Materials - Aluminium
No Aluminium CNC Punching job is too large or small for Saint Anns Sheet Metal. Our reputation of Aluminium sheet metal punching using our state of the art cnc punching machine is based on our versatility and professional service.
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Aluminium is the most abundant metal to be found in nature. However aluminium is extracted from it's main ore (bauxite - - aluminium hydroxide) by an electrolytic process. This extraction process is relatively expensive because of the large amounts of electricity required. It is unusual to use pure aluminium as an engineering material. It will usually be alloyed with small amounts of manganese, silicon, copper, magnesium or zinc to increase its strength.
Aluminium is a lightweight material with an excellent strength-to-weight ratio. It is easy to machine and form. Aluminium also possesses its own anticorrosion mechanism. When exposed to air, a hard oxide coating forms on the surface and seals the metal from the environment.
Advantages
- Relatively low weight (2990 kg/m^3).
- Good resistance to corrosion. This is due to a thin layer of aluminium oxide forming on the outer surface of the material. Hence aluminium is often used where some form of atmospheric corrosion is a threat.
- Good thermal and electrical conductivity
Disadvantages
- Relatively high cost (compared to steel)