What's the difference between aluminum and extruded aluminum?

What is the difference between aluminum and extruded aluminum? Aluminum is an unprocessed plastic material. Aluminum profiles are products produced by aluminum extrusion process, which have higher strength, unlimited length and strong designability.

1.Aluminum

Aluminum is a basic metal material, essentially a raw material, typically obtained through direct mining. Common forms of aluminum include:

 Cast Parts

commonly used in automotive parts, aerospace, machinery and hardware, consumer electronics (mobile phone/laptop midframes), and heat sink casings.

Sheets (Used For Stamping Or Rolling)

typically 0.2 to 200mm thick. Common metal cans (both the body and lid) for cola, beer, juice, and the like are made from aluminum sheet.

Rods/Wires (Used For Drawing)

generally higher in strength, are commonly used to make screws/nuts/bolts, and gears.

Castings (Used For Complex Shapes)

commonly used in engine blocks/cylinder heads, LED lighting radiators, and bathtub faucet bodies.

Thus, aluminum is a raw material that has not undergone specific plastic processing and must undergo further processing to be manufactured into finished products.

2. Extruded Aluminum

This is a highly processed aluminum product, produced through an extrusion process. The aluminum is heated, forced into a mold, and then pushed under high pressure into the mold to become an aluminum profile.

Why is aluminum made into profiles?

A single aluminum material cannot directly meet complex structural requirements. However, aluminum profiles offer a wide range of cross-sectional freedom, unlimited length, high strength, and high product uniformity. Because they are produced from a single mold, the cross-sectional tolerance is extremely small, within 0.05mm, far exceeding the precision of machining and welding.

Extruded Aluminum Applications

Aluminum Profile Doors and Windows

Aluminum Profile Cabinets

Aluminum Profile Carports

Now, do you understand the difference between aluminum and extruded aluminum?