4080 vs 4545 Aluminium Profile: Which for Your Frame
Engineering Design · 4080 vs 4545, square vs rectangle, series 4080 vs 4545 Aluminium Profile Choose 4080 when the load is directional and you stay in 40-series hardware; move to 4545 when you need equal stiffness on both axes in a 45-series square. Deflection still governs — 4080 runs 1.30–3.60 kg/m, 4545 runs 1.15–3.30 kg/m. […]
3030 vs 4040 Aluminium Profile: Which for Your Frame
Engineering Design · 3030 vs 4040, stiffness jump, industrial frames 3030 vs 4040 Aluminium Profile Choose 3030 when the frame is light and short; move to 4040 the moment span or load starts to govern. The switch is driven by deflection, not strength — 3030 runs 0.62–1.15 kg/m, 4040 runs 1.05–2.35 kg/m. Decide on Ix […]
4040 vs 4080 Aluminium Profile: Which for Your Frame
Engineering Design · 4040 vs 4080, orientation, long rails 4040 vs 4080 Aluminium Profile Choose 4040 when the frame is light and short; move to 4080 the moment span or load starts to govern. The switch is driven by deflection, not strength — 4040 runs 1.05–2.35 kg/m, 4080 runs 1.30–3.60 kg/m. Decide on Strong-axis I […]
2020 vs 3030 Aluminium Profile: Which for Your Frame
Engineering Design · 2020 vs 3030, deflection, frame size 2020 vs 3030 Aluminium Profile Choose 2020 when the frame is light and short; move to 3030 the moment span or load starts to govern. The switch is driven by deflection, not strength — 2020 runs 0.38–0.62 kg/m, 3030 runs 0.62–1.15 kg/m. Decide on Span, payload, […]
What Is a 4040 Aluminium Profile? (Weight, Slot and Load)
Engineering Design · 40×40 section, kg/m, slot What Is a 4040 Aluminium Profile? A 4040 aluminium profile is a 40 × 40 mm T-slot section. In the grownparts range it runs 1.05–2.35 kg/m depending on wall thickness, with slot variants across the range (table below). Envelope 40 × 40 mm Mass band 1.05–2.35 kg/m Reference […]
What Is a 4080 Aluminium Profile? (Weight, Slot and Load)
Engineering Design · 40×80 section, kg/m, slot What Is a 4080 Aluminium Profile? A 4080 aluminium profile is a 40 × 80 mm T-slot section. In the grownparts range it runs 1.30–3.60 kg/m depending on wall thickness, with slot variants across the range (table below). Envelope 40 × 80 mm Mass band 1.30–3.60 kg/m Reference […]
What Is a 3030 Aluminium Profile? (Weight, Slot and Load)
Engineering Design · 30×30 section, kg/m, slot What Is a 3030 Aluminium Profile? A 3030 aluminium profile is a 30 × 30 mm T-slot section. In the grownparts range it runs 0.62–1.15 kg/m depending on wall thickness, with slot variants across the range (table below). Envelope 30 × 30 mm Mass band 0.62–1.15 kg/m Reference […]
What Is a 2020 Aluminium Profile? (Weight, Slot and Load)
Engineering Design · 20×20 section, kg/m, slot What Is a 2020 Aluminium Profile? A 2020 aluminium profile is a 20 × 20 mm T-slot section. In the grownparts range it runs 0.38–0.62 kg/m depending on wall thickness, with slot variants across the range (table below). Envelope 20 × 20 mm Mass band 0.38–0.62 kg/m Reference […]
Sampling and First Article Approval for Aluminium Extrusion
Quality · sampling, first article, colour approval Sampling and First Article Approval for Aluminium Extrusion Plan 30–40 days to a finished first article with a new die and anodising, or 12–20 days on an existing die and mill finish — then hold production until dimensions, finish and colour are signed. Sampling is a gated sequence, […]
Who Owns the Extrusion Die After Tooling Is Paid?
