One of the primary reasons why more manufacturers rely on custom aluminum extrusions over other similar types of materials is that aluminum has a high performance delivery and is also very cost-effective. Aluminum is lightweight, strong, durable, rust-proof and economical – what more could you want in a material? The lighter weight of aluminum helps companies to reduce costs associated with shipping and handling, while offering them more choices for shaping, sizing and fabrication through the use of custom aluminum extrusions. Factor in the corrosion resistance of aluminum and it is easy to see why aluminum doors and windows, exterior and interior trim, as well as other common applications are becoming so popular.
Heavy Duty and Long-Lasting
Aluminum as a material is lightweight, yet strong. It has the strength required for heavy-duty applications, yet is virtually seamless. Unless it is treated or coated, aluminum is very shiny. Its high reflectivity makes it perfect for use with solar energy projects and products. Unlike other metals that must be painted in order to work with a commercial or residential design, aluminum looks great and is aesthetically pleasing in many different designs. Custom aluminum extrusions can be made into a variety of complex and integral shapes according to the design and needs of the production company.
Some more of the advantages associated with custom aluminum extrusions include:
- easy to fabricate, reducing lead time over other materials
- joinable in many different ways
- easy to assemble, extruded to your specific design
- ability to create very complex and integral shapes
- attractive looking and available in a wide range of finishes
- high-quality, uniformed look, feel and performance
- 100 percent recyclable
- very cost-effective with a high return on investment
- lightweight and reflective
- strong and resilient
- the corrosion resistance of aluminum is very high
- heat and electrical conducting
- non-magnetic and non-sparking
- non-combustible
The Aluminum Association launched an initiative on Earth Day 2008 that focused on sustainability issues, such as recycling, efficient product applications and operating efficiency. Manufacturers, aluminum fabrication shops and even end users of custom aluminum extrusions were charged with operating in a manner that is good for the environment and consumers as a whole. The aluminum industry has long been driven by the idea of sustainability, and has allowed that ideal to shape its actions and communications.
Some of the advantages of choosing aluminum materials in fabrication and manufacturing include:
- use of recycled aluminum consumes only 5 percent of the energy that primary aluminum does
- use of aluminum parts and products reduce the weight of automobiles, increasing fuel economy and performance, without compromising safety
- use of aluminum in trucks allows for the shipping of larger cargo loads without affecting weight restrictions on roadways and bridges
- for every pound of steel that is replaced with custom aluminum extrusions on a truck, 18 pounds of CO2 is saved
- the aluminum industry is estimated to have cut greenhouse gases by 30 percent since 1990, making aluminum one of the most sustainable materials ever
- aluminum is the most recycled material on the planet with 73 percent of all aluminum produced since 1888 still in use today in some way, shape or form
How Custom Extrusions Are Created at Silver City Aluminum
When it comes to creating custom aluminum extrusions for our clients at Silver City Aluminum, we use only the best billet materials from several different suppliers. The materials that we use are 99.9 percent recylable aluminum. We cut long length billets to the proper size needed to create our custom aluminum extrusions to minimize waste. Our calculations are done based upon the length and weight of the profile that we receive in our aluminum fabrication shops from our customers. Once the billets are cut for processing, they are then loaded into an oven to be heated before they go through the extrusion process to create parts for aluminum doors and windows, trim and other essential product manufacturing parts or pieces.
The custom shape of our custom aluminum extrusions is created by pushing the metal through the customer’s steel profile at 10 million pounds of pressure. The heated aluminum flows through the profile to come out the other end in the exact shape that the client requested or it is used to create a stock profile. The extruded metal is then cooled down on a 160 foot table. While we have a maximum extrusion length of 30 feet, the aluminum can then be stretched while still warm in to the perfect requested dimensions through the use of opposing stretchers. Before the metal is heat-treated to harden it and increase the corrosion resistance of aluminum, it is cut into the client’s requested lengths.
We only use top of the line components in the creation of all our custom aluminum extrusions. Each step is fully integrated and fully automated through the use of advanced PLC control technology. These tools help us to see how the machine if functioning from anywhere in the world, what rate of speed it is moving at and the extrusion “recipe” for each client as their products and being processed. This helps us to provide a very consistent and dependable level of quality control in our aluminum fabrication shops, benefiting our customers every step of the way.
To find out more about the custom aluminum extrusions we do at Silver City Aluminum or to learn more about the corrosion resistance of aluminum, visit our website or call our office in Taunton, Massachusetts at 508-824-8631. Whether you are in the business of manufacturing aluminum doors and windows or if you want to use our aluminum fabrication shops to create something totally outside of the box, give Silver City a call. Our helpful and highly experienced technicians can help you create a profile that will yield top of the line custom aluminum extrusions that you can use in your business. Call us today to get quote on your next project or to place an order.