21 12, 2020

Taber Extrusions: Our Friction Stir-Welding Timeline

2020-12-16T04:23:04+00:00December 21st, 2020|

: Infographic that illustrates Taber’s friction stir-welding timeline: 1. March 2019 2. April 2019 3. July 2020 – ending with a CTA that reads, “Learn more about friction stir-welding capabilities like you’ve never seen HERE!’’

 

Full-service provider of aluminum extrusions, Taber Extrusions, has completed the addition of in-house FSW capabilities, making them a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies never seen before in North America.

Friction Stir-Welding Capabilities Like You’ve Never Seen

Adding to their legacy of innovation, Taber’s new FSW capabilities include simultaneous two side welding, double wall hollow extrusions up to 6.25 inches tall, 32 inches wide, and accepting lengths up to 65 feet long. Taber’s friction stir-welding production cell is capable of creating panel assemblies 200 inches wide by 65 feet long, with integrated pre-joining profile trimming. With profile widths up to 31 inches, lengths up to 65 feet, and an ability to weld up to 3/4 of an inch in a single pass, Taber has an operational envelope that is unmatched within the industry.

Friction stir-welding is commonly used in the rail, automotive, marine & shipbuilding industries, military & defense, commercial & industrial construction, infrastructure, and aviation & aerospace sectors.

 

TABER EXTRUSIONS HISTORY AND RECENT GROWTH

Founded in 1973, Taber Extrusions originally pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet which enables the company to extrude solid profiles up to 31 inches wide or hollows up to 29 inches. Taber expanded with the purchase of an extrusion facility in Gulfport, MS in 1995 which houses a cast house and two additional presses, and multiple expansions of value added fabrication services. Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes, including 7″ billet molds, and has diversified its markets beyond military since its inception to include aerospace, automotive, marine, infrastructure, and sporting goods, among many others. For these markets, the company supplies extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys. In 2018, Taber added ultra-precision® extrusions to their capabilities allowing them to further serve customers in electronics, computer, and medical industries. Taber recently announced yet another exciting launch into friction stir-welding, positioning them as a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies never seen before in North America.

Thank you for your continued support of Taber Extrusions, LLC. If you have any questions please visit taberextrusions.com or contact one of Taber’s Regional Sales Managers.

Follow Taber Extrusions

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/taberextrusions/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/taberextrusions/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions

11 04, 2020

The Lifecycle of an Aluminum Billet in The Extrusion Process

2020-05-11T21:45:55+00:00April 11th, 2020|

infographic that takes us through the lifecycle of an aluminum billet in the extrusion process: 1. The aluminum alloy chemistry 2. Billet casting 3. Aluminum extrusion process 4.Delivery 5.End Product 6. Recycling! – Ending with a CTA that reads, “Are you located in North America? Call or visit our website to see if you qualify for Taber’s “Billets Straight To You” inventory! 7”, 9”, and 11” billet delivered in a week!”

TABER EXTRUSIONS HISTORY AND RECENT GROWTH

Founded in 1973, Taber Extrusions originally pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet which enables the company to extrude solid profiles up to 31 inches wide or hollows up to 29 inches. Taber expanded with the purchase of an extrusion facility in Gulfport, MS., in 1995 which houses a cast house and two additional presses, and multiple expansions of value added fabrication services. Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes, including 7″billet molds, and has diversified its markets beyond military since its inception to include aerospace, automotive, marine, infrastructure, and sporting goods, among many others. For these markets, the company supplies extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys. In 2018, Taber added ultra-precision® extrusions to their capabilities allowing them to further serve customers in electronics, computer, and medical industries. Taber recently announced yet another exciting launch into friction stir welding, positioning them as a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies never before seen in North America.

Thank you for your continued support of Taber Extrusions, LLC. If you have any questions please visit taberextrusions.com or contact one of Taber’s Regional Sales Managers.

