Aluminum Extrusion
In manufacturing, custom design elements can be a great way to differentiate a project—but creating these custom designs can get tricky.
When it comes to aluminum extrusion, our in-house engineering team goes way beyond standard options to help develop and fabricate the custom shapes you need for your cutting-edge designs.
Why Aluminum Is Easy To Love For Extrusions
Aluminum is prized for its high strength-to-weight ratio, which makes it ideal for architectural applications like doors, windows, railings, and canopies. In fact, the material’s many strengths—durability, low maintenance, sustainability, and a multitude of finishing options—make aluminum extrusions a popular choice for a number of industries.
Aluminum can
- Conduct heat rapidly
- Conduct electricity well
- And resist corrosion
It is also easy (and fun) to work with, especially if you need an innovative solution to a custom part. Keep reading to learn what to expect when working on a custom aluminum extrusion project.
Ins and Outs of Aluminum Extrusion
Aluminum extrusion is a process by which an aluminum alloy is forced through an extrusion die with a specific cross-sectional profile. Think of it like squeezing a tube of toothpaste. As force is applied, the material emerges in the shape of the opening.
Extruded shapes can be solid, with no enclosed openings, as in rods or beams. They can also be hollow, like tubes, or semi-hollow, such as a “C” channel. Through extrusion, it’s possible to create a custom solid or hollow metal shape suited precisely to the project’s structural, functional, and aesthetic requirements.
Aluminum is prized for its high formability, making it easy and inexpensive to shape—even into complex geometric shapes. Through fabrication, extrusion can be punched, drilled, or machined to achieve the final dimensions for your custom piece.
Alloys for Extrusions
Extrusions are available in a wide variety of alloys. Our team of engineers bring a thorough understanding of aluminum and its alloys and can help you identify the best option for your specific extrusion project.
We’re well-versed in working with Alloy 6063, the most common alloy used for aluminum extrusion, but we can also work with most alloys in the 6000 series, including 6005, 6005A, 6105, 6101, 6082, and 6061. 6000 Series Alloys, made from magnesium and silicon, are prized for their machinability, weldability, and formability.
Talking Shape
No matter what shape your custom request takes, we can handle it. Here are some of our more common extrusion shapes:
- Round Rod
- Rectangle/Solid Bar
- Square Bar
- Rectangle Tube
- Square Tube
- Schedule Pipe
- Round Tube
- Square Corner
- Structural Angle
- Channel
- Structural Channel
- I-Beam
- Tee
- Hexes
- Z-Bar
Finishing Touches
Aluminum boasts a naturally occurring protective oxide layer, but when additional surface finishing is required for aesthetic or environmental reasons, we offer the following surface treatments.
- Anodizing: A common finish for aluminum parts, anodizing makes aluminum durable, hard, abrasion-resistant, long-lasting, and corrosion-resistant.
- Chromic Conversion: Non-decorative coatings applied to aluminum parts to achieve a thin, electrically conductive coating that will provide corrosion resistance.
- Wet & Powder Coating: Powder coating forms a strong protective layer over the material to better protect against the effects of salts or chemical substances.
The Federal Group Difference
When you work with the Federal Group, you can count on expert engineering, modern manufacturing, innovative logistics—and proven quality. We are relentlessly committed to manufacturing high-quality, cost-effective, and time-sensitive solutions for our clients. We’re an ISO:9001-certified manufacturing company.
And our process incorporates inspection at every stage of the process. With our in-house quality team, we can perform everything from FAI to PPAP submissions—and everything in between.
Start a Custom Aluminum Extrusion Project Today
The Federal Group is a leading producer of custom extrusions for industries throughout the world. Contact us today to learn how we can collaborate on a custom aluminum extrusion for your next project.
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