Designing an aluminium profile is just the beginning. The real gains often come later—through optimisation. That means refining a design that already works, so it works better: more efficiently, more cost-effectively, and with greater ease of manufacture.
At ALUCAD, this is where we come in. We don’t just help you draw a profile. We help you build one that performs exactly as required without excess material, unnecessary complexity, or avoidable production costs. Whether you’re developing a new concept or revisiting an existing one, optimisation is the key to unlocking the full potential of your profile.
Why optimisation matters
Many profiles function well enough on paper. But how well do they extrude? How much do they cost to machine? Are they over-specified in places that don’t impact performance?
By focusing only on the functional outcome, it’s easy to overlook opportunities for improvement. Optimisation is about taking a step back and asking smarter questions:
• Could two features be consolidated into one?
• Can material be reduced without compromising strength?
• Is the geometry unnecessarily driving up die cost or cycle time?
• Can we minimise finishing challenges like coating traps or surface variation?
These are not always obvious unless you’ve seen hundreds of profiles in production, and that’s our day-to-day.
How end-to-end aluminium manufacturing services like ALUCAD can help
Our team works closely with clients to identify inefficiencies and refine the profile based on real-world manufacturing constraints. Here’s how:
• Design audits: We review your CAD to spot avoidable complexity, unnecessary thickness, or machining steps that could be eliminated through smart design changes.
• Process-led thinking: We design with extrusion and post-processing in mind—from optimal wall thicknesses for cooling to features that support faster CNC setups.
• Cost/performance balance: We help you avoid the trap of over-engineering. Many profiles carry expensive features that contribute little to overall function. We guide you to where tolerances or geometry can be relaxed—without sacrificing critical performance.
• Material and finish efficiency: We assess how the profile interacts with surface treatments and suggest refinements that improve anodising or coating results while reducing waste.
• Supplier collaboration: If you're working with multiple manufacturing partners (extruders, finishers, machinists), we coordinate with them to ensure your profile is optimised across the entire production chain—not just in isolation.
It's not just about reducing costs
Optimisation isn't about cutting corners. It's about delivering more value per kilogram, per cycle, per profile. You still get the functionality you need—only now it’s backed by more efficient tooling, leaner production, and fewer downstream headaches.
Final thoughts
A profile that’s designed to work is good. A profile that’s optimised to excel is better. With ALUCAD, you gain a partner who understands not only the theory of extrusion, but the practical pressures of manufacturing at scale.
If you’ve got a design that’s “finished,” but you’re still facing high production costs, long lead times, or excessive waste, chances are, it can still be improved. That’s where we come in.