Follow Taber Extrusions

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/taberextrusions/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/taberextrusions/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions

11 02, 2020

Taber’s Friction Stir Welding Capabilities: Going Vertical

2020-05-11T21:05:07+00:00February 11th, 2020|

Taber’s Friction Stir Welding Capabilities Infographic

Taber is is AS9100, NADCAP, and ABS certified. Founded in 1973, Taber Extrusions originally pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet which enables the company to extrude solid profiles up to 31 inches wide or hollows up to 29 inches. Taber expanded with the purchase of an extrusion facility in Gulfport, MS., in 1995 which houses a cast house and two additional presses, and multiple expansions of value-added fabrication services. Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes, including 7”billet molds, and has diversified its markets beyond military since its inception to include aerospace, automotive, marine, infrastructure, and sporting goods, among many others. For these markets, the company supplies extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys. In 2018, Taber added micro-extrusions to their capabilities allowing them to further serve customers in electronics, computer, and medical industries. Today Taber is proud to announce yet another exciting launch into Friction Stir Welding. To learn more about how we can be of service visit: https://taberextrusions.com/

Follow Taber Extrusions

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/8843183/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/taberextrusions/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions

1 02, 2020

Aluminum Extrusion Leader Taber Extrusions Looks Ahead

2020-02-01T20:39:14+00:00February 1st, 2020|

“2020” written in shiny, silver-colored metal – with the inverted gold Taber Extrusions logo positioned underneath.

As Taber Extrusions launches into 2020, we thought we’d take a look back at the last several years and the many ways Taber has progressed within the aluminum extrusion industry. Among many changes, Taber added an upgraded casthouse, expanded into micro extrusions; received various awards, began friction stir welding, and brought on a new business director. This has been a very exciting time, and we invite you to learn more about the innovations that are shaping endless possibilities in 2020 and beyond.

Aluminum Casthouse

Not long ago in 2017, Taber upgraded to their aluminum casthouse in Gulfport, MS. which integrates casting, extrusion, and in-house fabrication services. With this upgrade, Taber opened up opportunities in a variety of markets, with the sale of cast billet to outside extruders.  With this casthouse, Taber is targeting aerospace, automotive, and defense industries, all of which utilize aluminum at an accelerated rate. Taber’s new products are suitable for current and future U.S. infrastructure projects, such as the construction and improvement of bridges, decking, flooring, and railing for mass transportation projects.

A 3D rendering of a yellow aluminum billet crane suspending 3 freshly casted shiny silver billets. Beside the image it reads: “currently Taber offers 7″, 8″, 9″, 11″, 16″, 20″ & 10″x 20″ rectangular billet molds.”

Partnering with Almex USA, Taber developed a customized solution to meet Taber’s unique requirements and specifications. Almex supplied new equipment, including a casting line with a degassing and melt purification system, billet and slab tooling, automation technology, and a complete homogenizing line, as well as a new cooling water system.

Benefits to Taber’s aluminum casthouse upgrade:

  • Increased Production. The CASTRIGHT II™ casting machine and new billet and slab tooling stations were adapted to fit the circular pit, and the casting tables were modified to have an oval shape with unique headbase configurations. Excel™ and Optima™ billet mold systems were installed for various sized billets. The quantity of billet produced with each cast has been enlarged, allowing increased production per drop.
  • Quality Control. A large part of Taber’s consideration during this upgrade was quality control. Taber now has a level pour (or, hot-top) mold table distribution system and a way to optimize mold lengths for consistent billet quality. Taber’s goal was safety and alloy versatility for high performance and yield, from conventional to the most demanding alloys. For the larger diameter aerospace grade products, Almex installed specialized water wiping technology in order to manufacture difficult to cast materials without the formation of stresses or cracks. With the new casting line, Taber increased monitoring and automation, and now has computer control of all critical casting and degassing parameters. Operators now interact with the system through an integrated SCADA control panel installed on the plant floor in order to monitor the correct mixture of several ingredients that make up the casting recipe. At the end of each cast, the system automatically generates a complete report of the heat number for reference and archival by quality control personnel. With this new system, Taber has not only achieved a greater level of quality control, but process transparency and product traceability.
  • Accuracy and Precision. An internally guided and double acting platen cylinder was installed, which has more loading capacity, guiding accuracy, and precision speed control (needed for hard alloys).
  • Consistency and Strength. The new casting line also includes a LARS® in-line degassing and purification system that refines and cleans the melt prior to casting. The LARS system mixes inert argon gas and a halogen gas into the molten aluminum through Almex’s patented in-situ gas preheating disperser system. This significantly reduces hydrogen and other impurities commonly found in liquid aluminum, including inclusions, nitrides, oxides, and alkali metals and also increases recovery through a minimal amount of dross creation. This high quality of the molten metal is, thus, dependably strong and consistent.
  • Environmentally Friendly. Taber rebuilt and integrated its water management system, which provides increased visibility of the water flow, temperature, quality, and maintenance. Water is discharged in a safe and controlled manner.

