When ordering aluminum in coiled strip form there are some terms you should be familiar with. These include alloy, temper, gauge and width, along with specific tolerances on the gauge and width. Today, we’ll explore these words, and several key questions that will help better prepare you for quoting and ordering aluminum coil.
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There are other important terms required to specify your aluminum coil needs. The terms ID and OD, for example, refer to the “Inner Diameter” (or the hole, sometimes called the “eye”) in the center of a coil, while the OD is the “Outer Diameter”. These are typically expressed in inches or millimeters. Your application may even require a minimum OD, and should always specify a maximum OD (limit of size coil your equipment can process).
Related to coil size is the term “PIW” or Pounds per Inch of Width. PIW is another way to express how large or heavy a coil should be at a given width. For example, a coil that is 400 pounds and is 3” wide has a PIW of 133.3 Pounds “per inch of width”. If you know the ID and the PIW you can also calculate the OD of that coil. One of the many resources United Aluminum offers is a handy calculator to help you understand what size of coil you need for your application via the link here: https://unitedaluminum.com/aluminum-technical-data-coil-calculator-and-resources/aluminum-coil-calculator/
Another key component of your spec is Surface Finish required. Surface finish of aluminum coil is measured in “Ra” as a measure of the relative roughness of the surface. A “typical” major mill finish is approximately 12-16 Ra. United can offer a wide variety of finishes including “brite” at 1-2Ra, “Standard Z-mill” at 3-6 Ra, brighter than typical 4-high mill, and a Matte finish similar to major mills at 12-16 Ra.
Other terminology to know includes “Eye to the Sky”, pictured below, and “Unwind Direction”, which refers to cut laying flat, unwinding from the clockwise or counter-clockwise from the ID to the OD. With the coil core vertical (“eye to the sky”) and viewed from above, a trace of the metal edge from the ID to the OD involves a counter-clockwise movement. Counter-clockwise unwind is standard unless otherwise specified)
All of these questions are important to make sure your order is exactly what you need. At United Aluminum, we pride ourselves on helping companies and teams develop new applications. Our experts are ready to give you old-fashioned customer service over the and via , whether you are working on an old project, a new project, or are new to aluminum coil.
Three questions to answer when choosing the right metal coatings for your next coil project
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Metal coatings are engineered for performance and aesthetic capabilities to maintain the integrity of metal – one of the most important materials in architecture. Left uncoated, metal is susceptible to the elements and can eventually degrade. Metal coatings prevent degradation by providing a durable barrier that extends the overall lifespan of the metal substrate.
Choosing the right metal coatings for a metal building product or project largely depends on the environment in which the product and structure will live, but before the application stage, architects, product manufacturers and OEM-specifiers should ask themselves the following questions.
1. What is the coating application – coil or extrusion?
Selecting the right metal coating system for your project depends on the type of metal substrate and its end-use. For example, are you fabricating metal roofing made of Galvalume® or aluminum windows?
The end-use denotes the type of coating application – coil or extrusion. The biggest difference between coil and extrusion coatings is how and when they are applied. Coil coatings are applied to coiled sheets of metal before they are formed, while extrusion coatings are spray applied after the aluminum extrusion has been formed.
The product application is highly important when choosing the right metal coating, as each coating is formulated to fit each unique use.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of painted aluminum coil for gutters. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.