Multicore profiles for various applications

At Mifa, we are renowned for our expertise in extruding complex aluminum and magnesium profiles with many small cores, commonly known as multicore profiles. Cores or cavities within profiles can be necessary for functional reasons or for weight-saving purposes. We extrude from a diameter as small as 0.5 millimeters, providing numerous advantages for the customer.

Complex profiles with cores starting from 0.5 mm

The extrusion of small cores requires a high level of precision. Thanks to the years of knowledge and experience of our engineers at Mifa, it is possible to achieve cores, sometimes no larger than 0.5 mm. This is no easy task, as the smaller the holes or cores, the more challenging it becomes.

The accuracy of this process is achieved using a small pin on the die. This pin forms the core of the profile, and the hot, soft aluminum flows along it under high pressure. The thinner the pin, the greater the risk of breakage. The complexity increases even further when small cores are separated by thin walls, such as one millimeter in thickness.

With our expertise in alloys and the extrusion process, we can press such complex multicore profiles from 0.5 mm, over various lengths.

No post-processing required thanks to design freedom

The ability to extrude small cores with thin walls offers designers considerable potential. One of these is design freedom. While cores are usually added afterwards, we can press them integrated into the profile, from a single piece and without drilling into the application.

Such cores can be used for purposes such as:

Cooling
Measurements
Guiding fluids
(electrical) wires

Applications include cylinders and heat exchangers, but a core can also be pressed that only serves as a screw hole afterwards. In this case, no additional drilling is required.

It is also possible that we press to save weight; the cavities then have no function in themselves, but can help reduce, for example, the fuel consumption of an airplane. Of course, extruding weight-saving cores is only possible if the required strength of the construction allows it.

Curious about what our engineers can do for you? Then contact us.

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The benefits for customers

Mifa’s approach of extruding custom profiles instead of post-drilling provides several benefits, including:

Accuracy: The method is at least as accurate as post-drilling, ensuring precision with less work, no additional machining, and a shortened production time.

Finish: The finished product is of high quality, and the absence of assembly seams makes the profile easy to clean.
Cost Savings: Compared to (deep-hole) drilling, this approach is often more cost-effective and accurate. Particularly in industries like food processing, this proves to be a significant advantage. Although extrusion costs may be higher due to the cores, the overall production and process costs for the final product are likely to be lower.

Mifa is available to provide advice on the possibilities during the design process and collaborates to achieve the best possible construction in the end.