Sourcing · die ownership, transfer, breakage risk Who Owns the Extrusion Die After Tooling Is Paid The buyer who pays the tooling fee still carries the risk if ownership, exclusive use and return terms are not written — payment alone does not always transfer title. Three handling models are common: customer-owned exclusive, mill-owned amortised, and […]
Custom Aluminium Extrusion: From Drawing to Production
Sourcing · custom section, drawing to production Custom Aluminium Extrusion: From Drawing to Production Plan 30–40 days to first load with a new die and anodising, or 12–20 days on an existing die and mill finish — then add fabrication, packing and transit. The calendar is stage-bound: drawing review, die work, trial, finish and cut, […]
Aluminium Profile Weight per Meter Chart (20–60 Series)
Engineering · kg/m, Ix, EN 755-9 Aluminium Profile Weight per Meter Chart (20–60 Series) A typical 45×90 six-slot 6063-T5 rail weighs 4.10 kg/m with I ≈ 68 cm⁰ about its strong axis; wall and straightness follow EN 755-9 (wall ±0.15 mm class on common light sections, straightness 1.5 mm/m, twist 2°). Use kg/m for mass […]
Payment Terms for Aluminium Profile Orders (T/T, L/C and the Risk)
Sourcing · T/T, L/C, commercial risk Payment Terms for Aluminium Profile Orders (T/T, L/C and the Risk) On a first export order the buyer carries deposit risk until goods are produced and released; the supplier carries production and inventory risk until the balance clears. Three practical paths close that gap: T/T 30% deposit and 70% […]
Aluminium Extrusion Price per kg in 2026 (China FOB)
Sourcing · FOB China, USD/kg, 2026 Aluminium Extrusion Price per kg in 2026 Extrusion is quoted per kg because the input is billed per tonne of billet, but buyers budget per metre. The conversion is the weight per metre: in 2026, silver-anodised 6063-T5 T-slot commonly lands near USD 2.80–3.60/kg FOB China, so a 4040 at […]
How to Choose (and Audit) an Aluminium Extrusion Supplier
Sourcing and Procurement · audit, alloy, factory vs trader How to Choose (and Audit) an Aluminium Extrusion Supplier Choose the supplier by the decision rule first: lock the series from load, unsupported span or slot/hardware — then audit whether the seller can extrude, finish and certify that series at your volume. A 2020 quote without […]
Aluminium Extrusion Capacity: What a Factory Can Actually Deliver
Sourcing and Procurement · capacity, stock, door-to-door Aluminium Extrusion Capacity: What a Factory Can Actually Deliver Door-to-door time is production stages first, then about 18 days sea freight from Shanghai or Ningbo — not a single “fast delivery” number. Capacity only matters when you can convert tonnes per month into open press slots, finish time […]
Aluminium Profile Applications
Applications · workbenches, robot cells, joints, torque Aluminium Profile Applications The everyday joint is an external corner bracket with M6 or M8 T-nuts: it squares a bay fast, stays serviceable, and carries bench and guard loads when torqued correctly. Build frames from that joint, then size the section for span — not the other way […]
Cut-to-Length, Drilling and Tapping: What Fabrication Adds
Sourcing · cut-to-length, drilling, tapping Cut-to-Length, Drilling and Tapping: What Fabrication Adds Expect 12–20 days on an existing die and mill finish, or 30–40 days with a new die and anodising, before fabricated members leave the plant — then add CNC queue for holes and taps. Fabrication turns stock bars into kit parts with cut […]
What Your Extrusion Drawing Must Show (and What Costs You Money)
Engineering Design · drawings, RFQ, DFM What Your Extrusion Drawing Must Show (and What Costs You Money) Plan 30–40 days to first load with a new die and anodising, or 12–20 days on an existing die and mill finish — then add fabrication, packing and transit. The drawing package decides whether those stages start clean […]
Aluminium Profile Basics: What the Series Numbers and Slot Codes Mean
Engineering Design · series, slot codes, naming Aluminium Profile Basics: What the Series Numbers and Slot Codes Mean A code such as 4040 means a 40 × 40 mm envelope; 2020 is 20 × 20 mm and 4590 is 45 × 90 mm. The series digit locks the slot family that your nuts and brackets […]
