Why Aluminum Is A Favorite of the Metal Fabricating Industry

Let’s get this out of the way first: yes, aluminum comes in a variety of alloys and compositions, each with its own favorable characteristics for metal fabricating. However, for sake of brevity, we will discuss the benefits of using aluminum as a whole, not for each of its individual alloys (which, incidentally, we have done before).

It is, then, apt to start with the key reason for aluminum’s widespread use across so many different industries – from electronics, automotive, medical, aviation, marine, and an innumerable more: it’s availability in so many different, tailored alloy skews. With such a wide variety of alloys, the favorable properties can be heightened and the weaknesses lessened, depending on the specific application of metal fabricating. Whether suitability for welding, high temperature performance, strength, corrosion resistance or other property, an aluminum alloy is available for your metal fabricating needs.

What makes aluminum the metal of choice in metal fabricating projects is its availability in so many alloys suited to so many different applications.

Coming to aluminum, generally, aluminum is a supremely versatile metal – and best known for being strong yet lightweight. It is several time stronger than steel, or significantly lighter if offering the same levels of strength in metal fabricating.

Aluminum corrodes and ‘rusts’ like other metals, but its natural corrosion-resistance makes it infinitely more long-lasting than steel. For an instance of a lesser known metal fabricating application, when strength uncompromised by corrosion is essential, shark cages are built of aluminum. Aluminum bars that are subjected to salt water and then air must stave of corrosion, while remain adequately strong to be able to handle bite forces in excess of 15,000 newtons!

Aluminum is used widely in all sorts of metal fabricating projects, from simple casings to intricate machine work, pistons and parts. And, ironically, such a strong material is increased valued for aesthetic appeal in the consumer and home spaces, with appliances, electronic gadgets and more coming to be sold as ‘premium’ products.

Of course, it’s all made possible by aluminum’s amenability to being mixed with other elements to create high-strength and versatile alloys.