One of the most significant benefits of aluminum extrusion, outside of time and cost savings, is the unique ability to create an unlimited number of shapes and sizes for manufacturing. Custom extrusion dies are designed to make aluminum parts, components, and products that range from simple tubes and angles to complex multi-void shapes. Aluminum extrusion profiles allow greater flexibility in the design of essential parts for many industries, allowing a great number of valuable benefits. Some of those advantages include being able to reduce weight, improve fuel economy, save time, and lower overhead costs throughout the various stages of the manufacturing process.
Quality Aluminum Extrusion Profiles
It is essential to understand that not all designs are appropriate for extrusion. It pays to work with professional extrusion services and take advantage of the years of experience, training, and knowledge of reputable engineers and designers for the best possible results. Some of the common challenges for custom extrusion dies to include walls that are too thin for the aluminum alloy or temper that is desired, as well as too much variation in wall thickness from one area of the design to the other. When done properly, custom profiles can even help to prevent corrosion through design, maximizing the return on investment for using a specific alloy for a particular industry need.
Other challenges experienced with improperly designed profiles include dimensional tolerances that are not possible with the extrusion process. There are many different shapes and sizes that can be accomplished with aluminum extrusion, which makes it a very valuable method for manufacturing aluminum parts, components, and products. However, it is crucial to understand what can and cannot be done with extrusion in order to get the desired results. Silver City Aluminum can help you get the extruded aluminum products that you need without having to waste time and money on designs that won’t work. Our team of engineers can assist you during the development phase to streamline the process and help save time and money.
Professional Extrusion Services
Extrusion is a type of manufacturing or forming process that squeezes or pushes a specific material through a profile or die to create the shape of the opening. This is typically done in a long, singular piece that is then cut according to the customer’s specifications. The most common comparisons of extrusion to everyday items include play-dough or clay being pressed through a profile to create a shape or toothpaste being squeezed out of a tube into a cylindrical shape on the toothbrush. At Silver City Aluminum, we use what is known as hot extrusion. We heat the aluminum alloy to a specific temperature before pushing it through a steel profile at more approximately 10,000,000 pounds of pressure to create the desired shape.
There are many advantages associated with choosing custom extrusion dies for manufacturing. It lowers the cost of creating each part significantly and allows for post-extrusion alterations while the metal is still hot, such as pulling and stretching into the desired dimensions. High-production volumes allow for streamlined manufacturing and short lead times. Choose from a variety of aluminum alloys and tempers to achieve the strength, flexibility, and other inherent qualities you desire for your finished products. A good quality surface finish can be created with extrusion, something that can be a challenge with other manufacturing methods. Additional finishing solutions can also be applied, including painting, powder-coating, and anodizing with color or clear products.
How is Aluminum Extrusion Used?
One of the most amazing aspects of aluminum extrusion profiles is how versatile they are and how many industries depend on them every day. Not only can you prevent corrosion through design when you work with professional extrusion services, but you can also create products, parts, and components for nearly any industry or purpose under the sun. Aluminum is non-toxic, non-magnetic, and can be used to create structural products for construction and highly detailed parts for electrical, electronics, and other high-tech industries. Heat sinks, electrical wires, bars, tubes, and other essential items are used to create an endless opportunity for manufacturers with custom extrusion dies. To learn more about our services or speak with an engineer or designer about your needs, give us a call at 508-824-8631.