A lot of industries have been utilizing the benefits of aluminum, considering it as a material ideal for a wide range of applications. In fact, you might be surprised to learn how much of the aluminum profiles have been used for various structures and products. This simple but innovative output of modern metal fabrication has brought a lot of advantages in terms of using them in a range of structural, modeling, or framing applications. Through extrusion processes that were performed in manufacturing aluminum products, different applications with unique qualities have been formed. Extrusion, as a process in producing several aluminum profiles, involved transforming aluminum alloy into a wide variety of products for consumer and industrial markets. They have also been applied and known to have a lot of uses in architecture, construction, and design, as well as in automobiles and electricity systems.
Aluminum Profiles
One of the known features of extrusion includes producing a limitless variety of aluminum profiles. With the feature of aluminum being malleable, it makes it easier for the extrusion process to perform, as it has the ability to create shapes by heating billets of aluminum alloy as a way to soften them, then force them with a hydraulic press or ram under high pressure, through special steel dies. Apart from this, aluminum has the power to make fabrications simply, while still improving strength and stiffness. These properties make it ideal for a wide range of applications.
Aluminum profiles can be formed into either square, rectangular, and round bars, which are examples of solid extrusions. Along with other extruded aluminum, they also have great dimensional stability. In general, aluminum is actually an interesting material as it holds characteristics that make it useful such as being low weight, corrosion-resistant, strong, and the like. Thus, if this material goes through the process of extrusion, the outputs can be of help in creating the ease in people’s day to day lives. From the vehicles that are used for transportation, to the construction of various residential and commercial establishments, all have been utilizing the useful characteristics of aluminum profiles. They come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, thus, you will always be able to find a suitable one for a particular case.
Home Windows and Door Frames
A popular material used in home construction, particularly for home windows and door frames, are considered to be aluminum. Extrusions made it possible to produce aluminum profiles that are suitable for these parts of the home. They are also far more affordable and practical, being a long-lasting material that are ideal for houses and other establishments as well. Additionally, it is known that aluminum can be customized in a way that it can appear pleasingly, thus, considered to be both functional and decorative elements.
Using a different material for your windows and doors at home has the possibility to degrade easily. For instance, manufacturing windows using wood may be difficult to maintain. It has the possibility to not last long, especially in the presence of harsh environmental conditions. However, with aluminum profiles, you would not have to worry about environmental hazards such as heavy rain and high temperatures. It makes it less destructive overall. Moreover, this material makes it ideal for door frames. The door is considered to be one of the most important parts of any structure and establishment. With this, using aluminum as the material for their frame can keep objects from entering the interior spaces. It can also protect the building from any kind of intrusions.
Aluminum windows and door frames also require only a very minimal maintenance. Aluminum as a material itself, has the resistance to material degeneration like corrosion and rusting. With its durability as well, it can prevent the entry of unwanted airborne particles. This must be prevented in order to retain a clean air quality within the structure. Moreover, you can customize and design it in a way to match your preferred style and design. There are various aluminum finishes available to choose from.
Automobiles
Aluminum is known to be part of the necessary materials needed for the manufacturing of vehicles. The automotive industry uses this material for the vehicle frame, the body, electrical wiring, wheels, lamps, paint, transmission, engine parts, and many other parts; particularly every part of a vehicle. It is considered to be a reliable alternative to other known materials for automobiles. It includes steel, given its benefits including weight reductions, cost savings, safety performance, and aesthetic appeal. Aluminum profiles also have the ability to provide a cost-effective method of improving the overall performance of the vehicle. This allowed the automotive industry to manufacture vehicles with better fuel economy. All while meeting sustainability goals.
The usage of this material has been present in modern car brands. It has been integrated over the years, as a means to capitalize on the benefits of aluminum profiles used in accessories and majority of the car parts. Apart from being cost-effective, it can also be an eco-friendly material too. Furthermore, weight is a primary concern in transportation. With this, using aluminum as a material for manufacturing other transportation vehicles is of huge help. Particularly in terms of enabling them to move smoothly. Given these, cars and other automobiles with lighter components can be able to provide a significant increase in performance, maneuverability, and speed as well.
Electricity Systems
Aluminum profiles, and aluminum in general, are known to be good conductors. With this feature, it is ideally used in producing electrical equipment. Extruded aluminum is used in lighting applications as well, particularly in modern LED fixtures, which may have thermal management challenges. Extrusions with fins make a good radiator and heat exchanger. They can easily be mounted to and customized along with having to not weigh too much when mounted overhead.
Another example of using this material is through the photovoltaic or solar panel support structures. They need to have the necessary strength and corrosion-resistance, along with low mass, especially in the case of roof-mounted panels. Thus, this makes the use of aluminum profiles essential for electricity systems. Aluminum has the power to provide better conductivity to weight ratio than copper. With this, it is an ideal material for wiring power grids. It also includes overhead power transmission lines and local power distribution lines as well.
Architecture and Construction
The most common applications of aluminum profiles would be with architecture and construction projects. It has a wide range of categories of uses. It is usually used for railings and balustrades as a use for building facades and bleachers. Additionally, from the equipment utilizing the features of aluminum such as being stiff and lightweight, it became ideal for applications like canopies where the structure cannot weigh much, but is needed to handle a load. It is typically used for suspended ceilings and in walls as well.
For certain establishments, may it be in high-rise developments or in residential spaces, it is necessary to build railings. It requires the need to meet several safety standards. And while it has to impose safety at all costs, they also give owners the opportunity to apply aesthetic implications, depending on their preferences. Thus, being a material with highly versatile and malleable characteristics, manufacturers of the said railings can come up with a wide variation of designs on aluminum profiles. They can be customized to become decorative columns, bottom rails, lattice systems, and the like.
Key Takeaway
The uses of aluminum profiles have started to be manufactured into a wide range of applications. From using them to certain home projects that involve the replacement of window and door frames, using them as an essential material for the manufacturing of various vehicles, for applications on electricity systems, to using them at certain architecture and construction applications, they all provide the same benefit of being strong, corrosion-resistant, lightweight, cost-efficient, and being eco-friendly. And as products of extrusion, aluminum profiles tend to be very useful in several industries. They are considered to be one of the most extraordinarily versatile materials. Thus, proven to be used in any applications developed.
