An aluminum alloy is a manufacturing material that is created when combining raw aluminum with a specific percentage of other metals and materials. When it comes to choosing the best alloy for production, professional custom aluminum extruders often turn to the popular 6000-series. Whether you are creating stock rod and bar aluminum or need to extrude a custom design, it is essential to work with aluminum fabrication shops that have a lot of experience working with your desired materials. At Silver City Aluminum, we primarily work with the 6005, 6063, and 6463 series alloys in a variety of different tempers and tensile strengths. However, we can also provide our clients with custom solutions designed specifically to meet their needs to prevent corrosion through design or achieve a specific result.
Factors to Consider in Aluminum Alloys
Working with an engineer and designer is highly recommended when placing an order with aluminum fabrication shops to create parts, components, and products for a specific use. Our team of highly trained, experienced, and knowledgeable engineers and technicians will help you select the best alloy for your order. There are different factors that must be considered that will help you to achieve your goals. Keeping the intended use and environment of the end product in mind should always be a top influence as to the materials you choose for manufacturing. Custom aluminum extruders can help you to overcome other issues and concerns through professional design and manufacturing support.
Some of the other factors that you need to think about include workability, as in how easy the aluminum alloy will be for any necessary secondary operations, fabrication, and finishing requirements. Weldability can also be an issue in some situations; however, when it comes to custom extrusion design, it is possible to eliminate many of these extra operations instead of having to invest time and money into welding or joining basic rod and bar aluminum to achieve the desired result. Machinability goes along the same lines, such as needing punching, mitering, and other precision work. Heat treatability and strength, including tensile strength, may also play a part, depending on the type of object you are designing for production.
Why We Use the 6000-Series Aluminum Alloys
There are lots of different types of aluminum alloys to choose from when it comes to manufacturing. However, not all alloys are created equal. For example, the 2000-series is primarily alloyed with copper, offers poor weldability and resistance to corrosion, but yields a high strength. The 3000-series is alloyed mainly with manganese, but because it only provides a medium strength, it is not a good choice for many environments. The 5000-series is primarily alloyed with magnesium but still falls short in the strength department in spite of being exceptionally good at corrosion resistance. While each alloy type has its own pros and cons, it is essential to find a material that checks off all the boxes based on your needs.
The 6000-series offers a wide variety of uses for many different industries. It has excellent corrosion resistance, can be heat-treated to increase strength, and is well-suited for welding, machining, and other fabrication. It is used frequently in aircraft, space vehicles, and missiles, as well as in the manufacture of office furniture, ladders, and machined components. The automotive, marine, architecture, and construction industries all rely on the 6000-series as a primary material. Alloyed with a combination of magnesium, silicon, and other materials, this particular choice also works well with various finishing solutions to add function, aesthetic appeal, and increased durability.
Design Tips and Engineering
We provide a variety of tips, schematics, and charts on our website for customers to use when making plans to place an order for standard rod and bar aluminum or custom extrusion designs. Our team can assist you with your order and offer advice and support that you can use to ensure the best results. It is possible to prevent corrosion through design and take advantage of aluminum tolerances to increase certain features and benefits of your finished production. Custom aluminum extruders like Silver City Aluminum take pride in the services they provide to customers to deliver results that meet or exceed expectations. To learn more about our Southeastern Massachusetts aluminum fabrication shops, design center, and extrusion services, give us a call at 508-824-8631. We can answer any questions you might have about the alloys we use and the services we provide or help you place your first order.