Extrusion
Our Expertise
With two extrusion facilities and four presses currently in operation, we produce over 90 million pounds of standard and custom aluminum extrusions per year. Often times, our extrusions are required to meet tight dimensional tolerances and advanced specifications.
Our extrusions are manufactured using either 1000 or 6000 series aluminum or with custom 6000 series alloys to meet specific engineering requirements. Extensive in-house testing provides an additional level of quality control for the most demanding applications. In addition to fast turnaround and quality assurance, we offer exceptional service and support to ensure maximum value for your business.
Equipment and Capabilities
- Standard products include zee, tee, I-beam, rod, bar, hex, pipe, tube, and other extrusion shapes; available in a range of sizes
- Able to accommodate advanced extrusion requirements such as: precision tolerances for longer applications, large multi-void hollows, thin walls to 1.5 mm
- Able to accommodate advanced alloy requirements such as custom age cycles, machining grades, crush quality grades, elevated properties, crash-rated with energy-absorbing properties, improved forming, machinability and surface finish
- Advanced micro-structure capabilities, including the ability to produce fully fibrose structures for fracture resistance and corrosion resistance
- Automotive presses with 3600 to 6500 ton range and auxiliary systems for multiple applications including advanced alloys
- Automated marking, traceability, and handling systems
- Quality assurance capabilities include: Crush testing, Flare testing, Tensile testing, Compression testing, Fold testing, FAI reports, PPAP reports and performance studies
- Dual stage, taper billet heating Advanced quench system 55-Foot aging ovens
Extrusion presses we utilize include:
- 1675T 7-Inch Watson Stillman Press
- 2500T 8-Inch UBE Press
- 3600T 9-Inch Danieli Press
- 6500T 12-Inch Presezzi Press
The Importance of Stock Aluminum Extrusion
Pennex is able to produce aluminum profiles in predetermined shapes, sizes, and thicknesses. Our standard aluminum extrusion process involves using die openings with specific dimensions for your project. One major advantage of working with our company for stock bars, rods, beams, and more is that we can produce these materials quickly and without errors.
We coordinate with you to determine an extrusion die shape suitable for your applications, working with a focus on standards set by the Aluminum Association. We’ll help you select an alloy strong enough for your environment, and you’ll experience minimal wait times prior to production, as our standard die shapes are ready for operation and can be changed out rapidly.
The Need for Custom Shapes
The fabrication of custom aluminum extrusions are in order when the outlines of your project call for an entirely new profile design. Our team makes your vision a reality by using specialized tools for accuracy when creating the extrusion die. Pennex caters to your budget and expectations with custom shapes that promote the following:
- Simple assemblies (cut, drill, or bend aluminum shapes on-site)
- Minimal waste
- Ease of attaching multiple aluminum products together
- High tolerances and tensile strength
- Application of various finishes to aluminum surfaces
Our Aluminum Extrusion Process
The process of creating stock aluminum extrusions and custom shapes begins with a design. This step in the extrusion process is perhaps the most important, as the dimensions of the extrusion die influence the final form. Once our design engineers finalize your aluminum profile shape, Pennex continues with a systematic procedure:
Heating Aluminum Billets
Your aluminum alloy undergoes an intense heating treatment for a soft consistency that is conducive to extrusion. We lubricate the die attachments and use a ram to push the malleable solid through an opening in our machinery. The aluminum alloy then takes on the correct shape.
Cooling the Aluminum Extrusions
Pennex uses precisely calibrated machinery to shear standard and custom shapes to the appropriate length as they exit our extrusion press. Operators then relocate the aluminum to a cooling location where we expose materials to a water and air quenching system.
Extruded Aluminum Stretching
Our professionals remove any imperfections from aluminum extrusions by placing the materials on a stretcher. This process eliminates any bends or twists that might originate during the cooling stage.
Aging and Finishing
Extruded aluminum may be placed in an aging oven for maximum durability and hardness. We place standard and custom shapes in a temperature-controlled environment where a natural oxide coating forms to shield surfaces from the elements.
Types of Extrusions We Produce
Our Leetonia extrusion plant has been certified to ISO/TS 16949:2002 standards for the production of fabricated and finished aluminum extrusions. Leetonia can produce extrusions with profile widths up to 16”, lengths up to 60’, and a maximum weight of 20 pounds per foot. We have experience with the extrusion types listed below and will guide you to a configuration safe for your project:
- Zee
- Tee
- I-Beam
- Channel
- Angle
- Rectangular Bar
- Square Bar
- Rod
- Hex Bar
- Pipe
- Round Tube
- Rectangular Tube
- Square Tube
For detailed specifications about our aluminum alloy extrusion production capabilities, keep browsing our website or contact our head office to speak with a representative directly.
Your Source for Aluminum Extrusion Services
Pennex is an all-in-one partner for your aluminum needs. Extruded aluminum is ideal for demanding jobs of any size, so we cater to your business with solutions that are 100% recyclable. We separate ourselves from competitors by creating your standard or custom extrusions and introducing you to fabrication options under one roof.
Depending on preference, we’ll take your extrusions and modify them to match your industry applications. Some of our most popular fabrication services for aluminum extrusions include:
- CNC machining
- Punching
- Notching
- Welding
- Assembly
- Painting and finishing
Service That Puts Our Customers First
With advanced equipment supporting an ability to produce standard, custom, and tight-tolerance aluminum extrusions, Pennex is one of the most sophisticated aluminum extruders in the United States today. Even while we have grown and refined our production capabilities, we’ve retained our intense focus on our customers. We offer the dedicated service you expect of a small business, with the competitiveness, speed, and accuracy of a major corporation.
We’ll work with you to meet your deadlines and other project requirements. To find out how we can help with any upcoming job, get in touch today by phone or email.
Safety Data Sheet for Wrought Aluminum Products
Safety Data Sheet for Aluminum Skim and Dross
Standard Die Catalog
Pennex has the capability to customize a die for your specific needs. Please contact us to speak to our specialists.