Gulf Extrusions, the UAE-based leader in aluminium extrusion in the GCC region, has developed a new aluminium alloy that can sustain high quality surface finish at significantly high extrusions speeds. The new alloy can be used as raw material through extrusion processes accelerated to an amazing 133 per cent higher than normal production speeds.
While optimizing machine use for extruders, the alloy will ensure higher productivity without requiring higher investment in production equipment.
"For an extruder, it is always a challenging goal to improve machine output and achieve higher metal recovery. The development of the new alloy was a result of Gulf Extrusions investment into improved product quality, as
well as optimised extrusion processes," explained Robert Holtkamp, Director of Sales and Marketing, Gulf Extrusions. "That means, with the existing infrastructure Gulf Extrusions will now have significantly higher production capacities, without compromising in any way on the structural strength or surface quality of the extruded profiles."
The development of the alloy was the result of an experiment that was carried out by Gulf Extrusions, with the support of Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (Dubal), over a period of two years. The objective of the experiment was to examine and improve upon the output limitations of normal extrusion processes. It was noted that many factors influence machine output; with one of the most important being the speed at which the extrusion process takes place. The existing composition of the aluminium alloy 6063 (most
commonly used in extrusion processes) could support speeds of approximately 30 m/min (metres per min). At speeds higher than this, the extruded profile becomes prone to problems such as high temperature surface cracking (or
hot tearing), resulting in poor surface finish and lower over all quality.
During the experiment, Gulf Extrusions trialled 4 different aluminium alloy compositions, as well as improved die designs to facilitate higher m/min ratio, without affecting the surface finish. While die correction was carried out by rounding off edges to improve surface finish, the four alloys went through process tests as billets (raw material for extrusion); through the extrusion process; and through the anodizing process for achieving the final profile finish. (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
