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Aluminium extrusion gives lighting designers the freedom to combine several functions in one profile. In one profile cross section, we can provide structural support, help manage heat, create mounting points and incorporate features for cables, covers or other components.
Hydro works with customers to develop extruded aluminium profiles for LED luminaires and lighting systems, with additional fabrication and surface treatment available depending on the application.
Extrusion makes it possible to put functionality directly into the shape of the profile. Instead of assembling several individual components, designers can integrate features such as mounting interfaces, channels, connection points and surfaces for attaching covers or diffusers into a single aluminium extrusion. This can simplify the overall design and reduce the number of parts required.
The extrusion process also allows considerable freedom in the geometry of the cross-section. Profiles can be developed around the requirements of the luminaire rather than forcing the luminaire to fit around standard components. Early consideration of the extrusion process can help make a design easier and more efficient to manufacture.
Thermal management in LED luminaires
Heat management is an important consideration in LED lighting design. Aluminium combines good thermal conductivity with the ability to create complex cross-sections through extrusion. This means heat-dissipating features can be incorporated directly into the profile instead of being added as separate components. The geometry of the profile can be designed to increase surface area, provide contact surfaces for electronic components and help transfer heat away from the LED system. The result can be a component that performs several roles at the same time: housing, structure and thermal management.
Design, fabrication and finishing
The aluminium profile is often only one part of the finished solution. After extrusion, profiles can be further processed to suit the design and assembly of the luminaire. Depending on the requirements, this can include operations such as cutting, drilling and milling.
Surface treatment can also form an important part of the design. Anodizing, powder coating and mechanical finishes can be used to achieve different visual and functional properties. For visible lighting products in particular, extrusion allows the structural component to become part of the product's appearance rather than simply being hidden inside it. Surface treatment and thermal requirements should be considered together when developing the final solution.
Applications for extruded aluminium in lighting
Extruded aluminium profiles can be used in many types of LED lighting, from compact luminaires to long linear systems. Typical applications include linear lighting, architectural lighting, indoor and outdoor luminaires and lighting systems where the aluminium profile combines structural, mounting and heat-management functions. The same extrusion principle can be adapted to very different products. What they have in common is the opportunity to design the aluminium profile around the needs of the lighting system.
Aluminium lighting in practice
Hydro already works with companies in the lighting industry on both material choices and circularity:
A profile that works well on paper also needs to work well in production. Small changes to a cross-section can sometimes simplify extrusion, reduce unnecessary material or make later fabrication and assembly easier. In some cases, a complex component may also work better as several simpler interlocking extrusions rather than one highly complex profile. The objective is not simply to extrude the shape as drawn, but to find a solution that balances function, material use and manufacturability. This is why it is useful to consider extrusion early in the product-development process.
Recycled aluminium for lighting products
Aluminium can be recycled and used again as material for new products. For projects where recycled content and carbon footprint are important considerations, Hydro CIRCAL provides an option made with a minimum of 75% recycled post-consumer aluminium. The recycled content is independently verified by DNV. Hydro CIRCAL has a carbon footprint of 1.9 kg CO₂e or less per kilogram of aluminium.
Using recycled aluminium is one part of designing more circular lighting products. Product architecture also matters. Designing products so that components can be separated and aluminium alloys can be identified and recovered can make future recycling easier.
From profile idea to finished component
An aluminium extrusion can be much more than a simple housing. By considering the cross-section, thermal requirements, fabrication, surface treatment and eventual recycling together, designers can use the extrusion process to simplify a lighting product and put more functionality into the material itself.
Hydro supplies extruded aluminium profiles and can provide additional fabrication and finishing capabilities depending on your design and production requirements.
Frequently asked questions
LEDs typically run for around 50,000 hours, roughly 5.7 years of continuous use, and use as little as 10% of the energy of conventional lighting. Aluminium profiles support that lifespan by managing heat and keeping LEDs and drivers within their target operating temperature.
Often yes. Diffuser tracks, cable channels, mounting interfaces, and sealing surfaces can be built into a single profile, reducing part count and assembly steps.
Finishes can influence emissivity and surface behavior, so selection should weigh both appearance and the thermal requirements of the operating environment.
