Aluminum extrusions are created by heating aluminum billets and pushing them through a mold to create specific shapes. Different alloys are used for specific properties. The extruded metal is cooled, straightened, and cut to length before being aged. Aluminum extrusions are used in various applications due to their durability, strength, and recyclability. They are also popular in green building projects.
Aluminum extrusions are shaped pieces of aluminum produced by heating blocks of aluminum and pushing them through a mold shape to create specific patterns. Extrusions can be produced in many sizes and in almost any shape for which a mold can be created. Extruded aluminum offers durability and structural strength and is fully recyclable.
Aluminum extrusions start with solid, cylindrical shapes of aluminum called billets. Aluminum is sometimes used in its pure form, but often it is blended with magnesium, copper, manganese or silicon to create alloys with particular properties. Depending on the blend, alloys may offer greater corrosion resistance, higher strength, or better conductivity, but usually increasing one factor is a trade-off for decreasing another.
The aluminum is first heated to soften it and then coated with a film of lubricant. A hydraulic or mechanical press pushes against a support block that gradually pushes heated material through the mold opening, which is a blueprint for what the finished product should look like. The pressure from the press causes the heated metal to fill the empty space in the mold and take the shape of the inside of the mold. The aluminum comes out the other side of the mold in its finished form.
Different aluminum alloys are processed at different temperatures. Temperature is measured as the aluminum extrusions exit the mold to confirm the correct speed for the process. Aluminum extrusions are sometimes cooled with water or air as they come out of the mold. The extruded metal goes onto a cooling table to further reduce its temperature.
The cooled extrusions are placed on spinning machines to straighten and harden them. The cooled and stretched aluminum extrusions can be cut to the required lengths. Finally, the pieces are aged at room temperature or placed in an aging oven where they are heated to increase hardness and to temper the metal.
Aluminum extrusions are used for many purposes, including items such as display cases in shops and aluminum framed desks in modern offices. Virtually every type of vehicle contains aluminum extrusions, including cars, boats, bicycles and trains. Appliances and household tools take advantage of aluminum’s excellent strength-to-weight ratio. Extruded aluminum products weigh less and cost less to ship than those made from other types of metals, yet still provide long-lasting service.
The increased attention to green building is also driving contractors and architects to use more extruded aluminum products. Aluminum extrusions are flexible and resistant to corrosion. Aluminum is easily recyclable and can be used over and over again in building projects.
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