Extruded Aluminum

A process that works on different kinds of metals to change their shapes and forms is called extrusion. Extruded aluminum is the most common product of this method. You can create many things from extruded aluminum profiles by punching a number of hollow cavities through it or putting several slots so that you can place bars or any material to connect it to one or more of it.

Aside from aluminum, there are several more materials which you can extrude. But before I enumerate some more of them, let me explain further what extrusion is and how it is done.

In order for you to change the shape of a metal, you should apply heat to it so that it would melt. You can make use of several tools and machineries to help you with the whole process.

There are various types of extrusion - hot extrusion, cold extrusion and warm extrusion. In hot extrusion, the temperature is kept at a high level to ensure that material is soft and will not harden easily. Hydraulic presses are often used in this type of process, that is why it is the most expensive among the three types.

In cold extrusion, the temperature is maintained at a level that is equal or below the room temperature. This is done so that the finished products will have good surface finishes and higher strength. Steel, copper, titanium, aluminum, lead, vanadium, molybdenum and tin are examples of materials commonly used in cold extrusion.

Finally, in warm extrusion, temperature is kept at a level greater than room temperature but lower than the material's recrystallization temperature. This is done to achieve the best ductility and extrusion properties.

The other commonly used metals that can be extruded are the following:

1. Copper - used in making tubes, wire, cable sheathing and pipes

2. Steel - used in tracks and rods

3. Magnesium - used to manufacture nuclear industry parts and aircraft parts

4. Tungsten carbide - advisable to use because of its durability and toughness

5. Zinc - used in handrails, tubes, bar, rods, fitting and many hardware components

6. Lead - used in making wire, pipes, cable sheathing and tubes

7. Tin - also used in the same way as lead and copper

8. Titanium - used to manufacture engine rings, seat tracks for airplanes and other structural components

You can use either extruded extruded aluminium or extruded steel depending on your desired final product. Remember that each of these metals has a unique set of properties that would suit your needs.