Aluminium Chassis Structure Profiles

General information about vehicle construction profiles

Vehicle construction profiles are used in the construction of bodies and superstructures of (commercial) vehicles and in trailer construction. (commercial) vehicles and in trailer construction. Depending on the intended use, the metal profiles are made of steel or aluminium, whereby vehicle construction profiles made of aluminium enable a higher payload due to their low dead weight. Steel vehicle construction profiles are used when particularly high stability and resistance are required, for example in tipper bodies for trucks. Profiles for vehicle construction are available in a wide variety of shapes and designs, often special profiles or special profiles that have been designed precisely for a particular type of vehicle or a particular area of application.

Production of vehicle construction profiles from aluminium

Vehicle construction profiles made of aluminium and aluminium alloys are usually produced by extrusion. In direct extrusion, a heated compact is placed in a press cylinder and pressed by means of a punch through a die that is attached to the open side of the cylinder. This produces a strand whose external dimensions correspond to the internal dimensions of the die.
In indirect extrusion, a press cylinder closed on one side is moved against a die and has the same direction of movement as the profile strand. Cavities can be produced by mandrels. The continuous material produced can have a length of up to 60 m and is then separated into profiles of the required length.

After forming, heat treatment is often carried out on age-hardenable aluminium alloys. For example, the profiles are solution annealed to dissolve the alloying elements in the aluminium crystal, then quenched and then cold aged (at room temperature) or hot aged (at around 140 to 190 °C) to form finely distributed precipitates to increase strength.

Aluminium surfaces can remain untreated after extrusion, but often a surface treatment such as anodising is carried out. This forms a hard, wear-resistant protective layer on the aluminium, which improves the corrosion resistance of the profiles and extends their service life.

Where are vehicle construction profiles used?

There are special construction profiles, special profiles and special profiles for many areas of application in vehicle construction, including:

• Drop sides: edging and special profiles, Snap Lock or Eurosnap profiles in the form of intermediate or end profiles.
• Box bodies: Outer angle, cover angle, floor frame profiles
• Plank floors: fluted plank floor profiles
• Vehicle construction substructures: U-profiles, rectangular profiles
• Tipper: tipper profiles
• Lightweight flatbeds: cross member profiles
• Underride protection: main profiles, edging profiles
• Sewer and manhole covers: Base profiles

What are the advantages of aluminium vehicle construction profiles?

Vehicle construction profiles made of aluminium are convincing due to their positive properties:

• low weight
• Production of complex shapes possible
• Easy assembly thanks to assembly-friendly profile systems