Aluminium Services for Automotive Sector

The Importance of Aluminium in Automotive Industry

Used extensively in the automotive industry, aluminium offers numerous advantages for the manufacturing of vehicular components:

Lightweight: As a significantly lighter alternative to steel, manufacturing automotive parts from aluminium can reduce overall vehicle weight, whilst retaining strength. In personal and commercial vehicle use, this can help to improve fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, with minimised fuel consumption required to move the vehicle. For high-performance automotive requirements, aluminium components can additionally increase the power-to-weight ratio of vehicles, resulting in enhanced acceleration and handling performance.

Corrosion Resistance: When exposed to the atmosphere, aluminium forms a natural, protective layer of aluminium oxide (Al2O3) on the surface of the substrate. The layer of aluminium oxide protects the structural integrity of automotive components manufactured from aluminium, preventing further oxidation and corrosion. This property results in enhanced durability, remaining resistant to harsh environmental effects such as rain, road surface water and road salts. As a result, aluminium is ideal for use in automotive manufacturing, ensuring high performance and durability in uses such as chassis manufacturing, body panels and wheels.

Heat Conductivity: With the ability to transfer heat through a material from hotter to colder regions, aluminium exhibits excellent heat conductivity properties. Aluminium is rendered an ideal substrate for use in automotive component applications where efficient transfer of heat is required. As a result, aluminium is often selected for use in automotive manufacturing processes for vehicle radiators/heat exchangers, cylinder heads, engine blocks and exhaust manifolds, minimising the risk of overheating to enhance vehicular performance.

Versatility and Formability: Aluminium exhibits high formability properties, maximising its versatility for use in automotive component manufacturing. Subject to complex design specifications, aluminium is suitable for a diverse range of fabrication and engineering processes to produce complex componentry through extrusions, CNC milling and turning (milling machines and lathes), and fabrication processes.

Precision Aluminium Componentry for the Automotive Sector

At Edmo, we are equipped with the expertise and state-of-the-art engineering technology to support your aluminium manufacturing needs. Contact our specialist team today to discuss your automotive component requirements.

Aluminium Components in Automotive Industry:

Due to the versatility of the substrate's physical properties and manufacturing processes, aluminium can be found in systems and components throughout the automotive industry, including:

Vehicle Body and Panels: The lightweight and corrosion-resistant properties of aluminium make them ideal for manufacturing of vehicle body components, including: Doors and door panels, roofs, bonnets, boots, body panelling.

Chassis Components: With high strength to weight ratios, aluminium is ideal to provide strong structural integrity and durability for key chassis components of vehicles, whilst also lowering vehicle weight. Suitable for: Chassis, engine mounts, suspension mounts and components.

Engine System Components: With excellent heat conductivity properties and strength to weight ratios, aluminium is an ideal substrate for use in manufacturing automotive engine system components such as: Engine blocks, cylinder heads, exhaust manifolds, oil pans and fuel tanks.

Additional Components: With ultimate versatility in manufacturing processes, aluminium can be used for manufacturing: Aluminium alloy wheels, radiators/heat exchangers, anti-roll bars, wiring harness components.

From 7075 to 6061-T6, the exact type of aluminium or alloy compound can alter the performance and suitability for the chosen application, such as the exact strength-to-weight ratio or ability to be welded/fabricated.

At Edmo, we stock and source an extensive range of high-quality aluminium alloys with our expert team available to assist you with your automotive component requirements.

To discuss your automotive component requirements, contact our specialist team today to discover how our turnkey aluminium engineering services can support you.

Key Manufacturing Processes in Aluminium Automotive Components:

At Edmo, our specialist team of aluminium engineering experts are backed with over 45 year of expertise and industry excellence, offering an extensive range of end-to-end aluminium services for the automotive industry, including:

Aluminium Extrusions: The process of extruding aluminium through a die to form the material into a specific profile or cross-section. Aluminium extrusions can be used to manufacture long, complex components for vehicles, including chassis frames and components and body trims.

At Edmo, we are equipped to produce a range of standard aluminium extruded profiles up to 400mm, with bespoke die manufacturing to produce custom aluminium profiles for your automotive components. Discover more about our aluminium extrusion services here.

CNC Milling and Drilling: A fundamental process in modern automotive component manufacturing, CNC milling ensures precision and accuracy to complex component designs.

At Edmo, our suite of state-of-the-art 4-axis CNC milling machines enable us to provide high-performance aluminium milling and drilling services to your exact volume requirements. Discover more about our aluminium CNC milling services here.

CNC Turning: CNC turning is a fundamental process in manufacturing components for the automotive industry.
At Edmo, our CNC turning and boring services ensure maximised manufacturing efficiency, proving up to four times faster than manual turning and boring processes. Discover more about our CNC lathe services here.

CNC Tube Bending: CNC tube bending is used extensively throughout the automotive sector, including in the production of exhaust systems, seat frames and roll cages, whilst providing accessibility aids such as handrails for modified personal vehicles and commercial transport vehicles such as buses and coaches.

At Edmo, our modern production facility is equipped with advanced CNC fabrication technology, offering precision tube bending, roller bending, stretch forming, and flow forming services. Discover more about our CNC tube bending services here.

Aluminium Welding: A fundamental process in the assembly and fabrication of automotive components, aluminium welding can be used in the assembly and subassembly of vehicle frames and body panels.

At Edmo, we offer a comprehensive range of welding services including: Gas Tungsten arc welding (CTAW/TIG), Gas metal arc welding (GMAW/MIG), Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) and Flux cored arc welding (FCAW). Discover more about our aluminium metal welding services here.