What is an extruded aluminium alloy?

What is an extruded aluminium alloy?

Whether aluminium or otherwise, the material is transformed into an extruded aluminium alloy with a certain cross-section by means of an extrusion die. Although there are several steps to this process, it is really a relatively simple one. Firstly, the manufacturer or designer must create a die to produce extrusions of different die form factors.

The finished die is placed into an extruder and the aluminium billet of the desired alloy is heated to the required temperature so that the aluminium is ductile. The aluminium is then extruded through the die, resulting in an extruded aluminium alloy coming out the other side with a consistent shape and length.

The extrusion is then cooled, stress relieved and cut to the desired length. At this point, the aluminium is ready for heat treatment and other post-production operations.

Because the process is carried out at high temperatures, less pressure is required to force the metal through the die. This means that extruding aluminium alloys is a faster process than cold forming.