildings will produce more power than they consume.

BUILDINGS OF ALL KINDS

consume huge amounts of en-

ergy. In Europe they account for

some 40 percent of total energy

requirements. A mong current

initiatives to meet increasingly

tough energy and environmental

demands are net-zero-energy

buildings and energy-plus houses. The work ofNorways Powerhouse alliance shows that the

energy performance of new and existing buildings

can be improved dramatically, even in cold Nordic

climates.

Powerhouse was launched in 2011 and aims

to develop commercial buildings that produce

more renewable energy over their lifespan than

is consumed in the production of their materi-

als, their construction, operation, demolition and

their utlimate disposal. The alliance is composed

of property management firm Entra Eiendom,

construction company Skanska, architectural firm

Snhetta, environmental group Zero, aluminium

company Hydro and consulting firm Asplan Viak.

The construction of Powerhouse One at Brat-

trkaia in Trondheim municipality is planned to

start in 2014 or 2015. It will be the first newly built

energy-positive office building in Norway and the

northernmost in the world.

At Kjrbo in Sandvika near Oslo, two existing

structures will be refurbished to become Norways

first energy-positive office complex.

The Brattrkaia design by architectural firm

Snhetta is both eye-catching and technically

Aluminium has many

advantages, says Tine

Hegli, senior architect,

Snhetta.

innovative. Building-integrated photovoltaic

(BIPV) solar panels cover the roof and much of the

faades. A 2,000-square-meter BIPV installation

on the roof wil l be one of the largest in Europe. For

optimal solar energy utilization the roof slopes

southward at a 20-degree angle.

The BIPVs, along with heat exchangers and heat

pumps, will produce electricity and heat. Seawater

will be used for heating and cooling.The faade design, with hidden window panels,

required extremely slim profiles, making alu-

minium the perfect choice. Aluminium has many

advantages, says Tine Hegli, a senior architect at

Snhetta. Its a light material that is easy to work

with and easy to customize to your needs. Its also

a living material that reflects light beautifully.

Aluminium can also withstand the harsh cli-

mate of Norways Atlantic coast.

BOTH PROJECTS WERE PLANNEDand are

being realized with aluminium solutions from

Wicona, a leading aluminium systems brand and

now part of Sapas building systems group.

Phillip Mller, a senior consultant for build-

ing physics and sustainability with Sapa , says,

Aluminium profiles are easy to access, which is

an important aspect at Brattrkaia, where the

building design otherwise makes maintenance and

cleaning challenging.

Lacking the conceptual freedom of Brattrkaia,

the rehabilitation of the Kjrbo buildings called for

other solutions.

Anodized aluminium and wood are used to keep

GREEN SOLUTION POWERHOUSE

TEXTULF WIMAN PHOTOSAPA

22 SHAPES 1.2014


23/24

the historical look of the building a demand from

the local municipality. Aluminium was used to

minimize the window frame size and maximize

transparent areas. A special type of aluminium

window was designed, which can be opened

outward and fulfills passive-house requirements,

Mller says. Such a slim frame couldnt have been

produced with a wooden frame.

At both projects, the life-cycle perspective was

crucial. To recycle properly, you need to disman-

tle all materials in a very str uctured way, Mller

says. Compared with other materials, aluminium

doesnt suffer from quality downgrading during

this process.

THE ORIGINAL BUILDINGS were completed in 1980 and the

refurbishment of two of the buildings is scheduled for

January 2014. Each of the buildings covers approximately

2,600 m2. The targeted green building label is BREE AM

outstanding. The current annual energy consumption is

about 1,250,000 kWh or 220 kWh/m2.

Energy estimates(per year over lifespan of 60 years):Energy need for operation:30 kWh/m2

Embodied energy:Embodied energy: 22 kWh/m2

Renewable energy production:68.5 kWh/m2

Energy consumption:approx. 100,000 kWh; 20 kWh/m2

Solar panel capacity:> 200,000 kWh; 41 kWh/m2

Powerhouse Kjrbo:

1.2014 SHAPES 23

ALUMINIUM HAS BEEN used to minimize

the window frame size and maximize

transparent areas.


24/24

Screen printing

Latch

Hinge

Decorative pattern

Heat sink

Integral tube

Reduced thickness

to allow spring

Screw port

Lugs

Slot for bolt

Christmas tree for

joining to wood or plastic

Slot for rubber seal

Slot for screw

or rivet

Slot

Stop for

sheet material

Screw port on

projection

Grip surface

Endless possibilitiesA wide range of functions can be incorporated in extruded aluminium

profiles. Sapas idea profile illustrates some of the options.

Screw markings

detail

shapes magazine 2014 #1 - english

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