When protecting valuable equipment, tools, or sensitive materials during transport, aluminum transit cases are a top choice for many industries. These cases offer durability, portability, and security, making them indispensable in various applications. At Packaging Strategies, Inc., we have designed many aluminum transit cases for numerous protection needs. While many people may know that aluminum is sturdy, you might not be aware of a few lesser-known advantages of aluminum transit cases. These cases are not only appealing because of their durability but also because of their unique strength, temperature resistance, and watertight seals.
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One of the most outstanding characteristics of aluminum transit cases is their remarkable strength-to-weight ratio. Aluminum is inherently lightweight while maintaining excellent structural integrity. This unique combination allows for the construction of transit cases that can withstand heavy loads and rough handling while remaining lightweight and easy to carry.
The high strength-to-weight ratio of aluminum transit cases is especially valuable in industries where equipment and materials must be transported across different locations. For example, military operations, aerospace, and medical equipment transport all benefit from the reduced weight of aluminum cases, making them easier to handle while providing superior protection.
Aluminum is well-known for its ability to withstand extreme temperatures. Aluminum transit cases are engineered to protect their contents from both high and low-temperature environments. These cases act as a barrier against temperature extremes, ensuring the items inside remain undamaged.
In scenarios where the contents of the transit case are temperature-sensitive, such as scientific instruments, electronic equipment, or pharmaceuticals, the temperature resistance of aluminum cases is invaluable. Whether exposed to scorching heat or freezing cold, your equipment will remain secure within these cases.
Durability is a primary concern when selecting transit cases, and aluminum cases excel in this regard. They are built to last and can withstand repeated use and harsh conditions without showing signs of wear and tear. The corrosion resistance of aluminum ensures that these cases can endure exposure to moisture, chemicals, and other environmental factors, making them suitable for a wide range of applications. The durability of aluminum cases means they are an effective short-term solution and a cost-effective long-term investment.
Water damage is a significant concern when transporting valuable or sensitive items. Aluminum transit cases can be designed to be completely watertight. This feature ensures that the case's contents remain dry and safe even in wet and unpredictable conditions. Many aluminum cases feature gaskets and seals that create a tight barrier against water, dust, and contaminants. This watertight seal guarantees that your equipment or materials are secure, regardless of the external environment.
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Whether you need to transport sensitive electronics, delicate instruments, or heavy-duty equipment, aluminum transit cases are an excellent solution that combines strength and reliability to protect your valuable assets during transit. Contact Packaging Strategies, Inc. today to start designing your new aluminum case.
Packaging Strategies has assembled a team with over 100 years of experience in design, engineering, development, manufacturing, and sales. We created the Packaging Strategies Design and Technology Center to create and manufacture complete systems integration packages and container solutions of all sizes and materials for our clientele. Many of these clients are federal agencies or in the private sector. No matter what you need to carry, Packaging Strategies is sure to have the right case for the job. You can view our website here, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and LinkedIn.
CSI Division
Division 5 - Metals
Section
Metal Materials
Last Modified
Technical Procedures Disclaimer
Prior to inclusion in GSA&#;s library of procedures, documents are reviewed
by one or more qualified preservation specialists for general consistency
with the Secretary of Interior Standards for rehabilitating historic buildings
as understood at the time the procedure is added to the library. All specifications require project-specific
editing and professional judgement regarding the applicability of a procedure to a particular building, project or
location. References to products and suppliers are to serve as a general guideline and do not constitute a federal
endorsement or determination that a product or method is the best or most current alternative, remains available,
or is compliant with current environmental regulations and safety standards. The library of procedures is intended
to serve as a resource, not a substitute, for specification development by a qualified preservation
professional.
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We&#;ve reviewed these procedures for general consistency with federal standards
for rehabilitating historic buildings and provide them only as a reference. Specifications
should only be applied under the guidance of a qualified preservation professional who can assess the
applicability of a procedure to a particular building, project or location. References to products and suppliers
serve as general guidelines and do not constitute a federal endorsement nor a determination that a product or
method is the best alternative or compliant with current environmental regulations and safety standards.
