Special aluminum profiles

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Standard aluminum profiles

Any plant for the production of aluminum profiles are usually, least, It produces the so-called standard profiles. Standard profiles include:

stripes,
bus,
rods (round, square, hex),
various types of pipes (round, square, rectangular),
equal- and raznopolochnye corners,
brand and I-beams,
U-profiles,
Zeta-section profiles.

these standard aluminum profiles included in the directory of enterprises and, usually, their produce, the, what is called, "Warehouse" and therefore they are almost always in stock.

Aluminum profile to order

Special profiles called profiles, which have a more complex shape, than standard profiles, and – sometimes – special aluminum alloy. They were specially designed in accordance with the requirements of, usually, one customer. Often they are called – “aluminum profiles according to customer drawings“.

Examples of special aluminum profiles are profiles for:

modular systems for the assembly of various industrial structures;
building enclosing structures (window, doors, facades and entrances to shops);
balustrade, railings and fences;
Solar shields,
swimming pools;
parts of cars and other vehicles;
frames and mounts for solar panels;
masts, flagpoles and traffic signs,
many other products.

Figure - Examples of special aluminum profiles (Source: eural.com)

Profile working drawing

There are general guidelines for the optimal design of the cross-section of aluminum profiles (for example, such as here). Often, however, the designer or the designer of innovative products is difficult to realize their ideas with such restrictions. In such cases, experienced designers, Aluminum Extruders always help find a way out and implemented in the design of the profile of these very ideas.

If the customer's special aluminum profile already has his drawing or sketch, the plant designers have to analyze it in terms of suitability for extrusion technology on extrusion press. They should take into consideration not only the fundamental possibility of the molded new profile, but also to ensure its transmission without damage and defects throughout the press line, up to packaging.

So often a source drawing a special aluminum profile, of course, in consultation with the customer made significant changes, profile that will produce the highest quality at all stages of production.

Usually draw a profile in AutoCAD. If any special profile is included as parts in the assembly unit, then the simulation profile combination with other components and involve a program like SolidWorks.

Agreed to these drawings myself profiles manufacturer or a specialized company produces steel matrix – pressing tools for installation on the extrusion press.

The choice of aluminum alloy

Special profiles can differ from standard profiles is not only a complex form, but also a special aluminum alloy.

The correct choice of aluminum alloy is a critical step in the development of a new special profile. The correct choice of aluminum alloy and method of heat treatment and other treatments can ensure the success of the new profile.

When selecting the alloy take into account the special requirements – one or more – a new special aluminum profile, including:

Minimum mechanical properties,
ease of machining,
ability to protective anodizing,
the ability of the decorative anodizing,
the ability to hard anodising,
resistance to atmospheric corrosion,
resistance to corrosion in a marine atmosphere,
suitability for arc welding,
capacity for resistance welding,
the solderability,
capacity for cold forming, for example, by bending.

Sometimes you may need to perform sanitary standards, for example, based on the maximum content, lead or bismuth, which are introduced in some alloys, intended for machining.

Aluminum alloys for special profiles

Aluminum alloy 6xxx series for standard and special profiles - most commonly used alloys 6060, 6063, 6005, 6005A, 6061, 6082, 6061. Thus profiles with a complex shape and thin walls order 1 mm is usually compressed with only the “soft” alloys – 6060 и 6063.

Narrower alloy chemistry ranges

It is important to keep in mind, that the standards for wrought aluminum alloys give their manufacturers wide ranges of acceptable chemical composition. In practice, this means, that the same profiles of the same alloy may have significant differences in strength properties and do not always meet the predetermined level of strength or ductility. Therefore, customers often require special aluminum profiles for them more narrow range of chemical composition of alloys. This provides a more uniform properties within the party and profiles from batch to batch, and allows to obtain profiles with optimum mechanical properties.

Quality control of special profiles

Quality control of special aluminum profiles may start with quality control of ingot-pillars for pressing. for instance, responsible for aluminum parts for aircraft or military equipment can be increased requirements for internal defects. In this case, the pillars ingots subjected to ultrasonic testing.

Special aluminum profiles, usually, require tighter tolerances on dimensions and form. This is because, what are they, most often, the details are complicated assembly unit and excessive deviation from the nominal size and shape simply unacceptable.

Each matrix before the first pressing carefully make a mistake in measuring and checking. For each profile is selected empirically and will test the optimal compression parameters, including, workpiece temperature, compression rate and intensity of cooling after release from the matrix.

During molding the shape and dimensions of the molded profile regularly check. After the heat treatment in the aging ovens produce Mechanical properties test profiles. Test results on samples and measurements of hardness gap must confirm compliance with the requirements of standards, which are agreed between the manufacturer and the customer.

If the profiles are machined, in the course of its manufacture a series of measurements, to ensure that the processing of drawings c agreed tolerances.