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Aluminum extrusion design and extruders

martin_05

Hot Rolled
Joined
Mar 11, 2009
Location
Valencia, CA, USA
Working on my first custom extrusion design. I have it done to a first approximation. Now looking for two things:

- Design guidelines to double-check my work
- A good extrusion company

I've used a range of guidelines I found by searching. This is probably the best I found so far:

https://hydal.se/wp-content/uploads...onDesignManual_2019_EN-complete_low_rev-1.pdf

Among other things, it covers features and recommended dimensions, which is useful. Just wondering if there's anything better than this. I have the Aluminum Extruders Council extrusion manual. While a great resource, they don't really go into details a designer might need for a lot of features. For example, if you want two extrusions to clip together, how do you dimension the clip and socket?

Yes, of course, I will consult with the company selected to manufacture the extrusions. I just want to do as much homework as possible ahead of first contact. Also, we can CNC or 3D print small sections in house for validation if needed.

As far as extrusion companies. Looking for someone reasonably priced in the US, Canada or Mexico. US would be preferable. Need reasonably fast delivery (8 weeks?) First order will likely be in the 1,000 to 2,000 lbs range shared between two extrusions (so, two different dies).

Thanks.
 
Ours are done by Kaiser, they do a good job, 2000lbs min and the price is only pennies a pound more than their normal extrusion price, you have to get it through your local distributor though their lead time is out there a bit right now we have been under a month for years, everything is slow now.
 
Can't help you with die design or related, but usually there's some post-extrusion processing that one must consider, including a stretch-straighten process and heat treating if a 6061 alloy with T6 final hardness.

Get guarantees on those processes if they factor into successful finishing of your parts. I worked with a MA-based extruder through about 2K lbs worth of product, and one batch was not properly HT before it was delivered to me. That caused me no end of problems, and ultimately I paid the price for their negligence. Don't let that happen to you!

If the parts will have any visual finish requirements make sure to have that in the contract too. Degraded surfaces, "tears" from inadequate lubrication during extrusion, baked-on lubricant when too much was used - all had to be dealt with. Very frustrating, much like getting your steel parts HT, having them get messed up, and it still falling on you to make it right with the customer.
 
Every bar length coming off an extrusion press is stretch straightened, size of extrusion dictated die configuration, small may be a 6 cavity die, big a single
Extrusion width dictated die diameter, and press an average press small stuff
1500t to 1800t, bigger, 2500 to 3000, jumbo jet floor 30,000 and more
Mark
 
A place I worked at in the distant past used TONS of extruded aluminum.

They got it at this place: Extrusions, Inc. | Aluminum Extrusions Fort Scott, Kansas.


About 30 years ago, a place called SAPA put in an extrusion plant in our town. Looks like they're still in business in Oregon.
 
I see mention multiple times of stretching afterwards.
When you contract with the extrude house, you pay for the die, is there
also custom jaws needed for when stretching is needed ?
 
I see mention multiple times of stretching afterwards.
When you contract with the extrude house, you pay for the die, is there
also custom jaws needed for when stretching is needed ?

I can't say for sure, but I believe in many cases they just collapse the end where the (generic) jaws clamp, do the stretch, then cut the distorted ends off.
 
Ours were simple dies, the cost was around 1200 bucks 20 years ago, no other charges, we have our bars cut to 142" for less waste, they show up shiny smooth, straight and in 1000 lb bundles. It is not stamped with any markings.
 
Extrusion exits die through flood cool or quench (air/water) onto run out conveyor, often tension applied , the extrusion goes onto walking beam cooling and mill hot saw, extrusion then gripped between stretcher jaws, headstock at press end tailstock far end of table, say 25m eg, extrusion gripped and crushed by jaws before tension applied, squashed bit cut off
Mark
 
I've had a few custom extrusions made. A couple of them were fairly complex. Simple dies have been in the $1200 range and bigger complex dies around $4000. What we have found is that the extruder won't accept any drawings that violate the extruder association specifications. They'll mark up your print and change your tolerances and say "take it or leave".

Lead time appears to be very long on extrusion right now. I ordered a re-run of some fairly simple rectangular extrusions with secondary cut to length and anodize. Ordered September 15th 2021 at which time they were quoting a March 2nd 2022 delivery date.

The long lead times suck because I have another part I need that would be a perfect extrusion candidate. But instead it looks like we are going to be machining it from solid.
 
I've had a few custom extrusions made. A couple of them were fairly complex. Simple dies have been in the $1200 range and bigger complex dies around $4000. What we have found is that the extruder won't accept any drawings that violate the extruder association specifications. They'll mark up your print and change your tolerances and say "take it or leave".

Lead time appears to be very long on extrusion right now. I ordered a re-run of some fairly simple rectangular extrusions with secondary cut to length and anodize. Ordered September 15th 2021 at which time they were quoting a March 2nd 2022 delivery date.

The long lead times suck because I have another part I need that would be a perfect extrusion candidate. But instead it looks like we are going to be machining it from solid.

Thanks for your reply (and everyone else as well).

I am starting conversations with extruders today. If I come across someone with good lead times I'll come back and post their information.
 
Not any help ,but this reminded me that 20or so years ago one of our guys decided to make some closed chamber doctor blade chambers. I think they were 3" x 6" bar stock 60" long with a cavity milled full length and two angle cuts at the top of the cavity. After seeing what he was going to do I asked if he had checked into having them extruded. Told me no it was to expensive.

Just out of couriousity I called and got a quote from a place in Atlanta I think. There was a one time die charge of $6-700. and based on our order the total came out to less then he paid for the raw stock!

Had to shake my head every time I walked by the #5 Cinncinati as they were plodding along milling them. For some reason they were afraid to really work the machine.
 
We had a big ol Cincinnati, the ammeter needle was usually redlining, it’s still doing 16 and 19 plate samples after 30 years, all day every day hard to kill one without busting the lube system
Mark
 
Working on my first custom extrusion design. I have it done to a first approximation. Now looking for two things:

- Design guidelines to double-check my work
- A good extrusion company

I've used a range of guidelines I found by searching. This is probably the best I found so far:

https://hydal.se/wp-content/uploads...onDesignManual_2019_EN-complete_low_rev-1.pdf

Among other things, it covers features and recommended dimensions, which is useful. Just wondering if there's anything better than this. I have the Aluminum Extruders Council extrusion manual. While a great resource, they don't really go into details a designer might need for a lot of features. For example, if you want two extrusions to clip together, how do you dimension the clip and socket?

Yes, of course, I will consult with the company selected to manufacture the extrusions. I just want to do as much homework as possible ahead of first contact. Also, we can CNC or 3D print small sections in house for validation if needed.

As far as extrusion companies. Looking for someone reasonably priced in the US, Canada or Mexico. US would be preferable. Need reasonably fast delivery (8 weeks?) First order will likely be in the 1,000 to 2,000 lbs range shared between two extrusions (so, two different dies).

Thanks.
email me at [email protected]
 








 
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