Ullrich Extruded Products Catalogue

Aluminium extrusions... virtually any shape desired by the customer can be produced

Properties of Aluminium

1. Weight The specific gravity of aluminium is 2.7, about one-third that of iron (7.9) and copper (8.9). The weight to strength ratio of aluminium makes it an ideal construction material for the transport industry - air, sea, road and rail - where its light weight contributes to energy saving, increased load capacity and speed. Aluminium is used in large scale construction of high-rise buildings, power transmission cables, and towers.
2. Corrosion resistance When aluminium is exposed to air, a thin oxidised film forms on the surface protecting the metal from corrosion. Anodising treatment enhances corrosion resistance and is used in building construction,joinery, buildings, household appliances and utensils.
3. Machinability Aluminium can be easily fabricated into casts or forged shapes, foil, sheets, shapes, rods, tubes, and wires. It also displays excellent machinability and plasticity in bending, cutting, and drawing. Aluminium is considered to be the best material for complex-sectioned hollow extrusion.
4. Strength The tensile strength of pure aluminium is not high, but depending upon the alloy or temper, a strength of up to 60 kg/mm² can be achieved. You can choose the alloy with the most suitable strength characteristics you need according to your application. Some alloys are stronger than ordinary steel or even equal to special (alloy and treated) steel in tensile strength. While steel becomes brittle at low temperatures aluminium increases in tensile strength. Because of its low modulus of elasticity, aluminium absorbs impact and is used in potentially high-impact applications such as automobile bumpers.
5. Expansion Aluminium extrusions have a comparatively high co-efficient of expansion which is 0.000023mm per mm length of extrusion per °C. A length of aluminium extrusion 6m long will expand over 4mm when the temperature rises 30°C. When designing, especially building design, provision should be made for expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes. Thermal expansion is particularly important where aluminium extrusions are used with other materials having a different expansion rate.
6. Surface enhancement Aluminium can be easily chemically and electrochemically surface treated, painted or epoxy powder-coated. A wide range of colours is available. Aluminium is thus widely used for interior and exterior cladding of buildings and vehicles, and the fabrication of household and commercial appliances.
7. Electrical conduction The electrical conductivity of aluminium is approximately 60% that of copper. However, aluminium weighs about one-third as much as copper of the same weight. Aluminium is a very economical material as an electric conductor and is widely utilized in power-transmission cables, bases of electric bulbs, and in other electric applications.
8. Heat conduction Aluminium is about three times as thermal-conductive as steel. It is used for cooking utensils, air-conditioners, industrial heat exchangers, and automobile engine parts, and solar energy collectors.
9. Magnetic sensitivity Aluminium is non magnetic and is used where the use of magnetic materials would be detrimental to equipment performance, such as in the construction of compasses, parabolic antennae, computer disks, and other magnetically driven applications.
10. Reflectivity The surface of uncoated aluminium is highly reflective of light, radiant heat and electronic waves - the purer the metal the more so. This feature is utilised in mirrors and reflectors for stoves, infrared dryers, lighting equipment, light-wave-guides in building temperature control.
11. Recyclablity Owing to to its low melting temperature, aluminium is economically recyclable, requiring only about 3.5% the energy required for smelting. Use of recycled aluminium has benefits for all concerned with conservation of energy and natural resources.

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Australia
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Phone:	1300 650 075 (Within AU)
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