Aluminum alloy is very malleable and, consequently, aluminum heat sink extrusion profiles can be created in a wide variety of unique designs. Aluminum is a good heat conductor and a good heat reflector, making it very useful in heat transfer applications and as a highly reflective heat shield. Aluminum alloy can be made in various tempers and is relatively low in cost. Through the process of smelting, refining and scrapping, aluminum alloy can also be pounded into foil, fins and sheets used in aluminum heat sinks.

While aluminum may provide less thermal conductivity than other more efficient cooling metals, such as copper, those metals are far more difficult to extrude or work into heat sink application profiles in comparison to aluminum. It is also considerably easier to create custom aluminum heat sink profile variations. When extruded in a fin, for example, profiles can easily be attached to a copper base, conducting a large amount of thermal energy to the lighter, less expensive aluminum alloy cooling fins.

Hydro Extrusion designs and manufactures aluminum heat sinks to serve the telecommunications, electrical, automotive, military, medical, and electronics industries, among others. The company's 30-plus years of experience in extruding heat sinks from ½" to 21" wide enables Hydro Extrusion to offer the most comprehensive range of heat sinks on the market, providing high fin densities with ratios up to 19:1 from facilities on the East and West coasts.

Backed by our thermal engineering team, Hydro Extrusion offers customers the most complete selection of cost-effective thermal products that have been designed with our state-of-the-art software, testing and prototyping capabilities. For example, we developed a unique liquid cooling solution that combines aluminum extrusions with our Friction Stir Welding (FSW) technology. This makes Hydro Extrusion's specialized FSW air-cooled heat sinks more thermally efficient and higher quality than bonded or pressed fin products.

Hydro Extrusion is capable of providing the complete thermal management solution you need. We are the largest aluminum extruder in North America with 20+ locations and more than 60 extrusion presses. In addition to extrusion, we also fabricate every product to meet your requirements. We cast our own material, offer at least 10 standard alloy choices, and can design virtually any custom alloy to suit your unique specifications.