Thermal Barrier

Because aluminum is such an effective heat conductor, thermal breaks are typically employed in applications such as exterior windows, doors or supermarket coolers to insulate the "cold" space from the "warm" space.

Extruders typically offer two thermal break alternatives:

• a "pour & debridge" system in which a polyurethane liquid is allowed to harden in a "pocket" designed into the extrusion. The aluminum forming the pocket is then removed to allow the hardened polyurethane to act as an insulator
• A polyamide strip system where a rigid polyamide strip is mechanically crimped between two extrusions designed to accept the strip — thus creating the insulator

Images: Azon