Questions tagged [aluminum]

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Aluminium tube frame for retractable decking

Good Morning, I am designing a retractable floor in my deck to cover an in-ground hottub. So, the sections that are retractable will be 96" wide and about 48 - 57" long and on top will be ...
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1 answer
90 views

What is an appropriate way to compare the impact properties between a plastic and a metal?

I'm currently looking at trying to compare the impact strengths between polycarbonate and aluminum to see which one performs better if made into a box and dropped. My intuition says that aluminum can ...
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2 answers
3k views

What thickness aluminum plate will support 350lbs?

I need to purchase an aluminum plate that is 19.625" x 24", that can support 350lbs. This will hold pavers + possibly a person, next to a pool on top of an automatic cover. The automatic ...
-1 votes
1 answer
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How do I calculate the load strength of an aluminum tube arm by length and thickness?

I have a computer device currently mounted at the end of an alumnium 16" rod as provided by the manufacturer, but I need a 24" arm which they do not sell, so I want to buy some aluminum ...
7 votes
3 answers
11k views

What method can I use to make a pivot point in an aluminum linkage?

I recently had a project where I made an aluminum linkage (similar to a scissor lift) operated by linear actuators. Aluminum pieces were fabricated from 6061 "standard" aluminum stock, 6mm (0.25 inch) ...
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How much weight can aluminum square tube support?

I'm building a bed platform in a campervan and trying to determine what type of aluminum tube to buy. I'm thinking to purchase 6061-T6511 aluminum Square Tube with 1.5" width, 1.5" height ...
2 votes
2 answers
373 views

Furnace for aluminum alloy creation

What kind of furnace is used to create alloys for aluminum die casting? I have only been able to find information about how to create alloys or how to process them afterwards in the die casting ...
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1 answer
48 views

Material suited for fixing leakage in liquid nitrogen dewar

I need to fix a leak on the inside of a liquid nitrogen dewar which acts as the coolant tank for a spectroscopy CCD camera. Due to the design of the camera, I unfortunately can only access the inside ...
2 votes
2 answers
83 views

Helical inserts on aerospace parts work intermittently

I work at a machine shop with high-volume parts and a lot of threaded holes. Common sizes are 1/4-28 STI and 10-32 STI. Every hole gets a helical insert. We have always had major issues with the 1/4-...
1 vote
1 answer
79 views

Machining small aluminium stock

I am very new to machining. I have access to a metal lathe that was once part of a small commercial engineering workshop. The available spindle speeds are in the range 65 to 2000 r.p.m. The existing ...
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1 answer
77 views

How to go from a metal sheet to a metal box using (set of) dies only?

As a hobbyist, how to go from a metal sheet to a metal box (1 hollow side) by using (set of) dies only? All videos I watched involved : bending 1 side at 90° then A) cut twice and discard a square ...
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Friction coating aluminum parts in lieu of anodizing

I have an application, 6061-T6 aluminum cylinder, and piston - approx 6" dia for both, O-ring on position. The piston is under 80-100 psi, room temp and stroke are a couple of inches. Typically, ...
1 vote
1 answer
57 views

What is this filter from an aluminium extrusion facility filtering?

i work for a subcontractor tasked with cleaning these parts from an aluminium extrusion facility. essentially we have tried all sorts of different methods when cleaning them and i am just trying to ...
1 vote
1 answer
96 views

Risk of corrosion putting aluminium shaft in a stainless steel bearing with frequent washdowns?

Should I worry about galvanic corrosion if using an aluminium shaft inside a stainless steel bearing in something that's going to be washed down frequently? Considering I will press the shaft into the ...
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0 answers
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2" o/d aluminum pipe (1/4" wall) used as 10' 'axle' to 'roll' dock out of water

I'm curious how much weight this 'axle' could support? The dock wheels on ends are capable of 700 lbs each. The dock itself is 10’ wide. The axle will be placed under two 4’ x 2’ rigid black nylon ...
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34 views

Method to secure these two parts, with constraints

How should I complete this task? 2 aluminium discs, around 55mm diam x 20mm high. The top disc must; be able to rotate 360deg w.r.t the bottom disc once in desired rotational position, be secured to ...
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25 views

Will nanochaff of radius 5nm act as an electrical conductor for the purposes of jamming radar?