16 fresh aluminum billets atop Taber’s casting table engineered to fit the existing circular casting pit.

Ultra Precision® Extrusions

In 2018, Taber added micro extrusion capabilities into their portfolio. Micro-extrusions are used in a number of industries, such as electronics, aerospace, medical, industrial, and military. The addition of small precision profiles will allow Taber to better serve existing customers and future partners such as – defense contractors, commercial aerospace engineers, and electronics designers.

A 3D rendering of am 8-inch ruler with a variety of micro extrusion shapes fitting elegantly inside roughly a 1-inch white square, and the words “The Shape of Endless Possibilities, Ultra Precision® Extrusions, Taber”

The micro-extrusion manufacturing lines have a production envelope with a circle size of 3 inches or less and a weight per foot of 1 lb. or less. Unlike traditional extrusion presses, these micro-extrusion presses are built in such a way to allow for the production of extrusions with wall thicknesses of 0.010 inches and tolerance capabilities of +/- 0.001 inches. This allows designers and engineers the freedom to engineer profiles that are impossible to extrude through conventional presses.

The addition of  ultra precision® extrusions allows the company to enhance its business to provide a wider range of profile sizes and competencies which blend beautifully with the various sectors already being served by Taber.

2018 NMLP Safety Award

Taber Extrusions took home National Material L.P.’s 2018 Safety Excellence Award for exceptional safety management at their Russellville, Arkansas facility.

Russellville Plant Manager Gavin Butterworth, Taber President Eric Angermeier, and Gulfport Plant Manager Mike Keenan standing with the NMLP Safety Award trophy during the 2018 holiday party.

Taber’s safety management system includes:

  • Perpetual assessment & evaluation of existing safety policies
  • Process & workflow analysis
  • Establishment of safety work procedures
  • Safety training & meetings
  • Safety inspections
  • Maintenance regimens of plants, equipment, and processes
  • Identification of hazards & hazard analysis
  • Facilitation of occupational health programs
  • Emergency preparedness
  • Documentation control & management reviews

2019 Taber Extrusions Recognized by Russellville for Energy Savings Excellence

Taber Extrusions employees stand alongside Entergy and CLEAResult personnel in front of the Taber sign at their Russellville location. They are holding an extra-large check for $31,748 – representing Taber’s energy savings.

Taber Extrusions created a plan to reduce power consumption by implementing energy efficient measures while participating in the Entergy Arkansas Energy Solutions Program assisted by CLEAResult consulting company.

“I couldn’t be happier to assist Arkansas businesses reduce their power consumption by energy efficient measures. Every project that CLEAResult assists a customer with is a positive step in their energy reduction,” says Taylor Dumas, West Regional Account Manager at Entergy Arkansas Energy Solutions Program. “The Taber Extrusions project is one that greatly reduced power consumption, increases machine efficiency, and makes Taber Extrusions a ‘greener’ business by completing this project.”

Taber’s commitment to energy savings still holds strong as they push forward into the future, making environmental accountability part of their company culture.

Friction Stir Welding Technology

In 2019, Taber  installed a new friction stir welding (FSW) line at its Russellville, Arkansas, manufacturing facility. Sometimes described as more of a forging process than actual welding – FSWis a solid-state joining technique used to join metals not easily fused with traditional welding. It is used in the aerospace, rail, automotive, marine, transportation, and other industries that use metals such as aluminum, copper and other metal alloys. The new FSW line that welds large, double-sided thick profiles, uses minimal cycles of the machine, which make it both efficient and precise. FSW also makes possible very high-quality welds with minimal distortion.

The addition of friction stir welding illustrates how Taber has proven itself to be dedicated to the technological advances in the industry, economic development, and job production. The line enables the company to be a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies in North America, with capabilities including aluminum extrusions, fabrication, billet casting, and micro-extrusions.

Already known for their wide range of capabilities, both broad and unique, the mayor of Russellville, Richard Harris, thanked Taber for choosing Russellville as their location, “The fact that you chose to expand and add new technology here is the highest compliment you can give the city and citizens where you live and work. Economic development and job creation is one of our top priorities. We congratulate Taber on this advancement.”

