Aluminum extrusion is the process of forcing aluminum alloy material through a die with a specific cross-sectional profile.
A powerful press pushes the aluminum through the die and out of the die opening.
When it comes out, it emerges in the same shape as the die and is pulled along an output table.
At a basic level, the process of aluminum extrusion is relatively simple and easy to understand.
The force applied can be compared to the force applied when squeezing toothpaste between your fingers.
There are three main categories of extruded shapes:
Solid, with no enclosed voids or openings (i.e., rods, beams, or corners).
Hollow, with one or more voids (i.e., square or rectangular tubes).
Semi-hollow, with partially enclosed voids (i.e., a "C" shaped channel with a narrow gap)
Aluminum extrusions are commonly used to make window and door systems and have thousands of applications in the construction and manufacturing industries. ATC's most popular extrusions are angle shapes, which we stock in plain mill finish, pre-anodized, and pre-powder coated in black and white colors. These shapes are simple right angles and can have equal or unequal side lengths and a variety of different wall thicknesses.
Other popular aluminum extrusions include shapes such as square hollow (or square tube), round tube, and rectangular hollow. We also offer solid shapes such as square, round, and flat bar. ATC produces custom shapes for many customers. Keep in mind, however, that aluminum extrusion should be considered a mass production process due to the cost of a new die (ranging from $500 to $3,000) and the need for a minimum of 250 kg of aluminum billet to produce.