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Want to apply magnesium alloys to street lighting

2003

Dear Sirs,

I'm in working in the R&D department of a company in Valladolid, Spain. They have granted a scholarship for a year to develop a project about magnesium. The company belongs to a LIGHTING GROUP, mainly for public lighting. The intention of the project is to open our market to magnesium. The problem is that I don't find any advantage to use magnesium versus aluminium for public lighting. I know that the market of magnesium is mainly the automotive industry.

Is there any treatment (for instance, corrosion treatment, or so) that would be better with magnesium than aluminium? I have to justify that although magnesium die casting costs are higher, we can assure more corrosion resistance that if we can apply this treatment to aluminium. Moreover, it would be important the marketing factor. I will be very please if you could help me. My future in the company depends on this project.

Thanks in advance,

Roberto Bazal Pérez
Aluminium die casting - Valladolid, Spain

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Roberto, the lower density of magnesium is the only advantage of the metal I can think of, and I can't imagine a serious application in public lighting where that advantage can be utilized. The automotive industry can gain from lower weight, as can the aerospace industry- but streetlights and lamp posts? Maybe on the top of the pole, where lower weight means less moment arm?

Aluminum alloys in general have higher strengths, anodize to better corrosion resistances, are easier to machine, less costly, and more readily available in a variety of forms. That's tough competition- good luck!

Lee Gearhart
metallurgist - E. Aurora, New York
2003

There have been some issues in the concrete construction industry recently regarding Aluminum vs. Magnesium. Specifically, some manufacturers have claimed that aluminum and Portland Cement are not a good combination. They have suggested that Magnesium, although more expensive, should be used for any material that comes in contact with the wet concrete. Otherwise, they say, a reaction will occur which will jeopardize the integrity of the cured product. This seems contradictory to the fact that Aluminum anodizes better than Magnesium, thus having a greater resistance to corrosion.

Erik Peterson
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
2004

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Magnesium fixtures for vibration testing . I understand the obvious gains from using mag or aluminum but why not just thin the aluminum to lighten the weight or thicken it.

Is it cheaper to buy or machine magnesium?

Steve Arbiv
Crane Aerospace - Burbank, California
2006