Ski resorts all over the world rely heavily on the use of snow making equipment to increase their ski season from fall through early spring. In addition, there are many indoor ski slopes that use snow making equipment as well. Extruded aluminum is used to create the parts necessary to create snow guns and snow cannons, which are used most frequently for snow making. There are many advantages of using aluminum, such as being able to prevent corrosion through design. After all of the wear and tear that occurs through the use of snow making equipment in just a single season, many other metals are unable to stand up to the punishment that aluminum is able to take.
Custom extrusion dies make it possible to create all of the unique parts required for snow making applications. Extruded aluminum is a top choice for manufacturers because it is strong, durable, lightweight and naturally anti-corrosive, even in extreme conditions. Water and pressurized air are forced through the snow gun, requiring high strength and durability to keep up with regular use. Low temperatures are required for snow making and aluminum does not become brittle at low temperatures, as is seen with most steel grades. In fact, its strength increases, making it an excellent choice for snow making gun designs.
How Cold Does It Have to Be?
When making snow, the temperature needs to be really low. However, the threshold temperature for making snow increases as the humidity level drops. Most aluminum alloys have a tensile strength that ranges between 70-700 MPa. When it comes to extruded aluminum, the range for the alloys that are ideal for this type of process are between 150-300 MPa. While it thrives at low temperatures, its strength can decrease under extreme heat conditions. For example, if the temperature is consistently above 100-degrees Celsius, its strength is so affected that weakening of the product must be considered.
In recent years, snow making has become more efficient and effective, albeit more complex with regard to the technology that is now used. When it was first developed back in the 1950s, snow making relied more upon the skill of the operator than of the device itself. This continued through the early 1970s, when most ski resorts began to rely upon it heavily. Extruded aluminum has many advantages over other metals and methods, allowing the engineer to prevent corrosion through design and use all of the advantages of using aluminum to their benefit.
Today, snow making is done with computer controls, which enhance the abilities of the snow gun or snow cannon operator. The sensors and other features help ski resorts save time and money by operating only when the conditions are at their very best. Advances made through the use of custom extrusion dies and technology, help snow making manufacturers to create even more energy-efficient methods for making snow.
Snow Making at Silver City Aluminum
Through our many years of experience working with the engineering of custom extruded aluminum to achieve the goals of our clients, the technicians, engineers and designers at Silver City Aluminum are able to make just about anything that our clients can dream up with regard to custom extrusion dies. We can create a profile up to eight inches in diameter and can apply many different custom services and applications for our customers. We have the unique ability to produce highly efficient custom snow making gun designs.
We utilize a special custom extruded aluminum to create a very lightweight product that is also strong and durable enough to stand up to the high pressure required in snow making. Our team understands the advantages of using aluminum and works with each client to find new ways to increase these abilities, such as to prevent corrosion through design or increase strength and durability. Our custom snow making gun designs are able to stand up to harsh outdoor conditions and temperatures, giving them a clear advantage over other similar products.
Contact Silver City Aluminum
If you are interested in learning more about our specialty services, custom extrusion dies or to gain a better understanding of the advantages of using aluminum in snow making applications, give us a call at 508-824-8631. You can also browse our website to see more examples of the custom work that we do with extruded aluminum. Whether you want to create custom parts and products or to design something totally brand new and ground-breaking, our team can help you to achieve your goals by providing our insight and experience in custom aluminum extrusion. Give us a call today or use our online contact form to reach one of our engineers or technicians.