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Mifa: a aluminium & magnesium extrusion company

Magnesium continues to hold promise for the future! Mifa has the internal knowledge to manufacture a full range of magnesium components. This represents a significant advancement in a realm where weight is of utmost importance, as magnesium is the lightest among all metallic elements. With our magnesium extrusion Mifa has won the Materialica Design + Technology Gold Award.

Following extensive research and development, Mifa has successfully achieved extrusion of magnesium profiles and components. Our extrusion capabilities allow for dimension tolerances as tight as +/- 0.02 mm. The design freedom offered by magnesium is on par with that of aluminium. Magnesium extrusion profiles find applications in various areas, such as:

Main benefits of using magnesium

Very light

Magnesium has diverse applications, including in cars, cameras, aeroplanes, and bicycles. Nevertheless, its popularity is growing among manufacturers due to its lightweight nature. For instance, a lighter bicycle typically results in a more satisfied customer. Engineers are progressively opting for magnesium over other materials because it can be up to 30% lighter than aluminium.

Less production costs

Magnesium extrusions stand out for its lightness, being 30% lighter than aluminium and 70% lighter than steel. In sectors where weight is critical, magnesium offers significant advantages. The benefits for cars, trains, and aeroplanes are evident, particularly when striving for optimal cost efficiency. Handling and manufacturing lighter components results in reduced production costs.

Strength and corrosion-resistance

Some might argue that magnesium corrodes rapidly. However, Mifa has pioneered a unique coating that thoroughly protects the surface of magnesium extrusions, rendering corrosion obsolete. While there have been doubts about magnesium’s durability, its strength-to-weight ratio undeniably positions it as a top contender. Magnesium extrususion allows for the creation of parts lighter than those made from similar metals.

The Mifa standard

The exceptional precision we attain during the aluminium and magnesium extrusion process opens up unprecedented possibilities and provides designers with immense design freedom, unrestricted by standard specifications. Consequently, Mifa is capable of producing top-quality magnesium products. Our magnesium extrusion products surpass industry standards in terms of:

  • Straightness;
  • Torsion;
  • Concentricity;
  • Parallelism;
  • Surface roughness;
  • Fit.

If you are interested, as a magnesium extrusion company, we possess in-house expertise to apply surface treatments that offer advantages such as corrosion resistance.

Lighter products and components for machines

Mifa possesses the capability to manufacture profiles from extruded magnesium alloys. Magnesium is a lightweight metal that exhibits excellent material properties. It weighs 35% less than aluminium and 70% less than steel. The magnesium employed by Mifa is also highly strong, with a minimum strength that is 20% greater than the conventional aluminium typically used in construction, considering the specific mass of the materials.

Alloy Rm (Mpa) Rp 0,2 (Mpa) A50 Hardness (HB)
Al 6063 – T6 215 170 6 70
Al 6061 – T6 260 240 8 85
Al 6082 – T6 310 260 8 90
Mg AZ 31 – F 250 180 15 49
Mg AZ 61 – F 310 228 16 60

 

Properties Unit Mg Al Ti Steel
Specific mass kg/dm3 1,74 2,75 4,54 7,85
Thermal conductivity W/mK 155 247 22 50
Heat capacity kJ/kgK 1,038 0,905 0,47 9,71
Specific electrical resistance μΩcm 4,5 2,75 42 9,71
Coefficient of expansion 10ˆ-6 1/k 26 23,5 8,7 12

 

Magnesium in cars

Sustainability is gaining significant importance for companies worldwide, including car manufacturers. Building cars in a more sustainable manner has become crucial due to increasing consumer demand and government targets for reducing CO2 emissions. Car manufacturers enjoy several advantages by incorporating magnesium:

  • Complete recyclability: Magnesium is entirely recyclable, making the production process more environmentally friendly.
  • Weight reduction: By using magnesium, the overall weight of cars is reduced, resulting in lower production and transportation costs.
  • Lower fuel costs: A lighter car translates to reduced fuel consumption, benefiting both the environment and the consumers’ wallets.

Porsche, as a car manufacturer, utilizes magnesium in their vehicles. A notable example is the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, which features a magnesium roof. Porsche conducted tests using magnesium, aluminium, and carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) to determine the most suitable material.

Magnesium emerged as the clear winner, offering the ideal combination of strength and lightweight properties. In total, the use of magnesium saved ten kilograms of weight, making it the optimal choice for achieving both performance and efficiency in their vehicles.

Get in touch with us

Magnesium holds immense promise! With the appropriate finish, we can manufacture the ideal magnesium solution tailored to your needs and specifications. At Mifa, we produce a diverse array of products daily, including magnesium extrusion profiles. Our creations range from wheelchairs and cameras to components for the automotive and aerospace sectors, machinery parts, and even electronic casings.

If you’re curious about the possibilities of magnesium extrusion, we’d be delighted to demonstrate our capabilities.

We invite you to personally experience the precision of our magnesium extrusion. Please contact us, and our head office will ensure that one of our Sales Engineers promptly reaches out to you.

Immerse yourself in the world of high quality extruded profiles, and discover the Mifa standard firsthand.