Advantages of Aluminum Extrusions
Advantages of Aluminum Extrusions vs. Other Forms of Metal
Fabrication, Low Cost, High Weight-to-Strength Ratio, Corrosion
Resistant, Non-Magnetic, Thermal / Electrical Conductor
Hoosier Trim Products (HTP) specializes in post-production
fabrication of aluminum extrusions. As one of the most abundant metals available, aluminum is
relatively low cost when compared with stainless steel and other
alloys. Some of
the unique features that make aluminum extrusion parts desirable
include:
- High strength-to-weight ratio - one-third the weight of
steel
- High speed machining
- Easy component joining
- Highly resistant to corrosion
- Flexibility - strength and hardness adjusted by the
addition of other elements
- Non-Magnetic
- Increases in strength as temperature decreases
- Highly efficient Thermal / Electrical Conductor
- Non-Toxic
- Reflective - can be polished to bright finish
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Advantages of Aluminum Extrusions vs. Other Forms of
Metal Fabrication
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While many metals can be extruded, aluminum is considered the
best all around extrusion metal because of its unique combination of
properties. In addition to the inherent qualities of aluminum, as
discussed above, there are a number
of advantages to extrusions versus machining
individual parts:
- Can be designed for high strength because metal can be
placed where it's needed
- The most economical way to
make parts with a constant cross
section - the more parts produced, the lower
the cost per part
- Machining is almost always more costly than extruding a similar
number of pieces
- Machining labor costs are
high - each part requires
almost that same amount of time and labor
- Excessive scrap material produced from machining - often weighs
more than the finished products
- Welding is not
cost-effective:
- Parts must be individually welded
- Costs do not decrease with volume
- Cost of the necessary
welding jigs can be considerably higher than the cost of
the extrusion die to produce the same part
- Roll forming dies are
very expensive when compared to extrusion dies
- Roll forming cannot be used
when there are variations to the wall thickness
of the part
- Casting
results in parts that need extensive
finishing
before use
- Aluminum extruding
produces a finished structure with relatively
close dimensional control
- Complex casting molds costs considerably higher than
similar extrusion dies
- Extrusion dies are relatively inexpensive, starting at only a few hundred dollars
for a simple design.
Forming dies and casting models can cost thousands of dollars.
- Extrusion dies have a long production life, reducing die
replacement costs
- Extrusion dies can be produced faster than forming dies and
casting molds
- Short lead times - faster production than most other processes
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Applications for Aluminum Extrusions
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The variety of
applications for aluminum extrusions are
virtually unlimited.
Extrusions can produce parts that range from
very small to very big, and almost any quantity can be economically
produced if the
shape fits the extrusion process.
For more information, and examples of the types of products that
can be produced, read
Applications for Aluminum Extrusions.
 | Custom Quotes |
If you would like a custom quote for your project, please contact us by:
Phone: (317) 271-4007 or
Email: info@hoosiertrim.com
(A representative from
Hoosier Trim Products will contact you soon.)
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