Benefits of T-Slotted Aluminum Extrusions In Factories

Minitec Extrusions is a leading supplier of T-slotted aluminum extrusions and has been catering to the needs of industry for over 25 years. The company was set up in 1989 by a team of professionals with outstanding qualifications in the fields of Design, Engineering & Manufacturing. To date, they have supplied more than 500,000 tons of aluminum& steel to customers from over 40 countries.

Their commitment towards continuous improvement and customer satisfaction has enabled them to establish a strong foothold in the market.

Where to use T-slotted aluminum extrusions:

The most common usage of Minitec’s T slotted aluminum extrusion is in plant design for factory floors. Floor rails have been traditionally used as a base for machinery and equipment, which can be moved from one area to another. In recent years, floor rails have become part of the Integrated Manufacturing Plant (IMP), which include dedicated lines for machining, heat treating, stamping, painting and other assembly operations. With increasing globalization & automation in factories, smooth conveyance of materials is required to assemble products faster and more efficiently. For this purpose floor rails are manufactured with deep T slots that allow placement of movable equipment around the rails and facilitates movement of products (on skids) from one area to another.

Advantages of using T-slotted aluminum extrusions:

• Minitec’s extrusion is fabricated from prime quality Aluminum, which ensures high strength and stiffness as well as better resistance to corrosion. This minimizes the need for painting, saves cost and time.
• When compared with steel floor rails, aluminum rails are painted or enameled for protection against corrosion. Although paint is more expensive than electrolytic zinc, it needs to be reapplied at regular intervals to ensure that the beauty & finish of the floor are retained. This adds to the maintenance cost.
• Aluminum is lighter than steel. This makes aluminum floor rails easier to handle, move & install.
• Minitec’s extrusion has smooth surfaces, which gives a good grip for machines to slide on the T-slots. However, rubber mats are needed when handling sensitive products that may get scratched by metal movement on aluminum rail.
• Minitec’s extrusion is made with T slots that allow installation of equipment and handling of products anywhere along the length of the floor rail, which is not possible with standard steel rails.
• Minitec uses ASTM 514, 6063/6061 series aluminum in their extrusion. This ensures uniform wall thickness for easy machining and insertion of inserts.

Method to manufacture T-slotted aluminum extrusions:

Minitec has developed an advanced range of equipment for automation in its factories. As a result, the company has been able to increase its production capacity and meet customer requirements faster. Minitec is ISO 9001:2008 certified and is committed to high standards of quality at every stage of manufacturing.

Minitech’s extrusion can be cut using a variety of methods such as oxy/acetylene torches, plasma arc cutting and water jet cutting. The CNC machining process includes work on mills, lathes, drills and saws to cut the aluminum extrusions into desired dimensions with accuracy. Minitech’s ability to produce large volumes of material in less time with reduced scrap has helped increase productivity in the factory tremendously.