Aluminium Extrusion Certificates and Standards Explained (EN 755, EN 12020, ISPM 15)
Quality · certificates, EN standards, packing marks Aluminium Extrusion Certificates and Standards Explained (EN 755, EN 12020, ISPM 15) On every RFQ, ask for three documents by name: an EN 10204 3.1 mill certificate, a PO that cites EN 755-9 or EN 12020-2 for dimensions, and packing with an ISPM 15 IPPC mark on the […]
Aluminium Extrusion Claims: What the Contract Must Say
Quality · claims, rework, contract risk Dimensional Claims, Rework and Penalty Clauses The buyer bears the risk of an unenforceable dimensional claim when the drawing never names a tolerance standard. EN 755-9 is the reference; without it, “out of tolerance” has no definition. Close the gap with three contract paths: rework at seller cost, concession […]
Distributor Terms: Territory, Margin and Price Protection
Sourcing · territory, margin, price protection Distributor Terms: Territory, Margin and Price Protection The distributor bears territory and margin risk when exclusivity, undercut rules and price-change notice are left vague. Close it with three written levers: a mapped territory with a volume gate, a published 2026 distributor net list with notice before increases, and tiered […]
Aluminium Profile Price Breaks: How Volume Changes the Unit Price
Sourcing · volume steps, series, unit price Aluminium Profile Price Breaks: How Volume Changes the Unit Price In 2026 China-factory FOB metres for silver-anodised T-slot typically sit around USD 1.40–2.20/m on 20 × 20 and USD 4.20–6.50/m on 40 × 40 at mid volume, and the unit price steps again at 500 m, 2 000 […]
How to Request a Quote for Custom Aluminium Extrusion (RFQ Checklist)
Sourcing · RFQ pack, quote compare, validity How to Request a Quote for Custom Aluminium Extrusion (RFQ Checklist) A complete custom extrusion programme typically runs 30–40 days to first load with a new die and anodising, or 12–20 days on an existing die and mill finish — drawing review, tooling, press, finish and packing in […]
Slot Dimensions Explained: 6 mm, 8 mm and 10 mm T-Slots
Engineering · slot geometry, series, hardware fit Slot Dimensions Explained: 6 mm, 8 mm and 10 mm T-Slots A 45 × 90 mm six-slot 6063-T5 bar weighs 4.10 kg/m with I ≈ 68 cm⁴ on the strong axis, and under EN 755-9 the wall sits within ±0.15 mm while straightness is held to 1.5 mm/m. […]
Moment of Inertia and Section Modulus of T-Slot Profiles
Engineering Design · moment of inertia, section modulus, thermal Moment of Inertia and Section Modulus of T-Slot Profiles A typical 20 × 20 mm T-slot bar in 6063-T5 carries about 0.49–0.50 kg/m with Ix = Iy ≈ 0.72–0.74 cm⁰ — values taken from the nominal section under EN 755-9 geometry, not from the outline alone. […]
How to Fix Panels, Guards and Accessories to Aluminium Profiles
Engineering Design · panels, guards, switches, cable trays How to Fix Panels, Guards and Accessories to Aluminium Profiles The everyday panel fix on industrial T-slot is a retainer or clamping strip into the slot, backed by T-nuts where the panel must come off for service. That joint holds the panel; it does not replace the […]
Building with T-Slot: Frames, Fences, Workbenches and Guards
Applications · frames, fences, workbenches, guards Building with T-Slot: Frames, Fences, Workbenches and Guards The everyday joint is an external corner bracket with M6 or M8 T-nuts: it squares a bay fast, stays serviceable, and carries bench and guard loads when torqued correctly. Build from that joint, then size the section for span and deflection […]
T-Slot Cross-Brand Compatibility: Bosch, Item and Generic
Engineering Design · slot, brand, interchange Cross-Brand T-Slot Compatibility Slot width is standardised; slot depth, pitch and fastener geometry are not. A 40-series profile from one brand will not always take another brand’s nut. Decide by load and span first, then lock one slot family so hardware stays interchangeable. Decision order Load → span → […]
Aluminium Profile Shipping: Packing, Container Loading and ISPM 15
