Guides
The aluminium extrusion process, step by step
Aluminium extrusion pushes a heated billet through a steel die with a hydraulic press to form a profile of constant cross-section. The route runs from billet heating through the press, quench, stretching, cutting and ageing, and the die design and temperature control decide the quality of the result.
Read the guide6060 vs 6063 vs 6005A vs 6082: choosing an extrusion alloy
6060 and 6063 extrude most easily and give the best surface. 6005A adds strength at a moderate cost in extrudability, and 6082 is the strongest of the four but the hardest to press. The right choice balances load, section complexity and finish, and it is always made together with the temper.
Read the guideDesigning a profile for extrusion: practical DFM rules
A profile that extrudes well has balanced wall thickness, rounded corners, no deep narrow slots and the smallest practical circumscribing circle. Following these rules gives fewer die problems, a better surface and a lower cost per metre, and most of them cost nothing to apply at the drawing stage.
Read the guideExtrusion tolerances explained: EN 755-9 and EN 12020-2
Dimensional and form tolerances for extruded aluminium profile are set by EN 755-9 for general profiles and by EN 12020-2 for precision profiles in EN AW-6060 and EN AW-6063. The applicable limit depends on the relevant table, which may take dimension size, wall type and circumscribing circle into account. Avoiding unnecessarily tight general tolerances and specifying exceptions only where function requires them keeps cost down.
Read the guideTempers T4, T5, T6 and T66 explained
A temper code states the heat-treatment condition of an aluminium alloy. T4 is solution treated and naturally aged, T5 is cooled from the hot-working process and artificially aged, T6 is solution treated and artificially aged, and T66 is a higher-property variant of T6. For suitable alloys and sections, heating and extrusion at the press can establish the solid solution, and prompt, sufficiently rapid cooling retains it.
Read the guidePowder coating aluminium profiles: process and design
Powder coating charges a dry powder electrostatically, lets it cling to an earthed profile and melts it in an oven into a solvent-free film. The quality of the coat depends mostly on pre-treatment, film thickness and the shape of the profile. Solid Group Metal operates an electrostatic powder coating line with a capacity of 450 tonnes per month.
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What is in this section?
Resources collects the technical questions designers and buyers ask most often. The guides above cover the extrusion process, alloys, profile design, tolerances, tempers and powder coating. The table below shows which other pages of this site answer which question.
Where is each question answered?
| Question | Page |
|---|---|
| How does aluminium extrusion work? | What is aluminium extrusion? |
| Which alloy and temper, which tolerances? | Custom aluminium extrusion |
| Which standards do we refer to? | Quality and sustainability |
| What is billet and what do we need to quote it? | Aluminium billet supply |
| Which standard profiles exist? | Products |
| What are the capacity and equipment? | Facility and capacity |
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