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aluminium window: the reason behind the aluminium window frame

cmrhm

The aluminium window frame always look interesting to me. I kind of know the reason behind that complicated profile is sth related to the water tight, structure. But I don't have clear understanding. I wonder if anyone knows it or where to look for the answer?

Thanks,

 
Jul 5, 07 10:17 am
snooker

alcoa the answer to all things aluminum

Jul 5, 07 11:29 am  · 
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mdler

steel windows rock!

Jul 5, 07 12:30 pm  · 
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mdler

it is a combination of many things...

the fact that aluminium can be extruded allows for it to be hollow...

attachements for rubber gaskets

snap-in glazing beads

Jul 5, 07 12:31 pm  · 
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snooker

I have steel windows and they suck!

Jul 5, 07 1:53 pm  · 
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mdler

snooker

are they new or old?

Jul 5, 07 2:03 pm  · 
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KEG

you mean the funny forms inside the extrusion? when looking at a section of the jamb, head, or sill?

mdler is right. Add, the little curls and angles are for both air moisture circulation/ movement. The section ends up looking complicated because there isn't any filler. You pay for aluminum by the pound, so the extrusion is going to by as sleek (minimal) as possible.

Jul 5, 07 2:48 pm  · 
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mdler

when I used to work for an office designing skyscrapers, it was funny to see people designing the aluminium curtain wall profiles. They would try to shave off as much metal as they could...a half milimeter worth of metal on the extrusion multiplied by all the curatin wall in the building could save hundreds of thousands of dollars

Jul 5, 07 2:53 pm  · 
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KEG

exactly mdler...

we bid jobs down to the oz. On a high-rise curtain wall, a millimeter could end up costing 5000 lbs.

Jul 5, 07 3:06 pm  · 
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you may also be talking about the contortions manufacturers have to go to in order to create a thermal break.

Jul 5, 07 3:15 pm  · 
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snooker

1919....old...cranks made with brass fittings..and the damn things break and aren't to user friendly here in New England.

Jul 5, 07 3:30 pm  · 
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mdler

new steel windows rock...Bronze windows are killer as well, but $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Jul 5, 07 3:34 pm  · 
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cmrhm

Thank, guys. This is so helpful! Any website link you know could give me some thorough educations?

"when I used to work for an office designing skyscrapers, it was funny to see people designing the aluminium curtain wall profiles. They would try to shave off as much metal as they could...a half milimeter worth of metal on the extrusion multiplied by all the curatin wall in the building could save hundreds of thousands of dollars"

"it is a combination of many things...
the fact that aluminium can be extruded allows for it to be hollow...
attachements for rubber gaskets
snap-in glazing beads"

"thermal break"

Jul 5, 07 3:58 pm  · 
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mdler

orhan

those torrance windows rock

Jul 5, 07 4:56 pm  · 
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some person

Some people download the AutoCAD blocks from a given window manufacturer and use them in their window details. While the detail looks great, does it really tell you more than if you used a simple profile of the extrusion, dimensioned to the face of glass, and noted any exterior unique mullion cap configurations? I mean, isn't it enough to draw the profile, note it as "storefront" or "curtainwall," and define the product requirements and manufacturers in the spec?

I'm not trying to be a smartass here; if there is a good reason to show the "funny forms inside the extrusion" I want to know about it.

Jul 5, 07 10:34 pm  · 
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aspect

when the window are openable and u want a clean look from the outside, the extrusion will look more complicated at the section.

Jul 5, 07 11:09 pm  · 
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whistler

Much of the design has to do with hte wind loading and structural support, the wind pressure has a lot more to do with the profile as it relates to the amount of wind the wind will be exposed to and driving rain into the guts of the window section.

Anybody doing steel / metal design of anything will know that its all done by weight and they do an impressive job of keeping the weight / cost down by minimizing the total steel content when they can.

Jul 6, 07 2:26 pm  · 
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mdler

DCA

not really...

it all depends on the size of the project and how custom the windows / curtain wall is

Jul 6, 07 2:28 pm  · 
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