What are the Disadvantages of Aluminum Profiles?
We all know that extruded aluminum products are very common in our life. But what are its shortcomings? Let’s delve into what are the deficiencies of aluminum extrusion today.
1. Strength problems:
Industrial aluminum profiles for aluminum-magnesium alloy material, although the strength is very high, but can not meet the needs of all industries, it is only in specific areas to reach a certain height, and can not meet the application of all industries or fields, such as: gantry cranes, heavy trucks keel, etc., and it has a certain gap with the strength of the iron and steel, especially in the field of heavy-duty structures. So the strength of industrial aluminum profile products still has some limitations.
Below is a table comparing three metal materials: aluminum extrusions, copper and stainless steel：
| material | hardness | tensile strength |
|---|---|---|
| aluminum profile | 60-120HB | common aluminum profile ≥240MPa |
| copper | 40-60HB | ≥220MPa |
| stainless steels | 100-230HB（AISI 304——187HB，AISI 316——217HB） | Stainless steel 304: ≥520MPa |
2. Cost issues:
Recently, the price of aluminum ingot continues to grow, resulting in the price of aluminum profiles has always remained at 3000-4000 U.S. dollars / ton, much higher than the price of iron. Moreover, the cost of industrial aluminum production process as well as surface treatment is too high. Although the advantages of the product are obvious, but because of the cost problem, so that many consumers with low budget can not choose it as a building material.
3. Difficulty in welding:
The low melting point of aluminum alloy, and the shedding of the oxide film during welding make it require special techniques and equipment when welding. This means that the cost of using it as a welded frame and guardrail will be higher. And product quality needs to be guaranteed and appraised by professionals.
4. Easily deformed at high temperature
Aluminum alloy has a high coefficient of thermal expansion, which makes it necessary to carry out surface treatment when it is used as an aerospace material. This is because it is prone to deformation and softening under prolonged high-temperature working conditions. This is dangerous for structural support. Therefore, in certain high temperature environments, aluminum profiles cannot be used as a building material.
5.Bubbles on the surface
If the gap between the extrusion barrel and the ingot material is too large, or the gap between the extrusion pad and the barrel is too large, the pressure of the extrusion barrel will lead to air bubbles in the gap, and these bubbles will expand under the pressure and produce compression bubbles on the surface of the extruded finished aluminum profiles
These bubbles can affect the surface of the extruded aluminum, making it less valuable. Although it is possible to cover these bubbles with a surface finish, over time it will cause the surface coating to peel off. So, we should check the surface of aluminum extrusion when choosing it.
In conclusion
Aluminum profiles have the disadvantages of being easily deformed at high temperatures, difficult to weld, high cost and lack of strength. These disadvantages prevent it from being an option for certain industries and consumers. Regardless, aluminum extrusion’s environmental friendliness, weather resistance and aesthetics make it a major building material. It is believed that these shortcomings will be addressed in the future as aluminum extrusion technology is updated.
Hugh Aluminum is an aluminum extrusion plant based in China. We manufacture extruded aluminum profile products including aluminum roofings，aluminum heat sink aluminum T-slot profile, aluminum deck, aluminum fence, aluminum doors and windows, solar aluminum frame. We offer large quantity of aluminum building materials and factory price.
