Extrusion profile production process

Precision extrusion: an aluminium extrusion profile without concessions

Mifa specializes in the production of complex aluminium and magnesium profiles with dimensional tolerances starting from +/- 0.02 mm.

For several decades, Mifa has been the benchmark in the B2B market when it comes to aluminium extrusion components. We are focused on customizing an extrusion profile to optimize and process it into a high-quality end product. We often manage to produce these aluminium and magnesium profiles completely in-house, serving various markets.

Custom aluminium profiles

Our core activities

Our aluminium and magnesium profiles are utilised in various products destined for different markets, including the industrial market, aircraft and aviation industry, mobility market, and the medical market. Each market and every company has specific requirements in the development and production of magnesium and aluminium extrusions.

Many manufacturers extrude standard profiles. However, at Mifa, we go further. Mifa focuses on manufacturing complex, tailor-made aluminium and magnesium profiles. It is our high standard for quality, precision, and design freedom that sets us apart from the competition.

Mifa's extrusion process: from aluminium billet to extrusion profile

The extrusion of aluminium is a process in which an aluminium billet is heated in an oven until it becomes soft enough to be deformed. This aluminium extrusion process involves different temperatures, depending on the alloy, which significantly influences the end result.

The heated aluminium is then pushed through a die under high pressure, determining the final shape of the aluminium extrusion profile. After extrusion, the profile is cooled, stretched, hardened, and cut to size. Any post-processing, such as surface treatments and machining, can be carried out in-house at Mifa. The profile can ultimately be assembled into a (semi)finished product.

Custom aluminium extrusion profiles

In precision aluminium extrusion, customization takes center stage. Advanced technology and precise dimensional tolerances offer unprecedented design freedom. Our engineers can design custom aluminium extrusion profiles without having to compromise and with minimal constraints on standard norms.

Our engineers are eager to support throughout the design process. Thanks to their extensive experience and expertise, the maximum potential of a product can be realized. We believe in co-engineering, where the expertise and knowledge of Mifa come together with your product knowledge, often resulting in the best outcomes.

Demanding markets

Mifa specialises in the production of high-quality profiles for demanding markets such as the aircraft and aerospace industries.

We produce for customers such as Airbus and Collins Aerospace. For these profiles, we offer an extensive range of techniques. In cooperation with our customers in the aerospace industry, we develop extrusion profiles and parts for, among others:

  • Instrument panels;
  • Lighting systems;
  • Radar components;
  • Luggage compartments.

As an additional service, we also focus on customers’ cosmetic requirements. For this, we have special processes to meet the aesthetic requirements of profiles and ensure their consistency. Besides aviation, Mifa focuses on other markets, including industry and mobility.

All markets
Custom profiles for aerospace industry

Besides co-engineering, aluminium extrusion at Mifa also offers other advantages:

Mifa is known for its expertise in extruding aluminium and magnesium with extreme precision and attention to detail. Our extrusion processes are focused on achieving optimal accuracy. Mifa’s aluminium profiles surpass the standard through properties such as straightness, torsion, concentricity, parallelism, surface roughness and precision; with dimensional tolerances as low as +/- 0.02 mm. Our profiles can be processed in flexible quantities, in-house, through a process from extrusion to surface treatment. This allows us to take full responsibility of the production process and deliver the best possible end result to our customers.

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Would you like to learn more about the advantages and possibilities of precision extrusion? You can download our whitepaper for free.

Tolerances from ± 0.02 mm

Wall thicknesses from 0.25 mm: substantial weight savings

Profile weight from 0.003 kg/m to 10 kg/m

Profile dimensions from ø 3 mm up to ø 180 mm / 220 x 60 mm

Avoid/reduce costly machining (post) processing steps

Vertical integration: all processes can be realised in-house

Wide range of alloys

Mifa has a wide range of aluminium and magnesium alloys. Specifically, we have the aluminium aircraft alloys 6061, 6082 and 7075. We extrude in the 3000 and 6000 series as standard. Our specialists will be happy to advise you on the most suitable alloy for your application.

