Aluminum Channel: A Guide to Its Uses, Benefits, and Applications

Aluminum is widely used throughout the industry due to its strength, low weight, and excellent corrosion resistance.

A variety of aluminum shapes and sizes are available, ranging from sheet to angle, tube, and channel. Aluminum channel is incredibly versatile, finding uses across many industries. We’ll explain more in this article.

Introduction to Aluminum Channels: Definition and Overview

Channel section is defined by its shape, a ‘C’ in cross section, typically with equal length legs, also known as flanges, joined by a web – the joining part. Unlike a steel channel section, where the web is usually thinner, an aluminum channel is usually a uniform thickness.

Thanks to the versatile extrusion process used to make many aluminum products, aluminum channels can be very deep in profile, i.e., the flanges can be much longer than the web, or even have unequal length flanges.

Key Benefits of Aluminum Channels in Construction and Fabrication

Channel sections are a simple, but easy-to-use structural section. Frames can be made without the need for coping or notching – unlike round tube or beams, yet they can have significant strength and lateral support.

Channel section also offers the opportunity to make bolted connections in multiple faces, sometimes without the need for welding at all, making it a versatile material for complex assemblies.

The shape of the channel section is often exploited in other ways, such as creating a cavity to install wooden joists, with large structural sections, or a way of finishing things, such as glass panels in architectural uses, with smaller sizes used as a capping profile.

Common Applications of Aluminum Channels in Industry

• Structural steel – in construction, industrial design
• Architectural – smaller channels can be used as finishing trim, gutter profiles, or detailing, window frames, and similar products often utilise custom or off-the-shelf aluminum channels
• Automotive – channel sections can be used to make lightweight but strong frames and support members
• Electronics – aluminum can be used in both internal and external framework for appliances, thanks to its potential for painting/coating and its high strength

How to Choose the Right Aluminum Channel for Your Project

Like all materials, there are lots of different variants to choose from with aluminum channel. There are three main considerations:

• Channel section size – the overall size will greatly affect the strength of the resulting part, as well as making it more or less suitable for your assembly’s space constraints
• Channel thickness – many channel sections come in different thicknesses, which allows for the same overall size section to provide more strength at the expense of weight. FEA analysis or loading calculations can help decide how thick your material needs to be
• Material grade – there are lots of different grades of aluminum, from 1000 series at the lower end of the scale, to 7000 series, often used for aircraft and similar applications

Maintenance and Care Tips for Extending the Lifespan of Aluminum Channels

Aluminum is a fairly durable material; it does not suffer from the same corrosion issues as carbon steel. It does, however, still need some degree of care to provide a long service life:

• Avoid contact with dissimilar metals – try to avoid direct, sustained contact (such as in a bolted assembly) with certain metals such as steel and copper, as galvanic corrosion can occur
• Add coatings for longevity – aluminum can degrade when in contact with things such as salt water or acidic environments. Painting, plating, or anodizing can help
• Inspect for fatigue – aluminum responds differently to steel under fatigue (repeated cyclical loading), and thus safety-critical parts under cyclical stress should be inspected routinely

Aluminum Channel at Metals Supermarkets

Whether you need large sections for a structural project, such as a deck frame, or a narrow piece for finishing a home renovation project, Metals Supermarkets can supply all the Aluminum channel you need.

Simply head over to the dedicated product page to browse the selection of sizes and grades, and have it cut to length and shipped to your door, or collect from your local store today.