It should not come as a shock that China is the world’s largest producer of aluminum. They produced 36 million metric tonnes in 2019. China produces roughly 10 times more than the next country, India. The USA was in the ninth position producing about 3% of what China produces according to a report from BizVibe.
Benefits of Aluminum for Manufacturing and Design
Most aluminum is easily machined and, in some cases, can be supplied in a unique extrusion. It is very lightweight and offers corrosion resistance. It is a good conductor of electricity, although not as good as copper. Most of the bus bars we manufacture are from copper.
Related: Copper Mining Production by Country
We machine other components from aluminum, like heatsinks. The most common grade we see is 6061. When additional strength is required, we see grade 7075. Grade 7075 is typical for aircraft components.