The process of creating aluminum extrusions begins with the manufacturing of precision-formulated billets in a foundry, one of the most technologically sophisticated in the industry. Using casting techniques, experienced staff creates billets for all of the extrusion needs, as well as billets for outside sales, since primary aluminium producers make ready to use product. Reverberatory furnaces melt and process the aluminum ingots, and then transfer molten aluminum into holding/tilting furnaces. Here, the aluminum is meticulously tested and then cast into finished logs.

Extruders specialize in producing and using the following 6000 series alloys, with log diameters and in most cases ranging from seven inches to 18 inches:
6061, 6063, 6101, 6005, 6060, 6105

A Foundry operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A foundry does not close or interrupt its production. There are several reasons behind this need for a 24-hour 7-day a week continual process. Firstly it would be extremely expressive to restart the smelting process, as aluminium is melted at high temperatures – lower than other metals but still a high enough temperature that it would be energy inefficient to restart the smelter, than to keep it going indefinitely. Secondly the pots of the smelter would need a special cleaning process every time it is shut down, this is a very expensive and time-consuming process. Thirdly the restart process takes days not hours, thus it would be fiscally insane to shutdown a smelter for the weekend.

Die Manufacturing

Fast turnarounds and precision performance are at the heart of aluminum die manufacturing process. The ongoing upgrading and updating of the leading-edge technology systems has proven to be one of our greatest investments, providing the die team with the capabilities to create tighter tolerances for the customers, while meeting their exact specifications. The full-scale, in-house capabilities should provide the die team with the ability to obtain immediate feedback on the performance of a die, and promptly implement modifications as needed.

Source: IAI, infoplease library