Transforming Industry <br />
with Sustainable Aluminum

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Transforming Industry
with Sustainable Aluminum

Find out how Atomic13 is transforming the aluminum extrusion industry by leveraging advanced shear extrusion technology to sustainably produce high-quality products.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Shear Extrusion & Performance
  2. Alloys & Co-Development
  3.  Sustainability & Circularity
  4. Quality, Traceability & Data
  5. Operations, Lead Times & Logistics
  6. Partnering & Onboarding
  7. Careers & Culture
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What is shear extrusion and why does it matter?

Shear extrusion introduces a controlled rotational shear field at the die—the first fundamental change to the conventional extrusion press in over a century. This dramatically refines the microstructure (ultrafine, equiaxed grains; broken down intermetallics), enabling higher-quality, more uniform extrusions even when billets are made from 100% post-consumer scrap (including twitch from end-of-life vehicles). Result: tighter tolerances, smoother finishes, and predictable properties end-to-end. Available Today  (technology + pilot via partners); Full-scale at First Production.

How does shear extrusion change the supply equation for aluminum extrusions?

By unlocking 100% post-consumer feedstock at performance levels that satisfy demanding applications, shear extrusion enables a resilient U.S. supply that avoids imported, expensive, primary aluminum. Customers gain more stable pricing, verifiable circularity for 6xxx, and a domestic loop built around PCI + twitch—without sacrificing quality. Available Today (commercial model); Execution at First Production.

Can shear extrusion make “tough-to-extrude” alloys viable—and displace steel in some parts?

Yes. The shear field stabilizes flow, reduces tearing and die-lines, and improves post-extrusion thermal response—making alloys like AA7075 more affordable and uniform. With validated process windows, 7xxx can compete on total system cost versus steel in crash/bumper beams and underbody structures—unlocking meaningful lightweighting. Program-by-Program (pilot now; scale at First Production).

Does shear extrusion improve surface quality and downstream processing?

Uniform grains at die exit translate to better anodize/powder consistency, reduced cosmetic rejects, and more stable machining/joining—especially for thin-wall and multi-void profiles. Available Today (pilots via partners); Full SPC at First Production.

What is shear extrusion?

Shear extrusion is a disruptive metal forming mechanism that (i) elevates quality from scrap-based billets, (ii) enables domestic, circular supply with stable pricing, and (iii) opens the door to advanced alloys and composites previously uneconomic at scale. Available Today (co-development + pilots); Production ramp soon.

What is primary aluminum?

It is aluminum produced from raw materials mined from the earth as bauxite and smelted using an energy-intensive electrolysis process creating a very pure aluminum product that is used to mix with scrap in remelting to dilute it. It increases both product cost and carbon footprint significantly.

Do you ever use primary aluminum?

No. Our billets use 100% post‑consumer scrap with zero primary aluminum or elemental dilution.

How can you maintain performance at such low CO₂?

Shear extrusion engineers the microstructure inside the extrusion press, enabling both a refined grain size for superior performance and low carbon footprint without the need for energy‑intensive homogenization processes or raw material inputs during remelting that required a lot of energy to produce upstream.

Will we get documentation for audits?

Yes—EPD, LCA, recycled‑content attestations, and full traceability are provided with shipments, upon program kickoff or general versions of these certifications can be found on this website.

Will we get documentation for audits?

Yes—EPD, LCA, recycled‑content attestations, and full traceability are provided with shipments, upon program kickoff or general versions of these certifications can be found on this website.

How can you maintain performance at such low CO₂?

Shear extrusion engineers the microstructure inside the extrusion press, enabling both a refined grain size for superior performance and low carbon footprint without the need for energy‑intensive homogenization processes or raw material inputs during remelting that required a lot of energy to produce upstream.

What is shear extrusion and why does it matter?

Shear extrusion introduces a controlled rotational shear field at the die—the first fundamental change to the conventional extrusion press in over a century. This dramatically refines the microstructure (ultrafine, equiaxed grains; broken down intermetallics), enabling higher-quality, more uniform extrusions even when billets are made from 100% post-consumer scrap (including twitch from end-of-life vehicles). Result: tighter tolerances, smoother finishes, and predictable properties end-to-end. Available Today  (technology + pilot via partners); Full-scale at First Production.

How does shear extrusion change the supply equation for aluminum extrusions?

By unlocking 100% post-consumer feedstock at performance levels that satisfy demanding applications, shear extrusion enables a resilient U.S. supply that avoids imported, expensive, primary aluminum. Customers gain more stable pricing, verifiable circularity for 6xxx, and a domestic loop built around PCI + twitch—without sacrificing quality. Available Today (commercial model); Execution at First Production.

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