T Slot Aluminum Dimensions – Not All Profiles Are Created Equal

Over tighten a threaded fastener and it will shear. You can avoid this by applying less torque, using a larger diameter fastener, or both. The relevance to extruded aluminum profile is that higher torque makes for stronger joints, and t slot aluminum dimensions determine how much torque you can apply.

Creating Strong Joints in T Slot Framing

When joining two pieces of aluminum profile in an “L” form there are two ways to do it. Either the load-bearing length rests on the other piece, which is the strongest method, or it’s held in place with a gusset or plates. Gussets and plates are good for resisting torsion but their limitation is that they rely on friction between fastener and profile for strength.

To add strength, the options are either go to larger fasteners, use more fasteners, or do both.

Larger fasteners require a bigger captive nut or retainer in the t slot, which in turn means using profile with a wider slot. In addition, higher torque requires stronger profile to prevent the nut pulling through.

Fortunately, when you source your framing materials from IPS, you have some options.

Three “Duties” of Profile

Our profile comes in light, medium and heavy duty. In simple terms, heavy-duty profile has more metal per linear inch and is therefore stronger, but there’s more to it.

To permit more torque on the fasteners the heavy-duty profile has a wider t slot. This allows use of larger diameter fasteners. Our heavy duty aluminum profile is designated L8 and the t slot dimension is 8mm.

Staying with t slot width as the differentiator, our medium duty profile is L6. As should be expected, the slot is 6mm wide. And for light duty profile, designated as L5, the t slot width is very close to 5mm.

Consider Strength Requirements

All the aluminum profile IPS sells is extruded from 6105 T5 series material. That’s one of the strongest grades of aluminum alloy and it has a very high specific strength (meaning strength per pound of material.) When designing a frame or other structure, important points to consider are: loading, joint strength needed, and exposure to vibration/oscillating/fluctuating loads.

You can increase loading strength by using larger section profile. (It works like an I-beam.) For stronger joints though it’s important to avoid relying on friction where possible. Where that isn’t possible, maximize friction in the joint by using more and larger diameter fasteners.

For most applications medium duty L6 profile is the right profile for the task. L5 is generally reserved for applications with minimal or no loads like display frames. Systems with motion have special requirements. Vibration and oscillating or fluctuating loads require higher strength and for these the L8 profile is recommended.

Consult Our Specialists For Advice on Profiles

With aluminum profile framing material it’s possible to build structures as strong or stronger than a welded equivalent. Doing so though requires close attention to joint strength, and this is heavily influenced by the t slot aluminum dimensions.

Stronger joints are made by using profile with a wider slot, as this accepts a larger diameter fastener. So, when designing your structure, be sure to select the profile that suits your application.

Have questions or need help with profile selection? Contact us to discuss.