1 03, 2021

Taber: Microextrusions For Defense and Aerospace

2021-03-01T20:55:09+00:00March 1st, 2021|

Two images side-by-side, on left: long-range radar antenna used to track space objects and ballistic missiles. On right: A military radar antenna which rotates steadily, used for aircraft detection.

Like conventional aluminum extrusions, microextrusions are pushed through a die. Unlike conventional extrusions, the entire extrusion process is performed at a submillimeter level. In other words, the resulting product’s cross section can fit through a 1-millimeter square. Since microforming was first explored in 1990, several microextrusion processes have been developed and found to be especially valuable in the defense and aerospace industries.

“Taber was originally recognized for our large shapes and now we are establishing ourselves as microextruders. Since we’ve added microextrusions, friction stir welding, and billet casting, we’re pretty much spanning the gamut of aluminum extrusion competence,” says Jason Weber, VP of Sales and Marketing at Taber Extrusions. “We were already well-versed within the defense and aerospace markets but adding miniature aluminum extrusions to our capabilities has allowed us to become a one-stop shop for our customers in those industries. Our diversification has opened the door wide for our customers.”

Three side-by-side images illustrating how strikingly small microextrusions are. Various aluminum profiles are lined up creatively next to measuring rulers.

Taber Extrusions has experienced many evolutions since its founding in the early 1970s. Established in Russellville, AR, Taber pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billet, able to extrude solid profiles up to 31 inches wide or hollows up to 29 inches. Since then, the Gulfport, MS facility was added, which increased Taber’s billet capacity, alloy range, and ability to reuse materials. Within the last decade, fabrication capabilities were upgraded, friction stir welding was added, and of course, microextrusions became an offering.

MICROEXTRUSIONS FOR DEFENSE AND AEROSPACE

For which type of end-use applications are Taber’s microextrusions being utilized?

 

Defense

 

Precision is a must for military, defense, and firearms manufacturing – requiring strength, complexity, and tight tolerances. Aluminum’s high strength-to-weight ratio makes it the ideal material for many defense product applications such as:

 

  • Communications systems
  • Electronics thermal management/enclosures
  • Guidance systems
  • Radar systems
  • Weapons systems
  • Firearms components and accessories
A U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon, British Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon, French Air Force Dessault Rafale, and U.S. Air Force F-22 fly in formation above the clouds on a sunny day.

Aerospace

 

From the Wright brothers to NASA, aluminum has helped make it possible for humans to fly above the Earth onward to explore other galaxies. Aluminum’s minimal maintenance, lightweight with high strength, flexibility at low temperatures, and ability to engineer a wide range of functionality into components, makes it an obvious choice for solutions in aircraft and aerospace.  For the most part, microextrusions function out of site and you’ll never know they are all around you. However, they serve a crucial role in aerospace:

 

  • Interior aircraft systems
  • Supplemental oxygen systems
  • Electrical/Communication Systems
  • Passenger Comfort Systems
  • Coolant radiators
  • Oil coolers
  • Transmission coolers
  • Intercoolers
  • AC condensers
  • Passenger service systems
  • Other fluid/gas systems

As aluminum has played an important role in the defense and aerospace applications for many years, a new generation of aluminum-lithium alloys are offering aircraft manufacturers even more savings when it comes to weight and fuel. Beyond aluminum’s high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent formability, its anticorrosive properties make it a top choice. When aluminum is exposed to air, it forms a hard microscopic oxide coating, sealing it from the environment. This tight oxide bond is a compound not found in nature, but an aluminum alloy created to provide a long-lasting protective solution. These unique properties allow microextrusion manufacturers like Taber Extrusions to furnish extremely strong, precise, and long-lasting miniature extrusions to end users in a wide range of markets.

