The market is packed with a wide range of aluminum products suppliers. These manufacturers use a wide range of processes to achieve the various parts. One of these processes is aluminum extrusions. Aluminum extrusion is a complex forming process where raw material is transformed into a fully made and useful piece without adding any new elements.
Essential parts of the aluminum extrusions process
Aluminum extrusion is a complex process. Before the process is conducted or completed, some things need to be achieved. In other words, the aluminum extrusion process is usually split into various parts. All these parts work together to achieve the overall goal of the process. Therefore, below are essential parts of the aluminum extrusion process
1. Determining the customer’s profile
The first part of the process is determining the needs of the customer. This is a very important step because it determines the direction of the entire process. However, it is quite an easy step. Most of the time, all you have to do is draw the profile that needs extrusion. The extrusion manufacturer usually does this with the direction, specifications, and tolerances provided by the client.
2. Producing the die
The process of aluminum extrusions is greatly dependent on the die. The die is the part where the metal is passed around or through. The die is usually made following the specifications determined above. In simple terms, the die is created in the form and size of the extrusion profile. Therefore, this part of the process is very important and should be done with great care.
This is because any mistakes in the die will undoubtedly affect the overall outcome of the process. It is also worth mentioning that the extrusion process cannot commence without the die being ready. Therefore, the speed with which you can complete the die without any mistakes will influence how fast you get to start the process.
3. Preparing the aluminum
Once the profile is determined and drawn and the die is successfully created, the next part is to prepare the aluminum for the extrusion. This involves two processes. They are:
- Cutting the metal– More often than not, the metal is prepared by cutting the aluminum into billets (a billet is a cylindrical metal block).
- Heating the billets– once the metal is successfully cut, it has to be pre-heated. This is done between 850 degrees Farenheight and 925 degrees Farenheight. This is the temperature within which the metal can soften without reaching its melting point or becoming molten. Note that the process aims to soften the metal and not liquify it.
Take Note
Once the following preparations are completed, the extrusion process can begin. Aluminum extrusions can take a wide range of forms. The most popular forms are solid, semi-solid shapes, and hollow shapes.
Conclusion
The sections mentioned above do not represent the entire extrusion process. They are simply initial parts of the process. Regardless, they are equally or more essential than the actual extrusion. This is because the process cannot be accomplished without the strategies named above.
