An aluminium ingot is a standard cast block of pure or alloyed aluminium that is remelted to make castings, extrusions, sheet and other products. Put simply, ingot is the raw material for most of the industries that use aluminium.
Types of aluminium ingot
Pure (primary) aluminium ingot: produced in smelters by the electrolytic reduction of alumina (the Hall–Héroult process). The most common grade is P1020, with at least 99.7% aluminium, used mainly to make alloys, sheet, wire rod and foil.
Aluminium alloy (foundry) ingot: aluminium alloyed with precise amounts of elements such as silicon, copper and magnesium so that it is ready to cast into parts. Grades such as ADC12, A356, LM24 and LM6 belong to this group. Almas Aluminium Golpayegan produces this type of ingot.
How is aluminium ingot made?
To make alloy ingot, the charge is melted in a furnace, the chemistry is adjusted by adding alloying elements, and the melt is degassed and cleaned. Once the laboratory has approved the analysis, the metal is cast into ingot moulds. Controlling the chemical composition of every melt is the single most important factor in ingot quality, because the properties of the final part depend directly on it.
Ingot shapes and sizes
Ingots are cast in moulds of different shapes and weights, from small ingots that can be handled by hand to larger ones moved by forklift. They are usually delivered in strapped bundles and carry the producer's mark, such as the ALMAS-CO stamp on Almas ingots.
Uses of aluminium ingot
- High-pressure die casting of automotive, engine and gearbox parts
- Parts for home appliances and refrigeration
- Gravity and sand casting of industrial components
- Construction, shipbuilding and electrical equipment
A tip for buyers
Before you buy, choose the grade you need based on the casting process and the properties the part requires. Use our alloy finder and the grade composition table, or contact the Almas sales team for an aluminium ingot quote.