Aluminium Extrusions: Processing The Soft Metal For High End Use

Aluminium has wide application in the industry for its especial characteristics. Aluminium is lightweight; aluminium is corrosion free and environment-friendly. Aluminium is part of parcel of our daily life; it’s used to make railway coaches, boats, automobiles, aircrafts and in space shuttles. The process used to process the aluminium is called aluminium extrusions.

The process of extrusion starts with making a die cast and forcing aluminium billet heated to around 900 degree Celsius and then transferred to the loader of the extrusion machine. The aluminium is then forced to pass through the die. The entire operation was done in a neutral atmosphere by flowing nitrogen through the die section.

The extruded aluminium is then transferred to the cooling table; the cooled metal is then straightened and sawed to get the desired length. The aluminium pieces are then transferred to the working table for precise machining. Once the aluminium is machined to the desired shape and size, the components are treated to give it the desired hardness and finish.

The extrusion process gives the aluminium billets the required shape keeping all its characteristics. The specialty of the metal is in its extreme lightness and anti-corrosive nature and the strength. Aluminium fittings are used in outdoors because it is rust proof. Moreover, aluminium is environment-friendly. The earth crust contains around 6 % aluminium, and it is nontoxic. That’s why aluminium extrusions are now a specialized industrial activity.

The components produced from the extruded aluminium are now required the finishing. The components are machined, milled, drilled and then assembled to complete the job. The aluminium components are often anodized to give the product the required strength and color. The anodized aluminium is harder and corrosion resistant because of the protective layer over the surface. The anodized aluminium is harder because of its crystalline structure.

The aluminium is now most useful metal and has wide application. It’s used in utensils and also in aircraft; one of the useful component of the International Space Station is aluminium.