At FramingTech we are known for our durable, high-quality aluminum fabrications, from aquarium stands to work tables, and more. This metal is a fascinating and versatile element, and we thought you would enjoy our infographic spotlighting some of aluminum’s extraordinary properties. Continue reading “Aluminum Fast Facts [Infographic]”
In a previous blog article (“Everyday Aluminum: Construction”) we discussed how aluminum extrusions have lately become an important feature in the construction industry. Building contractors have long recognized the structural and aesthetic benefits of using aluminum components in their work. Nowadays you commonly see them in windows, doors, frames, stairways, and elsewhere.
In the realm of architecture too we find that this lightweight and versatile metal now plays an increasingly important role in more heavily weighted and complex fabrications within buildings, bridges, and other architectural structures: in railings, enclosures, curtain walls, façades, and pergolas, just to name a few. This article, then, will focus on specific examples of those kinds of whole structures in which aluminum stands out as a major component in their construction. Continue reading “Everyday Aluminum: Architecture”
Perhaps it is due to the fact that the adult human body is made up of some 60% water, or that our most ancient biological ancestors first emerged onto land from a primordial sea. Whatever the instinctive reason, unquestionably there is hardly a person alive who is not automatically drawn to—if not utterly transfixed by—the sight of an indoor fish tank, displayed on a beautiful aquarium stand and populated by thriving schools of exotic, colorful, water-dwelling creatures swimming to and fro. It is both aesthetically pleasing in its own right and deeply relaxing to watch. Continue reading “Guidelines for Choosing an Aquarium Stand”
At Framing Technology, Inc., we pride ourselves on the sheer variety of fabricated parts sold directly to customers from our website. Whatever the need or application, more than likely we can provide a ready-made solution with our considerable inventory of types and sizes of T-slotted aluminum extrusions (in both metric and inch profiles) along with related assembly hardware, including:
Continue reading “CAD: The Key to Customization at FramingTech”
Previously we have discussed some of the more practical (if not prosaic) uses of aluminum in our everyday lives, from car manufacturing to building construction to solar panels, and even in robotics. One delightful area we have not touched on yet is the use of aluminum for purely aesthetic purposes: in the making of art.
It’s hard to imagine an elemental metal more suited than aluminum for creating beautiful objects. For one thing, there’s plenty of it: aluminum is the third most abundant element on Earth and the most abundant metal, making up some 8% of the planet’s crust. This durable metal is strong yet light, has a pleasing silvery-white appearance, can be polished to a highly reflective sheen, and is resistant to oxidation and corrosion. Though sometimes a “finicky” metal to work with (due to its relatively low melting point and high heat-conductiveness), it is also a versatile one: it is both ductile and malleable and can easily be molded, extruded, bent, stamped, cut, riveted, and welded. It can even be successfully painted and glued, since finishes and adhesives retain 100% of their strength when bonded to aluminum, thanks to its unique chemical properties.
Given all this, the world should be fairly bursting with astonishing artworks made from aluminum. And yet such treasures are few and far between compared to artworks made with other materials. Continue reading “Everyday Aluminum: Art”
A lot goes into building a robot. You have to choose the right schematic, choose how you’re going to build it, as well as the materials you’re going to use. It may come as a surprise to some, but building a robot is a tad more complicated than going out to the garage and throwing together spare parts. You also have to plan it out and answer questions to know how to approach it. Do you build it from scratch? Or instead, do you build it by adapting ready-made products to serve as the base of your robot? Finally, what materials are you going to use to build it. For some, the base materials consist of wood and plastic, but for the discerning robotics hobbyist, the metal of choice is aluminum. To robotics hobbyists, aluminum is one of the most important materials you will use. It’s strong, lightweight, resistant to corrosion, affordable, and most importantly, easy to manipulate. Continue reading “Aluminum: Robotics Metal of Choice”
In the past, we’ve talked about how Aluminum has shaped our lives and continues to be part of the cutting edge of future technology. However, it is also helping push green and sustainable technologies further. Here are a few products currently in research that could help replace the existing technologies with sustainable products. Continue reading “Aluminum: Helping Push Green Technologies Further”
Smartphones, electric cars, wearable devices; what do all three of these things have in common? At one time they were considered to be a fantasy, to only be imagined in the realm of science fiction. With the constant progress of technology, these fantasies have become reality. Not only that, aluminum has helped play a part in bringing these previously science fiction items to life, and it has no plans of stopping its part in helping technology progress into the future. Here are some glimpses into the future of technology that are being helped along by aluminum. Continue reading “Aluminum: Powering Today and The Future”
Aluminum impacts our lives in more ways than we realize. Of course, there are the obvious ones that we use and interact with in our daily lives; the soda can you drink from is made of aluminum, we use aluminum foil as a cooking aid, the keyboard I’m typing this blog post with is made mostly of aluminum, however, aluminum is impacting our lives in ways we don’t see or sometimes even realize, and as we slowly march into the future, it will have an even bigger impact than it does now. Continue reading “Aluminum: A Cornerstone of Future Technology”
With fossil fuels quickly becoming harder and harder to come by, we must begin looking for alternatives to continue our high necessity for energy. One such method is using solar energy to help create a clean, limitless alternative to our current energy dependence. Up until now, most of these frames have been created using pressed steel, a long and very expensive process, especially for the costs associated with creating the necessary frameworks for the photovoltaic cells. Continue reading “Everyday Aluminum: Solar Power”
