Aluminum Optimized for Profile Extrusion

Aluminum profile extrusion is one of the most versatile transformation processes in the metallurgical industry, and the quality of the extruded profile depends directly on the quality of the bar or ingot fed into the press. Transformación Puebla manufactures aluminum bars of 7 inches in diameter and approximately 3.7 meters in length, with chemical composition specifically optimized for the extrusion process. Our bars are used by extrusion companies throughout Mexico to produce architectural, structural, industrial, and general-purpose profiles.

Alloy 6063 is the most widely used alloy in the global extrusion industry, and it forms the foundation of our production for this sector. With a nominal composition of magnesium (0.45-0.90%) and silicon (0.20-0.60%), the 6063 forms Mg2Si precipitates during artificial aging (T5 or T6 treatment), providing moderate mechanical strength combined with excellent surface finish. Profiles made from 6063 accept high-quality anodizing, powder coating, and wood-grain finishes, making them ideal for window frames, door frames, railings, and curtain wall systems that dominate Mexico's architectural market.

For our 6063 alloy, we pay particular attention to the Mg/Si ratio, which must be maintained slightly above the stoichiometric ratio of Mg2Si (1.73:1 by weight) to ensure that all silicon combines with magnesium and no free silicon remains to deteriorate the surface finish. We also rigorously control iron content, as elevated Fe levels form AlFeSi-type intermetallics that reduce extrudability, increase die wear, and generate streaks on the profile surface.

For applications demanding higher mechanical strength, we manufacture bars in alloy 6061. This alloy, with additions of copper (0.15-0.40%) and chromium (0.04-0.35%) in addition to magnesium and silicon, achieves significantly higher mechanical properties than 6063 after T6 heat treatment. The 6061 is the reference alloy for structural profiles used in industrial building construction, vehicular structures, transport platforms, machinery components, and applications where fatigue resistance is critical. Although its extrudability is lower than 6063 and it does not offer the same level of surface finish for decorative anodizing, its mechanical versatility makes it one of the most demanded alloys by extruders serving the industrial sector.

We complement our offering with alloys 6005 and 6082 for specific requirements. The 6005 occupies a niche between 6063 and 6061, offering better mechanical strength than 6063 with better extrudability than 6061. It is used in transportation profiles (railcars, bus bodies) and medium-demand structural applications. The 6082, with higher manganese content, offers the highest mechanical properties in the 6xxx series and is employed in bridges, towers, offshore structures, and engineering applications where maximum strength is required without resorting to 7xxx-series alloys.

One aspect that our extrusion customers particularly value is batch-to-batch consistency. A variation in the bar's chemical composition directly translates into changes in the optimal extrusion speed, required pressure, and heat treatment response. If the composition varies, the extruder must readjust process parameters, generating startup waste, downtime, and risk of defects. Our spectrometric control with the ARL 3460 and the verification of multiple samples per heat guarantee that every bar within a batch — and between successive batches — maintains a composition within very tight ranges.

We also pay attention to trace elements that affect extrudability but often do not receive sufficient attention: sodium (Na) and calcium (Ca), which at concentrations of mere ppm can cause surface cracking during extrusion; boron (B) and titanium (Ti), which act as grain refiners and must be maintained within optimal ranges to obtain a homogeneous microstructure; and dissolved hydrogen, which we control through rotary nitrogen degassing during melting.

From San Pedro Cholula, Puebla, we serve extrusion companies located in Mexico's leading aluminum profile-producing states: State of Mexico, Nuevo Leon, Jalisco, Puebla, Queretaro, and Guanajuato. Our production capacity and delivery scheduling flexibility allow us to respond to the needs of both large extruders with continuous supply contracts and mid-sized companies with specific batch requirements.