Taber’s Miniature Extrusion Capabilities

  • Up to 0.8 In2 cross sectional area
  • Special cases down to 0.075 In2
  • Profile circle size up to 3″
  • Minimum wall thickness possible to 0.010” (select cases)
  • Key characteristic tolerances possible ±0.001” (select cases)
: The word “microextrusions” reflects on a metal ruler up to the 4-inch mark, with 3 sizes of square hollow-shaped miniature extrusions lined up against the 1-2-inch marks.

More About Taber Extrusions: 

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 new state-of-the-art cast house and two additional presses, microextrusion capabilities, and the fabrication area has been expanded multiple times.

Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes 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 cast and extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys.

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.

Become a customer today! Visit us or request a quote: https://taberextrusions.com or call us at (888) 985-5319.

18 02, 2021

Aluminum Microtubing Rapidly Developing in Sync: Microextrusions

2021-02-18T21:00:51+00:00February 18th, 2021|

3D Rendering of a silver ruler measuring approximately 2 inches of space, with 4 tiny aluminum tubes jutting down from the top of the image, barely taking up a few millimeters on the ruler. The words “Aluminum Mictotubing” appear to the right in white.

Recent advancements in extrusion have allowed for aluminum microtubing products to be used in medicine and surgical applications. Specifically, microextrusions have allowed for OEM’s to request microtubing with dimensions previously thought impossible.

With continued advancements in several industries, aluminum microtubing has become increasingly more complex and smaller in size. New and advanced processes have placed an urgency on manufacturers to produce smaller and smaller microtubing with safer and more durable materials.

OEMs are primarily focused on miniaturizing their devices and providing new features, but reducing cost is also a large concern. Before, these OEMs relied on traditional injecting molding to complete these projects. However, with the increasing popularity of microextrusions, OEMs now have much more flexibility in cost and design.

The use of aluminum microtubing is useful in this regard. Aluminum can provide three times as much volume per pound as other metal products – so when weight is a factor, it is an obvious choice.

Aluminum’s natural corrosion resistance makes it suitable to many types of environments and its ability to transmit heat rapidly make it ideal for heat transfer processes. On top of this all, aluminum tubing is readily bent, formed, and welded.

Per Medical Design Briefs:

“From a challenge standpoint, material is a key factor… running products on a micro level requires materials to be processed at extremely low output levels, thus creating the potential for high shear and material degradation.

Unlike traditional extrusion, which processes a large amount of material quickly, microextrusion processes a small amount of material slowly to get the desired physical and performance attributes.

In addition to the benefits provided by the reduction in size, another plus is to have the ability to build in advanced steerable capabilities, enhanced with… features to aid in complex procedures. This type of structure can be produced in multilayer size, with enhanced performance in many areas. Depending on the application and device, you can modify configurations to aid the designers even further.”

TABER’S MICROEXTRUSION PROCESS

Taber’s aluminum ultra-precise extrusions are produced through a proprietary technique that delivers features, tolerances, and surface finishes previously considered to be impossible. This unique extrusion process continues to excite design engineers, offering an additional design alternative for the production of precision aluminum components. Industries most commonly using microextrusions include computer, electronics, aerospace, medical, industrial, and military.

About Taber Extrusions: 

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 new state of the art cast house and two additional presses, micro-extrusion capabilities, and the fabrication area has been expanded multiple times.

Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes, 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 cast and extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys.

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.

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

An infographic consisting of icons depicting various surface materials (aluminum, surgical gloves, plastic, steel, glass, PVC, silicon rubber, ceramic, and Teflon) with the headline, “Coronavirus (HCoV) Survival Time on Various Inanimate Surface Materials”

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.

Become a customer today! Visit us or request a quote: https://taberextrusions.com or call us at (888) 985-5319.

16 12, 2020

Microextrusions In The Consumer Electronics Sector

2020-12-16T04:13:47+00:00December 16th, 2020|

A sleek, modern wooden desk with various consumer electronics neatly organized across the top. Items include a laptop, iPad, two cell phones, small stereo speakers, and headphones.

 

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.

