Blog - Aluminum Extrusion Articles
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Aluminum Extrusion Bending: An Overview for Design Engineers
From rails for industrial equipment to automotive applications to bold artistic sculptures and architectural designs, there are plenty of reasons you may want to create curved aluminum extrusions. While the ductility of aluminum makes it well-suited to bending for...
10 Effective Ways of Joining Aluminum Extrusions: A Guide for Product Designers
Extruding aluminum offers the ability to create a wide array of profiles to meet your needs, ranging from simple to complex. While experienced designers can incorporate a variety of features into a single extruded profile, it may not be possible or practical to...
5 Important Factors That Impact the Cost of Custom Aluminum Extrusions
Ordering a custom aluminum extrusion can often be the right choice when there is nothing in regular inventory that meets your needs. Whether you need a specific profile, an unusual alloy, or a particular surface finish, knowing more about how much custom aluminum...
Category: Aluminum Finishing
Extrusions can be finished in a variety of ways, including by anodization, powder coating, painting, sublimation, and so on. This series of articles takes a look at the different options available as well as their benefits and drawbacks.
What is Mill Finish Aluminum, and How Does it Compare to Other Options?
As an engineer, material selection is one of the most important considerations when designing a new product or system. There are many different materials to choose from, and aluminum is an increasingly popular choice for many applications, from building construction...
9 Types of Aluminum Finishes That Will Enhance Your Product
The excellent properties of aluminum make it a regular choice for extrusion designers in a wide range of industries. It has a fantastic strength-to-weight ratio, good corrosion resistance, good thermal and electrical conductivity, and more. While this may be enough...
Anodizing vs. Powder Coat: How to Choose the Right Aluminum Finish
If you are producing an aluminum part or product, you likely want it to have a protective and attractive surface treatment. And with all the options available, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. This article compares two of the most popular aluminum surface finishing...
Category: Aluminum Alloys
Profiles can be produced in a variety of alloys and some of the most common include 6061, 6063, 2024, and 7075. This series of articles takes a look at some different alloys, focusing on their properties and applications.
Aluminum Extrusion Alloys: Which One Should You Choose for Your Project?
There’s a lot to consider during the aluminum extrusion design process, from the desired profile shape to procurement costs and even options for special surface finishing. But one of the first considerations is typically deciding which aluminum alloy is the best for...
Aluminum Die Casting Alloys: Which One is Best for Your Project?
Once you have decided that the aluminum die casting process is suitable for your project, a crucial next step is deciding on the most appropriate alloy. The aluminum alloy you choose will substantially impact both the casting process and the properties of the final...
Which Aluminum Alloys are Best for Welding, and Can You Weld Your Product?
Aluminum and its alloys are extremely popular for a wide range of applications. Nevertheless, there is a common misconception that aluminum cannot be effectively joined through normal welding processes the way steel alloys can. Many people think they have no choice...
Category: Aluminum Heatsinks
Heatsinks are important in electronics manufacturing because they dissipate the high heat that is sometimes generated. Extrusion is the most common method of heatsink manufacturing. Here are some important considerations.
6 Heat Sink Types: Which One is Best for Your Project?
Whether you’re designing computers, LED lighting, or other electronics, you need to think about heat sinks. Heat sinks absorb and dissipate the heat from these devices, helping to keep them cool. Today we'll talk about some different types of heat sinks, how...
Copper vs. Aluminum Heatsinks: What You Need to Know
Electronic devices can generate a lot of heat. So, heatsinks play an important role in helping to cool them. You may be aware that aluminum is the most popular metal for heatsinks, but that copper is also sometimes used. You may also realize that copper has...
Anodized Aluminum Heatsinks: What You Need to Know
Heat sinks play an important role in electronic and mechanical devices. They act as passive heat exchangers, transferring heat from hot components to a fluid medium (usually air). There are different types of heat sinks. Some are made from copper and some are...
Category: Why Aluminum Extrusions?
Extrusions have played an increasingly important role in modern product design. These articles explore some of the reasons why and provide tips for designers who may be considering their use.
Air Freight vs. Sea Freight: What is the Best Choice for Your Shipment?
In our modern, globalized economy, it’s common knowledge that overseas manufacturing is often a huge cost saver. Factories in India, China, and other parts of Asia can produce high-quality goods at extremely competitive rates. But when considering your overseas...
What is Mill Finish Aluminum, and How Does it Compare to Other Options?
As an engineer, material selection is one of the most important considerations when designing a new product or system. There are many different materials to choose from, and aluminum is an increasingly popular choice for many applications, from building construction...
FCL vs. LCL: How Do You Choose the Right Container Load?
Over the last few decades, international container shipping has become a critical component of many businesses' supply chains. The global container fleet reached 50 million TEU in 2021, and that is expected to increase to nearly 55 million TEU in 2022. When employing...