Jeffrey Bladow: Director of New Business Development

Photographic portrait of Jeffrey Bladow, Director of New Business Development, Taber Extrusions

Taber’s rapid growth initiated the presence of Jeffrey Bladow, the company’s recently appointed Director of New Business Development. Hired to help lead business growth and assist in building strategy, Bladow has spent over 25 years in automotive design and manufacturing. He also has experience in structure design, high strength steel applications, and the launch of large capital projects. Like Taber, Bladow is comfortable solving multi-faceted problems. In his management style, Bladow encourages “critical thinking, continuous improvement, and a no-fear approach to growing and entering new markets.”  Taber feels lucky to have Jeffrey Bladow ushering us into a new decade.

At Taber we believe the possibilities are endless.  We believe in the future.

About Taber:

Founded in 1973, Taber Extrusions originally pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet which enables the company to extrude solid profiles up to 31 inches wide or hollows up to 29 inches. Taber expanded with the purchase of an extrusion facility in Gulfport, MS., in 1995 which houses a cast house and two additional presses, and multiple expansions of value added fabrication services. Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes, including 7″billet molds, and has diversified its markets beyond military since its inception to include aerospace, automotive, marine, infrastructure, and sporting goods, among many others. For these markets, the company supplies extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys. In 2018, Taber added ultra-precision extrusions to their capabilities allowing them to further serve customers in electronics, computer, and medical industries. Today Taber is proud to announce yet another exciting launch into friction stir welding. Call us at (888) 984-9866, or request a quote today!

15 01, 2020

Joining Aluminum Extrusions Through Friction Stir Welding

2020-01-15T19:32:51+00:00January 15th, 2020|

Dramatic in-flight photo of two F-22 Raptor military aircraft speed through the sky on a clear day.

What is Friction Stir Welding?

 

Friction stir welding is the method of joining two pieces of metal with no extra filler or material by subjecting the components to heavy plastic deformation, at elevated temperatures, that are still lower than the melting point. A rotating tool is thrusted between the components and, as friction heat is generated, the tool produces a severe plastic deformation under high pressure, at which time the weld interfaces are stirred together, and a homogenous structure is formed, creating a defect-free bond.

Why Friction Stir Welding?

FSW is a method of welding that is being used as an alternative method to fusion welding and other types of arc welding.

FSW vs. Fusion Welding  –  FSW offers three key benefits over fusion welding: metallurgical, environmental, and energy. The metallurgical benefits include: low distortion of workpiece (fine      microstructure, absence of cracking), good dimensional stability, and no loss of alloying elements. The environmental benefits include: no shielding gas required, no surface cleaning required, elimination of solvents required for degreasing, and consumable materials savings.  The energy benefits include: improved material use (joining different thickness), only 2.5% of energy needed for a laser weld, and decreased fuel consumption in light     weight, automotive, and ship applications. FSW is then, specifically because of its environmental and energy benefits, a more cost-effective method of welding. It is also a more economical choice due to low set up and training costs.

Close angle of a shiny drill-like instrument, also known as a friction stir welder cone.

FSW vs. Other Types of Arc Welding  –  The joining of aluminum extrusions in friction stir welding is a process that can be easily automated, making it an ideal solution for industrial use in manufacturing services such as the marine, aerospace, automotive, transportation, and rail industries. FSW welds have effectively been used in the marine industries in the fish freezer panels of ships, on the deck panels of helicopter landing platforms on ships, and it has been used in various amphibious assault ships. In aerospace, FSW has been used for structures such as the fuselage, fins, and wings that require high-strength aluminum alloys. In the automotive industries, FSW is used for aluminum engine cradles and suspension struts, as well as rear seats and exhaust gas recirculation coolers. The railway industry has utilized FSW to make roof and floor panels, as well as heat sinks for cooling the high-power electronics of locomotives.

An aerial view of an amphibious assault ship with a landing and launchpad for fighter jets on the ocean.

In military and defense, aluminum alloys are used as armor due to the combination of high ballistic performance and static strength that traditionally use MIG, gas metal arc, and tungsten arc welding. The reasons for the transition to FSW over the aforementioned arc welds are many — MIG welds cause stress corrosion at the weld toe, exfoliation occurring in the solution treatment, low ductility in butt welds, and liquidation due to the formation of low-melting point grain boundary. FSW welds are also more likely to pass the ballistic shock test.

