Aluminum channels are strips of aluminum that have been formed into a channel. A channel is a rectangular tube, though many companies manufacture open channels. Open channels look like rectangular tubes from which one side has been removed. In other words, they resemble a boxy U.
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Aluminum channels serve more purposes than can be counted. Industrial and commercial markets as well as the consumer products and services markets rely on aluminum channels in subtle and obvious ways. For example, IT infrastructure service providers can cover wiring that would otherwise be visible with painted aluminum channels to reduce their visibility and their potential to be damaged by nearby activity. Carpenters and builders can use aluminum channels as trim in some scenarios. They can also be used as rails, framing, tracks and rims in many building applications. Perforated aluminum channels can be used in modular shelving systems in homes and offices. The automotive, information technology, aerospace, marine and all kinds of other industries make extensive use of aluminum channels. Aluminum channels are so widely used because they are inexpensive, easy to form and they can be configured to any necessary shape.
There are several processes by which aluminum channels can be fabricated; one of the simplest and most common of these methods is roll forming. Roll formed metals are processed in a roll former, which is a machine that features a long series of rollers that shape a metal strip gradually. Roll forming is a continuous fabrication process; this means that as long as there is a steady stream of metal strip input, the roll forming process could continue indefinitely. Roll forming of aluminum channels is a fairly simple procedure. The process begins with a stock of aluminum strip, which can be a coil or other easily accessible supply. That stock is fed into the first rolls in the series, which are positioned in a way that allows them to tightly grip the contours of the strip. Those rollers pull the strip in further where they are gripped by the second rollers in the series, which are configured slightly differently than the first set. Each subsequent roller's configuration varies slightly from the last until the end of the sequence, at which point the aluminum has taken its final shape. It can then be cut and prepared for shipment.
