at my favorite on-line metal dealer, I can get Aluminum 6061-T6 Extruded Flat Rod .375" x 6" x 12" for $14.43 Sheet .375 x 12" x 12" for $60.31
Why the discrepancy between the cost of two 6" flat bars and one 12" sheet?
TIA Norm
First in first out accounting?
For a guess the extruded flat rod will be sections of a .375" x 6" extruded flat cut to length so cut from the .375" x 6" extruded material. The .375" x 12" x 12" will have been cut from a sheet of material rolled down to .375" from the original Al billet and so have gone through more rolling and annealing processes to reduce its thickness to .375". I would expect the sheet material to have better mechanical properties for the same alloy, at least with the grain orientation, than the extruded material. The sheet has also to be sheared widthwise and those pieces sheared.
This sort of thing tripped up a mate when he speced .5mm stainless steel for a job thinking he would save money. While available it proved so difficult to transport it was often damaged and ultimately when the laser shop was asked they said no point as due to the extra processing to get the thickness down anything below 1mm cost virtually the same so no saving. Nice if they had volunteered the info at the start but in fairness they didn't know it was decorative and the thickness wasn't critical.
I'd guess that you are paying some ugly cutting charge for the plate stock, the bar stock is merely cut to length.
If it helps any, I'm paying about $17 for the same square foot of 3/8" plate 6061-T6. Local supplier, cash and carry. This place has a 12"x
120" capacity rip saw for the aluminum. 30" carbide saw blades. Right impressive.Norm Dresner wrote:
PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.