Sourcing and Procurement · packing, containers, ISPM 15 Aluminium Profile Shipping: Packing, Container Loading and ISPM 15 Door-to-door time is production weeks plus about 18 days sea freight from Shanghai or Ningbo, then inland. Packing is an ISPM 15 timber cradle with IPPC mark, or a plywood case for cut lengths under 3 m — […]
How to Join Aluminium Profiles: Joints, Brackets and Torque
Engineering Design · joints, brackets, torque How to Join and Assemble Aluminium Profiles Most 40-series frames fail at the joint, not the profile. The joint decides the stiffness, not the section. The everyday industrial joint is an external corner bracket with M6 or M8 T-nuts: quick to square, serviceable, and strong enough for benches and […]
What EN 755-9 Allows: Aluminium Extrusion Tolerances
Quality · EN 755-9 wall, straightness, twist Aluminium Extrusion Tolerance Chart (EN 755-9) Standard extruded profiles hold wall ±0.15 mm, straightness 1.5 mm per metre and twist 2° under EN 755-9 — anything tighter is a different process, not a different supplier. A 45×90 six-slot 6063-T5 at 4.10 kg/m with I ≈ 68 cm⁴ is […]
Aluminium vs Steel, Extruded vs Cast: What Actually Changes
Materials · section size, slot type, frame metal Aluminium vs Steel, Extruded vs Cast: What Actually Changes For a reconfigurable workbench or machine frame, extruded 6063-T5 T-slot beats welded steel on change cost and weight, and cast iron is the wrong comparison: a 40×40 at about 1.55 kg/m and I ≈ 9.7 cm⁴ already carries […]
Anodising vs Powder Coating: Thickness, Colour, Salt Spray
Surface treatment · film thickness, colour, salt spray Anodising and Powder Coating: Thickness, Colour and Salt Spray For outdoor T-slot workbenches choose sealed anodising at 20–25 µm or exterior polyester powder at ≥60 µm; decorative 10 µm indoor anodising is the wrong finish for weather, and colour breadth belongs to powder, not to the dye […]
6063 vs 6061 vs 6082 and T5 vs T6: What Changes in Practice
Materials · alloy, temper, substitution 6063 vs 6061 vs 6082 and T5 vs T6: What Changes in Practice For catalogue T-slot such as 2020–4040, specify 6063-T5 when finish and slot geometry matter; move to 6061-T6 or 6082-T6 only when the drawing demands higher yield for structural or heavily machined parts. Stiffness barely changes — E […]
Aluminium Profile Max Span: Deflection Table by Section
Engineering Design · span, deflection, section data Maximum Span and Load for Aluminium Profiles A 4040 profile carries about 150 kg over 2 m before deflection becomes the limit — not strength. Deflection governs, not yield: aluminium’s modulus is roughly one-third of steel’s, so serviceability (L/500 or L/360) fails long before the section reaches 6063-T5 […]
Which Profile Size for Your Application: A Selection Guide
Engineering Design · section, slot, load band Which Profile Size for Your Application: A Selection Guide Pick the series by the governing constraint first: load, unsupported span, or slot/hardware — then lock one series across the frame. For a typical workbench at 1 m spans under ~50 kg, 3030 or 4040 is the practical band; […]
Aluminium Extrusion Die Cost (2026): Price by Section Size
Sourcing · tooling cost, ownership, amortisation How Much Does an Aluminium Extrusion Die Cost? In 2026 a custom aluminium extrusion die in China typically costs about US$400–3,500 for common industrial T-slot and solid sections, and more for large hollows. The number is set by three things: the circumscribed circle, whether the section is hollow, and […]
Aluminium Profile MOQ: 150 m Existing Die, 500 m New
Sourcing · MOQ, tooling, trial orders MOQ for Custom Aluminium Profiles In 2026 a mill-finish 4040 off an existing die typically quotes about US$4.20–5.80 per metre FOB China once you clear the minimum. The minimum order is 150 m off an existing die and 500 m with a new die — the difference is whether […]
FOB vs CIF vs DAP vs DDP: Aluminium Profile Landed Cost
Sourcing · Incoterms, landed cost, risk FOB vs CIF vs DAP vs DDP for Aluminium Profiles In 2026 a mill-finish 2020 T-slot runs about US$1.80–2.60 per metre FOB Shanghai or Ningbo at a few hundred metres. FOB is cheapest on the invoice and most expensive in surprises; DDP is the opposite. The difference is who […]
Aluminium Extrusion Price per Meter: How the Number Is Built
