This is a small section of magnesium thoughts and ideas, openly expressed. As you will see Magnesium's viability is absolute, the questions currently facing product designers are, what forms and products best exploit Magnesium's great potential. Some good examples of magnesium products are shown below.

Magnesium was the material for the 1930's and was used in everything from adding machines to binoculars, rail cars, bus frames and even airplane engines. By the 1930's common everyday items such as ticket taking machines, ladders, hand carts and typewriters where all made with magnesium because of "process economy".

These developments where simple and real proof that Magnesium as a material for many applications was viable. Since then Magnesium has seen many ups and downs, mostly because of aluminum's gaining market.

Magnesium has many advantages that we have seen often mentioned in many articles in trade magazines as well as many other metal and industrial publications. In addition to the benefits that Magnesium has many apparent problems are mentioned and often found when trying to work with it in a variety of processing environments.

Still many ask, "Is magnesium viable as a material for industry?" Meanwhile it has been used by bicycle companies like Rock Shox, Taiwan front suspension makers SR Suntour, RST . I has been used by all major auto makers, computer makers, helicopter makers, and Nasa without considerable problems.

Magnesium like many materials is viable but not if used as simply aluminum replacement in similar forms and designs. It is different and although in some casting application is has acted as an aluminum replacement, a complex number of factors contribute to viability over aluminum in the same application and form. Many other forms such as tubes, rims, and forgings need to be considered based on magnesium specific design considerations taking into account all of its mechanical, physical and chemical properties. If following these guidelines many new and profitable uses will be found for magnesium.

Below you will find a few nice pictures of items made of magnesium as far back as 1929.