Why FSW at Taber? New Aluminum Joining Techniques at Taber

 

In April of 2019, Taber Extrusions of Russellville, AR and Gulfport, MS announced the addition of Friction Stir Welding, “FSW,” capabilities to our existing portfolio which currently includes aluminum extrusions, fabrication, billet casting, and micro-extrusions. With the addition of in-house FSW capabilities, Taber is now a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies.

Taber’s engineering and manufacturing teams collaborated with Bond Technologies to create a custom Linear Seam machine. Taber’s new FSW machine is capable of welding large, double-sided thick profiles with minimal cycles of the machine; less cycles means greater efficiency and more precise results.

 

Taber offers quality custom extrusion design and advanced microextrusion capabilities and we are committed to providing our clients durable products that are both ecologically sound and cost effective. We chose FSW as a high-tech, alternative method to ensure a fast turn-around time, thereby reducing time to market.

About Taber:

Founded in 1973, Taber Extrusions originally pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet which enables the company to extrude solid profiles up to 31 inches wide or hollows up to 29 inches. Taber expanded with the purchase of an extrusion facility in Gulfport, MS., in 1995 which houses a cast house and two additional presses, and multiple expansions of value added fabrication services.

Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes, including 7″billet molds, and has diversified its markets beyond military since its inception to include aerospace, automotive, marine, infrastructure, and sporting goods, among many others. For these markets, the company supplies extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys. In 2018, Taber added ultra-precision extrusions to their capabilities allowing them to further serve customers in electronics, computer, and medical industries. Today Taber is proud to announce yet another exciting launch into Friction Stir Welding.

4 01, 2020

The Benefits of Friction-Stir Welding in The Marine Industry

2020-01-15T19:31:37+00:00January 4th, 2020|

The communications relay of a submarine sticking out of the water, while the rest of the vessel remains submerged.

Over the last two decades, friction stir-welding has emerged and been established as an extremely effective alternative to traditional MIG welding for use in marine applications, particularly as the industry moves towards increased use of aluminum. The powerful combination of reduced weight from aluminum and increased strength of FSW welds can yield spectacular benefits for marine designs.

Aluminum can help you obtain weight and production savings and improve the quality and efficiency of your vessels and structures. Aluminum reduces weight without sacrificing structural strength. The unique qualities of extruded aluminum component design provides you with exceptionally high torsion strength resistance.

If you’re looking to cut costs of construction for your cruise ships, mega-yachts, defense vessels, passenger ferries, leisure craft, as well as offshore platforms and rigs, read on!

FSW is Well Suited For Marine Applications Because of The Nature of The Welds

The friction stir welding process is best utilized on long straight welds, as this allows for a more cost-effective and efficient process. Unsurprisingly, this happens to cover a significant portion of the flat structures that are used in the marine industry, such as floors, decks, bulkheads, and more parts that don’t require complex curves. Many of the structures that are welded in this process are alloyed aluminum extrusions.

Friction-stir welding is a great compliment to alloyed aluminum as it can successfully weld any of the normal range of aluminum alloys – whether that be the plate, extruded sections, forging, or castings – including high strength alloys such as 7xxx and 2xxx series aluminum. The ability to weld dissimilar materials effectively (for example, steel to aluminum) is an additional benefit of FSW.

An image showing the different potential marine applications of FSW, such as military vessels, cruise ships, and civilian transports.

Benefits of FSW For Marine Vessels

For projects both large and small, the FSW process stands to speed up the construction process and save money. The cost savings comes from the elimination of the required man-hours of traditional MIG welding, and also provides a stronger, higher quality weld, which cuts down on secondary repair costs down the line. Also, using complete components such as Modular FSW panels reduces the time and labor costs of measurement and cutting on the construction site.

Additional Benefits

  • Minimal distortion on the weld, and better aesthetics
  • More environmentally friendly (no UV radiation or fumes) as well more user-friendly
  • Removes flaws that are inherent to conditional welding methods – no porosity, no hot cracking, stronger fusion of the constituent elements
  • FSW is becoming more widely adopted and is less susceptible to errors due to the automated process

Examples of Components That Are FSW Ready

Flooring, Deck, and Bridges

Flooring | Bulkheads | Decks | Walkways | Gangways

Structural Systems

Panels | Walls | Docks | Seawalls

Ready to get to work? Check out Taber’s FSW capabilities and let’s get started.

