Industrial & Manufacturing Blog
Most of the good metal fabricators in Australia will be well-versed in making use of a large number of metals. Although steels tend to be the most popular for various fabrication projects, aluminium is also widely used nowadays. This is because metal fabricators can take advantage of its many appealing properties to meet the design brief of the project at hand. What do you need to know about aluminium and why it is an excellent choice for many fabrication projects?
Strength to Weight Ratio
Although aluminium is well-known for being a lightweight metal — this is why it is often preferred in the aeronautical industry, after all — it is extremely strong. In other words, you get a good balance between rigidity and weight when you make something from the metal. It won't sag under its own weight unless it is cut into very thin sections. Much of the time, metal fabricators will use extruded aluminium which can be cut to size in very rigid lengths that make the material suited for anything from the rungs of a lightweight ladder to attractive looking sections of fencing.
Multiple Finishes
When you make something from aluminium, it will have a silvery appearance. For many metal fabricators, this is why it is superior to steel — even in its stable, oxidised state, it looks very good. Compare that to sections of tubular steel which go reddish as they rust. Nevertheless, aluminium is also suited to all sorts of finishes which will help to protect it even further from the elements. Lacquers can be applied with ease, as can paint finishes, although these are often better kiln-dried if you want an even appearance. More often than not, powder coatings are applied since they help to protect fabricated aluminium from bumps and scrapes as well as offering a superb array of colour choices.
Recyclable
Aluminium is one of the most recycled metals in the world. When a metal fabricator is making something from aluminium, it is highly likely that the material has been reclaimed from elsewhere. These days, for instance, aluminium fabricated lighting columns, arms and finials made from recycled metal are commonplace in Australia. At the end of their working lives, which could be many decades down the line, the metal can be taken down and reused for any number of new projects.
To learn more, reach out to a metal fabricator in your area.
Share30 July 2020
The world of industrial manufacturing has led to amazing improvements in the items we use every day. From computers and cars to housewares and furniture, we have industrial manufacturing to thank for the modern lifestyle improvements we enjoy on a regular basis. We created this website because we were fascinated by the processes used to create the items we use every day. If you're curious about industrial manufacturing processes, read through our articles, and check out our professional resources. You're sure to learn more about the manufacturing industry and how all kinds of goods are made in factories across Australia.