Product design requires investigation and research in a lot of different areas in order to create something that will be valuable, durable, and beneficial to the end-user. The materials that you choose to create parts, products, and components, whether for consumers or commercial and industrial users, can make a big difference in the performance, aesthetics, and longevity of the finished piece. The natural properties of aluminum, including malleability, which makes it perfect for extrusion and fabrication, offer many clear benefits. Learning how to prevent corrosion through design and take advantage of the other inherent qualities and advantages of aluminum products can help to create a superior product that will exceed expectations. Working with a one-stop-shop manufacturer and service provider that has many years of experience and a highly trained team of engineers and technicians like Silver City Aluminum can make a big difference in the end result.
The Natural Properties of Aluminum
One of the most popular reasons for choosing aluminum, especially in the transportation and aerospace industries, is its high strength-to-weight ratio. Aluminum is approximately one-third the weight of steel, yet offers similar strength. The provides manufacturers with a safe and effective way to reduce the overall weight of a finished product, such as a consumer vehicle, public bus, semi-truck and trailer, train car, or airplane to boost fuel economy and enhance performance. In addition to these advantages of aluminum products, the method used for extrusion and fabrication can also further enhance these abilities. Unlike steel, which can become brittle in extremely low temperatures, the natural properties of aluminum actually make it stronger when the temperature drops. This makes it an excellent choice for aerospace and environments where it gets extremely cold.
Other properties include being an excellent conductor of both electricity and heat. Aluminum is also highly reflective, ductile, non-toxic, and non-magnetic. Impermeable, odorless, and of course, don’t forget that natural resistance to corrosion through its oxide layer of protection. Skilled designers and engineers can further prevent corrosion through design, helping our clients to maximize the abilities of this amazing metal. While aluminum is similar to steel, copper, brass, zinc, titanium, and led in ways that are physical, chemical, and mechanical, it has many other benefits. In addition to extrusion, aluminum can also be melted, cast, formed, and machined to create virtually any shape and size that is needed by the developer. The costs for manufacturing aluminum are significantly less than these other similar metals, and it is also one of the most common metals on the surface of the earth. It can be recycled over and over without losing any of its inherent qualities.
Benefits of Aluminum Alloys
When alloyed with other materials, the composition, strength, and abilities of aluminum can be enhanced even further. Magnesium, manganese, silicon, and other mixtures are often used to create parts, products, and components with aluminum extrusion and fabrication that improve strength, aesthetics, performance, and function. Custom coating solutions can also be used to increase protection for use in specific environments, including marine applications, extreme environments, and exposure to harsh chemicals. The advantages of aluminum products can be seen in consumer goods, industrial machinery, and commercial applications, offering many benefits to the intended end user based on their unique needs and requirements. Anodizing, painting, and powder-coating are just some of the ways that customers can choose to prevent corrosion through design and boost the life of the finished piece.
The alloy that is chosen can increase the abilities of many different natural properties of aluminum. Increased strength at low temperatures, sound and shock absorption, and other significant benefits are attractive to many different clients for lots of reasons. Aluminum itself is also non-sparking when it comes in contact with other metal parts, including other aluminum products. This can be a huge benefit to many different industries and commercial work environments where sparking would definitely be a hazard. The non-magnetic qualities make aluminum perfect for use in the design and manufacture of electrical shieldings, such as those used for magnet housings, dish antennas, computer disks, and other technology developments. Used in many ways to support environmentally-friendly design, the advantages of aluminum products are far-reaching and wide. The reflective nature of aluminum makes it perfect for creating cool roofs to reduce internal solar heat in a residential or commercial structure. In contrast, its conductivity makes it excellent for use with power transmission lines, LED lights, computer motherboards, and heat sinks.
How Will You Use Aluminum?
Depending on the industry that you serve, there may be many reasons to choose an aluminum alloy for extrusion and fabrication. Creating small parts, intricate components, and complete products are just some of the things that we do at Silver City Aluminum. Our team of highly trained and experienced engineers and designers can work with you to learn how to prevent corrosion through design and take advantage of all the natural properties of aluminum and aluminum alloys. If you are interested in learning more about custom aluminum extrusion design and manufacturing, contact our team by calling 508-824-8631.