Extruded profiles: The expert guide to aluminum, design and procurement

Introduction: More than just shape - the strategic importance of aluminum profiles

In the complex world of transportation and environmental technology, it is often the inconspicuous components that determine the performance, longevity and cost-effectiveness of entire systems. While complex electronics and heavy machinery are in the spotlight, extruded aluminum profiles form the silent but indispensable backbone of countless applications - from the car bodies of modern rail vehicles to the supporting structures of solar systems and delicate housings in control technology.

As a technical procurement partner with deep-rooted industry DNA, we at Trade World One see extrusion profiles not as a catalog product, but as a strategic engineering solution. The ability of a single component to integrate complex functions such as load-bearing capacity, cable routing, cooling and mounting points (keyword: functional integration) makes them a prime example of intelligent design. However, it is precisely this complexity that poses considerable challenges in procurement, especially for long-term projects: from the choice of aluminum alloy to tool availability (the die) to ensuring global supply chains.

This technical article examines the extrusion profile from the perspective of the engineer and the procurement expert. We take a deep dive into the technological fundamentals, the design possibilities and the critical aspects of materials science. Above all, however, we show how a deep technical understanding and proactive procurement management can overcome the typical hurdles such as obsolescence and supply bottlenecks for special profiles. Because while others are still discussing, we at Trade World One are already delivering the solution.

The basics of extrusion: How high-quality aluminum profiles are made

Extrusion is a forming process in which a metal billet heated to forming temperature is pressed through a forming die. The result is a long profile with the cross-section of the die opening. Even if the principle sounds simple, the mastery lies in the process control in the press shop.

The process in detail:

1. Heating the press stud: A cylindrical stud made of the selected aluminum alloy is heated to 450 °C to 500 °C in an induction furnace.
2. Insertion into the receiver: The heated billet is inserted into the billet receiver of the extrusion press.
3. The pressing process: A hydraulic punch presses onto the bolt with enormous force. The aluminum moves out through the die. For complex hollow chamber profiles, special porthole dies are used in which the material flows around mandrels inside and is welded again under high pressure - a metallurgical masterpiece.
4. Cooling (quenching): The hot aluminum profile is abruptly cooled immediately after it emerges. This step is critical for the subsequent strength and heat treatment properties.
5. Stretching and straightening: The profile is stretched on a stretching bench to reduce internal stresses and straighten the construction profile.
6. Hot storage (precipitation hardening): The final step in achieving the required strength is curing. The profiles are artificially aged in an oven to achieve their final tensile strength (e.g. T6 condition).

We know from our experience at Trade World One: Precise adherence to every process parameter is crucial for the quality of the extruded profiles. Deviations can lead to insufficient strength values or dimensional deviations, which makes a component unusable.

The right aluminum alloy: the foundation for every extruded profile

The statement “a profile made of aluminum” is imprecise. The choice of the right aluminum alloy is fundamental and determines corrosion resistance, strength, weldability and costs. Three alloy groups are of primary importance for transportation and environmental technology:

1. the 6000 series (AlMgSi): The versatile all-rounders

This is the most important group for extruded profiles. The main alloying elements magnesium (Mg) and silicon (Si) ensure excellent hardenability.

• EN AW-6060/6063: These alloys are the workhorses for system profiles. They allow highly complex geometries, have an excellent surface quality for surface treatment (e.g. anodizing) and are ideal for cladding or housings.
• EN AW-6082: If higher strengths are required for lightweight construction, this is the first choice. In the T6 condition, it achieves strength values that come close to those of structural steel. It is the standard alloy for load-bearing structural profiles in mechanical engineering and vehicle construction, for example for main beams in rail vehicles.

2. the 7000 series (AlZnMg(Cu)): The high-performance athletes

These alloys are the highest-strength age-hardenable aluminum materials and are used where maximum strength with minimum weight is required.

• EN AW-7020: Known for its good weldability, which makes it ideal for welded truss constructions or special crash elements.
• EN AW-7075: The “aircraft aluminum” offers extreme strength values, but is mostly used for non-welded, highly stressed mechanical components.

3. the 5000 series (AlMg): The seawater specialists

Their outstanding feature is their excellent corrosion resistance. They are often used for metal profiles made of aluminum in sewage treatment plants or in shipbuilding (EN AW-5083).

