Certain innovations have had a significant impact on the daily life of the average American that stand out in our history. The development of standard and custom aluminum extrusion changed the way this metal was processed, formed, and manipulated to create the parts, products, and components that we use throughout our daily lives. Everywhere you look, traditional aluminum frames and other types of sustainable aluminum extrusions are present. Whether they are simple, straight-forward solutions or require multiple post extrusion operations to work as they are intended, we count on extruded aluminum in many more ways than we realize on a daily basis.
Things We Use Every Day
To create a list of all the places where custom aluminum extrusion is used would be exhausting, however, once you start to see where these extrusions are used and how they can be applied to make improvements on existing products and tools, it becomes much easier to spot them on your own. Sustainable aluminum extrusions can be created according to standard or stock profiles. Rods, bars, angles, and other basic shapes are used to create the products we use every day, as well as the equipment used to manufacture consumer products or build structures, such as scaffolding, tables, carts, and much more.
Some of the things that you use everyday that rely on aluminum extrusion include:
- Transportation – Cars, trucks, trains, bicycles, airplanes, boats, and buses.
- Construction – Internal structural support, railings, windows, doors, and aesthetic design elements.
- Lighting – LED lighting tracks, commercial lighting, and new consumer lighting options.
- Technology – Computer parts, frames, server configurations, keyboards, and screens.
- Industrial – Tables, carts, robotic components, manufacturing equipment and more.
- Home Decor – Picture frames, artwork, as well as indoor and outdoor furniture.
- Office – Cubicles, desks, chairs, computer parts, shelving, and breakroom furniture.
How Extrusion Works
If you are unfamiliar with the process required for standard and custom aluminum extrusion, as well as all of the secondary options for finishing and post extrusion operations, it pays to take a little time to learn how it is all done. The more you know about the process, the better equipped you will be to design your custom components for sustainable aluminum extrusions. Whether your goal is to create straight-forward traditional aluminum frames or something more complex, working with a facility that is experienced and knowledgeable in the engineering requirements for custom extrusions is the best way to go. Silver City Aluminum has many years of experience providing top quality extrusions for clients here in the United States and all around the globe.
The basic definition of extrusion is a process that involves the shaping of malleable metals or plastics that are then forced through a profile or die to create the desired shape. An extremely high amount of pressure is required to press these materials through the shaped steel, depending on the type of material that is used. Real life examples of extrusion include making pasta, squeezing toothpaste or caulking out of a tube, and those extrusion sets you probably had as a child for making shapes out of play clay or dough.
When custom aluminum extrusion is made at Silver City Aluminum, it starts by heating up the raw aluminum billets to a very particular temperature. The billets are pre-cut according to the order requirements to reduce waste. However, any excess material will simply be melted down for recycling to be reused again. In fact, 99.9 percent of the aluminum billet that we purchase from area suppliers to be used for sustainable aluminum extrusions comes from recycled aluminum. We push the heated metal through the standard or custom profile using 10 million pounds of pressure to create the desired shape. It creates one long and continuous section of metal that will then be cut according to the client’s specifications. Post extrusion operations, including CNC fabrication, heli-coiling, and other custom options, as well as finishing that includes anodizing, powder-coating, and painting, can be added to any order.
Why Silver City Aluminum is the Best
Our many years of experience in the design of custom aluminum extrusion and extensive work with industry leaders in construction, transportation and common elements, including traditional aluminum frames, has helped Silver City Aluminum to be the best option for manufacturers across the country and around the globe. To work with one of our experienced engineers or technicians to create your custom order, give us a call at 508-824-8631. We can help you create the standard or custom parts, components, and products that you require to take your business to the next level.