The Aluminum Extruders Council has updated the Aluminum Extrusion Manual, one of the council’s most important and popular resources on the AEC website. The revised Aluminum Extrusion Manual version 4.2 features new and previously unpublished content as well as expanded and updated information. The updated manual includes a new section covering aluminum extrusion’s sustainability, expanded information on fabrication and a discussion of specifying microstructure as a means of achieving part performance for demanding applications.
The new “Sustainability” section discusses some of the ways that the use of extruded aluminum components are reducing the environmental impact of buildings and automobiles, and outlines actions that extrusion users can take to further reduce the environmental impact of their products. The section covers aluminum recycling, extrusion’s environmental footprint and the detailed results from the Environmental Product Declaration that AEC recently completed.
The expanded “Fabrication” section covers in depth the myriad ways aluminum extrusions can be processed after extruding to facilitate cost savings, part-count reduction, increased product functionality, and more. The section outlines such techniques such as bending, joining, welding and machining.
The new “Microstructure” section explains how alloy grain structure is critical to achieving the needed extrusion performance for demanding applications. This section reviews the specifics to provide readers with a basis for discussing critical part performance with their extruder.
Lastly, the “Applications” section was revised with new content covering aluminum extrusion case examples in the building and construction and transportation markets. Extrusion case examples and information for the architectural market include moveable enclosures and energy management in commercial buildings.
