Large-scale industrial turbines are ubiquitous in the energy generation sector, appearing everywhere from conventional gas- and steam-powered turbines to advanced renewables markets. Whether they are utilized in nuclear power plants or wind farms, turbines all operate on the same basic principle: a mechanical force acts upon a shaft – typically in a hermetically sealed chamber [...]

Formable and removable, 2025 fiberglass thermal insulation is an outstanding general-use material for high-temperature applications. Also known as lagging fabric, 2025 fiberglass is composed of woven electrical-grade (E-glass) fibers which are treated to improve the material’s abrasion- and permeation-resistance. The result is a thermodynamically-efficient thermal insulation fabric with outstanding resistance to fraying and extremely low [...]

The aluminum industry contributes an estimated $174 billion dollars to the US economy alone, with a global impact that is difficult to quantify. Almost everyone on the planet will use the material in one form or another throughout their lives – often daily. It is ubiquitous in engineering and manufacturing, with a significant economic and [...]

Aircraft designers have always turned to new and emerging materials to resolve the inherent challenges of heavier-the-air flight. Fabricated parts have become an essential component in the design of safe private and passenger aircraft alike. In this blog post, Mid-Mountain explores the importance of lightweight materials and fabricated parts in aviation construction and how they [...]

Aluminum is a highly formable metal with remarkably low density. It has been used in manufacturing and engineering markets worldwide since the mid-20th Century, and it sits alongside steel as one of the most widely-consumed materials on earth. However, the malleability of aluminum intermediate goods can be problematic. Unfinished sheets and plates that contact dissimilar [...]

Aluminum production has historically been marred by a high carbon footprint and poor sustainability. Significant steps have been taken in recent years to improve the industry’s green credentials – specifically, those of primary aluminum manufacturing. High-temperature seals have been instrumental in improving sustainability in the aluminum industry, which has experienced a carbon footprint decrease of [...]

High-temperature seals like silicone coated ropes and die-cut gaskets are engineered to guarantee that facilities and individual components comply with regulations regarding emissions, and to protect the component superstructure from damage by process temperatures or pressures. Industrial furnaces, crucibles, and extrusion equipment are engineered to generate and maintain extreme temperatures exceeding 1000°C (2192°F). The peak [...]

The space race of the 20th Century was catalyzed by the invention of the V-2 rocket which was based on a novel engine system using a liquid-propellant. It was the world’s first long-range, guided ballistic missile technology, providing a feasible basis for spaceflight. Propelling an explosive or projectile differs significantly from a shuttle, however. A [...]

Despite enormous innovations in the field of aerospace engineering, both manned and unmanned aircraft still manipulate lift and thrust to take off from the ground – with the notable exception of rotorcraft that can lift off vertically. Fixed-wing aircraft are subsequently limited with respect to their performance areas, requiring runways with generous amounts of space [...]

Primary aluminum smelting is conducted according to the Hall-Héroult process, which describes the reduction of oxidized aluminum (Al2O3) through electrolysis occurring within an industrial cell. The cell comprises a salt bath where liquidized aluminum is extracted from molten mixtures of alumina and cryolite using electrodes engineered from coke. These components penetrate the walls of the [...]