In general, forging describes a type of metal forming process in which a workpiece is shaped using compressive forces, such as from the blows of a hammer. Upset forging involves compressing the length of the metal to increase its diameter, … Read More
Cold spraying is a technique that is prolonging the life of many high performance aluminum parts. Durability is one of the advantages of aluminum but even the most resilient alloys are subject to wear and damage. A relatively recent development, … Read More
Aluminum has been an integral material in cars, trucks and other vehicles throughout their history, but it’s still surprising to learn about how new electric vehicles are so dependent on aluminum alloys. It just goes to show that even after … Read More
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EXTRUDED ALUMINUM BAR AND COLD FINISHED ALUMINUM BAR Although they are often produced as the same grade of material, there are many differences between extruded aluminum bar and cold finished aluminum bar. Both share the major benefits … Read More
Many manufacturing companies’ expertise lies in design, materials, and manufacturing processes rather than economic trends and forecasts. When it comes to understanding economic factors or predicting industry trends, dependable and unbiased information sources are critical. The Purchasing Manager’s Index, or … Read More
Aluminum and stainless steel alloys come in a variety of standard product forms, strip and sheet being among them. For those less familiar with the industry vernacular of aluminum and stainless steel, there is a difference between strip and sheet. … Read More
There have been several reports spotlighting the global aluminum can shortage in recent years. While such a news item is sure to create headlines, the truth of the matter is complicated, and the situation may impact other industries relying on … Read More
The Importance of Safety in the Manufacturing Workplace With so many things that manufacturers need to worry about given the current economic environment, whether it’s cutting costs, international trade tariffs, materials shortages or COVID-19 shutdowns, it’s easy to forget about … Read More
Sometimes the standard grades of metal just aren’t enough to handle some of the harshest environments. When manufacturers are faced with the challenges posed by excessive temperatures, severe corrosion, or other difficult obstacles, they must turn to special high-performance alloys … Read More
One option among metal fabrication methods is the press brake machine. Powered press brakes have been around for almost a century, though manually operated brakes were first invented several decades earlier. The press brake is a great tool for bending … Read More
An important aspect of any part’s design and maintenance is the component’s resistance to wear. Adhesive wear is the product of two metal surfaces being rubbed together. Under a sufficient load, this will penetrate the oxide film on the surface … Read More
There are many options to choose from regarding welding techniques: MIG, TIG, arc and laser are just a few. Friction welding has been a recent addition to the field of welding technologies available, and it has been gaining in popularity … Read More
Ultrasonic testing (or USI, ultrasonic inspection) is one of the best ways to ensure that aluminum plate and other materials meet certain thresholds of material integrity. It exposes hidden flaws and imperfections that would have otherwise gone undetected. What is … Read More
Cold spraying is a technique that is prolonging the life of many high performance aluminum parts. Durability is one of the advantages of aluminum but even the most resilient alloys are subject to wear and damage. A relatively recent development, … Read More
When specifying aluminum, how to process the material into the desired part reliably and cost-effectively is an important consideration. Cold forming is one of the methods manufacturers employ to achieve this goal. While there are a few options when it … Read More
Stainless steel has become indispensable in countless different industries over the past one hundred years. Since its inception in the early 20th century, metallurgists and material scientists have continued to develop new stainless steel alloys that perform better than industry … Read More
Corrosion resistance is one of the foremost benefits of aluminum, as evidenced by its tremendous popularity among manufacturers and product designers. It’s important to recognize that each family of aluminum alloys offers varying degrees of corrosion protection. Aluminum, despite only … Read More
Machinability is roughly defined as how easy it is to cut a particular kind of metal. If a metal is easy to machine, it will require low power and will cut quickly without excessive wear of the cutting tool. There … Read More
Most people don’t put much thought into where aluminum comes from, but it’s something that manufacturers, fabricators, designers and consumers of aluminum products should give some thought to. That’s because the global supply of raw aluminum has a direct impact … Read More
Aluminum has dramatically impacted the way manufacturers design and build their products since its introduction over a century ago. It’s combination of strength, light weight, versatility and corrosion resistance make it a cost effective choice for any industry. No material … Read More
Aluminum and its many alloys have transformed the way we build, move, and communicate. It’s nearly impossible to name an industry that hasn’t been impacted in the past century by the introduction of aluminum alloys. There is a certain paradox … Read More