The Seven Top Uses of Aluminium in the Industry Today

Aluminium in its rawest form – alum – has been around since the fifth century BC. Still, it was in the 19th century when a collection of scientists was experimenting with the electrolysis process with the aim of extracting pure aluminium. Sainte-Claire Deville and Robert Wilhelm Eberhard Bunsen both achieved this (independent of each other) in 1854.

Industrialists soon recognised the potential of aluminium due to its flexibility, durability and lightweight strength and put their efforts into establishing mass production methods, which enabled manufacturers to create many of the everyday items that we take for granted today.

In the early part of the 20^th century, the two world wars accelerated the knowledge about the application of aluminium in aviation. When you consider that in 1900, world production of aluminium stood at just 6800 metric tons, by the 1950s, that number had increased to 2,810,000. Today, the tonnage stands at 58,500,000.

WINDOWS AND DOORS

Slim aluminium profiles were first adopted by the transport industry for use in trams, streetcars, and rail carriages. More famously, they were incorporated into architecture in the 1930s and became particularly well known for enhancing the more contemporary art deco design of the era.

During the sixties and seventies, aluminium lost favour as a material for residential window projects, with new PVCU technology superseding the replacement market, which led to an explosion in the plastic window market in the last two decades of the 20^th century. Aluminium was, however, still a popular choice for commercial installations.

In the last 15 years, the metal has regained popularity in the manufacture of residential windows. New technology ensures its rigidity and durability without compromising on its sleek lines. Although more expensive than PVCU, it is a popular choice for premium design projects as a slimmer profile allows for more extensive use of glass. Additionally, there is more choice in colours and finishings, which makes it more applicable to a wider range of projects.

STAIRCASES AND SAFETY RAMPS

Every day, millions of people are sat on runways waiting for stairs to be manoeuvred into place at the front and back exits of an aeroplane so that they can descend safely. Very few of them will give a second thought to the fact that those stairs are made of aluminium. Similarly, fire exits, scaffolding, safety ramps, staircases – every single day, we are moving through the world carried or propelled in some way or another by aluminium angle trims that have been moulded into forms of industrially manufactured walkways that direct us in the right direction and endeavour to keep us safe.

So, next time you see an aluminium box section when out and about, you will understand the essential part it plays in making sure we are all kept safe.

CONSTRUCTION

Steel and aluminium cohabitate comfortably in construction. The innate strength and solidity of steel are essential for providing the core foundations and structure of a building, while the lightness of aluminium contributes to completing all the areas where its strength-to-weight ratio maintains the overall integrity of the structure.

One of the most common uses of aluminium is roofing and cladding. It is non-corrosive, non-combustible, and has excellent thermal properties, which enhance the overall energy efficiency of a building in both extremes of temperature.

HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES

Every time you put the washing on, open the fridge hoping for inspiration for your dinner that night, switch on the oven to roast a chicken, or stick a ready meal into a microwave, you are benefiting from the incredibly versatile properties of aluminium.

AVIATION

An aeroplane consists of approximately 80 per cent aluminium. Yet its strength-to-weight ratio ensures that it allows the planes to fly at optimum distances in the most fuel-efficient manner.

The uses of aluminium in aviation are promoted due to three key properties that make it the ideal metal – its strength-to-weight ratio, its resistance to corrosion, and its ductility. This means that it can be used in practically every area of a plane’s construction and enhances its overall functionality. For example, as the external carcass of a plane does not need to be painted, an aviation manufacturer can save itself several hundreds of kilograms of paint.

SPACE EXPLORATION

All the aspects of the benefits of aluminium in aviation can be extended further afield into space exploration. The desire to conquer space has driven the advancement of aluminium technology and vice versa.  Aluminium suppliers have long since understood that the material has so much further to go in terms of furthering the ability of humans to break down barriers.  

AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

Originally aluminium was used in the chassis of a car, but as technology has evolved, it has been incorporated into every area of the car’s construction. Not only is it lighter and longer lasting, but aluminium has also become a sustainable choice of material due to its excellent recycling properties.

With electric cars now the focus of the automotive industry going forward in the 21^st century, the proportion of aluminium used in automotive manufacturing will increase considerably.

Moving Towards a More Sustainable Future

It is the sustainability of aluminium that is pushing its agenda in the coming decades. Whether ordering small quantities of aluminium online or negotiating large quantities for mass production projects, the high quality of recycled aluminium ensures that progress is not hampered by our urge to protect the earth’s natural resources.

100 per cent of aluminium can be recycled without it losing its inherent strength and integrity, and to date, 75 per cent of all aluminium produced is still in active use in projects across the globe. If you are seeking to incorporate more aluminium into your design projects, contact us now for sizes and prices.