About Taber: 

Founded in 1973, Taber Extrusions originally pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet which enables the company to extrude solid profiles up to 31 inches wide or hollows up to 29 inches. Taber expanded with the purchase of an extrusion facility in Gulfport, MS., in 1995 which houses a cast house and two additional presses, and multiple expansions of value added fabrication services. Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes, including 7″billet molds, and has diversified its markets beyond military since its inception to include aerospace, automotive, marine, infrastructure, and sporting goods, among many others. For these markets, the company supplies extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys. In 2018, Taber added ultra-precision extrusions to their capabilities allowing them to further serve customers in electronics, computer, and medical industries. Today Taber is proud to announce yet another exciting launch into Friction Stir Welding.

1 10, 2019

Friction Stir Welding In The Shipbuilding Industry

2019-11-01T14:28:43+00:00October 1st, 2019|

Friction Stir Welding In The Shipbuilding Industry Infographic containing most common applications of thermal management, helideck, wall panels, bulkheads, hull, decking, and honeycomb panels

Taber Extrusions wants to lead the way in FSW development and be a part of its growth in the future. Taber Friction Stir-Welding Capabilities are second to none. With profile widths up to 31 inches, lengths up to 65 feet,

and ability to weld up to ¾ of an inch in a single pass, Taber has an operational envelope that is unmatched within the industry. To learn more about how we can be of service visit: https://taberextrusions.com/

Follow Taber Extrusions LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/8843183/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/taberextrusions/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions

10 09, 2019

Taber Presents Friction Stir Welding Capabilities at Aluminum USA 2019

2019-09-12T18:34:22+00:00September 10th, 2019|

Stunning evening view of the Nashville city skyline along the water featuring a colorful reflection of the bright downtown lights reflecting off the water giving the entire scene a magical glow.

Aluminum industry professionals are gearing up for The Aluminum USA Tradeshow on September 12th-13th in Nashville, Tennessee, where Taber Extrusions will be showcasing their in-house friction stir welding capabilities creating a vertically integrated supplier of FSW panels and assemblies never before seen in North America.

Aluminum USA is hosted biannually as a “weeklong leading industry event covering the entire value chain from upstream (mining, smelting) via midstream (casting, rolling, extrusions) to downstream (finishing, fabrication). ALUMINUM USA is the ideal event for end-users from application industries such as automotive, aerospace, construction, packaging and electrical & electronics”. Special events surrounding the tradeshow kick off with Nissan tours on Wednesday, September 11th, and continue with an array of face-to-face opportunities including technology-based networking events and an industry meet & greet. This year’s tradeshow is bigger and better than ever, featuring an expanded show-floor.

Jason Weber who currently serves as Taber Extrusion’s VP of Marketing and Sales, will be hosting a presentation at EDU ’19, which is part of the broader Aluminum USA tradeshow on September 12th and 13th  that “gives a forum to leading suppliers and industry professionals to come together for face-to-face meetings, exhibition, cutting-edge conference, and educational programming.” Aluminum USA EDU ’19  features educational presentations covering aluminum extrusion design, applications, and technology. In addition to speaking at the EDU ’19 forum, guests are welcome to visit Jason Weber and other Taber Extrusions team members at Booth #546 during the tradeshow.

A headshot of an attractive smiling Caucasian man with slightly silvering hair, wearing an ocean blue polo shirt and a white, zip-up sweater.

Jason Weber’s presentation titled, “Joining Aluminum Extrusions through Friction Stir Welding” will present industry experts and end-users with information on Friction Stir Welding (FSW). The presentation will cover the “basics of what FSW is, current products that are Friction Stir Welded, general design practices for extrusions incorporating FSW features, and typical performance of FSW joints versus other joining technologies”.

Sometimes described as more of a forging process than actual welding – Friction Stir Welding is a solid- state joining technique used to join metals not easily fused with traditional welding. Ideal for metals such as aluminum, copper, and other metal alloys, FSW is commonly used in the aerospace, rail, automotive, shipbuilding, transportation, and marine industries. Friction Stir Welding makes possible very high-quality welds with minimal distortion. It is also a process that can be easily automated, making it an ideal solution for industrial use.

