Some metal-based structural or mechanical designs are so elaborate that forming parts of accurate shapes and cuts can be practically impossible. Of course, they can be cast or smelted but there’s a limit to how precise casting or smelting output can be due to metal’s sensitivity to temperature change. Fortunately, there’s another metalworking technique that works better than casting in so many ways—extrusion. It involves pressing metal, either hot- or cold-worked, into a series of dies to achieve a desired shape. Here are some of the benefits of extrusion you won’t enjoy from other metalworking techniques.

High Production Volume

Meeting deadlines has always been a tough ordeal for any production work. Metal manufacturers that have high demand yet are always battling with tight production schedule would do well to consider extrusion instead of casting. Apart from having a fewer number of steps, the process also guarantees fast cooling and curing, which is essential to fast-paced delivery. Even if the metal has to be hot-worked, the temperature isn’t too much to require time extension for cooling and compensating for expansion.

Low Cost per Unit

Because extrusion allows for mass production of items, be it a long tube or small machine parts, within a short period, production cost is also much smaller, making the entire process cheaper. It requires less amount of fuel than casting, too, so that further lowers the overall production cost. It’s no wonder many manufacturers and suppliers prefer extrusion from the country’s top bronze or brass extrusions suppliers because with it they can save a lot of money in the long run.

High Quality

When a billet is fed into the die, it takes on high compression, which causes its molecules to contract even further. This contraction increases the density of the metal, making it much stronger, tougher, and indestructible. When compared to cast metals, extrusions exhibit far better performance and durability. So if you want an item for your vehicle or machine to be of superior quality, choose an extrusion.

Excellent Finish

When it comes to surface finish, extrusion goes beyond what can be expected of cast metal—dense, smooth, and almost always free of voids that make metals weak or brittle. This is why many suppliers prefer extrusion for projects that necessitate excellent, uniform surface finish. It’s the unique, practical process that makes this possible. When the billet enters the die, its sides slither against the sides of the die, causing a polishing effect that results in a gleaming and seemingly buffed exterior, which unsurprisingly you won’t find in a freshly cast metal.

With all of these benefits, you can definitely tell that extrusions are so much better than cast metals and those produced from other metalworking techniques. When poorly done, however, extrusion may actually result in the opposite—flawed surface and full of voids. Insufficient or too much pressure applied could cause the billet to either deform or even crack. This is why you need to be careful when choosing a supplier. Make sure that they have mastered the craft of extrusion through many years of experience, have a superb track record, and supplies for many large projects and companies in North America. If you need bronze or brass extrusions for your own project, companies like Rotax Metals that have been around for almost a century are your best option. Not only do they have their owned fully furnished foundry, but they also get their raw materials from the most trusted suppliers.

Metals have been part of both vintage and modern home interior designs, but never has it been more emphasized than in the last three years where they almost replaced elements that have just recently been introduced. It’s not that metals have not had its share of fame before but to see them re-emerging from traces of antiquity is unprecedented. This may be the perfect time to add brass sheet metal and other types of copper-based material into your home structure and décor.

Living Room

Nothing sounds more thrilling to a host’s ears than the whispers of amazement from guests entering their home for the first time. Who wouldn’t be amazed to be received in a living room fully furnished with the best interior design elements available, not to mention brass and bronze framed furniture and trims? You can incorporate these metals in every corner of the living room from the feet of your center table to the cladding on your lamp post. They can easily fit even the most conservative and minimalist design options.

Kitchen

The kitchen is a welcome relief for all kinds of copper-based furniture and fixtures. Even before the comeback of metal in the world of interior design, there already were lots of elements in the kitchen that are made from either bronze or brass, such as the hinges of your cupboards and the pipes underneath your zinc. Today, brass and bronze have more presence, and are becoming all the rage. Backsplashes and countertops can now be covered with brass sheets and the entire plumbing system can be all brass to prevent corrosion. Copper-based alloys are perfect for these applications because they have antimicrobial properties, which are extremely vital in such setting.

Bathroom

Want to make your bathroom more sparkly and shiny instead of the traditional all white theme? Then you should consider incorporating brass or bronze into its design. There are many elements in your kitchen that look best when made of either metal. Your faucet, pop-up stopper, mirror frame, and towel rings are the best example. Not only do they give an interesting contrast to the rather monotonous shade of your bathroom but it’s ideal due to the same antimicrobial properties that make them suitable for your kitchen.

Bedroom

You may not notice it but your bedroom has just as much copper in it as the rest of your home. The frame of your bed and the springs in your mattress are all made from a particular brass or bronze alloy. The handles on your wardrobes and drawers are very likely made of either metal as well. In fact, on your way to your room, you probably held on the brass railing along your stairs.

Copper, brass, and bronze can be found in almost every nook and cranny of your home but we tend to ignore them because they are quite inconspicuous. Thankfully, though, even if they get little attention, they still remain attractive for a long time because they are hardy against corrosion. They are practically maintenance free, although if you are not a fan of their antique look when they start developing patina, you have to polish them regularly to preserve their yellowish, gold-like sheen.

Superior copper-based products are quite difficult to find, so where to buy brass sheet metal if you need one for your home improvement project? Well, fortunately, a trusted metal supplier in North America, such as Rotax Metals, that specializes in copper-based products can help you out.