Introduction to aluminium

As this site is about aluminium let us look at aluminium as a material.

Aluminium - LIGHT, STRONG, DURABLE

There are various alloys of aluminium available in the world today and it is important to match the alloy you require to the application you want to use it for.

Aluminium is used in such diverse applications from space craft to sewage plant scrapers.

Today's alloy technology allows aluminium to be used in a wide variety of industries.

Extruded aluminium alloys are normally series 6 alloys and these are the type of alloys required for the Ampliform process. The alloy with the correct properties for our process is type 6063.

For fabricated products that require higher structural properties Aluminium Alloy 6061 or nearest equivalent is used.

Properties of 6063 T6 aluminium alloy

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES (Non welded)
Ultimate Tensile Strength	206 mpa
Tensile Yield Stress	170 mpa	Ultimate Bearing Stress	430 mpa
Compressive Yield Stress	172 mpa	Modulus of Elasticity (E)	69637 mpa
Ultimate Shear Stress	150 mpa	Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (20o to 100o)	24x10-6k

Properties of 6061 T6 aluminium alloy

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES (Non welded)
Ultimate Tensile Strength	290 mpa
Tensile Yield Stress	250 mpa	Ultimate Bearing Stress	600 mpa
Compressive Yield Stress	250 mpa	Modulus of Elasticity (E)	69637 mpa
Ultimate Shear Stress	170 mpa	Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (20o to 100o)	24x10-6k

The above data is taken from The Aluminium Federation of South Africa Design Guide. Ampliform (PTY) LTD does not accept any responsibility for errors or omissions.

Roof Grip Access Walkways

Alifab manufacture a roof sheet access walkway grating using Ampligrip Type 201 aluminium floor grating. The product allows maintenance and inspection crews to access the roof top without causing damage to the roof sheets. The floor grating is bonded onto the roof thereby not damaging the integrity of the roof sheets.

The product has successfully been installed on a number of large and small projects around South Africa including Gateway Shopping Centre, Toyota Durban, OR Tambo Airport Johannesburg and King Shaka Airport Durban.

Usually the walkway is installed onto new sheeting installations but it can also be fitted after the building has been in use providing the damage to the sheeting is not excessive. It is normally use where access is required to or when work is to be done on air conditioning plant, curtain walls, sky lights, ventilators, power packs or where anything  is mounted at high level and access is required across roof sheets.

Alifab is currently busy with various project around South Africa and may soon do our first job in Southern Africa. The product is simple to install and may therefore be installed by most contractors. We do of course offer turnkey project, so if required we include installation anywhere in Southern Africa.

For further information contact us or visit the product web site at www.roofgrip.co.za

Introduction to Ampliform / Alifab

Ampliform / Alifab is a privatly owned company in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Throught this blog I hope to inform you of the happenings at the company. Over the next few weeks I will detail some information about the company, its employees and what we are busy with at any point in time.

We look forward to hearing from you and will do our best to answer any questions you may have.

Ampliform was formed in 1982 as a producer of slotted and stretched aluminium mesh, floor grating and strucutral beams. Being the manufacturers of these products has enabled us to undertake a wide variety of aluminium based projects and develop a range of aluminium based products. We will discuss these products and general aluminium issues throught this blog.