ALUMINUM EXTRUSION PROCESS

EXTRUSION DEFINED

Extrusion is defined as the process of shaping material, such as aluminum, by forcing it to flow
through a shaped opening in a die. Extruded material emerges as an elongated piece with the
same profile as the die opening.
Press size determines how large of an extrusion can be produced. Extrusion size is measured by
its longest cross-sectional dimension, i.e. its fit within a circumscribing circle. A circumscribed
circle is the smallest circle that will completely enclose the cross section of an extruded shape.

The most important factor to remember in the extrusion process is temperature. Temperature is
most critical because it gives aluminum its desired characteristics such as hardness and finish.

DIRECT & INDIRECT EXTRUSION

There are two types of extrusion processes, direct and indirect. Direct extrusion is a process in
which the die head is held stationary and a moving ram forces the metal through it. Indirect
extrusion is a process in which the billet remains stationary while the die assembly located on
the end of the ram, moves against the billet creating pressure needed for metal to flow through
the die.

Mechanical Properties of Aluminium

Aluminium can be severely deformed without failure. This allows aluminium to be
formed by rolling, extruding, drawing, machining and other mechanical processes. It
can also be cast to a high tolerance.

Alloying, cold working and heat-treating can all be utilised to tailor the properties of
aluminium.

Physical Properties of Aluminium

Density of Aluminium
Aluminium has a density around one third that of steel or copper making it one of the
lightest commercially available metals. The resultant high strength to weight ratio
makes it an important structural material allowing increased payloads or fuel savings
for transport industries in particular.

Strength of Aluminium
Pure aluminium doesn’t have a high tensile strength. However, the addition of
alloying elements like manganese, silicon, copper and magnesium can increase the
strength properties of aluminium and produce an alloy with properties tailored to
particular applications.

Aluminium is well suited to cold environments. It has the advantage over steel in that
its’ tensile strength increases with decreasing temperature while retaining its
toughness. Steel on the other hand becomes brittle at low temperatures.

Corrosion Resistance of Aluminium

When exposed to air, a layer of aluminium oxide forms almost instantaneously on
the surface of aluminium. This layer has excellent resistance to corrosion. It is fairly
resistant to most acids but less resistant to alkalis.

Thermal Conductivity of Aluminium

The thermal conductivity of aluminium is about three times greater than that of steel.
This makes aluminium an important material for both cooling and heating
applications such as heat-exchangers. Combined with it being non-toxic this property
means aluminium is used extensively in cooking utensils and kitchenware.

Electrical Conductivity of Aluminium

Along with copper, aluminium has an electrical conductivity high enough for use as
an electrical conductor. Although the conductivity of the commonly used conducting
alloy (1350) is only around 62% of annealed copper, it is only one third the weight
and can therefore conduct twice as much electricity when compared with copper of
the same weight.

Reflectivity of Aluminium
From UV to infra-red, aluminium is an excellent reflector of radiant energy. Visible
light reflectivity of around 80% means it is widely used in light fixtures. The same
properties of reflectivity makes aluminium ideal as an insulating material to protect
against the sun’s rays in summer, while insulating against heat loss in winter.
Aluminium: uses and applications
Thanks to its incomparable properties, aluminium is now found in large numbers of industrial
applications in the form of alloys. In plain sight or in a transparent manner, aluminium is found
everywhere and plays a part in our modern lifestyle.

Numerous aluminium applications in the building

industry
A metal with astonishing properties, aluminium allows many industries to innovate constantly.
This is especially true in the building and public works sector, where aluminium now underpins
the design of development projects particularly well suited to modern needs.
Present in numerous forms
In the building industry, aluminium is found in many products and equipment in a variety of forms:
■ In the form of sections: Particularly malleable, light and strong, aluminium is used in the form
of sections in numerous applications, in particular for joinery, conservatories, glazed façades,
glass roofs or even pergolas.

■ In the form of roll-formed products: aluminium-rolling produces sheets or strips of aluminium

that are light and strong in any dimensions. These roll-formed products are found for instance in
blinds, suspended ceilings, roofing, gates or sliding partitions.

■ In solid form: robust aluminium alloys can be used to assemble all sorts of accessories used
in building and public works. They can be found in guardrails, balcony structures, railings,
ladders or even shelves.
So aluminium features prominently in all types of buildings and in numerous applications, even
though it is preferred above all for creating lightweight and overhead structures.

 
Aluminium: the essential component of made-to-measure glazed solutions
Strong yet extremely light, aluminium is used to make glazed structures of all dimensions, for
buildings, factories, workshops and detached houses.

In fact, there are no limits to the dimensions of a glazed surface supported by an aluminium
structure. This material is used in the design of large bay windows, large conservatories or even
full-height glazed façades.

Particularly strong despite its thinness, aluminium minimizes the size of structures to optimize the
area of glazed surfaces. Load-bearing structures are as discreet as possible to optimize natural
lighting, while offering better thermal insulation.

This slimness on large structures makes aluminium the ideal material for the design of
bioclimatic structures that help make substantial energy savings.

An ideal material for renovation projects

While aluminium lends itself perfectly to modern construction projects, it has also proved its
worth in the field of renovation. The properties of aluminium make it an ideal material for such
work sites:
■ Its malleability adapts to all types of existing structures, with precise adjustments and without
any alterations to existing brickwork.
■ The possibility of creating small or very large made-to-measure sections and frames means it
can be adapted to meet all requirements.
■ Machined to order, and with the option of being solid-tinted and textured, aluminium adapts to
all architectural styles, even the most traditional ones
Aluminium sections can be used to renovate a house in its original style while benefiting from
the advantages of aluminium in terms of comfort, safety and energy efficiency.