Regardless of the business that you are in or even the materials that you require, it is always better to choose a custom option over something standard. In the world of custom aluminum products, designing a custom profile means shorter lead times due to less fabrication and finishing work that needs to be done once the extrusion is made. Standard profiles may require modifications in order to get them to work as they should. For example, aluminum doors and windows can be much easier to build and assemble when attention is given during the design phase to reduce the amount of work that is required to get the size and shape that is needed.
Less fabrication also means lower cost. So while you might spend more upfront to create a custom design, the advantages of using aluminum profiles for manufacturing is that they can be used over and over, increasing the return on investment as you go. Custom aluminum coating solutions can be quickly added, including painting, anodizing, and powder-coating options, right here at our one-stop shop to create truly custom aluminum products that will work, perform, and last, providing top quality results. Compared to other metals, aluminum is much more cost-effective and has a lot of benefits that make it the perfect choice for many different industries.
Why Choose Aluminum?
There are lots of advantages of using aluminum, whether you are in the automotive, marine, transportation, aerospace, or hundreds of other industries. But if you still aren’t convinced, check out the list of benefits listed below. You will see for yourself why so many businesses are choosing aluminum extrusion for anything from energy-efficient aluminum doors and windows to structural components, and everything in between.
- Strength – You will often hear that aluminum has a high strength-to-weight ratio. What that means is that compared to the light weight of aluminum, which is approximately one-third the weight of steel, pound-for-pound its strength is even higher. So while plain aluminum is not as strong as steel, strength can be increased by alloying it with things like manganese, magnesium, copper, zinc, and silicon. It can also be further increased through specialized heat treatments during the extrusion process.
- Weight – Because of aluminum’s light weight, it is easier to handle, cheaper to shop and provides a greater fuel mileage in transportation or aerospace industries, which is a pretty big deal these days.
- Thermal – Aluminum is an excellent conductor of heat and cold, which is why it is ideal for HVAC units, cookware, heat sinks, and engine components. Custom aluminum products can maximize its thermal conductivity, maximizing the advantages of using aluminum.
- Corrosion – One of the great benefits of using aluminum doors and windows is that they are naturally corrosion resistant due to a naturally-occurring layer of aluminum oxide film. However, treatments and finishing can be added to increase the anti-corrosion capabilities of aluminum extrusions, including custom aluminum coating solutions.
- Malleability – This makes aluminum an excellent candidate for the extrusion process, as it is easier to bend, form and shape than most other metals.
- Recyclable – When counting the advantages of aluminum, don’t forget the fact that aluminum is 100 percent recyclable, meaning that none of the inherent properties of aluminum get lost in the recycling process no matter how many times it gets reused. This ability can help to increase the value of a project, whether through the use of aluminum doors and windows or structural components, particularly for LEED certification projects.
- Temperature – Unlike steel, which can become brittle in colder temperatures, custom aluminum products will actually become stronger in the cold. Alloys help to improve heat resistance, as pure aluminum can begin to soften at a temperature of over 400 degrees.
Engineering Aluminum
If you are looking to explore the advantages of using aluminum to create industry solutions, contact our team of engineers and technicians at Silver City Aluminum. We have a broad range of capabilities for the design and manufacture of custom aluminum products that can be used to your benefit. We do all of the extrusion, fabrication, and finishing right here at our one-stop shop located in Taunton, Massachusetts, which means shorter lead times and superior quality control for every order we complete. Ask about our custom aluminum coating solutions and unique opportunities for industry-specific engineering. Give us a call at 508-824-8631 or use our online order form to start the ordering process right away.