Alusuisse Technology & Management Ltd.

Costruzioni Aeronautiche Giovanni Agusta S.p.a.

Alcan Technology & Management Ltd.

Walter Hotz

Roman Fuchs

Volkmar Gillich

Francesco Porro

Cosimo Gabriele

Herbert Keppner

Michael Goetz

Paul Hanggi

A method for producing weather- and corrosion-resistant shaped sheets consisting of aluminum or an aluminum alloy with a decorative finish in a coil coating process that comprises the following sequential steps: an aluminum strip or aluminum alloy strip is provided; optional continuous degreasing of the strip; optional electrochemical, chemical or mechanical burnishing of the optionally degreased strip; the optionally degreased and/or burnished strip is continuously pre-treated to create a pre-treated layer that is suitable for use as an adhesive base for a paint layer; the optionally degreased strip is continuously pre-treated to create a strip surface that is suitable for use as an adhesive base for a paint layer; the pre-treated strip is continuously painted with a sol-gel paint consisting of a polysiloxane to create a first protect protective layer; the first protective layer is continuously dried and cured in a continuous furnace; the sheets are produced by shaping the strip that comprises the first protective layer and cutting the sheets that are optionally to be further shaped, or by cutting the sheets out of the strip that comprises the first protective layer and shaping the cut sheets; the shaped sheets are painted with a sol-gel paint consisting of a polysiloxane to create a second protective layer and the second protective layer is dried and cured in a furnace. The shaped parts that are produced by the method are characterized by excellent weather- corrosion- and abrasion resistance.

Method for producing shaped aluminium sheets with a decorative finish

A rolled product of metal with at least one structured surface with light spreading structure. The structured surface exhibits a groove-type pattern in the form of a series of circular arc lengths that runs in the roiling direction and is wave-like in cross-section. The maximum angle of inclination of a tangent to the circular arc lengths with respect to a plane defined by the surface is 1 to 15&deg;, and the radius of the arc lengths is between 0.1 and 20 mm.

Rolled product of metal exhibiting a light-spreading surface structure

Coating substrate

Interference layer which acts as a coloring surface layer on aluminum items, said layer containing an aluminum oxide layer and, deposited on this, a partially transparent layer. The aluminum oxide layer is a transparent, pore-free barrier layer produced by anodizing, of predetermined thickness d corresponding to the desired surface color of the interference layer; the thickness d of the barrier layer lies between 20 and 900 nm, and the partially transparent layer exhibits a wavelength dependent transmission .tau.(.lambda.) which is greater than 0.01 and smaller than 1. The side of the partially transparent layer facing away from the barrier layer is preferably protected from mechanical and chemical effects by an additional, transparent protective layer.

Aluminum surface with interference colors

An electron microscope including a base, a frame supported by said base, a vacuum chamber supported by said frame and including a fixed cup-shaped member having a lateral aperture closed by a movable cover, the latter including a further interchangeable cup-shaped member with its concavity facing said aperture, and supported by substantially horizontal guide means rigid with said frame for moving from and towards said fixed cup-shaped member; support means being provided inside said further cup-shaped member for supporting a piece holder in an adjustable position.

Scanning electron microscope with a chamber which can be broken down,

A method for mounting pieces inside the vacuum chamber of an electron microscope, said chamber including a fixed cup-shaped body laterally closed by a mobile closure element supporting a piece holder, and detection means disposed inside said chamber; the method providing for provision of a transparent rigid mask which reproduces the shape of said chamber and said detection means, and is to be arranged in contact with said closure element before closing it to adjust the position of the piece to be observed.

Growing community of inventors

Beringen, Switzerland

Walter Hotz