Aluminum alloy products offer architectural and building solutions that exploit the benefits inherent in this metal: light weight, excellent durability, low maintenance, and thermal management opportunities. This chapter discusses the major applications for aluminum building products and related competitive materials. The commonly used alloys and tempers and their performance benefits are outlined for extruded profiles, rolled sheet and foil, and die cast products.

This chapter provides an overview of the rolling and finishing processes required to create a sheet, plate, or foil product from a direct chill (DC) cast ingot. The flow paths, equipment, and operations are described with a view to the basic evolution of the microstructure, surface characteristics, and dimensions.

This chapter describes how aluminum sheet and foil alloys are processed to produce functional, economical packages that meet the various industry performance criteria. The focus is on the key customer requirements for three main application segments: foil, cans, and impact extrusions. A huge range of products in this industry segment is also illustrated. The need for sustainable production and recyclability is also discussed.

This chapter discusses the development of aluminum, its industry growth, and its modern uses in manufacturing. It begins with the biography of Charles Martin Hall, who invented the process for reducing aluminum from its ore. The evolution of aluminum production from the Pittsburgh Reduction Company to a pilot plant on Smallman Street in Pittsburgh, to a production plant in New Kensington, and to Niagara Falls, New York, is then described. This is followed by a discussion on early aluminum applications and the usage of lower-cost raw materials. The chapter provides information on aluminum production process integrated by Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) and the numerous technical problems and solutions related to Alcoa's research from World War I to World War II. The aerospace applications for aluminum alloys are also presented. The chapter concludes with a section on aluminum alloys developed by Alcoa.

This chapter provides basic concepts and background for customer-related manufacturing processes applied to aluminum products including forming, joining and welding, surface treatments, and machinability. It reviews the selection criteria, key testing regimes, and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) requirements. The chapter also presents examples that demonstrate the importance of choosing the correct alloy and temper to successfully meet the OEM fabrication criteria.

This chapter describes the process steps in the production of smelter grade aluminum, the environmental issues with aluminum production, and the importance of recycling. It also provides a discussion on the refining, or Bayer, process and the smelting, or Hall-Héroult, process.

This chapter describes the different aluminum products used to manufacture modern automobile components. It discusses how automakers use these products to reduce weight, improve performance, and manage production costs. It also reflects on the changes in the aluminum industry, automakers, and their relationships. Organized by product type—castings, sheet, and extrusions—each section of the chapter describes the relevant alloys, tempers, and properties required to meet specific needs for component parts and final assembly.

Forged aluminum products vary widely in their production methods and applications. The forging process allows for control of microstructure and directional properties, and their fatigue and fracture resistance are superior to shape castings. This chapter presents the types, equipment, process steps, alloys, and products of aluminum forging.