An infographic consisting of icons depicting various surface materials (aluminum, surgical gloves, plastic, steel, glass, PVC, silicon rubber, ceramic, and Teflon) with the headline, “Coronavirus (HCoV) Survival Time on Various Inanimate Surface Materials”

 

Are you familiar with Moore’s Law?

It’s an observation made by Gordon Moore, cofounder of Intel. It posits that the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit doubles every two years. Put simply, this means that computer hardware, as it becomes more complex, also becomes smaller.

You’ve seen it firsthand. Compare the bulky first smartphone you purchased back in 2007 to the shiny new smartphone you have in your pocket right now. It’s thinner, bigger, and packs WAY more energy-per-gram than it did a decade ago.

As tech companies are in a constant race to make things micro-sized, industrial OEMS must seek out new technologies to keep up.

Enter microextrusions – a recent process that delivers features, tolerances, and surface finishes previously believed to be impossible. Advancement in microextrusion allows design engineers the freedom to utilize component designs in microextrusion which enhance functionality and performance beyond normal extruded parts.

Below, we outline some different aspects of consumer electronics that rely on precision aluminum extrusions in their designs.

CPU HEAT SINKS

The CPU (central processing unit) is akin to the brain of the computer – it performs the arithmetic, logic, and I/O operations based on the instructions from other computer components. This heavy workload leaves CPUs prone to overheating, and as such, require a heat sink to disperse heat and keep the component cool.

Advancements in microextrusion technology allow for heat sink designs to disperse heat even more effectively. Keeping your CPU at a good operating temperature is essential for long-term performance!

MOTHERBOARDS

Microextrusions are used in motherboards to create housing for ethernet and USB ports, as well as housing for DVI, HDMI, and sound input and output ports.

Microextrusions are also used for the crucial CPU socket, which often uses a latch to securely house the CPU and attach it to the motherboard.

GRAPHICS PROCESSING UNITS

Graphics cards, such as NVIDIA’s recent Titan V, are often housed in an aluminum shell to keep the internals of the GPU safe and secure (and it looks absolutely stunning to boot!).

HARD DRIVE BAYS

Most modern hard drives come with mounting brackets and are housed in a computer case by sliding them through an extruded aluminum hard drive bay. This keeps them secure during operation – hard drives are very susceptible to damage from physical shock, so keeping them secure is important!

: A close-up view of a computer circuit board of some kind, with various ports and exposed wires.

LED PROFILE BAYS

LED lights are often housed in microextruded profile bays – the extremely fine materials and plastics used to create it allow the LED lights to shine through while also keeping them protected from the environments.

EXTRUDED ENCLOSURES

Since consumer electronics often make use of sensitive magnets, aluminum is perfectly suited to house those components. This is because aluminum does not spark, melt, or rust, and can be customized to fit the need of any product.

About Taber Extrusions

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 new state of the art cast house and two additional presses, micro-extrusion capabilities, and the fabrication area has been expanded multiple times.

Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes 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 cast and extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys.

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.

4 12, 2020

Process, Benefits, and Examples of Medical Microextrusions

2020-12-04T01:28:40+00:00December 4th, 2020|

A brightly lit medical office containing an MRI machine and various other high tech medical testing equipment.

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.

An infographic consisting of icons depicting various surface material (aluminum, surgical gloves, plastic, steel, glass, PVC, silicon rubber, ceramic, and Teflon.) with the headline, “Coronavirus (HCoV)) Survival Time on Various Inanimate Materials”

Medical Microextrusions: Process, Benefits, and Examples

Advancements in medical microextrusions technology in recent years have allowed manufacturers to create high quality products for the world of medical OEMs. With a range of dimensions that can reach as small as 0.024 in., OD with up to 6 lumens, and an ID range that can reach 0.003, it’s no surprise that many OEMs are turning to companies like Taber Extrusions that can provide products within these parameters. (Source: medicaldesignbriefs.com)

In fact, micro-sized medical components are quickly becoming crucial to modern hospital safety and cost-efficiency. Whether it be for micro-tubing or micro sized components, the microextrusion process provides a number of benefits to engineers, OEMs, and patients.