Flexible quantities

The advantages of precision extrusion can already be secured from a batch size of 10kg/batch. Die costs for profiles are relatively low, recovering even with small batches. This way, customers can avoid purchase obligations for prototypes.

Economically advantageous

Several aspects can make precision extrusion more economically advantageous. Through co-engineering, cost-saving methods can be advised, machining costs for the production of aluminium extrusion profiles are lower compared to other metals, and there is a wide range of profile shapes that can potentially be extruded.

Profils du Mifa
Custom profile

Vertical integration: all technologies in house

Mifa can represent the entire process: development, production, and finishing of aluminium extrusion profiles. We have all the necessary techniques for the entire product process in-house, in the Netherlands.

While our specialty lies in precision extrusion, we also possess expertise in other techniques such as machining, surface treatment, and assembly, allowing us to position ourselves as a one-stop-shop for our (inter)national customers.

Our machine park comprises more than 30 CNC machines where all machining operations can be performed using advanced CNC control. Additionally, Mifa offers in-house aluminium surface treatments with a sustainable approach.

Vertical integration within Mifa provides the following benefits:

  • Single point of contact;
  • A fully finished precision product;
  • Control and knowledge throughout the entire chain;
  • Cost savings;
  • Shorter total production time.

Improve durability of aluminium extrusions

With our extensive technical expertise, we offer advice on the most suitable surface treatment for each aluminium profile.

Mifa Aluminium specialises in a wide range of surface treatments, including mechanical, electrochemical and galvanic methods, as well as the application of primers and wet paint techniques. Mifa has always been committed to designing and building high-quality surface treatment facilities that improve and enhance the different characteristics of aluminium products. This can be done through anodising, passivation or by applying polymer coatings.

But what does this mean for you and what benefits do our surface treatments offer for profiles?

  • Optimal corrosion resistance;
  • Improvement of surface structure and roughness;
  • Achieving the desired reflective properties;
  • Application of colour or electrical insulation;
  • Increased resistance to abrasion;
  • Improved adhesion for adhesives or paints.
More on surface treatments
Aluminium surface treatment
Co-engineering at Mifa

Co-engineering: cooperation leads to the best result

Mifa is an involved partner throughout our customers’ projects, which has allowed us to build successful collaborations. Our support in the design process allows us to advise our customers on a high quality aluminium or magnesium alloy. Consulting our engineers on time will result in a refined profile, component or product.

  • We have experience in various market segments;
  • Together, we achieve the optimum result;
  • Shorter time-to-market;
  • Lower costs thanks to efficient design;
  • All responsibility lies with one company.
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Sustainability: top of mind

Aluminium has a long lifespan and remains 95% recyclable after use. It requires minimal maintenance, but at Mifa, we go even further. We continually consider energy consumption, waste management, vitality, safety, and the health of our employees. Specifically, Mifa has achieved the following performances:

  • Mifa saves 78% emissions with in-house production compared to others.
  • With full in-house production, Mifa saves a significant amount of CO2, a common ecological culprit: transportation.
  • Mifa’s thin-walled profiles result in a material saving of 33%.

Sustainability is a crucial theme in developing new products. We understand that questions arise about the CO2 emissions associated with the production of aluminium profiles at Mifa. Alongside our partners and engineers, we’ve developed a specialized tool for life cycle analysis (LCA). This tool calculates emissions and demonstrates the positive impact of co-engineering on reducing the CO2 footprint.

More on sustainability
Extrusion profiles for B|Braun

Medical precision profile for B|Braun

B|Braun is a leading manufacturer of medical and pharmaceutical equipment. In our customers’ medical market, precision extrusion is of utmost importance. Mifa can guarantee the smallest dimensional tolerances starting from +/- 0.02 mm, making us 10 times more accurate than the standard norm EN12020-2 for aluminium extrusion.

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Ralph Bol

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Call or mail Ralph

Commercial Manager