A number of variables are involved in determining the cost of manufacturing aluminum extrusions. Beside the initial cost of the extrusion billet, extrusion die and tooling, costs range from moderate to high. The variation in cost depenids mainly on the alloy to be extruded, type of extrusion, and the extrusion geometry. Cost models were developed at various stages of operations, starting at initial billet casting to the final extrusion process, followed by post processing. Post-processing operations will include heat treatment, stretching, straightening, detwisting, mechanical testing and more, for aerospace applications. This paper will address the relationship between the cost models at various stages of the extrusion process, in order to better understand the economics of producing extrusions in a highly competitive global business market. Continuous process improvements and optimization of process variables at each stage of operations to improve the extrusion quality, productivity, and finally, extrusion cost, will also be discussed.
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