Short URL

We are able to provide aluminum extrusions, custom fabricated, and inspected to meet your requirements. We can design, test, inspect, and manufacture these parts. We monitor and audit all of the factories involved and make sure that the post processing is to specification. We also watch for government compliance with the environmental and green regulations.

In other words, we are your one stop processing source for aluminum extrusions of all types.

What is an aluminum extrusion?

An aluminum extrusion is a process where you melt aluminum material and squeeze it through a shaped hole. The result is a tube, a pipe or an extrusion.

Now, the place were we create this extruded form of aluminum is called an “extrusion factory”.

Like all processes, the temperatures involved must be monitored most carefully. The ingredients must be absolutely precisely perfect, and the process must be flawless.

But…

That is not the “end of the story”, don’t you know.

Once the aluminum is extruded out of the extrusion machinery, it needs to be processed. This is a post-extrusion processing step. And while some factories (mostly the larger factories) perform this step right there, there are entire factories devoted to the complexities of finishing these extrusions.

In fact, in most of Asia, groups of factories form communities that supply services between one and others.

Secondary Processes

These secondary processes are often quite different from each other, requiring numerous factories and facilities to carry out the specialized tasks properly. For instance, there are…

• Bending factories.
• Polishing factories.
• Cutting factories.
• Anodizing factories.

And to be truthful, it is these secondary factories where we spend most of our time. Because that is where the vast bulk of quality control is contingent in the successful production and manufacturing implementation in these post-process factories.

These different types of factories perform different tasks and as such, they often appear quite different in appearance from one another.

Different types of factories

Bending factories have “bending equipment”, and as it can be guessed, they bend the extrusion into all sorts of shapes. The issue here, is not if they can bend the parts to meet the factory prints, but whether or not they can do so without residual stresses and deformations in the parts. These deformations manifest as distortions, “crumples” and “waviness”.

Polishing factories tend to be dirty. Here we have crews of people manually polishing the extrusions to machines that polish. Dust tends to fly everywhere, and it makes for a very dirty environment. And while the factories all have ventilation equipment by local law, they are, typically very dirty and dingy places.

Cutting factories cut and machine the extrusions into other shapes. Depending on the business segment, often these factories can be small local operations. They tend to be clean, if dingy, and sometimes pretty cluttered.

Anodization factories are in a class all by themselves. These factories typically consist of tubs in various temperatures (and pressures) full of all sorts of chemicals. These chemical baths are what the anodization process is. You dip the parts in and out through the different baths to obtain the proper finish that you want. As such, these are very malodorous places, and heavily monitored by the authorities for environmental concerns.

Different types of products

We can be your one-stop solution to a wide range of aluminum extrusion products.

Profiles for Showers and Baths.

Frame-less glass shower enclosures have walls and doors made of glass supported by an extruded aluminum profile. They are referred to as “Extruded Aluminum Profiles“. The “profile” of an object refers to its form or shape. Extrusion is the technique often used to transform the aluminum into the long shape. And of course, the “Aluminum” is the type of material used.

Solar Aluminum profiles.

Profiles used for the collection of solar energy for “green energy” applications. These aluminum extrusions are used in solar panel roof mounting and solar panel ground mounting systems. To an outsider, they appear to be nothing more than channels or roads, but in truth they are complex and designed for the precise application at hand.

Profiles for windows and doors

Aluminum profiles used in windows can come in a wide selection and assortment of finishes. From powder coated, heat transfer fill patterns, to several anodized colors. These profile not only hold the windows and provide a stable and durable frame, but they are used in conjunction with gaskets and insulation to provide very high quality products.

Industrial Automation

Aluminum profiles are most commonly used across industrial automation applications such as automated motion applications on process lines and industries throughout manufacturing. They are strong and yet light enough that they yet can be easily man-handled and built into various configurations as necessitated by the automation structure.

Architectural Aluminum Profiles

Modern architecture would not be possible without aluminum. These architectural aluminum profiles are used in the construction of buildings and structures. They are used to hold concrete, metal sheeting, or other elements of a wall in place for the construction of buildings or residences.

