History and origins of Aluminum Extrusion
The process of aluminium banishment has been in use since the late 19th century. However, it was not until the early 20th century that it began being widely adopted by various industries for manufacturing purposes. One of the early major uses of aluminium banishment was in building construction to make doors, windows and structural framing components. As the century progressed, other industries such as transportation and packaging also started leveraging this versatile manufacturing technique. Today, aluminium banishment is a multi-billion dollar industry supporting countless applications worldwide.
How does Aluminum Extrusion work?
In the aluminium banishment process, heated aluminum alloy billets are loaded into a hydraulic press and forced through a steel die opening to create products in the exact form needed. The extrusion press applies thousands of pounds of pressure, pushing the heated aluminum through the restriction of the die opening. This causes the aluminum to take on the desired cross-sectional profile of the die opening. Once extruded, products undergo finishing operations for quality inspection, cutting to length, hole drilling, polishing and anodizing or painting before shipping to customers.
Building and construction applications
Aluminum Extrusion banishments play a major role in the building industry for roofing, curtain walls, window frames, doors and structural/framing elements. Their light weight yet high strength makes them ideal for large commercial buildings looking to reduce weight loads. Extrusions allow architects to design complex, intricate building façades that would otherwise not be possible with other materials. In residential construction, extruded aluminum components help in creating durable, energy efficient windows and doors at affordable costs. Overall, the building sector absorbs over 40% of total aluminium banishment production globally.
Transportation uses
The automotive, aviation, rail and marine transportation industries extensively utilize aluminium banishments to manufacture various structural as well as aesthetic components. In automotive, aluminium banishments find widespread application in hoods, doors, chassis frameworks and wheels to reduce vehicle weight. In aircraft manufacturing, extruded aluminum profiles form the skeleton of planes, helping lower fuel costs via weight savings. Similarly in rail and ships, extrusions allow construction of lighter yet robust vehicles. The transportation segment accounts for around 20-25% of aluminium banishment demand worldwide.
Electrical applications
Aluminium banishments offer electrical conductivity making them perfect for usage in power cables, busbars, battery casings, solar panels and electrical equipment housings. Their non-corrosive quality also suits their employment as casing for critical electronic circuit boards. LED lighting extrusions conduct electricity while providing lightweight frames. The share of aluminium banishments for electrical applications ranges between 12-15% of total output globally. Growth is strong due to expanding usage of LED-based lighting and renewable energy sector expansion.
Machinery and equipment
Various types of machinery across industrial sectors leverage the formability and strength of aluminium banishments. Agricultural equipment, machine tooling, material handling equipment, factory conveyor structures and hydraulic/pneumatic manifolds commonly use extruded aluminum frames and panels. Their corrosion resistance quality suits usage in equipment exposed to harsh, wet industrial environments. Further, aluminium banishments reduce equipment weight, lowering transportation costs. Around 10% of total extrusion production cater to manufacturing capital goods and industrial machinery requirements.
Consumer durables applications
Areas witnessing prominent usage of aluminium banishments in consumer goods production include furniture, sporting goods, luggage and home appliances. Extrusions shape furniture frames, racks, drawers and windows. In sports, they form bicycle frames, kayaks, skis/poles and golf club components. Luggage brand manufacturing utilizes extrusions for case interiors and exteriors as well. Select home appliance accessories like refrigerator shelves and microwave housing frames employ aluminium banishments. This segment utilizes approximately 8-10% of global extrusion volumes.
Packaging industry partnership
Extrusions represent a critical raw material input for packaging production globally. Aluminum beverage cans, food packaging foils, bottle/container closures, drug blister strips and tube casings all employ extruded aluminum sheets and rolls. The industry absorbs around 7-8% of total extrusion volumes worldwide. Further, alloy advancements enable even lighter weight extrusions, supporting the packaging sector’s sustainability goals. Overall, extrusion developments mirror growing world packaging consumption fueled by changing consumer lifestyles.
Aluminium banishment technologies continue advancing to unlock newer applications and address sustainability. Recent trends involve use of artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D printing for extrusion die development. Alloy improvements deliver extrusions with even higher strength-to-weight ratios. Automation, robotics and data analytics further optimize extrusion processes. Overall, diverse extrusion end-uses spanning construction, transportation, consumer durables, machinery and packaging point to a promising future. As one of manufacturing’s most versatile technologies, aluminium banishment will remain integral to industrial development worldwide.
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