Hot extrusion is the production process used to form special steel profiles with a constant longitudinal cross-section. It acts through a force called “compression”. This process can be employed to manufacture solid or hollow profiled bars, with complex geometries and a fixed cross-section, in a single step.
The extrusion process is an optimal solution that in most cases provides financial, environmental and technical benefits to our customer. The waste and cost reductions can be significant when compared with other manufacturing process.
In practical terms, through hot extrusion it is possible to obtain specific shapes by allowing the steel to flow through passageways arranged in special dies.
In the case of direct extrusion, the material is compressed by the punch on one side and then exits on the opposite side, where the die is located.
Hot extrusion: production process
We can explain Siderval’s specific hot extrusion process in a very simple way:
- The raw material (steel round bar) is peeled in order to obtain the required diameter necessary for the process and also to achieve a finished product with a better surface and roughness.
- The peeled bars are cut into billets of a predetermined length, based on the characteristics of the product to be obtained. If the final product is a hollow profile, they would be perforated.
- The raw material to be extruded is heated up to high temperatures and then placed in a special container.
- The metal is pushed through a die with the aid of a special punch.
- The die includes a special slot that allows the material to exit and to acquire the desired cross-section.
- The extruded bars are subjected to a finishing process, i.e. they are cut and straightened with very narrow tolerances and eventually submitted to heat treatments.
The specific equipment for hot extrusion is called “press”. In Siderval’s case, it is a horizontal hydraulic press with a capacity of 2400 tons, equipped with five different container sections.
The benefits of hot extrusion
The hot extrusion process guarantees many advantages, both from a technical and an economic point of view.
- Creation of complex shapes, both solid and hollow
- Shapes not obtainable with other processes
- Low tooling costs compared to other technologies
- Minimum setup times
- Low minimum order quantity
Choosing Siderval as your partner for this type of processing is an asset for several reasons, all remarkable:
- Manufacturing of customized profiles (profiles without welding and of the most varied shapes, that satisfy even the most complex design needs)
- Quick response and reduced delivery time
- Ability to transform and process high-alloy steels and titanium
- Excellent quality/price ratio, guaranteed by a technology and production strategy
- Modern manufacturing processes and innovative machinery
Get in touch with Siderval, leading company in the manufacturing of special steel/titanium profiles obtained by hot extrusion. Ask our specialists for advice.