Sourcing · metre price, mass, die share Aluminium Extrusion Price per Meter: How the Number Is Built In 2026 China-factory FOB metres for silver-anodised T-slot typically sit around USD 1.40–2.20/m for 20×20 and USD 4.20–6.50/m for 40×40 at mid volume, because price per metre is kilograms times dollars per kilogram plus a share of die […]
Aluminium Extrusion Lead Time: New Die vs Existing Die
Logistics · die status, finish, sea transit Aluminium Extrusion Lead Time Door-to-door for a China T-slot order is typically 30-40 days (30–40) with a new die and anodising, or 12–20 days on an existing die in mill finish, plus about 18 days at sea from Shanghai or Ningbo. The calendar is production stages first, ocean […]
Aluminium Profile Quote: What Changes the Number by Quantity
Sourcing · quantity, destination, quote structure How We Quote Aluminium Profiles by Quantity and Destination In 2026 a factory FOB Shanghai metre for common T-slot runs about USD 1.50–6.50/m on 20×20 to 40×40, and higher on heavy sections, because extrusion setup, die amortisation and freight are fixed costs spread over the order. The same profile […]
Cross-Brand T-Slot Compatibility: Interchangeability Is a Hardware Question
Sourcing · slot geometry, hardware, interchange Cross-Brand T-Slot Compatibility: Interchangeability Is a Hardware Question Two 40 by 40 profiles from two suppliers can have the same outline, the same weight and the same price per metre, and accept none of the same hardware. The number that decides it is not on the drawing, and it […]
Extruded vs Cast Aluminium: Stronger in One Direction, Not in All of Them
Process choice · grain flow, porosity, fatigue Extruded vs Cast Aluminium: Stronger in One Direction, Not in All of Them The claim that extruded aluminium is stronger than cast is true, and it is true under conditions that a specification usually leaves out. The two processes produce different grain structures, different defect populations and different […]
Aluminium Corrosion: Why a Salt Spray Number Is a Ranking, Not a Life
Durability · corrosion, chloride, testing Aluminium Corrosion: Why a Salt Spray Number Is a Ranking, Not a Life Aluminium does not rust, and that comfortable fact has done more damage to specifications than almost any other. It corrodes by different mechanisms, in different places, and the test that everyone quotes is not a prediction of […]
Recycled Aluminium Profiles: A Number You Have to Be Able to Evidence
Sustainability · CBAM, scrap, evidence Recycled Aluminium Profiles: A Number You Have to Be Able to Evidence Aluminium is the most recycled metal in common industrial use, and almost every catalogue now claims a green profile. The useful question is not whether the claim is true but whether it can be evidenced, to whom, and […]
Cleanroom and Medical Framing: There Is No Medical-Grade Aluminium Extrusion
Cleanrooms · medical · cleanability Cleanroom and Medical Framing: There Is No Medical-Grade Aluminium Extrusion The phrase medical-grade aluminium appears in a lot of marketing and in no alloy standard. What a cleanroom or a medical equipment frame actually has to satisfy is a cleanability requirement, a particulate class, a cleaning-chemical regime and a traceability […]
Robot Cell Framing in Aluminium: Stiffness, Damping and the 2025 Safety Revision
Robotics · stiffness, safety, cycles Robot Cell Framing in Aluminium: Stiffness, Damping and the 2025 Safety Revision A robot cell is usually specified as a frame with a robot bolted to it. It is actually a stiffness and damping problem, a fatigue problem, and now a standards problem, because the robot safety standards were revised […]
Aluminium Greenhouse Profiles: A Snow Load Problem With a Condensation Problem
Protected cropping · snow, condensation, chloride Aluminium Greenhouse Profiles: A Snow Load Problem With a Condensation Problem A greenhouse is sold on light, ventilation and yield. It is engineered as a snow-loaded roof on slender posts, with a condensation problem underneath it and a galvanic problem at every place the aluminium touches something else. The […]
European Anodised Aluminium Specification: What Should a Purchase Order Contain?
