Just about everything you could possibly require for durable and sustainable marine industry products can be created with aluminum industry solutions. Custom design extrusion and even standard extrusion and fabrication have been used to create marine grade parts, products, and components for many years. Sustainable aluminum extrusions are popular across many different industries due to their ability to be affordably designed, customized, manufactured, and transported based on the client’s specifications.
Silver City Aluminum has many years of experience working with the marine industry. Our proximity to Boston, New Bedford, and other well-known fishing and marine locations has given us an edge over other aluminum extrusion manufacturers. In addition, the training, knowledge, and state of the art equipment used by our team of engineers and technicians, as well as our focus on quality control, has made us an industry leader in providing aluminum industry solutions that exceed industry standards and expectations.
What is Marine Grade Aluminum?
When many metals are exposed to environments that are wet or underwater, they require additional protection from the elements and surrounding conditions. For a metal to be considered “marine grade,” it must be able to resist the corrosive effects that are common in a freshwater or saltwater environment. Special alloying elements are often added to certain metals to increase their resistance to corrosion, providing a longer-lasting, more durable finished product.
Aluminum already has a built-in resistance to corrosion due to its naturally-occurring oxide protective layer. However, certain series of aluminum alloys will have advanced abilities compared to others. This is part of why Silver City Aluminum focuses on the use of 6XXX grade aluminum alloy for our custom design extrusion and other standard sustainable aluminum extrusions. By providing all of the design, extrusion and fabrication at our one-stop shop facility in Southeastern Massachusetts, we are able to guarantee quality control at every phase of the process, including finishing solutions for added protection.
Why Use 6XXX Series Aluminum Alloy?
While there are several grades of aluminum alloy that can be used as aluminum industry solutions for marine products, parts, and components, manufacturers will stick primarily with the 5XXX and 6XXX series. Our team works with 6005, 6063, and 6463 alloys, depending on the goals and requirements of each client. A complete list of mechanical properties for each of these alloys is posted on our website under the “Engineering” headline in the form of a .pdf file. You can also view information on standard aluminum tolerances and tips on how to improve corrosion resistance and avoid surface defects through design.
6XXX series aluminum alloy is a popular grade of aluminum that is commonly used in marine industry products. It has excellent resistance to corrosion and can be hardened to provide additional benefits. The chromium and manganese found in these alloys help to protect them from the natural corrosive environment and marine conditions. Some of the ways that marine grade aluminum is used in extrusion and fabrication is for boat hulls, docks, boat lifts, railings, and other essential applications. Custom design extrusion can be used to create innovative products and solutions while improving fuel efficiency, reducing carbon footprint, and providing sustainable aluminum extrusions for the industry.
Examples of Marine Extrusion and Fabrication
At Silver City Aluminum, we work with a lot of clients from all across the country and around the globe. One of the industries that we work with extensively in the marine industry. We have a lot of experience working one on one with our customers to create a variety of products, including rails, decks, decking, and much more. Like we do with all of our other product development projects, we work closely with all of our marine industry clients to ensure that all of their specifications are met for custom design extrusion.
- Decking and Docks – Our team has vast experience working with decking orders, including aluminum decks and docks for commercial and residential use. We work with each client to extrude custom docking systems and can even create custom aluminum residential decking with extrusion and fabrication for our customers.
- Railing Solutions – We have also worked extensively with customers to design custom aluminum industry solutions in the form of railing for sailboats, powerboats, and other types of marine equipment. Anything that might need to be incorporated into the boat building process can be included in the custom extrusion design at our facility.
- Structural Materials – In addition to railing, we also have worked with clients to create sustainable aluminum extrusions for other marine profiles, including structural materials. Our team can work with the most intricate designs, and our in-house fabrication department can handle large orders, specialty applications, and custom finishing solutions that are specific to customer specifications.
Ready to Get Started?
If you are interested in learning more about our custom design extrusion opportunities, or the process used in our extrusion and fabrication services at our Southeastern Massachusetts facility, just give us a call at 508-824-8631. Our team can answer any questions that you might have about sustainable aluminum extrusions and specialty aluminum industry solutions or help you to place your first order. Call today for pricing and assistance with custom aluminum extrusion design and manufacturing.