This standard includes general information on the characteristics and common uses of aluminum and identifies typical problems associated with this material along with common causes of its deterioration.
Introduction
Characteristics of Aluminum:
- Lightweight
- Corrosion-resistant
- Nonmagnetic
- Has a low melting point
- Has a moderately high coefficient of expansion
- Has a good thermal and electrical conductivity
- Malleable
- Very soft
- Ductile
Aluminum found in historic buildings may be finished in one of the following ways:
- Nonfinished: A bare aluminum surface.
- Upon exposure to the air, bare aluminum develops a thin layer of natural oxide. This patina layer is thin, transparent, tough, and protects the aluminum from corrosion.
- The texture of bare aluminum may be smooth, highly polished or brushed, or it may obtain its texture from casting, extruding, or machining.
- Nonfinished aluminum is the most common type of finish found on historic buildings ( -), both outdoors and indoors.
- Anodized: An oxide coating applied by passing an electrical current through the aluminum.
- This tough coating is approximately 0.05 to 1.5 mils thick and provides greater resistance to atmospheric corrosion.
- Anodized aluminum surfaces appear off-white in color and have more of a smooth finish than ordinary aluminum.
- The anodic coating may be transparent or integrally colored by adding pigments or dyes before it is sealed.
- In the s, colored aluminum was achieved by adding dyes. Colors of red, blue and green often faded nonuniformly and appeared blotchy. Colors of gold, brown, grey and black, however, usually retained their original color.
- Today colored coatings are produced by varying the alloy content, which results surface only during the anodizing process. Any working of the metal and any texturizing of the surface is applied to the aluminum before anodizing.
- Anodizing aluminum was invented in and began to be used for architectural elements in the s.
- Chemical conversion: A coating formed by chemical processes.
- This type of coating is thinner and less abrasion resistant than anodic coatings. It is often used as a base coating before painting.
- The final finish of a chemical conversion coating may appear clear or colored. Some colors include gold, gray, golden brown, green, or blue-green.
- Painted/lacquered:
- Pigmented (paint) or clear (lacquered) types of organic coatings were used in the s on aluminum doors, frames, and radiator cabinets to create a wood grain finish.
- Today paint is usually applied over chemical conversion finishes. During construction anodized surfaces are often given a clear coating for protection against alkaline building products.
- Aluminum siding with a baked-on paint finish came on the market in the s.
- Plated: The process of electrodepositing a metal onto the aluminum surface.
- The most common metals used for plating are chromium and nickel. To achieve a smoother finish, copper may be used as an intermediate layer. Tin, silver or gold may also be used.
- Plated aluminum is most commonly used for features that may be subjected to heavy abrasion, such as stair railings.
- Porcelain enameled: A baked-on ceramic coating applied in the factory.
- It is hard and impervious to soils, many acids and alkalies. It is available in many colors and surface textures.
- Seldom found in today&#;s historic buildings, its use as an exterior wall cladding beginning in the s will make it an historic material in the not so distant future.
- Laminated: Fabricated by bonding wood, cloth, plastic, etc. onto the aluminum. These types of finishes were introduced in the s.
Typical Uses
Typical historical uses for aluminum in the late 19th century included:
Typical uses for aluminum in the early 20th century included:
- Decorative detailing
- Roofing, wall panels, and spandrels (since it could be rolled into sheets)
- Window mullions and frames, storefront surrounds, doors, and door trims (as it could be extruded into lengths of specialized profiles or cross sections)
Problems and deterioration
Problems may be classified into two broad categories:
- Natural or inherent problems based on the characteristics of the material and the conditions of the exposure, and
- Vandalism and human- induced problems.
