The accredited Laboratory of Physical Metallurgy and Chemical Analysis functioning at the Institute is equipped with modern equipment and provides high-quality research services in the field of analysis of physico-chemical properties of light metals.

The thematic scope of the activity of IMN OML Skawina includes the technology development to prepare liquid metals for casting, casting of aluminium, aluminium alloys and magnesium alloys in ingots for plastic working, various processes of the plastic working of light metals, including extrusion, rolling, forging, drawing and stamping, manufacture of protective coatings on Al and Mg products, manufacture of new advanced materials based on light metals, and processing and disposal of waste.

The technological activity of OML IMN Skawina includes:

• technology and applied research,
• innovation and implementation,
• increasing innovativeness and competitiveness of the Polish light metals industry,
• scientific and technical services and expert work,
• training workers for the light metals industry,
• consolidation of science and industry for both domestic activities and cooperation with the European Union, searching for means to incorporate the “CentrAlMag" Centre of Excellence in the structure of the European Research Area,
• actions taken to establish bonds between the European Research Area and R&D centres operating in non-affiliated countries, e.g. Ukraine, Russia, etc.,
• low-volume production of high-quality products made of aluminium and its alloys,
• production of devices used by metallurgical plants operating in the steel and foundry industries, and in the aluminium and aluminium alloys processing industry.

Specifically the scope of this activity includes developments in the technology of:

• liquid metal preparation for casting, and casting of aluminium and magnesium and their respective alloys in ingots for plastic working,
• plastic working of light metals, including extrusion, rolling, forging, drawing and stamping,
• production of new advanced materials based on light metals,
• production of protective coatings on items made of aluminium and magnesium.

Many years’ experience of the staff of the Light Metals Division (OML) in Skawina has resulted in implementation of the Quality Management System ISO 9001:2008.

We specialize in the manufacture of high-quality casting aluminium alloys made in accordance with EN, BS, DIN and other standards, including also alloys with customised chemical composition. We produce ingots for plastic working from the most popular grades of aluminium and its alloys. We provide services in the scope of anodic oxidation of aluminium and its alloys for conservation purposes, for decoration, protection and to improve the abrasion wear resistance. We manufacture equipment for refining of aluminium and its alloys.

For more detailed information on what we can offer, please use the links below.

1. Casting alloys and ingots for plastic working
2. Anodic oxidation
3. Manufacture of equipment.

The IMN OML Skawina has at its disposal highly specialised, and in some cases - even unique, research equipment and devices for experimental studies, for the manufacture of both traditional and advanced light metal-based materials, and for the development of innovative materials technologies.

The Skawina Light Metals Division of the Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals in Gliwice has become in recent years a beneficiary of funding from the European Regional Development Fund in the framework of the following projects:

• Project No. POIG.02.02.00 -00-012/08-00  entitled "Retrofitting the Research Infrastructure of Malopolska Centre for Innovative Technologies and Materials" under the Operational Programme Innovative Economy - 2007-2013, Priority 2 Infrastructure R & D, Measure 2.2. Support for development of research infrastructure for research.
• Project No. POIG.02.01.00-12-062/09, entitled " Advanced Technology Incubator for Plastic Working of Light Alloys based on Al and Mg" under the Operational Programme Innovative Economy 2007-2013, Priority 2 Infrastructure R & D, Measure 2.1 Development of research centres with high potential.
• other funds granted by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education

to retrofit pilot installations and test equipment for plastic working of aluminium and magnesium alloys.

The development of innovative technology for the manufacture of new materials in semi-technical scale requires modern, highly-specialised technological equipment and test apparatus that the OML IMN Skawina has currently at its disposal.

Research projects implemented by IMN OML Skawina

The OML Local Division in Skawina is an independent research institution forming part of the Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals in Gliwice. For over 55 years, the Skawina Division has been investigating various aspects of the processing of aluminium and aluminium alloys, and since some decades also of magnesium and magnesium alloys. The Institute consists of Departments, Sections and Laboratories whose activities are focussed on the development of industrial technology and on the use of aluminium, and Al and Mg alloys in a variety of industrial applications.

The Skawina Light Metals Division of the Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals (IMN- OML Skawina) was founded in 1954 and is the oldest, the largest and the unique in Poland centre operating as a research base for the Polish industry of light metals and for the users of finished and semi-finished products made of aluminium, aluminium alloys and magnesium alloys. The research staff of IMN - OML Skawina includes 33 persons, and in this number 23 persons are university graduates (including 7 PhD workers and two associate professors). The group consists of 7 women and 26 men; the average age is 43 years. These are academics with high research output recognized at home and abroad, and technical staff of engineers - highly qualified and with long working experience. Researchers are members of the scientific-technical organisations, including Aluminium Association, Polish Society of Metallurgy, Polish Society for Materials Research, Polish Society of Composite Materials, Polish Committee for Standardization. In recognition of their achievements, long-term employees of IMN-OML Skawina have been awarded numerous national and departmental awards.

Nearly sixty years of the Skawina Light Metals Division activities have been and are focussed on the application research done for the light metals industry, mainly aluminium industry. This is a complex work, starting with preparation of molten metal for casting, through plastic working and heat treatment, and in the surface finishing operations ending, not forgetting the aspect of economy and environmental issues. The developed innovative technologies are focussed on the manufacture of products with extra-high properties for industrial applications. The extensive studies touching on many problems of modern technology result in the acquisition of knowledge and experience and contribute to the development of research strategies in the Light Metals Division.

The Institute staff of research workers can offer a broad knowledge and experience in the following areas:

• development of technology for processing of aluminium, magnesium and their alloys, including quality assessment,
• pilot-scale casting of ingots for plastic working,
• design and construction of moulds for casting aluminium alloy ingots for plastic working,
• casting of aluminium alloys by Rapid Solidification,
• direct and indirect extrusion of aluminium and magnesium alloys, including the novel technology of continuous rotary extrusion (a CONFORM type process),
• manufacture of sections from aluminium and magnesium alloys by hot plastic consolidation in the process of traditional and continuous extrusion of materials with ultra-fine grain structure,
• die forging,
• development of technology to make rolled products such as sheet, strip, foil, and clad metal,
• manufacture of materials with ultra-fine grain structure by the process of severe plastic deformation,
• manufacture of protective coatings and decorative-protective coatings on aluminium and aluminium alloys by electroplating and electroless technologies,
• manufacture of protective coatings on magnesium alloys by electroless technologies,
• study of corrosion behaviour of aluminium and magnesium alloys,
• testing of mechanical properties and structure examinations performed on ultra-fine grain magnesium alloys by the methods of light and electron microscopy, and by the XRD analysis,
• chemical analysis of aluminium and magnesium alloys,
• testing of mechanical properties and structure examinations performed on aluminium and magnesium alloys by the methods of light and electron microscopy, and by the XRD analysis.

Many years of experience and high quality of the research conducted by the staff of the Light Metals Division (OML) in Skawina resulted in accreditation granted in 2002 by the Polish Centre for Accreditation (PCA) for the Laboratory of Physical Metallurgy and Chemical Analysis (LMiAC). The LMiAC Laboratory meets the requirements of PN-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and has got a PCA Certificate No. AB 394 valid until 16 May 2018. The accreditation covers 20 research methods, including opinions and interpretation of results.

The IMN-OML Skawina meets the requirements of ISO 9001: 2008 for Quality Management System and has got the Certificate No. 170591-2014-AQ-POL-RvA issued by DNV (Det Norske Veritas) for the research and development work and design services in the field of light metals.