2

POOR SURFACE FINISH

OF 6000 SERIES
EXTRUSIONS

Problem
Poor surface finish in terms of heavy die lines and/or small tears. The
product is unsuitable for architectural or trim finishes.

Identification
Pick-up appears as small score lines
aligned in the extrusion direction which
end in a build-up of aluminium debris. A
comet tail appearance is common for
pick-up, Figure 1.
Die lines are a series of peaks and
troughs running in the extrusion
direction. Although micro die lines are
found on quality surface finishes, poor
surfaces contain heavy die lines usually
combined with pick-up, Figure 2.
Figure 1 : (left) Extrusion surface exhibiting
pick-up.
Figure 2: (below) Photos of extrusions
showing die lines and their corresponding
surface roughness profiles.

Pick-up

Surface Roughness (Ra)

Surface Roughness (Ra)

(a) "Smooth"

C O M A L C O

(b) "Rough"

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1. EXTRUSION TEMPERATURE AND SPEED

Cause
Excessive extrusion temperatures and/or speeds can result
in an increased rate of aluminium build-up on the die bearing.
This is accompanied by an increase in pick-up, die lines and
in some cases, localised melting which causes surface tearing.
Two types of surface tearing may occur during extrusion.
One type occurs at around 550C and is due to coarse
Mg2Si present in the alloy. The presence of coarse Mg2Si
results in localised or incipient melting. A simplified reaction
for the process may be written as:

Al + Mg2Si + Si + AlFeSi ( or )

Liquid.

[This reaction results in surface tearing].

SUMMARY OF CAUSES
Both pick-up and die lines are
caused by the interaction
between the extrudate and die
bearing.
Factors that contribute to pick and
die lines are;
1. Extrusion temperature and
speed,
2. Billet quality,
3. Die quality.

The other type of tearing occurs at around 580C

and is attributed to frictional forces between die
and extrudate surface. At the higher temperature
the aluminium matrix itself tears due to the high
strain at the surface.

Prevention
Optimise the extrusion speeds and temperatures for different categories of extruded sections. Sections
fitting into similar categories (shape, extrusion ratio, etc ...) should perform in an almost equal manner.
It is recommended that the extruder use correctly homogenised billet and avoid delays in preheating
billet prior to extrusion. These measures will ensure that fine, evenly dispersed Mg2Si precipitates are
contained in the billet at time of extrusion and will result in optimum mechanical properties without
surface tearing. If the Mg2Si precipitates are in solution, the above mentioned reaction producing
tearing will not occur.
Maintaining extrusion exit temperatures below 580C should prevent surface tearing due to friction
between extrudate and die bearing in dilute 6000 series alloys.
It should be noted that while surface tearing may be avoided at exit temperatures up to 580C, other
factors such as surface roughness, pick-up and shape control may limit the extrusion process to lower
exit temperatures.

2. BILLET QUALITY
Cause
Poor billet quality resulting from either poor melt or homogenisation practices will increase the severity
of extrusion pick-up and die lines. High iron and non-metallic inclusions (e.g. oxides, small refractory
particles and TiB2 agglomerates) more commonly found in remelt billet can have a detrimental effect
due to their abrasive nature. These particles will abrade the die bearing, increasing die wear and the
rate of aluminium build up. This creates increased pick-up and die lines.

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Unhomogenised or incorrectly homogenised billet can contain coarse Mg2Si precipitates and
-AlFeSi intermetallics. The coarse Mg2Si precipitates can cause surface tearing, as mentioned
previously. The -AlFeSi intermetallics are brittle, needle-like intermetallics that are transformed
into the more spherical -AlFeSi intermetallics during correct homogenisation. Brittle, acicular
-AlFeSi intermetallics will abrade the die bearing more rapidly than -AlFeSi intermetallics, and so
will increase pick-up and die lines.
Remelt billet is more likely to have a higher iron (Fe) content than billet produced from a primary
aluminium source. The higher Fe content will promote the formation of a larger number of AlFeSi
intermetallics which in turn may cause increased pick-up and die lines ( as well as die wear).
Prevention
Use a high quality billet that has the following features :
1. The metal should be treated during casting to remove damaging non-metallic inclusions (oxide,
TiB2 agglomerates etc ...).
2. The billet must be adequately homogenised to transform -AlFeSi to -AlFeSi.
3. Post homogenisation cooling should be rapid enough to avoid the formation of coarse Mg2Si
precipitates.
4. The billet should, ideally, be produced from a primary aluminium source or at least from a
"clean" scrap source that is similar in Fe content to primary sources.

3. DIE QUALITY
Cause
Die lines and pick-up will be induced by rough die bearing surfaces that promote rapid rates of
aluminium build-up on the die bearing. Poor quality tool steels used in die manufacture can make
the maintenance of smooth die bearings difficult. This is certainly the case if the die has been
softened by over-tempering. Although poor quality die material may not always affect extrusion
surface finish, it will most certainly reduce die life.
Aluminium readily adheres to steel at temperatures used during extrusion . This aluminium builds up
on the die bearing during the extrusion process causing die lines. Eventually particles of aluminium
build up become detached from the bearing and are embedded in the extrudate as pick-up.
Prevention
Use high quality tool steel for die manufacture and correctly temper dies . Also, regularly maintain
dies by polishing to ensure consistent high quality surface finishes on die bearings
Nitrided steel layers are not as susceptible to adhesion with aluminium under extrusion conditions.
So, nitriding die bearings reduces aluminium build-up and thus decreases pick-up and die lines. Die
wear is also reduced and die life extended. Figure 3 shows a nitrided layer and hardness profile.

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1 ,2 00

NITRIDED
LAYER

1 ,1 00

1 ,0 00

HARDNESS (HV)

900

800

DIE
BULK

700

600

500

400
0

2 00

400
600
800
DISTANCE FROM BEARING SURFACE (um)

1 , 00 0

1 , 20 0

Figure 3 : Nitrided layer and hardness profile.

Nitriding is one of a number of surface hardening techniques used with steel tools. In this case the die bearing
is surface hardened by heat treating the die in the presence of an ammonia gas atmosphere. Nitrogen is
transferred from the ammonia gas into the steel surface producing hard nitride compounds which aid in
resisting wear.

As an aid to further understanding of the information in this brochure it is recommended that the reader refer to the Comalco brochure
entitled "THE BASIC METALLURGY OF 6000 SERIES EXTRUSION ALLOYS".

"Important Disclaimer"
This brochure has not been prepared with any particular reader in mind and therefore, although we believe that the advice and
information herein is accurate and reliable, no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness is given and (except insofar as liability
under any statute cannot be excluded) no responsibility arising in any other way for errors or omissions or in negligence is accepted
by the company or any director, employee or agent of the company.

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