Aluminum Extrusion

Aluminum Extrusion Die Cost Amortization: Spreading the Tooling Spend

Aluminum extrusion die cost depends on profile complexity, tongue ratio, and number of hollow voids. Here is how to estimate die cost and calculate the amortization per meter of profile.

Aluminum extrusion die cost = design cost + machining cost + heat treatment + trial cost + tooling accessories. Simple solid profiles (angle, flat bar, channel): $800-$2,500. Multi-hollow profiles (window frames, heat sinks): $2,500-$8,000. Complex architectural and structural profiles: $5,000-$20,000+. Design cost is typically 15-25% of total die cost. The key complexity drivers are tongue ratio (ratio of tongue length to minimum tongue thickness) and number of hollow voids (each void requires a separate mandrel or port).

Die amortization per meter = die cost / total meters produced. A $4,000 die that produces 50,000 meters of profile has a die cost of $0.08/meter. For shorter production runs (5,000 meters), die cost rises to $0.80/meter, which can be a significant percentage of total extrusion cost. Die life in aluminum extrusion is typically 100,000-300,000 meters for standard alloys (6061, 6063) and 50,000-150,000 meters for harder alloys (7075, 2024) that cause accelerated die wear.

Die trial cost is often forgotten in project budgets. A first-run die trial includes press time (typically 2-4 hours at $200-$600/hr), billet material, and operator time. If the die requires corrections (most dies need at least one correction run), add another $500-$2,000 for die modification plus another trial run. Budget 1.5-2x the stated die cost as total launch cost for a new profile.

Hollow profiles require welding chamber dies (porthole dies or bridge dies). These die types weld the aluminum around mandrel supports in the die itself. The weld quality depends on temperature, speed, and alloy. Poor weld seam quality shows as longitudinal cracks in the profile. Weld seam position can be specified (moved away from critical areas) but cannot be eliminated in hollow profiles. Design critical structural features to avoid weld seam locations.

Profile weight per meter = cross-sectional area x aluminum density (2.7 g/cm3). A profile with 8 cm^2 cross-section: weight = 8 x 2.7 = 21.6 g/cm = 2.16 kg/m. Material cost per meter = 2.16 x aluminum price per kg. At $3.50/kg aluminum: $7.56/m in material alone. Total extrusion cost (including press time and die amortization) typically runs $0.80-$2.50 per kg for standard alloys in reasonable volumes, giving total cost of $6.90-$13.50/m for this profile.

Published 2026-05-28.