I was reading a great paper about nanochaff recently and I was wondering how small it could be made while still diffracting in the radio spectrum. Does anyone know if 5nm diameter chaff would still be ...
1 vote
1 answer
79 views

Is a block designed for water cooling effective at dry transmission of heat?

I’m working on a project involving a thermoelectric cooler, and options for small aluminum or copper blocks have been few and far between. However, I found many cheap aluminum and copper blocks on ...
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177 views

Aluminum Tubing Weight Bearing Capabilites

I was just inquiring about the weight bearing capability of round aluminum tubing for use as a bench,seat, or chair. Similar to the aluminum seats used in doctors' offices and in hospitals. I see that ...
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360 views

What grease / lubricant to use on aluminum threads?

I have a coffee grinder with fine aluminum threading as adjustment mechanism. (The rotation is also done while under springs load). The threading is of a 10cm diameter. I had to clean the threads ...
1 vote
3 answers
707 views

Software for designing products made of aluminum extrusions

I'm going to build a storage cabinet out of aluminum extrusions. Something that looks like that, except lighter and less intricate: So yeah, my cabinet will be a lot lighter and without moving parts. ...
2 votes
2 answers
304 views

Is it legal to have a motor wound with aluminum wire that has the appearance of copper?

Today, I melted some metals for the first time, including some aluminum cans and aluminum parts from my drying machine. I was thrilled to create ingots from them. However, when I tried to make a ...
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1 answer
137 views

Is it possible to estimate the young's modulus of an aluminum alloy purely based off its alloy designation?

I recently had an interview where the interviewer asked what the young's modulus would be like for an alloy like 5052 versus 6061. was a bit stumped on this one, saying that 5052 might be lower ...
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2 answers
256 views

What property cause a stainless steel slower get heated and slower get cooled, compared to aluminum

I did simple observation when I was heating water using stainless steel container and aluminum container. Indeed they are not exactly same but quite comparable. What I discovered was that, with the ...
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36 views

How to best friction fit/join two tubes with identical diameters?

I have a number of tubes in a thin aluminum that are identical with each having one side that ends in a hemisphere shape and the other with a cap shape. I'm trying to find more information about ...
0 votes
1 answer
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How to determine the minimum thickness for a Red Dot Sight mount built in aluminum?

I'm designing what is called a "Red Dot Sight Mount" (see image below) for a handgun. Disclaimer: this kind of part is not regulated (at least not in any country that I can think of) and ...
1 vote
2 answers
100 views

Can epoxy bond two Aluminum alloy beams?

The bicycle component manufacturer Shimano makes crankarms named "Hollowtech". Hollowtech crankarms are meant to be both strong and light. As the diagram below (source: Shimano) shows, the ...
1 vote
2 answers
91 views

Is there any way to improve the strength of simple at-home aluminum/copper/brass castings (sand-casting hammers)

I'm just getting-into melting-down cans to make aluminum-based slingshots, hammers and the like. In my ignorance I didn't realize that copper/brass were also things that I could process which has ...
0 votes
3 answers
1k views

What temperature required to alloy copper and aluminum?

According to this phase diagram, the melting point of 30% copper aluminum bronze is around 548°C. Lets say I create molten aluminum at 680°C, can I add small pellets of copper and swirl them around to ...
2 votes
2 answers
2k views

How to straighten an aluminium extrusion?

The extrusion shape is a simple square tube. If I set it down on a perfectly flat surface with its curvature upwards, the middle raises up by around 5mm over the length of 1m. So far I tried to just ...
0 votes
1 answer
47 views

What kind of stress can forged aluminum take?

I have a motorcycle frame. It is made form forged aluminum. There is a pressed headset in the frame that I need to remove - it was pressed in there with machined force. Some folks remove the headset (...
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3 answers
324 views

Is it possible to tap a hole partially through a 3mm aluminium sheet?

I would like to secure components to an aluminium sheet that is 3mm thick. Ideally I do not want to drill holes all the way through the sheet because it is important that a seal is maintained. I am ...
0 votes
2 answers
69 views

Resources for strength calculation for an outside aluminium loft ladder and what about it becoming brittle in cold weather?

I have been thinking for years about building an outside stair / loft ladder to climb from a platform to another one, one stair higher (3 meters). However, I never studied material strength, and I don'...
1 vote
2 answers
151 views

What would happen if I tempered aluminum of aeronautical use (Al 2024)?

