CONTROL OF ALUMINUM EXTRUSION SAWING NOISE.

The best solution for extrusion sawing applications is to plug the stress relief holes at the base of the expansion slots with a soft metal plug rivet. Saw table top material makes a difference in sound levels. Some saw tables have a metallic top. A liner of either plywood or laminated fiber placed on the metal top will reduce the noise by 2 dBA. Clamp surfaces, both upper and lower, should be lined with a viscoelastic material to form a constraining layer between the piece and clamp if conditions are right, flooding the saw area with coolent during cutting helps to reduce noise. A novel approach using liquid foam was taken in Alcoa's laboratory to reduce saw noise. The foam, not too different in consistency than a foamy shaving cream or rug shampoo, did exhibit some noise-reducing capability.