Arconic orders electromagnetic stirrer aluminium stirrer
ABB has received an order from aluminium producer Arconic for a fifth electromagnetic stirrer (AL‑EMS) for its rolling mill and casthouse operation in Székesfehérvár, Hungary.
It builds on four installations delivered on the same site since 2023.
The AL-EMS will be installed on a 52-metric-ton aluminium melting furnace, with commissioning planned for early 2027.
Arconic produces rolled aluminium products for the automotive, construction, aerospace, packaging and electronics markets.
Efficient casthouse operations play a key role in a reliable supply chain by supporting downstream manufacturing worldwide.
Arconic’s casthouse in Hungary produces 230,000 metric tons of aluminium per year.
The repeat order follows Arconic’s decision to replace aging stirring technologies across its casthouse furnaces due to insufficient stirring performance and frequent maintenance requirements.
ABB’s AL‑EMS systems were selected to resolve operational inefficiencies experienced by furnace operators, including elimination of channel wall stirring and related clogging issues, while also delivering measurable improvements in reliability and efficiency
The customer previously reported that maintenance requirements have been reduced using the technology, cutting downtime by around ten days per furnace per year, while dross removal is faster and safer – taking around 50% less time than before.
Other improvements include more productive furnace operation with enhanced temperature homogenization, faster alloy dissolution and reduced gas consumption.
All five ABB AL‑EMS units at the Hungary site are side‑mounted and liquid‑cooled, demonstrating that strong and uniform stirring can be achieved even in retrofit applications where space constraints prevent bottom‑mounted installations.
Frederik Esterhuizen, Global Business Line Manager, Metals & Power Conversion, ABB’s Process Industries division, said: “They have trusted us to deliver and will see the improved productivity, energy and safety improvements once this installation is complete.”
