Aluminum is the most common metal found on the surface of our planet but its commercial extraction is not that simple since it readily combines with other elements and is rarely found in pure form. Most aluminum is extracted from bauxite in a process that requires large amounts of electricity – which is why the major aluminum smelters are located near electricity supply to lower the cost of electricity.
Aluminum Alloys
In addition to being rare in nature, pure aluminum is also infrequently used by mankind. Most of the aluminum in use is in the form of aluminum alloyed with other metals.
Under the International Alloy Designation System there is a set of eight base numbers from 1 to 8. The base number denotes the major elements used in the alloy and three following digits show the actual composition within that grouping. Under this system, group 1 covers the alloys that are closest to pure aluminum. To be in this category, the alloy must contain at least 99% aluminum by weight.
Aluminum 1100
Being in the first group, Metalmen Sales Aluminum 1100 is 99% aluminum with the other 1% spread among silicon, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc. It is also the softest of the aluminum alloys and can be readily shaped without resorting to heat treatment.
Metal Plate
In the metal making industry, a base metal has to be extracted from its ore then mixed with other elements to make it into an alloy. This process usually produces somewhat bulky billet, slab or ingot of the required metal. Further steps are then necessary to turn this into something that engineers can use as a raw material to produce end products.
One such method is to turn the metal into sheets. Typically, this is done by forcing large slab through two rollers to squeeze it down to a thinner and wider length of metal. This can be done with either hot or cold metal and the plant is commonly known as a strip mill.
Aluminum 1100 sheet can be produced in this way. Terminology is such that if the sheet is thin, it is called foil rather than strip and when the thickness is more than ¼ of an inch it is called Aluminum 1100 Plate.
Aluminum 1100 Plate has many industrial uses, in can be cold formed into the likes of pressure vessels, smaller pieces can be easily cut and used to make other shapes, a press brake can bend it into a required shape, etc. The end uses for Aluminum 1100 Plate are as wide as the designer’s imagination.
