October 8, 2013
From aircraft parts to aluminum foil—aluminum has a varied of uses. Aluminum is both lightweight and durable. It’s also the third most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust. Are you intrigued yet?
Today, aluminum is the second most used metal after steel. To give you a better idea, more aluminum is produced each year than all other non-ferrous metals combined. Aluminum is most commonly used in aerospace, transportation and structural materials.
Properties of aluminum
Aluminum is found in oxides or silicates. Because of its strong affinity to oxygen, it almost never occurs naturally in metallic form. Aluminum is resistant to corrosion, which means it does not rust. It’s low in density and is non-magnetic. The strength levels of certain aluminum alloys are similar to those of structural steels. Aluminum also has excellent electrical and thermal conductivity.
Uses of aluminum
Due to its many useful properties, aluminum is used in a variety of products. For example, aluminum is often used for kitchen utensils, window frames, aircraft parts, engines, kegs, soda cans, and structural framing. It’s also is used in electrical products such as light bulbs, power and phone lines. Lastly, aluminum is used in a variety of methods including fusion and resistant welding, brazing, soldering, adhesive bonding, and mechanical methods like riveting and bolting.
Some unusual uses of aluminum
In addition to aerospace, transportation and construction, aluminum is used for some unusual reasons too! In the health industry, aluminum is commonly used as food additives, astringents, antacids, and even aspirin. The sporting goods industry uses aluminum to manufacture baseball bats, golf clubs, tents, and more. Aluminum is also used in gum and candy wrappers, soda cans and cooking foil.
At Framing Tech, we sell aluminum framing systems and extrusion profiles. We use aluminum because it’s light and long-lasting. It also offers flexibility and cost savings in engineering, fabrication and assembly. Aluminum is also ideal for machine guarding, ergonomic workstations and worktables.
Chris Hill is the President and CEO of Framing Technology, Inc. Connect with him on Google+ and Twitter.
