Aluminum alloy extrusion production process

[China Aluminum Network] The aluminum alloy extrusion process actually starts with the product design, because the product design is based on the given use requirements, and the use requirements determine many of the product's final parameters. Such as the product's mechanical processing performance, surface treatment performance and the use of environmental requirements, these properties and requirements actually determine the choice of extruded aluminum alloy types. The performance of aluminum extruded from the same aluminum alloy depends on the design shape of the product. The shape of the product determines the shape of the extrusion die. Once the design problem is solved, the actual extrusion process begins with the extrusion of the aluminum cast rod. The aluminum cast rod must be heated to soften it before extrusion. The heated aluminum cast rod is placed into the ingot of the extruder. In the cylinder, the extrusion rod is then pushed by a high-power hydraulic cylinder. The extrusion rod has a pressing pad at the front end. This heat-hardened aluminum alloy is extruded from the precision forming hole of the die under the pressure of the pressing pad. forming. This is the role of the mold: the shape of the product needed to produce it.

The extrusion direction is from left to right. This is a brief description of the direct extrusion that is now used more widely. Indirect extrusion is a similar process, but there are also very important differences. In the direct extrusion process, the mold is not moving. The pressure of the extruded rod pushes the aluminum alloy through the die hole. In the indirect extrusion process. The mold is mounted on a hollow extruded rod, the mold is pressed against a stationary aluminum rod blank, and the aluminum alloy is forced through the mold toward the hollow extruded rod.

In fact, the extrusion process is similar to squeezing toothpaste. When the pressure acts on the closed end of the toothpaste, the cylindrical toothpaste is extruded from the circular opening. If the opening is flat, the extruded toothpaste is banded. Of course complex shapes can also be extruded at the same shape of the opening. For example, cakemakers use special-shaped tubes to squeeze ice cream to make all kinds of decorative laces. What they do is actually extrusion molding. Although you can't use toothpaste or ice cream to produce many useful products, you can't squeeze the aluminum alloy into aluminum tubes with your fingers. But you can rely on high-powered hydraulic presses to squeeze aluminum out of a shaped hole to produce a wide variety of useful products of almost any shape.

The aluminum rod is the blank for the extrusion process. The aluminum rod for extrusion can be solid or hollow, usually a cylinder, the length of which is determined by the extrusion spindle. Aluminum rods are usually molded by casting, and some are forged or powder forged. It is usually sawed from aluminum alloy rods with a good alloy composition. Aluminum alloys are usually composed of more than one metal element. Extruded aluminum alloys consist of a small amount (usually no more than 5%) of elements such as copper, magnesium, silicon, manganese or zinc. These alloy elements improve the performance of pure aluminum. And affected the extrusion process. The lengths of the aluminum rods of various manufacturers are inconsistent because the length, extrusion ratio, discharge length, and squeezing margin of the aluminum extrusions are determined. The standard length is generally from 26 inches (660mm) to 72 inches (1830mm). Outer diameter ranges from 3 inches (76mm) to 33 inches (838mm) 6 inches (155mm) to 9 inches (228mm) direct extrusion process when finished The shape of the product is determined, the appropriate aluminum alloy is selected, the extrusion die manufacturing is completed, and the preparation for the actual extrusion process is completed. The aluminum rods and the extrusion tool are then preheated. During the extrusion process, the aluminum rods are inherently solid, but have become soft in the furnace. The melting point of the aluminum alloy is about 660°C. Typical heating temperatures for extrusion processes are generally greater than 375°C and may be as high as 500°C depending on the extrusion conditions of the metal.

The actual extrusion process begins when the squeeze bar begins to exert pressure on the aluminum rod in the holding spindle. Different hydraulic machines are designed to have a compression force of 100 tons to 15,000 tons, with almost any pressure. This extrusion force determines the size of the extruded product produced by the extruder. Extrusion product specifications are represented by the product's larger cross-sectional dimensions, and sometimes also the product's circumscribed circle diameter.

When the extrusion is just started, the aluminum rod is shortened and thickened by the reaction force of the mold until the expansion of the aluminum rod is constrained by the wall of the ingot barrel. Then, when the pressure continues to increase, the soft (still solid) metal has no place. The flow can begin to be extruded from the molding hole of the die to the other end of the die, which forms the profile.

About 10% of the aluminum rods (including the aluminum rod skin) are left in the ingot barrel, and the extruded product is cut out from the mold. The metal remaining in the ingot barrel is also cleaned and recycled. After the product leaves the mold, the subsequent process is that the hot extruded product is quenched, mechanically treated and aged. When the heated aluminum is extruded from the die through the spindle, the center of the aluminum rod flows faster than the edge. As shown in the black banding in the illustration, the metal at the edge is left behind as a residue to be recycled.

The squeezing speed depends on the shape of the extruded alloy and die outlet holes. Extruding complex shapes with hard alloys may slow down to 1-2 feet per minute. The use of soft alloys to squeeze simple shapes can reach 180 feet per minute, or even faster.

The length of the extruded product depends on the aluminum rod and die exit hole. An uninterrupted extrusion can squeeze up to 200 feet of product. Newer extrusion molding, when the extruded product leaves the extruder, it is placed on the sliding table (equivalent to the conveyor belt). According to the different alloys, the extruded product is cooled: divided into natural cooling, air Or water-cooled and quenched. This is a crucial step in ensuring the quality of the product after metallurgical performance. The extruded product is then transferred to a cold bed.

After straightening and extruding the product after quenching (cooling), straightening and correcting of the twist are performed using a stretching machine or a straightener (stretching is also classified as cold working after extrusion). The product is then conveyed by the conveyor to the sawing machine. Sawing A typical finished sawing is sawing the product to a specific commercial length. The circular saw is widely used nowadays, as long as the sawing arm of the rotary saw will be extruded out of the long material. There are also saws cut from above the profile (eg, electric miter saws). The saw table is also useful. The saw table saw the product with the circular saw blade rising from the bottom upwards, and then the saw blade returns to the bottom of the table top for the next cycle.

A typical finished circular saw, typically 16-20 inches in diameter, has more than 100 carbide teeth. Large size saw blades are used for large diameter extruders.

The self-lubricating sawing machine is equipped with a system for delivering the lubricant to the saw teeth so that better sawing efficiency and a kerf surface can be ensured.

Automatic device pressers secure the profiles for sawing, and the sawdust is collected for recycling. Aging: Some extruded products require ageing to achieve better strength, and are also called age hardening. Natural aging takes place at room temperature. Artificial aging is performed in the aging furnace. Academically, it is called precipitation hardening heat treatment.

When the profile is extruded from the extruder, the profile becomes a semi-solid state. However, it soon becomes solid when it cools or quenches (either air-cooled or water-cooled). Non-heat-treated reinforced aluminum alloys (such as aluminum alloys with added magnesium or manganese) obtain strength through natural ageing and cold working. Heat-treatable aluminum alloys (such as aluminum alloys with copper, zinc, magnesium+silicon) can obtain better strength and hardness through heat treatment that affects the metallographic structure of the alloy.

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