Although there is some overlap between the two categories, the inherent material deterioration problems generally occur gradually over long periods of time, at predictable rates and require appropriate routine or preventive maintenance to control. Conversely, many human induced problems, (especially vandalism), are random in occurrence; can produce catastrophic results; are difficult to prevent, and require emergency action to mitigate. Some human induced problems, however, are predictable and occur routinely.
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Natural or Inherent Problems
Natural Corrosion:
- Upon exposure to the air, aluminum protects itself by developing a layer of white aluminum oxide which covers the exposed surface. This layer is thin, transparent, tough, and to a great extent protective.
- Heavy deposits of soiling occur when the aluminum surface has been neglected and not cleaned regularly.
Chemical Corrosion:
- Aluminum has good corrosion resistance to: Atmospheric gases, moisture and soil.
Aluminum has poor corrosion resistance to:
- Alkalis, hydrochloric acid, lead-based paints, some wood preservatives, and chlorides.
- Aluminum may also corrode when in contact with wet lime mortar, Portland cement, plaster, or concrete before they are fully cured, damp, porous brickwork and stonework. To protect aluminum against contact with masonry, apply a coating of bituminous paint, followed by 2 coats of aluminum metal and masonry paint.
- Acids from unseasoned wood, damp oak, cedar, and redwood may also attack aluminum.
- Corrosion will result from direct contact between wet wood and aluminum.
- Water draining off a roof of unweathered wood shingles will also corrode aluminum.
- Corrosion may be accelerated on an aluminum roof where condensation develops on the underside of the roof, much like a terne- or tin plated roof. If standing water is acidic, corrosion cells will develop on the aluminum.
- Aluminum may be protected from corrosion by applying a paint or other coating as recommended by the Paint Manufacturer&#;s Association.
Galvanic (Electrochemical) Corrosion:
- Galvanic action will occur, causing the aluminum to corrode, if the aluminum comes in contact with other metals such as tin, iron and steel (if they are not painted), and especially copper.
- Aluminum is compatible with zinc, cadmium, lead, galvanized steel, monel, magnesium, and usually nonmagnetic stainless steel. Nonmagnetic stainless steel is sometimes corrosive to aluminum when the two metals come into contact in industrial environments.
- Protect aluminum against galvanic corrosion by electrically insulating it with a coating of paint or mastics.
Vandalism or Human-Induced Problems
Mechanical or physical deterioration:
- Erosion: Aluminum features are extremely vulnerable to erosion because this metal is so soft. When exposed to abrasive agents, erosion of aluminum can be a critical
problem.
- Fatigue: Aluminum has a high coefficient of thermal expansion. Fatigue is one of the most common failures resulting from the stresses associated with expansion and contraction.
- The lack of an adequate number of transverse joints or welts in a length of sheet aluminum between bays will result in cracking of the sheets.
- Improperly sized bays (space between vertical seams) and an inadequate number of fasteners can also cause aluminum roofing to bow, buckle and eventually crack. Using aluminum sheets which are not rigid enough to resist this movement will exacerbate this problem.
- Inadequate support from the underside, such as spaced rather than tight sheathing boards, will also result in buckling and sagging of the sheet metal, ultimately causing the metal to crack and tear.
- Human Error: The alloy specified for a job may not be the best choice for the function and location, or the material used in the fabrication is not the alloy specified. These mistakes can cause exfoliation of the aluminum, where the aluminum alloy begins to flake off in layers, similar to rusting wrought iron. The corrosion material lifts out from the surface as if the metal had exploded.
- A number of aluminum alloys have been developed to improve certain properties. These include different alloys for exposed outdoor locations, unexposed outdoor locations, and indoor locations:
- Nonheat-treatable alloys, which include 1-1/4% manganese and 2 to 7% magnesium, are of relatively high strength and are used for cladding and also for corrugated roofing.
- Heat-treatable alloys contain varying proportions of aluminum, magnesium, silicon, and sometimes copper. These have high strength and are, therefore, used for fasteners and for light structural members.
- Aluminum alloys used for casting usually contain silicon, silicon and copper, or silicon and magnesium.