Aluminum Extrusion Prototype Advantages

In today’s fast-paced, first-to-market environment, product design engineers will want to explore the benefits afforded through the aluminum extrusion prototyping process during the design stage. It allows you to set high performance expectations for your components and the value they bring to the end product.

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From a functional perspective, it is important to ask what key purpose the component will serve. How will the part fit, function and appear, in its end application.

Independently finding these answers can be an intimidating task if you are unfamiliar with the aluminum extrusion process and its prototyping advantages. Aluminum extrusion suppliers with a dedicated prototyping lab – including tooling equipment and advanced engineering assistance – can provide research and design assistance from the conception of an idea to applying the idea to a functional, 3-dimensional model for full production.

The method of prototyping using the aluminum extrusion process, is proven to be the preferred mechanical method of prototyping today. The majority of aluminum prototypes originate from aluminum “bar stock,” which is a common industry term, however a designing misconception.

Aluminum “bar stock” is simply a rectangle, square, hexagon, octagon or a circular-linear mass of extruded aluminum (standard shapes). To create a prototype, a variety of machining and fabrication processes follow the extrusion process of these standard shapes. Using standard extruded shapes limit the designer’s options while forcing the purchase of oversized “bar stock” to ensure enough material remains for secondary operations.

The advantage of designing and developing functional prototypes with aluminum extrusion is the opportunity to create a near net-shape bar stock, minimizing material needs and overall secondary operations.

Aluminum extrusion dies designs can form a virtually limitless array of profiles and sizes. Tooling costs average around $4-$5,000, and can be as low as $1,500. Net shape extrusion tooling has a considerably shorter lead-time than tooling required for other processes—typically one to two weeks compared to 12 weeks for castings and injection molding. With aluminum extrusion, the prototype phase is compressed and your product can move more quickly and efficiently into full production and released to the marketplace.

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About Alexandria Industries

Alexandria Industries manufactures parts that go into products people see and use every day. Our services include aluminum extrusion, machining, fabrication, plastic injection and foam molding, heatsinks, finishing, welding and assembly services. As resources allow, we provide aluminum extrusion design assistance for customers with high-volume production needs.

We also offer a custom, in-depth aluminum extrusion seminar to educate designers and engineers about aluminum extrusion design philosophies. Contact our sales team, if you would like to discuss your product needs or learn more about our aluminum extrusion services and seminar.

Aluminum’s inherent “green” features of recyclability and sustainability, coupled with its other unique attributes, makes aluminum a versatile material for many applications. But the exciting story of aluminum doesn’t stop there. 

The ability to extrude aluminum into complex shapes (profiles) gives designers creative freedom. Where the environment, time, cost, and process repeatability are the important parameters, aluminum extrusions offer a material and process choice that is literally second to none for countless product applications. 

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