ALUMINUM GLOSSARY - A

AMS

Abbreviation for Aerospace Material Specification.

ANSI

Abbreviation for American National Standards Institute.

ASD

Abbreviation for Aluminum Standards and Data book published by The Aluminum Association.

ASTM

Abbreviation for American Society for Testing and Materials.

AWS

Abbreviation for American Welding Society.

Adhesion

Bonding strength. The attraction of a coating to the surface to which it is applied.

Adjustable Cores & Die Plate Die

Die with inserts in the core and/or plate that can be adjusted to compensate for deflection or replaced because of wear.

Age Hardening

An aging process that results in increased strength and hardness.

Aging

Precipitation from solid solution resulting in a change in properties of an alloy, usually occurring slowly at room temperature (natural aging) and more rapidly at elevated temperatures (artificial aging).

Alloy

A substance with metallic properties, composed of two or more chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. More specifically, aluminum plus one or more other elements, produced to have certain specific, desirable characteristics.

Alumina

Aluminum oxide produced from bauxite by a complicated chemical process. It is a white powdery material that looks like granulated sugar. Alumina is an intermediate step in the production of aluminum from bauxite, and is also a valuable chemical on its own.

Aluminum

A silver-white soft metal, noted for its lightness, high reflectivity, high thermal conductivity, nontoxicity, and corrosion resistance. It is the most abundant metallic element, comprising about 1/12th of the earth's crust. It is never found in nature as an elemental metal, but only in combination with oxygen and other elements. In ordinary commercial and industrial use, the word aluminum is often understood to mean aluminum alloy, rather than the pure metal.

Aluminum Oxide

A chemical compound of aluminum with oxygen, which forms immediately on an unprotected aluminum surface exposed to air. Unlike iron oxide (the rust which forms on steel) aluminum oxide does not flake off, but forms a protective layer that blocks further oxidation and so protects the integrity of the metal. It is transparent and does not alter the appearance of the aluminum surface.

Angularity

Conformity to, or deviation from, specified angular dimensions in the cross section of a shape or bar.

Annealing

A thermal treatment to soften metal by removal of stress resulting from cold working or by coalescing precipitates from solid solution.

Anodizing

Forming a coating on a metal surface produced by electrochemical treatment through anodic oxidation. This process may be used to increase the protective effect of aluminum's transparent natural oxide surface. It may also be given a decorative coloration.

Aperture

In an extrusion die, the shaped opening through which the heat-softened metal is forced and which gives the extruded product its cross-sectional shape. Also called the orifice.

Architectural Finish

An architectural finish is a standard finish characterized by a uniform appearance. This finish is most often specified for exposed surfaces.

Assembly Fit

Refers to two parts designed for mating assembly and requiring exact dimensions and contours to assure a proper fit.

Assignable Cause

A factor contributing to variation that is feasible to detect and identify.