Due to environmental protection and resource considerations, “circular economy” has become a global trend. In recent years, relevant topics are garnering more and more attention in Taiwan. Many global manufacturers in automotive, daily goods, consumer electronics, and construction industries have gradually set sustainable development goals and measures for recycling. The government has also proactively promoted innovation policies for the circular economy to accelerate industrial transformation and upgrading, and leverage the strengths and niches of domestic industries to serve as the core of next generation industry growth and build a sustainable value network.
In 2020, the TASS 2020 Asia’s Sustainable Supply & Circular Economy Conference and Exhibition was held from December 2~4 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center. MIRDC has a booth set up and welcomes industrial leaders to visit and exchange new technologies and business opportunities in the circular economy era. With support from the Department of Industrial Technology, MOEA, MIRDC held the 2020 High Value Metal Material Technology Opportunities Seminar at the Innovation Value-added Center of Traditional Industry, MOEA on December 1. During the seminar, MIRDC’s innovative application of processing technology for recycled aluminum was showcased, attracting participation and exchange from more than 118 industry representatives.
The seminar covered porosity forming and process technology of recycled aluminum material, which is the creation of aluminum foam casting technology and the development of high-value anti-collision components (such as domestically developed road engineering anti-collision vehicles). Current domestic road engineering anti-collision vehicles are all imported. If the anti-collision mast is filled with aluminum foam, the reaction force (energy is absorbed) of the vehicle due to collision can be reduced, which will greatly help improve the safety of driver and passenger. In-house recycled aluminum cleaning and high vacuum die casting technology increases the proportion of recycled aluminum in the factory and reduces material costs. Through molten aluminum cleaning technology (on-line molten aluminum deslagging/real-time degassing monitoring), the manufacturers can invest in the production of high-grade structural die-castings, helping the industry expand its order-fulfillment capability and global competitiveness.
Next, the warm/hot forming of high strength aluminum alloy replaces the existing multi-pass cold forming process and solves the problem of not being able to produce Al 7xxx aluminum alloy sheet, which improves overall process production efficiency, reduces secondary aluminum processing wastes, and produces high-strength aluminum structural components to achieve lightweight in the transportation industry. Low energy consumption and no dust friction stir welding technology is highly adaptable 3D curve friction stir welding technology that improves the joining quality of recycled aluminum. This technology promotes the recycling of secondary aluminum and enhances the capability of domestic manufacturers to win orders.
MIRDC has guided the upgrade of domestic metal and its related manufacturing industries for many years. In the future, MIRDC will focus on aluminum recycling, cleaning, and slag reduction technology, as well as technology that is low energy, reduces waste efficiently, and promotes the application of recycled aluminum to help the industry set up production lines with high-value recycling and green processes, increase the annual processing volume of recycled aluminum, and increase the output value so that the industry is in line with global standards.