Surprising Benefits of Working with Aluminum
If you’ve spent any time at our Arizona Iron Supply warehouse, or if you’ve perused our website, you’ve likely noticed the vast assortment of aluminum materials we offer. Why do we carry so many forms of aluminum from sheets to pipes, and from channels to tubes? We recognize the value of using this versatile metal and providing it to our clientele.
Here’s what you might not know about aluminum:
It’s a valuable substitute
Have you heard about the impending copper shortage? Due to a variety of variables including unstable supply chains from South America, higher demand, and fewer mining projects, those in the metal industry may soon be less able to secure copper for projects. This is where aluminum comes in – depending on the project, aluminum can often be used as a viable substitute for copper thanks to its conductivity and light weight.
You might appreciate what it doesn’t have . . .
No smell, no taste, no toxins. And even at 0.007 thinness, it’s impermeable. This makes aluminum ideal for packaging sensitive products including food, beverages, medical items, and pharmaceuticals. Aluminum can easily preserve and protect the freshness of what is packaged in it.
Aluminum is probably stronger than you think
Because it’s roughly one-third the weight of steel, you might not expect aluminum to hold its own strength-wise. Depending on its alloy, aluminum can be nearly as strong as steel. Also, aluminum will sustain, or even improve, its toughness and ductility at very low temperatures.
It’s great at energy absorption
Because of its light weight, aluminum is often used in products involving fire-resistance, burglar-proofing, crash management in cars, and blast resistance.
Aluminum, is that you?
While the traditional shiny silver appearance of aluminum is nice, it can also take on different looks. Aluminum lends itself well to holding most kinds of paint or dyes. It also takes well to anodization, which is a beneficial one-two punch. Anodized aluminum resists wear, doesn’t scratch, repels dirt, is corrosion-resistant, and will never need a touch-up.
It’s the metal that never ends
Aluminum can be indefinitely recyclable without losing any of its beneficial characteristics. And recycling aluminum can save 100 million tons of carbon dioxide every year, meaning that recycled aluminum has a very low carbon footprint.
With Arizona Iron Supply offering Phoenix aluminum supply for any project, we believe you’ll soon see for yourself how helpful this metal can be. Wondering if you’ll be overwhelmed by our impressive aluminum selection, and not know which item to choose? Our team is comprised of experts in all things metal and will happily answer all of your questions to ensure you are well-informed and well-equipped.
