Wall thickness is a primary design parameter:
- Thicker Walls: Generally easier to extrude as metal flows more readily. They provide higher strength and stiffness. However, they increase material cost and part weight.
- Thinner Walls: Reduce material cost and weight. However, they are more challenging to extrude—requiring higher pressures, more precise dies, and potentially faster cooling. They increase the risk of dimensional variation, twisting, and die failure. There is a minimum practical thickness for a given profile size and alloy.
- Uniformity: Maintaining a consistent wall thickness throughout the profile design is the most cost-effective and reliable approach. Dramatic variations can cause uneven cooling and distortion.