Aluminum Picture Frames

We have our own line of Aluminum Picture Frames. And we are happy to work with you to develop new products to meet your own custom needs. If you want to see what we have to offer, please click on this button below…

Extrusion Die Types

Whether you’re new to aluminum extrusions or a seasoned extrusion designer, it’s important to understand how an extrusion die works. These dies are designed to create different profile shapes. And the design associated with the resultant shapes impact the die manufacturing cost.

While the upfront investment in an aluminum extrusion die may look expensive, shorter lead times and overall lower production costs make it a clear winner for many product applications.

What is an Extrusion Die?

Extrusion dies are essentially thick, circular steel disks containing one or more openings to create the desired profile. They are normally constructed from H-13 die steel and heat-treated to withstand the pressure and heat of hot aluminum as it is pushed through the die.

While it may appear that aluminum is a very soft metal, the reality is it takes a tremendous amount of pressure to push a solid log (billet) of aluminum through a thin, multi-holed die to create the desired shape. In fact, it takes 100,000-125,000 psi of force to push a billet through an 8” inch press.

To put that force into context, a power washer to clean a car pushes out water at around 2,500 psi. Increasing that pressure to 5,000 psi can destroy the bricks on the side of a building. The pressure produced in an extrusion press is over 20 times that amount.

High pressure. You betcha!

Die Profile Categories

While there are a multitude of shapes that can be created using aluminum extrusions, the dies used fall under three categories: solid dies, semi-hollow dies, and hollow dies.

Solid Dies

A solid die creates a final shape that has no enclosed voids/openings, such as a rod, beam or angle. As such, a solid die is typically less expensive to manufacture than other die types.

To produce a solid profile requires a set of parts called a “die stack.” This stack is made up of:

• Feeder plate controls the metal flow through the die orifice.
• Die plate forms the shape.
• Backer plate supports the tongue of die to prevent collapse or distortion.
• Bolster supports the extrusion load transmitted from the die and backer.

Hollow Dies

Hollow dies are a little bit different.

A hollow die produces profiles with one or more voids, such as a simple tube with one void or a complex profile with many detailed voids. To produce a hollow shape requires a different die set, which includes:

• Mandrel is located inside the die and has two or more port holes to generate the internal features of the profile and to control the flow of metal. During extrusion the aluminum billet separates into each port and rejoins in the weld chamber prior to entering the bearing area. The ports are separated by webs, also known as legs, which support the core or mandrel section. Because of these extra components, a hollow die has a higher material and tooling cost, and typically get more expensive the more voids are included.
• Die Cap is a multi-piece die which makes the shape.
• Bolster supports the extrusion load transmitted from the die cap and mandrel.

Semi-Hollow Dies

A semi-hollow die extrudes a shape that is nearly hollow, partially enclosing a void. Similar to a hollow die, a semi-hollow die set includes a mandrel with port holes, but without cores to make a complete void, as well as a die cap and bolster.

While a solid die may also partially enclose a void, the difference is the ratio of the area of the void to the size of the gap where the tongue is connected to the main body of the die. This ratio is called the tongue ratio.

For semi-hollow dies, the tongue ratio is larger than in a solid die, which creates more complexity when manufactured, and in turn more cost.

How Long Do Extrusion Dies Last?

Heat buildup and uneven pressure caused by a profile’s design—use of thin walls, unbalanced shapes, and protruding legs—are the biggest killers to the longevity of an extrusion die.

An experienced extruder will design the die to control heat and uneven pressure and slow the extrusion rate to extend the life of a die, but eventually dies must be replaced.

Fortunately for designers, most extruders absorb the cost of die replacements.

However, a designer should understand which design decisions will most dramatically impact their upfront tooling costs before sending a design to an aluminum extruder. Changes, where possible, to a profile’s design, tolerance settings, and alloy could save you thousands of dollars in tooling costs.

Let us help you source your products at quality, audited factories to meet you specific and unique requirements.