In the quest to create higher quality medical devices, companies are looking to enhance existing products (including catheters and precise flow restrictors) through miniaturization, while ultimately reducing the costs of production.

Medical products that utilize microextrusion technology overwhelmingly support cardio-and-neurovascular procedures, drug delivery, IV procedures, and other procedures that require work on a micro level.

By minimizing the impact of invasive procedures, the medical industry can reduce complications, make procedures faster and more efficient, and ultimately reduce patient in-time and overall healthcare costs.

Closeup angle of a bundle of medical microextrusions with a blue overlay on the photo.

WHAT’S THE MICROEXTRUSION PROCESS LIKE?

Manufacturing the miniature components used in a medical microextrusion device poses a unique challenge for microextrusion providers. These components cannot be created using conventional extrusion machinery. Instead, they require precise, state-of-the-art equipment that allows for a high degree of precision and control over the process, as well as Engineers and technicians that possess deep knowledge of both the material and the process itself.

However, at its core, the process is similar to that of regular extrusion.

The material is either pushed forward (direct) or pulled through (indirect) a die orifice to create the shape required. Unlike macro-level extrusions, microextrusions are extruded at a very slow rate to maintain the physical properties of materials that are often delicate.

Done properly, microextrusions can create end products that have complex cross sections and preserved chemical properties.

BENEFITS TO OEMs

Lower Time-to-Market

In years previous, OEM’s requests for medical products would require them to re-outfit their existing extrusion machines, which would take more time and far less efficient. With many manufacturers outfitting themselves with microextrusion machinery, the time required to create the product is drastically reduced.

Lower Costs

As stated above, microextrusions can achieve their desired performance at fractions of the cost, due to the lower cost in materials that are used. As the development of the technology continues to improve, so to do the devices that are used in tandem with them. (i.e fibre optic cable, sensors, stints, etc.)

Psychological benefit to patients

A patient’s positive mental state can be a great asset to their recovery. Waning are the days of large, invasive medical devices that can cause patients discomfort. Smaller, less intrusive devices can go a long way. (source: Medical Plastic News)

POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

  • Infant/pediatric care
  • Heart leads
  • Neurological
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Catheters
  • Radiology
  • Urology
  • Oncology

About Taber Extrusions

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 new state of the art cast house and two additional presses, micro-extrusion capabilities, and the fabrication area has been expanded multiple times.

Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys and sizes, 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 cast and extruded products in a variety of soft and hard alloys.

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.

Become a customer today! Visit us or request a quote: https://taberextrusions.com or call us at (888) 985-5319.

4 04, 2019

Microextrusions, Aluminum Microtubing Rapidly Developing in Sync

2019-03-21T22:02:46+00:00April 4th, 2019|

An edited image of a series of different sized microtubes with the words “Aluminum Microtubing.”

Recent advancements in extrusion have allowed for aluminum microtubing products to be used in medicine and surgical applications. Specifically, microextrusions have allowed for OEM’s to request microtubing with dimensions previously thought impossible.

With continued advancements in several industries, aluminum microtubing has become increasingly more complex and smaller in size. New and advanced processes have placed an urgency on manufacturers to produce smaller and smaller microtubing with safer and more durable materials.

OEMs are primarily focused on miniaturizing their devices and providing new features, but reducing cost is also a large concern. Before, these OEMs relied on traditional injecting molding to complete these projects. However, with the increasing popularity of microextrusions, OEMs now have much more flexibility in cost and design.

The use of aluminum microtubing is useful in this regard. Aluminum can provide three times as much volume per pound as other metal products – so when weight is a factor, it is an obvious choice.

Aluminum’s natural corrosion resistance makes it suitable to many types of environments and its ability to transmit heat rapidly make it ideal for heat transfer processes. On top of this all, aluminum tubing is readily bent, formed, and welded.