What would happen if I tempered aluminum of aeronautical use? Being more specific, an alloy of 96% of aluminum and 4% of copper, without modifications and 2% of impurities. (Al 2024)
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1 answer
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What aluminum grade is the most resistant to corrosion in alkaline environment?

Quick google search will return either 6000 series (6061 more specifically), or 3003 However with so many option and each having it's own benefit, I still haven't make my decision What I am looking ...
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

How can dross/slag formation be reduced during aluminum recycling?

I have a furnace for aluminum recycling wherein dross formation is a major issue. It reduces the yield by about 10-12%. I am looking for a change in process parameters or other solutions through which ...
2 votes
1 answer
223 views

Aluminium Bolt in Titanium Casing: Any Dangers of (Contact-)Corrosion?

Assumed we have a fuel flask that is made of titanium. The bottle will be filled with white gasoline when used. At the bottleneck there is a standardized thread manufactured into the titanium. Are ...
1 vote
1 answer
120 views

Is welding aluminum a good choice?

I am making an aluminum part with a sort of a built in pipeline where water runs to cool the system. To close and seal the "pipe" I would need a lot (at least 144!)screws and two very long (...
0 votes
2 answers
257 views

Reliable non-welding ways to attach square aluminium tubes to aluminium frame?

Question. What non-welding options do I have to reliably attach square aluminium tubes to an aluminium frame? Context. This will be used for outdoor environment (gate). I'm thinking of non-welding ...
4 votes
6 answers
5k views

Can aluminium foil be a thermal insulator?

I've searched on Google that aluminium foil can be a thermal insulator, but how does it work? From my thought process, it should've been a conductor because its a metal, right? But, some said that ...
11 votes
9 answers
3k views

Aluminum weight saving

"Aluminum saves weight! Its 3 times lighter than steel!" Also its 3 times weaker and 3 times softer. When comparing stiffness and strenght to weight ratio, aluminum isnt any better than ...
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1 answer
2k views

Computing the required thickness of an aluminum sheet to support a given load

I want to fabricate an aluminum shelf for my media center. 22 1/16” x 37 5/8” with a rectangular cutout 2 1/2” deep on one of the long edges of the sheet with 6” of material on either side of the ...
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134 views

What is the difference between wrought aluminum and cast aluminum? Is it possible to cast 6061 aluminum?

I'm currently learning about material properties and I'm not certain what the main differences are between the different types of aluminum. The aluminum I'm most familiar with is 6061-T6 aluminum and ...
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2 answers
174 views

How to achieve textured matte paint finish on flat aluminium

I have aluminium gates, made of sheets. If I paint it using normal powder coating, it looks shiny and reveals imperfections (e.g. mild bends) depending on the angle at which sun light hits it. I am ...
1 vote
2 answers
54 views

Feasibility of reconstituting existing 5083 Aluminium

Can I melt 5083 aluminium and then reconstitution into a mould. I would like to know if it is possible to melt down existing 5083 aluminium lp and then pour the molten liquid into a yacht mould of 6mm ...
2 votes
2 answers
4k views

How much deflection can/should I accept with Aluminum Extrusions?

I plan building things with aluminum extrusions. On this website I can calculate the deflection depending on the profile length and load. https://8020.net/deflection-calculator I.e. if I select a 20/...
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Belt Drive Shaft - What Profile is This?

I'm trying to source a similar extruded aluminum round profile, that I can attach a belt to, as in the pic below. The shaft will turn and pull on that belt. I looked at the 80-20 extrusions and ...
0 votes
1 answer
310 views

How to properly fit almuminum glass window without leakage?

I got a brick-wall house. The wall is 25cm thick. I want to add windows. There are 2 ways of adding a window: Adding the window on the inside side of the wall, so that if the aluminium frame of ...
1 vote
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Would 6061 or 5052 Aluminum have lower rate of creep?

I am making a device which uses a bent thin sheet of aluminum as a spring which provides a constant force. It must be made of aluminum. Over time the material will relax and the force of the spring ...
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How to determine minimum aluminum t-slot profile type for frame?

For a frame with dimensions 1000x1000x400, I am determining which T-slot extrusion type will be strong enough. I am considering both 30-6060 (30 series I-type, metric) and 20-4040 (20 series I-type, ...