Intelligent design with extruded profiles: The art of functional integration

The true stroke of genius of the extruded profile lies in the almost unlimited design freedom of the cross-section. A cleverly designed aluminum profile is more than just a support - it is a multifunctional system component.

Principles of intelligent profile design:

• Function integration: Instead of processing several sheets, a single profile can take on these functions. Integrated screw channels for fastening technology, grooves for seals or integrated cooling fins are typical examples.
• Lightweight construction through shaping: hollow chamber profiles offer an extremely high bending moment of resistance with minimal use of material. Stiffness can be optimized through the targeted arrangement of webs and chambers.
• Ease of assembly: Snap-fit connections or undercuts for sliding blocks enable quick and reliable assembly.
• Tolerances and precision: The standards DIN EN 755-9 and the narrower DIN EN 12020-2 define the achievable tolerances. Knowledge of these standards is essential for the designer in order to avoid costly reworking.

One project that illustrates the possibilities was the procurement of frame profiles for passenger information systems. Our engineers developed a single special profile made of EN AW-6060 T66 aluminum alloy that integrates a screw channel, groove, cable routing and cooling fins. The result: reduced number of components, 40 % weight saving and 30 % faster final assembly.

Procurement of aluminum profiles: Our solution for obsolescence and supply bottlenecks

This is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. Durable capital goods have life cycles of 30 years or more. What happens if, after 15 years, an extruded profile that is critical to structural integrity is damaged and the original die no longer exists? This is a key challenge for which Trade World One was founded.

Our solutions:

1. Problem: Obsolescence and missing drawings.
   A customer needs a special floor profile, but there is no documentation.
   Our solution: reverse engineering. We take the damaged component as a sample. Using 3D scanning and material analysis, our engineers create a complete production drawing, including all tolerances. This enables us to have a new die manufactured by an audited pressing plant and to precisely reproduce the required aluminum profiles.
2. Problem: supply bottlenecks and high minimum quantities.
   A pressing plant demands 2 tons for a special profile, but the customer only needs 300 kg.
   Our solution: Intelligent warehousing. We identify critical spare parts profiles and proactively stock them. By bundling requirements, we can meet the minimum quantities and supply our customers with small quantities just-in-time.
3. Problem: Quality assurance in global supply chains.
   A cheap offer is tempting, but the quality is uncertain.
   Our solution: Technical expertise. We only work with audited partners. Every batch of extrusion profiles is checked before dispatch - from the dimensions to the mechanical characteristics to the surface treatment. We provide complete documentation.

The future of extrusion profiles: Sustainability and digitalization as drivers

• Sustainability: Aluminum is a “green” material. Recycling only requires 5 % of the energy used in primary production. Lightweight construction using lightweight profiles also makes a direct contribution to energy efficiency in the transport sector.
• Digitization: Digital twins of profiles and dies enable more precise simulations. Extrusion remains dominant for long profiles, but is supplemented by additive manufacturing for complex junctions.

Conclusion: The extrusion profile as a strategic lever

The extruded aluminum profile, often simply called an aluminum profile, is much more than a simple semi-finished product. It is a highly developed, multifunctional component whose full potential can only be exploited through the interplay of intelligent design, which makes full use of the advantages of hollow chamber profiles and functional integration, in-depth materials science and strategically far-sighted procurement.

The challenges - from the choice of aluminum alloy to long-term availability - require in-depth technical expertise. This is precisely where our strength lies at Trade World One. We are not just a supplier, we are your technical problem solver. We understand your requirements down to the last detail because we speak your language. With our industry DNA and our global network, we ensure your operational readiness today and shape the efficient supply chains of the future. Because for us, we don't deliver catalog goods - we deliver solutions. Components. Solutions. Availability.

Sources

• Extrusion of light and heavy metals at the Institute of Forming Technology and Lightweight Construction
• Economical production of extruded profiles for light mobility
• Short-term heat treatment of AlMgSi alloys
• Extension of the process limits in the extrusion of wrought magnesium alloys
• Search for extrusion profiles on ResearchGate
• Search for extrusion profiles in ScienceDirect
• Search for extrusion profiles on IEEE Xplore
• Search for extruded profiles on Springer
• Search for extruded profiles on Taylor & Francis
• Search for extrusion profiles on Academia.edu