Aluminum Extrusion FAQ

Aluminum extrusions play an integral role in a wide variety of industries, because of their strength, versatility and cost savings.

Scroll down for answers to some of the more common questions about the advantages of aluminum extrusions – or contact Altec now for the answers to all your aluminum extrusion needs.

How does the cost of dies and tooling for aluminum extrusion compare with the tooling costs of other processes and materials

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How does the strength-to-weight ratio for aluminum extrusions compare with the ratio for other materials

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What sort of tolerances can be achieved with aluminum extrusion

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What are the advantages of using the 6xxx series of alloys in aluminum extrusions

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	Q.	How does the cost of dies and tooling for aluminum extrusions compare with the costs of other processes and materials?
	A.	The cost of dies for aluminum extrusions is normally much lower than the cost of tooling for other processes, like die casting, forming, impact extrusion, stamping or vinyl extrusion.
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	Q.	How does the strength-to-weight ratio for aluminum extrusions compare with the ratio for other materials?
	A.	The strength-to-weight ratio of aluminum extrusions is quite good when compared with the ratios for other materials, such as rolled form steel, copper extrusions, molded plastic or wood.
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	Q.	What sort of tolerances can be achieved with aluminum extrusions?
	A.	Aluminum extrusions generally provide much tighter tolerances than other materials, including vinyl extrusions. Altec consistently produces very precise tolerances, in accordance with each customer’s specifications and as testified by our ISO certification. For more information on this topic in general, see the Aluminum Extrusion Council’s Tolerances Table.
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	Q.	What are the advantages of using the 6xxx series of alloys in aluminum extrusions?
	A.	The 6xxx series, which incorporates magnesium and silicon, provide good extrudability, strength, corrosion resistance, formability and machinability -- which explains why it’s also Altec’s alloy of choice for all our aluminum extrusions.
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For more on aluminum and aluminum extrusions, visit the Aluminum Association or the AEC  …