Custom extrusions are utilized in the manufacture of many different products used by billions of people every single day. Did you know that custom extrusions are even regularly eaten and ingested by people everywhere? That’s right. The food processing industry uses the extrusion process to create food products such as certain pastas, French fries, breakfast cereals, cookie dough, and baby food. Your pet’s food is even an example of custom extrusions. Some pharmaceuticals, such as the anti-cancer drug Doxorubicin, have a delivery system created by extrusion as well. Perhaps one of the most commonly used extrudates, which is beloved by children all over the world, is Play-Doh. Of course, metal parts for machining and building are also created with the custom extrusions process.
The Custom Extrusions Process
So, how exactly are custom extrusions made? It is a neat process. Let’s talk about Play-Doh again, but this time let’s go back to our childhood and think about the Play-Doh Fun Factory. You see, the Play-Doh Fun Factory is a perfect model for the custom extrusions process. If you remember, you put the Play-Doh into a tube in the Fun Factory, pushed on a handle, and the Play-Doh shot out tubes with different shapes in the front of the Fun Factory. Of course, the Play-Doh was no longer a shapeless blob; it was now in the shape of the different tubes.
Now, let’s look at the custom extrusions process for aluminum. The aluminum, in the form of a billet, is heated to between 800 and 925 degrees Fahrenheit. A lubricant is then added to the billet, as well as to the ram. The billet is placed in the cradle against the custom-made die. The ram then applies pressure to the billet, crushing it and pushing it through the die. As a result, the soft but solid aluminum begins to squeeze through the die opening, taking on its shape as it does. Once the extrusion reaches certain lengths, it is cut with a profile saw. It is then transferred to a table, where it is allowed to cool. The extrusions are then stretched, which straightens and hardens them through molecular realignment. Finally, the custom extrusions are cut to the exact manufacturing specifications for the particular application.
Choosing the Best Custom Extrusions Manufacturer
Choosing custom extrusions manufacturer is a relatively simple process. Like most anything else, you will want to find a manufacturer with the skills, knowledge, experience and resources to get your job done quickly and efficiently. Many factories have the skills, knowledge, and experience. What often sets manufacturers apart are the resources. Ask the right questions. Can the manufacturer obtain hard-to-find raw materials? Does the manufacturer have access to a large number of dies and shapes? If the answer is yes to both of these questions, you have found a manufacturer who can handle your custom extrusions requests.