Per Medical Design Briefs:

“From a challenge standpoint, material is a key factor… running products on a micro level requires materials to be processed at extremely low output levels, thus creating the potential for high shear and material degradation.

Unlike traditional extrusion, which processes a large amount of material quickly, microextrusion processes a small amount of material slowly to get the desired physical and performance attributes.

In addition to the benefits provided by the reduction in size, another plus is to have the ability to build in advanced steerable capabilities, enhanced with… features to aid in complex procedures. This type of structure can be produced in multilayer size, with enhanced performance in many areas. Depending on the application and device, you can modify configurations to aid the designers even further.”

TABER’S MICROEXTRUSION PROCESS

Taber’s aluminum ultra-precise extrusions are produced through a proprietary technique that delivers features, tolerances, and surface finishes previously considered to be impossible. This unique extrusion process continues to excite design engineers, offering an additional design alternative for the production of precision aluminum components. Industries most commonly using microextrusions include computer, electronics, aerospace, medical, industrial, and military.

About Taber: 

Founded in 1973, Taber Extrusions originally pioneered a process for extruding rectangular billets 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 casthouse and two additional presses, with a fabrication area that has been expanded multiple times. Today, Taber Extrusions is proud to announce the launch of expanded capabilities to include microextrusions and 7” billet molds.

Follow Taber Extrusions:

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

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

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/taberextrusions

28 08, 2018

Microextrusions for Consumer Electronics

2018-08-28T19:36:35+00:00August 28th, 2018|

Are you familiar with Moore’s Law?

It’s an observation made by Gordon Moore, cofounder of Intel. It posits that the number of transistors in a dense integrated circuit doubles every two years. Put simply, this means that computer hardware, as it becomes more complex, also becomes smaller.

You’ve seen it firsthand. Compare the bulky first smartphone you purchased back in 2007 to the shiny new smartphone you have in your pocket right now. It’s thinner, bigger, and packs WAY more energy-per-gram than it did a decade ago.

As tech companies are in a constant race to make things micro-sized, industrial OEMS must seek out new technologies to keep up.

Enter microextrusions – a recent process that delivers features, tolerances, and surface finishes previously believed to be impossible. Advancement in microextrusion allows design engineers the freedom to utilize component designs in microextrusion which enhance functionality and performance beyond normal extruded parts.

Below, we outline some different aspects of consumer electronics that rely on precision aluminum extrusions in their designs.

CPU HEAT SINKS

The CPU (central processing unit) is akin to the brain of the computer – it performs the arithmetic, logic, and I/O operations based on the instructions from other computer components. This heavy workload leaves CPUs prone to overheating, and as such, require a heat sink to disperse heat and keep the component cool.

Advancements in microextrusion technology allow for heat sink designs to disperse heat even more effectively. Keeping your CPU at a good operating temperature is essential for long-term performance!

MOTHERBOARDS

Microextrusions are used in motherboards to create housing for ethernet and USB ports, as well as housing for DVI, HDMI, and sound input and output ports.

Microextrusions are also used for the crucial CPU socket, which often uses a latch to securely house the CPU and attach it to the motherboard.

GRAPHICS PROCESSING UNITS

Graphics cards, such as NVIDIA’s recent Titan V, are often housed in an aluminum shell to keep the internals of the GPU safe and secure (and it looks absolutely stunning to boot!).

HARD DRIVE BAYS

Most modern hard drives come with mounting brackets, and are housed in a computer case by sliding them through an extruded aluminum hard drive bay. This keeps them secure during operation – hard drives are very susceptible to damage from physical shock, so keeping them secure is important!

LED PROFILE BAYS

LED lights are often housed in microextruded profile bays – the extremely fine materials and plastics used to create it allow the LED lights to shine through while also keeping them protected from the environments.