Finishes · European specification European Anodised Aluminium Specification: What Should a Purchase Order Contain? A European buyer is rarely paying for the look of an anodised profile. They are paying for a finish whose thickness, sealing and certification can be written into a purchase order and measured on delivery. This is the standard that specification […]
Aluminium Workbench Fit-Out: When the Accessories and the Joints Compete for the Same Slot
Workbenches · the accessory layer Aluminium Workbench Fit-Out: When the Accessories and the Joints Compete for the Same Slot The top and the frame are two separate design problems, and we have written about them separately. The layer that decides whether a bench actually works is the one above that: what hangs off it, and […]
30 Series T-Slot Profiles: The Middle That Has to Justify Itself
30 series · the middle of the range 30 Series T-Slot Profiles: The Middle That Has to Justify Itself Between the light 20 series and the standard 40 series sits the 30 series. It is a good system, and it is also the one most often chosen for the wrong reason, because the reason to […]
Industrial Aluminium Extrusion: Five Advantages and the Conditions Attached to Each
Material choice · an honest ledger Industrial Aluminium Extrusion: Five Advantages and the Conditions Attached to Each The standard list of extrusion benefits is accurate the way a headline is accurate. Every advantage is real, and every one carries a condition. The conditions are what decide whether the material is right for a particular job. […]
Aluminium Profile Anchor Pins: A Preloaded Joint, Not a Pin
Connectors · preload and metallurgy Aluminium Profile Anchor Pins: A Preloaded Joint, Not a Pin Anchor pins are usually sold on alloy grade and surface finish. What decides whether the joint holds is different: how much clamping force the pin actually develops, and whether the aluminium thread it goes into can carry that force without […]
20 Series T-Slot Profiles: Where the Limits Actually Are
20 series · light framing 20 Series T-Slot Profiles: Where the Limits Actually Are The 20 series is the smallest common framing system, and the usual mistake is to treat it as a scaled-down 40 series. It is not. On a 20 series frame the fastener and the slot lip normally govern, and the profile […]
Aluminium Profiles Across Industries: What Actually Changes From One Sector to the Next
Applications · a constraint map Aluminium Profiles Across Industries: What Actually Changes From One Sector to the Next “Aluminium is light, corrosion resistant and recyclable” is true and almost useless for specification. What changes between industries is which requirement dominates, and that changes what you have to ask for, test, and pay for. Common myth […]
Aluminium Profile Display Boards: The Panel Is the Hard Part
Display and notice boards · panel support Aluminium Profile Display Boards: The Panel Is the Hard Part A display board is quoted as a frame and delivered as a panel problem. The frame is the straightforward half. Holding a flat panel flat, without visible fixings, and being able to change the content later, is where […]
Aluminium Pergola Profiles: A Beam Problem With a Water Problem
Outdoor structures · wind, water, movement Aluminium Pergola Profiles: A Beam Problem With a Water Problem A pergola reads as a framing project and is usually bought as one. It is actually three problems stacked: long beams that must not visibly sag, a roof that has to shed water, and a fixing into a building […]