The EDU ’19 forum gives a chance for Weber to share inside knowledge of the process which the company now offers in its extensive menu of services. “As a leader in the Aluminum Industry, Taber works with clients in military, government, aircraft and aerospace, shipbuilding, infrastructure – and so much more. The aluminum extrusion shapes they are creating for these clients are absolutely ideal for Friction Stir Welding technology,” said Dave Hofferbert, President of Bond Technologies, Inc.

A close-up of a futuristic looking, metal spinning tool inserted between the metal ends of two large cylindrical spaceship parts.

Jason Weber, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Taber Extrusions, has 20+ years of global manufacturing experience helping innovate product and service offerings. Jason is an active member of the Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) and is the leader of the Council’s Marketing/Industry Promotion Team.

About Taber: 

Founded in 1973, Taber has become a leading supplier of high quality aluminum extrusions. By ensuring that every process and procedure, from billet procurement and final shipment, fulfills all ISO9001 and AS9100 standards, Taber maintains preferred supplier ratings. In 2018, Taber added ultra-precision extrusions to their capabilities allowing them to further serve customers in electronics, computer, and medical industries. In 2019, Taber announced their launch into Friction Stir Welding.

3 10, 2018

Achieving a Shiny Finish: How Aluminum Accepts a Variety of Finishes

2018-10-03T16:19:48+00:00October 3rd, 2018|

The applications for aluminum alloys are varied, but for many projects, such as with infrastructure or medical products, the appearance of the final product counts. This means that having a variety of aluminum surface finishes creates more possibilities for what an aluminum extrusion can do. We will review what surface treatments provide and the different types of finishes available in the industry.

What advantages do aluminum surface treatments provide?  

Often just seen as a means of corrosion protection, these treatments can drastically impact a variety of conditions and properties. Such changes include:

  • Altering surface hardness and abrasion resistance
  • Appearance
  • Coating adhesion like paints, varnish, and bonding adhesives
  • Providing protection from corrosion and durability

What types of aluminum surface finishes are there?

No matter the application, aluminum and its alloys provide the advantage of having a naturally hard and inert surface oxide layer. This layer is formed in aerated water and air and then re-forms when the metal is cut. Subsequently, the oxide film allows aluminum and its alloys to have minimal corrosion.

The surface finishes for aluminum fall into three main groups: anodizing, powder paint and liquid paint. Though not as common, there are other surface finishes which include mechanical finishes, pretreatment, and sublimation.

The Big Three: Anodizing, powder coating, and wet coating

  • Anodizing – Adding further protection beyond the natural oxide film, this electrochemical process provides durability to the aluminum. Anodized aluminum can accept vibrant colors and any aluminum alloy can be anodized. 
  • Powder Paint– This process leaves behind a film that meets intense performance criteria. For example, there are many environmental regulations that prevent the use of VOCs which powder coating does not contain. It is applied as a solid, and when going through and over, the solid particles fuse to form the film.

Liquid Paint – Varying in color, this film provides uniform thickness. Unlike powder coating, they do contain VOCs but they are driven off during the baking process. When these VOCs are removed, the volume solids form a film on the extrusion.

aluminum tree with wood on one side of the background and rows of steel on the other side

Other aluminum surface finishes:

  • Mechanical finishes – Aluminum and aluminum alloys can be buffed, polished, blasted, sanded, or grinded. This is typically done in order to improve the surface quality of the extrusion in order to prepare it for further cosmetic finishes.
  • Pretreatment – This surface finish is done by either etching or cleaning the profile with alkaline or acidic materials. Following the cleaning, a pretreatment coating is applied which enhances paint or powder adhesion, thus providing stronger resistance against corrosion.
  • Sublimation – This technique is rarely implemented but is becoming more common over time. Sublimation makes an aluminum alloy look like wood of all things! First, a base coat of powder is applied and then the extrusions go through sublimation. Then technicians place a thin film with a pattern on it around the profile. With the sublimation process, the wood pattern is directly transferred onto the extrusion.

Taber Extrusions knows what it takes to produce the top-quality extrusions with the best possible finishes. We offer a variety of surface finishes and work closely with our customers to achieve products that are not only reliable and functional but good looking.

To learn more about how we can be of service visit: https://taberextrusions.com/

For inquiries or quotes visit: https://taberextrusions.com/contact-us/

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Submit your resume to careers@taberextrusions.com.

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