Question

What is the aluminum profile? What is the manufacturing method of aluminum profile? What are the materials used in the manufacture of the product, describe in detail. What are the stages of the production method?
What are the faults that can be caused by the production in the product? Are there any alternative production method? What are those, compare them.
What are the standards to follow in the production method?

Answer 1

Aluminium profile is a different section shapes aluminum products through aluminum extrusion process. From raw material-aluminum ingot, after hot melting, get aluminum billets, and then finish aluminum extrusion process through porthole die or flat die, can get different shape aluminum products. At this moment, the surface is mill finished and it is aluminum metal natural color.

Aluminum profiles extrusion is to hot melt and extrude with the help of the extrusion dies the aluminum bars to obtain different cross-sectional shape profiles.

Due to the different proportions of the added alloys, the mechanical properties and application fields of the aluminum profiles are also different.

From the application field, it can be divided into building profiles and industrial profiles. Except for doors and windows, curtain walls, interior and exterior decoration, and building structures, all aluminum profiles can be classified as industrial aluminum profiles.

Aluminium profiles are by-products usually for structural purposes. It is possible to distinguish three types of profiles according to their use: construction, architectural and industrial.

-Construction profiles: this profiles offers high bending and torsional stiffness despite their low net weight. Solar panel frames, structures for working platforms and scenarios, etc.

-Architectural profiles: For this applications is very important the surface finish. Architectural profiles are used to made frameworks for windows, doors and curtain walls.

-Industrial purposes: On industry aluminium profiles are used to several purposes where is not too important his stiffness or quality surface, but a combination of both along with other characteristics of the material, such as conductivity, provides a wide variety of uses in industry to this by-product. Some examples can be: cable channels systems, heat sinks, air conditioning, cabinets and furniture, etc.

PRODUCTION

Extrusion is the process most often used for uniform section profiles of aluminum. This method allows to produce high quality products at low cost. Being able to produce slender hollow parts with narrow tolerances and good mechanical properties.

THERMAL TREATMENTS

Aluminium as most of metals, requires heat treatments to obtain the desired mechanical properties. For aluminium, as to nickel or titanium, the hardening process is by aging. For this reason is important define the heat treatment according to the application. The three more common heat treatments applied to aluminium profiles are:

T4: Tempered from the solution temperature by forced air, natural aging.

T5: Tempering treatment from the extrusion temperature using forced air, then artificial aging. It is the most common heat treatment on aluminum profiles to doors and windows profiles.

T6: Tempered from the solution temperature by water (under 40ºC) and artificial aging.

SURFACE TREATMENTS

The followings are the most common surface treatments of our aluminum profiles, to allow our customers satisfaction for any constructive necessity.

Polished: is the process of creating a smooth and shiny surface by rubbing it or using a chemical action.

Anodized: is a characteristic aluminium coating, this method consist on increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of aluminium parts, to obtain greater strength and durability components.

Powder coating: it can produce thicker coatings than conventional liquid coatings without running or sagging.

We also work with another coating methods such as electrophoresis paint or PVDF paint.

Below we can see some examples of surface finishes that we provide:

PROFILES AND ASSEMBLY SYSTEMS

Gestión de Compras PROFILES AND ASSEMBLY SYSTEMS.

We have the necessary means to produce a wide range of aluminium profiles. Ours suppliers produce profiles according to standards such as rounded, square or rectangular profiles. And also custom profiles with different alloys, sizes, shapes and assembly systems.

MATERIALS

The most common used aluminium alloys to produce profiles are alloys from the series 6xxx. The most used to produce aluminium profiles to construction are 6060 and 6063 with heat treatment T5.

Gestión de Compras also produce profiles with other alloys as 5xxx or 7xxx series according to the customer needs.

STANDARD AND CERTIFICATES

To ensure tolerances for aluminum profiles are correct we usually use the following standards:

EN 755-9: Aluminium and aluminium alloys - Extruded rod/bar, tube and profiles - Part 9: Profiles, tolerances on dimensions and form.

EN 12020-2: Aluminium and aluminium alloys - Extruded precision profiles in alloys EN AW-6060 and EN AW-6063 - Part 2: Tolerances on dimensions and form.

In addition, we ensure that our suppliers are holders of the most demanded certificates, such as:

ISO 9001

ISO 14001

OHSAS 18001