Curious as to how exactly aluminum sheets are made? Aluminum sheet is an essential material for several industries and is the most used form of industrial aluminum for aerospace, transportation, and construction. Reason being, aluminum offers a variety of benefits, from being lightweight to having incredible corrosion resistance. Aluminum can be made into plates or sheets, both of which can be easily recycled without losing any of its original properties. This is what makes aluminum the most efficient choice for a wide array of industrial applications, but how exactly is an aluminum sheet made? Let the aluminum sheet metal experts at WRISCO explain.
How Aluminum Sheet Is Made
When aluminum is passed between rolls, under immense pressure, it becomes thinner and longer. This simple process sets the basis for producing the following:
- Aluminum Sheets
- Aluminum Plates
- Aluminum Foil
Rolling the aluminum begins by preheating the sheet ingots. Once the ingot is properly heated to rolling temperatures, the aluminum is then fed into a breakdown mill. From here, the sheet is rolled back and forth until the desired thickness is reduced to just a few inches. After the rolling process, the aluminum sheet is wound into a coil. These coils are cooled by passing them through several cold rolling mills. If needed, the coils are heated in a furnace to soften the aluminum sheet to produce the desired mechanical properties. Cold rolling the aluminum sheet is the final stage of the process.
Aluminum Sheet Advantages
The advantages of aluminum sheets go beyond just being lightweight. Without losing any of its properties, aluminum sheets provide benefits including:
Continuously Recyclable Sheet Metal
The biggest advantage of aluminum sheets is the ability to be continuously recycled. When recycling sheet aluminum, you save more than 90% of the energy required to produce a primary sheet of aluminum.
High-Performance Armor
Aluminum is used to make military-grade armor plates for the U.S. military. Aluminum armor has the ability to resist a .50 caliber round, which would pierce other materials.
Aluminum Sheet Gauge
From 0.008 inches to less than 0.25 inches thick is what determines a “sheet”. Any aluminum thinner is considered foil.
The Colder the Temperature, the Stronger the Aluminum
The colder the temperature, the more strength the aluminum gains.
Aluminum Sheet Applications
Aluminum sheets can be found all throughout the industrial industry. The applications for sheets include:
Packaging Industry
Aluminum sheets used to manufacture cans and packages.
Transportation Industry
Sheets of aluminum are consumed to manufacture panels for automobiles and tractor trailers.
Home Appliances
Majority of cookware and home appliances are sourced from aluminum sheets.
Building & Construction Industry
Aluminum sheets are used to produce products such as gutters, roofing, awnings, carports, and sidings.
Anodizing Aluminum Option
Anodizing is one of the most sought after coating options for aluminum sheets. Doing so creates a rich metallic appearance. Not to mention, anodizing lasts longer, looks better, and costs less. Sheet aluminum is capable of being color-anodized to black, gold, red, or whatever color you desire. You can also decide whether you want an etched matte finish or polished to sparkle.
When it comes to finding aluminum sheets and products that suit your specific needs, WRISCO is the go-to solution. With over 100 years of supplying unmatched quality aluminum products for our customers.
Get In Touch With WRISCO At (800) 627-2646 Today!