EXTRUDED ENCLOSURES

Since consumer electronics often make use of sensitive magnets, aluminum is perfectly suited to house those components. This is because aluminum does not spark, melt, or rust, and can be customized to fit the need of any product.

About Taber Extrusions

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 new state of the art cast house, two additional presses, and a fabrication area that has been expanded multiple times. Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys. and sizes.

Taber Extrusions has recently enhanced its portfolio of services with the addition of ultra-precision aluminum extrusions®. Today, Taber Extrusions is proud of its full line up offering of extruded aluminum components, value-added machining services and raw material supply to the North American market.

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.

22 06, 2018

Medical Microextrusions | Process, Benefits, and Examples

2018-06-22T22:04:25+00:00June 22nd, 2018|

medical microextrusions

Advancements in medical microextrusions technology in recent years have allowed manufacturers to create high quality products for the world of medical OEMs. With a range of dimensions that can reach as small as 0.024 in., OD with up to 6 lumens, and an ID range that can reach 0.003, it’s no surprise that many OEMs are turning to companies like Taber Extrusions that can provide products within these parameters. (Source: medicaldesignbriefs.com)

In fact, micro-sized medical components are quickly becoming crucial to modern hospital safety and cost-efficiency. Whether it be for micro-tubing or micro sized components, the microextrusion process provides a number of benefits to engineers, OEMs, and patients.

In the quest to create higher quality medical devices, companies are looking to enhance existing products (including catheters and precise flow restrictors) through miniaturization, while ultimately reducing the costs of production.

Medical products that utilize microextrusion technology overwhelmingly support cardio-and-neurovascular procedures, drug delivery, IV procedures, and other procedures that require work on a micro level.

By minimizing the impact of invasive procedures, the medical industry can reduce complications, make procedures faster and more efficient, and ultimately reduce patient in-time and overall healthcare costs.

WHAT’S THE MICROEXTRUSION PROCESS LIKE?

Manufacturing the miniature components used in a medical microextrusion device poses a unique challenge for microextrusion providers. These components cannot be created using conventional extrusion machinery. Instead, they require precise, state-of-the-art equipment that allows for a high degree of precision and control over the process, as well as Engineers and technicians that possess deep knowledge of both the material and the process itself.

However, at its core, the process is similar to that of regular extrusion.

The material is either pushed forward (direct) or pulled through (indirect) a die orifice to create the shape required. Unlike macro-level extrusions, microextrusions are extruded at a very slow rate to maintain the physical properties of materials that are often delicate.

Done properly, microextrusions can create end products that have complex cross sections and preserved chemical properties.

BENEFITS TO OEMs

Lower Time-to-Market

In years previous, OEM’s requests for medical products would require them to re-outfit their existing extrusion machines, which would take more time and far less efficient. With many manufacturers outfitting themselves with microextrusion machinery, the time required to create the product is drastically reduced.

Lower Costs

As stated above, microextrusions can achieve their desired performance at fractions of the cost, due to the lower cost in materials that are used. As the development of the technology continues to improve, so to do the devices that are used in tandem with them. (i.e fibre optic cable, sensors, stints, etc.)

Psychological benefit to patients

A patient’s positive mental state can be a great asset to their recovery. Waning are the days of large, invasive medical devices that can cause patients discomfort. Smaller, less intrusive devices can go a long way. (source: Medical Plastic News)

POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

  • Infant/paediatric care
  • Heart leads
  • Neurological
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Catheters
  • Radiology
  • Urology
  • Oncology

About Taber Extrusions

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 new state of the art cast house, two additional presses, and a fabrication area that has been expanded multiple times. Taber continues to extrude billet in a wide range of alloys. and sizes.

Taber Extrusions has recently purchased the Exact Manufacturing division of Lou-Rich, Inc. which will now expand Taber’s capabilities to include ultra-precision aluminum extrusions®.

Today, Taber Extrusions is proud to announce expanded capabilities to include aluminum ultra-precision extrusions®.

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.

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