A SPECIAL NOTE ON VIRUSES AND BACTERIA IN RESPECT TO ALUMINUM SURFACES:
At this time of extreme health concern, specifiers must carefully consider how material choices may impact the spread of viruses, bacteria, and infectious diseases in healthcare facilities and other public spaces.
While much about the coronavirus is still under investigation, research has demonstrated significant differences in the longevity of viruses on various surfaces, and there are a variety of treatments that appear to further reduce the growth and survival of viruses and bacteria, enhancing the surface’s ability to destroy pathogens.
A major research study published in the Journal of Hospital Infection tested human coronavirus strains for longevity on various material surfaces and found that the virus lasted only two to eight hours on aluminum, but days on many other materials.
We encourage you to access the full white paper on this topic which can be found at AEC.org.
Are you familiar with Moore’s Law?
Gordon Moore, the co-founder of Intel, made a striking observation: the number of transistors on a dense integrated circuit doubles about every two years. In essence, as computer hardware grows more complex, it shrinks in size.
Consider the evolution you’ve witnessed. The first bulky smartphone you bought in 2007 pales in comparison to the sleek, powerful device you carry today. The latest models are slimmer, yet larger and far more powerful in terms of energy-per-gram than their predecessors.
Tech companies are always pushing for smaller, micro-sized innovations, and industrial OEMs must evolve with new technologies to compete.
Microextrusions represent such an innovation, offering features, tolerances, and surface finishes once thought unachievable. This advancement gives design engineers the freedom to explore new component designs that improve functionality and performance over traditional extruded parts.
We’ll now examine several consumer electronics components that utilize precision aluminum extrusions in their designs.
CPU HEAT SINKS
The CPU, or central processing unit, serves as the computer’s brain, executing arithmetic, logic, and I/O operations from other computer components’ instructions. The intense activity can cause CPUs to overheat, necessitating a heat sink for heat dissipation and cooling.
Microextrusion technology enables the creation of even more efficient heat sinks. Maintaining an optimal CPU temperature is crucial for sustained performance.
MOTHERBOARDS
Motherboards utilize microextrusions for ethernet and USB port housings, as well as for DVI, HDMI, and audio in/out ports.
This technology is vital for the CPU socket too, often incorporating a latch to secure the CPU and connect it to the motherboard.
GRAPHICS PROCESSING UNITS
High-end graphics cards, like NVIDIA’s Titan V, feature an aluminum casing that not only protects the GPU’s internals but also adds an aesthetic appeal.
HARD DRIVE BAYS
Modern hard drives come with mounting brackets and fit into an extruded aluminum bay within the computer case. This secures them during operation, which is crucial as hard drives are sensitive to physical shocks.
LED PROFILE BAYS
Microextruded profile bays serve as housings for LED lights, utilizing ultra-fine materials and plastics that not only allow the LEDs to emit light effectively but also offer protection from environmental elements.
EXTRUDED ENCLOSURES
Aluminum, a non-sparking, melt-resistant, and rust-proof metal, is ideal for enclosures, especially for consumer electronics that contain sensitive magnets. Its versatility allows customization to meet any product’s specific requirements.
About Taber Extrusions
Established in 1973, Taber Extrusions has been at the forefront of extruding rectangular billet, allowing for the production of large solid profiles up to 31 inches wide and hollows up to 29 inches. With the acquisition of a Gulfport, MS extrusion facility in 1995, Taber not only broadened its capabilities with a cutting-edge cast house and two additional presses but also enhanced its micro-extrusion and fabrication services.
Today, Taber Extrusions has completed the addition of in-house friction stir-welding capabilities, and carries on their offering of extruded aluminum components, value-added machining services and raw material supply to the North American market – making them a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies never before seen in North America.
Follow Taber Extrusions
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/8843183/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/taberextrusions/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions
Interested in becoming a part of the Taber Team?
Submit your resume to careers@taberextrusions.com.