There are many reasons to extrude aluminum alloys for manufacturing parts, components, materials, and products. Nearly every industry has taken advantage of the benefits of aluminum products in some way, shape, or form. Traditional aluminum frames are used by the LED lighting industry, construction industry, and commercial framing and display industry, just to name a few. Sustainable aluminum extrusions are also popular with those seeking LEED certification for sustainably built structures and companies that want to develop responsible products made with sustainable materials. However, there are many other advantages that can be appreciated when you choose this versatile metal.
Aluminum is Extremely Abundant
Mined in several parts of the world, aluminum is considered to be the most abundant mineral in the earth’s crust. It does not typically appear in its pure form in nature but instead is derived from bauxite. The raw aluminum is alloyed with a variety of beneficial elements, including silicon, magnesium, copper, and manganese, which increase or add specific properties. Aluminum is considered to be sustainable because, while bauxite does need to be mined and processed, the primary steps involve the use of soda ash and lime. The byproducts removed through this process are clay and silica, which are not harmful to the environment.
On the other end of the spectrum, once the usefulness of an aluminum product has met its end, the materials can be recycled and reused. In fact, aluminum can be infinitely recycled without losing any of its inherent qualities. Aluminum is the most recycled metal on the planet, and studies estimate that more than 75 percent of all the more than 1.5 billion metric tonnes of aluminum produced since 1880 is still in use today. Exceptionally durable and plentiful, it is used in building construction, electrical cables, machinery, transport applications, and many other industries primarily due to its cost-effective, abundant, and sustainable nature.
Easy to Fabricate and Assemble
Businesses are always looking for new ways to work smarter, not harder. Traditional aluminum frames and other profiles can play a huge part in helping your manufacturing business to achieve this goal. Aluminum is very easy to fabricate, as the raw material is quite malleable. We heat aluminum billets to a specific temperature before forcing them through a steel profile or die with 10 million pounds of pressure to create our sustainable aluminum extrusions. This allows us to create any shape, size, or length of material based on the client’s specifications and production needs. We work with each customer to develop custom solutions that will help them to save time and money on manufacturing while producing a superior product.
These benefits of aluminum products help them to provide quick-to-market solutions for our customers. Our fast lead times, which are significantly shorter than the industry standard, also help our clients to gain an edge over their competitors when it comes to production. We do it all in-house at our one-stop extrusion and fabrication facility, from early development with our team of engineers through extrusion, secondary operations, and finishing solutions. Contact our team to discuss your needs or learn more about how we extrude aluminum alloys that are designed to stand up to extreme environments and repeated use to ensure the best possible results for your finished products.
Other Benefits of Aluminum Products
Aluminum is light in weight. It is approximately one-third the weight of steel yet maintains an extremely high tensile strength measurement to offer a very high strength-to-weight ratio. Automotive manufacturers and designers are now using more aluminum in their products to help reduce weight, improve fuel economy, and meet ever-changing industry standards. Aluminum is also naturally resistant to corrosion and does not rust. It is an excellent thermal conductor and is non-sparking. Non-magnetic, there are many benefits of aluminum products for the electronic industry, as they will not acquire a magnetic charge. Non-combustible, non-toxic, and reflective – the number of uses for aluminum in production and design is almost as plentiful as the benefits of this fantastic material.
If you would like to learn more about the benefits of aluminum products and how this metal can enhance your products, give us a call at 508-824-8631. We can answer any questions you might have about sustainable aluminum extrusions and discuss the various options available to extrude aluminum alloys and maximize the return on your investment. The best way to start is to speak with one of our friendly and knowledgeable engineers or technicians about your needs for standard or custom aluminum extrusion.