The History and Future of Aluminum Extrusion
Aluminum extrusion is a key manufacturing process for producing aluminum profiles and parts with high strength, complex shapes, and precise tolerances. In this article, we trace the evolution of aluminum extrusion technology over the past century and explore emerging trends that will shape its future.
A Brief History of Aluminum Extrusion
The timeline below highlights major milestones in aluminum extrusion history:
1885 – The first aluminum extrusion patent is filed by Alexander Dick in the US for a hydraulic piston extrusion press to produce seamless piping.
1905 – The direct extrusion process was invented by General Electric engineer Paul Louis Toussaint Héroult, allowing the production of solid profiles.
1910s – Aluminum extrusion expands in the US, led by the production of wire, rods, tubes, and bars. Press capacity reaches several thousand tons.
1920s – Alloy development allows stronger extruded products. Improved finishing equipment like saws and mills handle extruded parts.
1930s – Indirect extrusion is commercialized, increasing the production of complex shapes by reversing material flow.
1940s – Aluminum usage grew sharply during WWII for aircraft, shipbuilding, and other defense applications. New alloys and production methods emerge.
1950s – Technology innovations continue post-war, like automated quenching, high-speed saws, and integral finning. Extrusion speeds doubled over the decade.
1960s – Press capacities exceed 10,000 tons. Advances in process control and ancillary equipment drive productivity and quality gains.
The 1970s – More powerful presses exceeding 25,000-ton capacity enabled large profiles and new alloys. Computer numerical control (CNC) arrives.
The 1980s – Aluminum extrusions gained broader appeal for construction, transportation, and consumer applications. Recycling rates hit over 90%.
The 1990s – Focus on lean manufacturing improves extrusion efficiency, cost, and quality. Alloy development continues for aircraft and automotive applications.
2000s – Extrusion-based construction systems become popular. Zero-defect initiatives take hold along with Six Sigma quality programs.
2010s – Additive manufacturing and sensors enable smart extrusion technology and data-driven process optimization.
This evolution makes aluminum extrusion the versatile, mass-production process it is today. Next, let’s look at recent trends shaping its future.
Recent Trends and Developments
Aluminum extrusion technology has continued to rapidly evolve:
Alloy Innovation – New aluminum alloys offer improved strength for structural applications while maintaining workability, corrosion resistance, and weldability. Scandium additions produce ultra-high strength alloys.
Consolidation – Industry consolidation has accelerated with large players acquiring medium and small extruders for economies of scale. Mergers aim to achieve fuller vertical integration.
Flexible Dies – Flexible tooling like conformal die sleeves adapts extrusion dies “on the fly” for small batch production runs and rapid prototyping.
Process Automation – Extrusion is increasingly automated via inline robots, automated defect detection, and material handling systems for higher throughput and precision with less labor.
Additive Manufacturing – 3D printing of billet molds, press, and tooling components through Binder Jetting streamlines preparation for extrusion runs.
Simulation – Advanced simulation software models material flow, temperature, and stress to virtually test the viability of extrusion processes before physical trials.
Performance Materials – New aluminum lithium alloys for aerospace use offer high specific strength and stiffness compared to conventional alloys.
High Strength Alloys – Aluminum-scandium alloys containing just 0.2-0.4% scandium demonstrate yield strengths on par with some grades of titanium while retaining aluminum’s benefits.
Nanotechnology – Dispersion strengthening with nanoparticles like aluminum oxide or carbon nanotubes imparts dramatic property improvements for advanced applications.
These innovations will accelerate the further expansion of aluminum extrusion across diverse industries.
Future Applications and Growth Areas
Several key end-use sectors will drive future growth in aluminum extrusion:
Construction
- Architectural shapes for windows, curtain walls, doors, and skating
- Structural framing for high-rise buildings as a lighter alternative to steel
- Modular aluminum building systems with extruded connectors and profiles
Automotive
- Lightweighting to improve fuel efficiency with hoods, bumpers, and crash structures made via extrusions
- Increased adoption in chassis, body structures, and subframes
- Electric vehicle segments requiring high rigidity and lightweight
Aerospace
- aircraft structural components like wing ribs, engine mounts, and fuselage frames
- Seamless integrated profiles replacing assembled assemblies
- Space launch vehicle structures and propellant tanks
High-Speed Rail
- Car bodies, interior structures, and window framing to meet exacting standards
- Platform canopies and support structures
- Extreme loading and severe environmental condition requirements
Industrial
- Robotics and automation systems like robot arms, conveyor frames, machine bases
- Microwave waveguides, fork-lift masts, crane booms, structural racks
Consumer Products
- High-end electronics like laptops and tablets need light, rigid, and aesthetic metal enclosures
- Sports equipment including golf clubs, tennis rackets, bicycle frames, and components
With aluminum extrusion’s versatility to meet demands from these diverse markets, worldwide extrusion consumption is projected to steadily grow over 6% annually until 2025 and potentially higher in the longer term.
Technology Advances on the Horizon
Advanced extrusion technologies now in R&D will come to fruition in the coming decade:
Additive Manufacturing
3D printing extrusion tooling like dies, containers and dummy blocks will cut lead times and costs. Combined additive-extrusion processes can directly produce finished parts with embedded features.
Automation and Robotics
Autonomous robotic systems will handle raw materials, finished profiles, and post-extrusion operations like stretcher-leveling for lights-out production. Machine vision will automatically detect and remove defects.
Simulation and Modeling
High-fidelity process simulation will become real-time and linked to the extrusion control system, enabling dynamic optimization of process parameters during the run.
Embedded Sensing
In-process and inline monitoring using distributed sensors will provide extruders with vast real-time data to identify anomalies and control variability.
Smart Extrusion Presses
Intelligent servo-driven presses with advanced control algorithms will optimize processes autonomously, self-adjusting to ensure quality and consistency.
Tailored Microstructures
New techniques like cryogenic processing and friction stir processing can tailor microstructures along the length of extruded profiles to achieve locally optimized properties.
Harnessing such technologies will drive step-change improvements in productivity, quality, and capabilities.
Challenges Facing the Industry
However, aluminum extruders also face some pressing near-term challenges:
Energy Prices – Volatile energy costs impact the energy-intensive extrusion process. Natural gas accounts for ~40% of operational costs.
Scrap Price Fluctuations – Unpredictable scrap aluminum pricing due to trade wars, tariffs, and other macroeconomic factors squeezes margins. Better scrap management and hedging strategies will be needed.
Training Skilled Workers – An aging experienced workforce and the lack of apprenticeship programs have created a skills gap that needs addressing through recruitment and training.
Sustainability Regulations – Stricter regulations on energy use, emissions, and waste disposal raise the compliance burden and costs for extruders.
Addressing these challenges even as new technologies arrive will determine extruders’ competitiveness and survival. Industry associations have a key role to play in tackling these issues.
The Outlook for Aluminum Extrusion
Aluminum extrusion is poised for sustained long-term growth as demand increases across diverse markets including key megatrends such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, high-performance aircraft, and sustainable building systems. With aluminum usage projected to double globally by 2050, aluminum extruders must continue to innovate and automate to deliver higher volumes while maintaining quality and precision.
New extrusion alloys and nanotechnologies will expand capabilities beyond conventional limitations. Combined with advanced automation and data-driven smart factories of the future, aluminum extrusion is well-positioned to meet needs across established and emerging industries. By harnessing the latest technological advances and overcoming near-term hurdles, aluminum extrusion will strengthen its role as a high-volume production process essential to modern manufacturing.