Aluminum flange, as its name implies, is made of aluminum and is preferred in some flange systems because it weighs much lighter than steel flanges of the same size. There are several advantages to using aluminum flange compared with other types of metal flange. The aluminum flange is a very popular choice based on weight characteristics alone, and generally reduces the cost of production and materials. In addition to aluminum being a soft metal, aluminum flange usually takes less time to manufacture aluminum flange than other metals (such as stainless steel flange).
Flange sizes usually do not affect the type of material used, as aluminum flanges can be made to match any given size. Metal flanges can be made of various materials, including steel, stainless steel, brass, copper or aluminum. Production time and cost are the main factors to be considered when deciding to use aluminum flange. When multiple flanges are required, the selection of light aluminum flange can keep the overall weight of the flange system controllable. Different types of metal flanges, the purpose and size of the flange are not usually different.
The application usually determines whether the aluminum flange is sufficient. For example, pipes of corrosive materials may require flanges made of materials with high resistance properties such as stainless steel. On the other hand, the common application of aluminum flange in a waveguide structure. It is usually used in industrial microwave applications. Waveguide is a special size rectangular tube, specially designed to transmit or detect microwave. Industrial microwave applications can have hundreds of flange connections in the whole system by using aluminum flange, and the total weight and cost of the system can be minimized.
Like any other type of metal flange, the aluminum flange may fail for various reasons. When the flange connection fails, it can indicate that one or two flanges need to be repaired. Repairing a damaged aluminum flange requires approximately the same measures as repairing any other metal flange. The cracked aluminum flange can be welded and reprocessed, or simply replaced. Like other flanges, aluminum flanges may need to be repaired due to damage, which may be due to improper manufacturing or defects in the metal in which it is manufactured.
