Technical Properties of Aluminium Profiles

I’d like to begin this detailed explanation by discussing aluminium. Aluminium is one of the most abundant metals in nature. It is particularly known for its lightweight, corrosion resistance, and excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. From a metallurgical and materials engineering perspective, aluminium is generally a metal obtained from bauxite ore and produced through refining and electrolysis processes. Its density is about one-third that of steel; therefore, it is preferred in many sectors such as aerospace, automotive, construction, and electronic devices. It naturally forms a thin aluminium oxide layer on its surface, which prevents corrosion. Thanks to these fundamental properties, it is both a durable and long-lasting engineering material.

The industrial use of aluminium metal began and accelerated with the development of modern metallurgical methods. In the early 19th century, aluminium was known as a very rare and valuable metal. For example, some prestigious tableware and crowns were made of aluminium. You can imagine how valuable it was from its use for ostentation. In 1886, Charles Martin Hall and Paul Héroult independently developed an electrolysis method that enabled aluminium to be produced at low cost from bauxite. This method enabled the production of aluminium in large quantities. In the early 20th century, it began to be used in the aerospace, automotive, and construction industries. During World War II, its lightweight and corrosion resistance made it the most important material in the production of aircraft and military vehicles. Today, aluminium is used as a basic material across a wide range of industries.

Today, the widespread use of aluminium is supported by its excellent recyclability. Aluminium can be remelted and reformed repeatedly without losing its properties, making it a sustainable and economical material for modern industries. This recyclability plays a significant role in the production of aluminium profiles, which are widely used in the construction, automotive, and transportation sectors.

Aluminium profile production is a major branch of the aluminium industry. We use the extrusion method and produce bars with the desired cross-sectional shape. These extruded products that we produce, which can include hollow sections, grooves or complex cross-sectional shapes, are called aluminium profiles. With over 30 years of experience in the aluminium sector, I would like to inform you about the following: aluminium profiles cannot be categorized solely by their color and size. The end consumer sees only two bars with different colors and lengths. As engineers, we see much more than that.

Two aluminium profiles with the same shape, size and color may not actually be the same profile.

In aluminium profile production, the most critical aspects are die design, aluminium alloy selection, extrusion press and puller technologies and their settings, precise profile cutting, selection of artificial aging, surface type, and packaging method. If these selections and settings are made correctly, the resulting profiles can meet all expectations and fulfill their metallurgical and aesthetic requirements.

General Properties of Aluminium

Classification and Properties of Aluminium Alloys

Classification of Aluminium Alloys According to Heat Treatment and Ageing

Products made from aluminium alloys undergo heat treatments to achieve the desired mechanical and physical properties. Based on their response to heat treatments, aluminium alloys are generally divided into two main groups:

Heat-treatable aluminium alloys:

These alloys gain their strength primarily through solution heat treatment followed by natural ageing or artificial ageing. The strengthening mechanism is known as precipitation hardening. Typical examples include the 2xxx, 6xxx, and 7xxx series.

Non-heat-treatable aluminium alloys:

These aluminium alloys cannot be strengthened by heat treatment. Instead, their strength is improved through cold working or stress hardening during mechanical processing.. Typical examples include the 1xxx, 3xxx, 4xxx, and 5xxx series.

Aluminium Temper Designations

In the aluminium profile industry, the “T” temper designations indicate the type of heat treatment and ageing applied to the aluminium alloys. These temper definitions originate from the EN 515 international standard and are used as a reference in many product standards, including ASTM B221.

Aluminium Alloy We Use in Aluminium Profile Extrusion

In the aluminium extrusion industry, the 6000 series alloy is the most excellent alloy series, offering mechanical strength, aesthetic elegance, and compatibility with all industries. For this reason, we chose to use 6000 series alloys in our aluminium profile extrusion facility and have specialized in this field.

Outstanding Extrudability

The Magnesium (Mg) and Silicon (Si) composition of the 6000 series allows our expert team to push the boundaries of design. We can produce:

• Thin-walled aluminium profiles that remain rigid.

• Complex hollow sections with intricate internal grooves.

• High-precision tolerances that other alloy series cannot achieve without deforming.

Superior Surface Aesthetics

In architectural and decorative projects, surface appearance is an indicator of quality. Aluminium profiles from the 6000 series, thanks to their stable chemical structure, respond optimally to a wide variety of surface treatments:

Engineer’s note: Iron (Fe) content in aluminium profiles significantly affects aesthetic perfection, brightness, structural quality and microstructure. If the iron content is high, hard and brittle intermetallic phases form in the microstructure. This leads to surface roughness during extrusion and grayish appearance during anodizing. Completely iron-free alloy is practically impossible and will cause the aluminium to stick to the die. According to our experience, the iron content should not exceed the critical level.

As a graduate of Yıldız Technical University (YTU) Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, I have combined my company’s long-standing experience in the aluminium industry with modern engineering. Today, with our expert team, we transform this technical heritage into high quality manufacturing. We are always ready to provide superior aluminium profile extrusion quality for your international projects and your orders. We look forward to working with you.

Mehmet Ali Arslan
Metallurgical and Materials Engineer
sales@aluminium.tr – WhatsApp – Contact