Purchasing and project coordination
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about custom aluminum profiles, drawings, order quantities, tooling, samples and delivery. These notes explain how we review and confirm project requirements. Specifications, charges, payment terms and production schedules are agreed in your quotation and order documents following our project review.
Can you manufacture to our drawing?
Yes. We review customer drawings for architectural and industrial aluminum profiles, including the section geometry, wall thicknesses, alloy, temper, finish and critical assembly tolerances. Send DWG, DXF or PDF drawings, or STEP, STP or IGS models. Our engineering team confirms feasibility before tooling. The numbered die drawing requires your written approval, and trial samples are checked and submitted for acceptance before bulk production.
How is the minimum order quantity confirmed?
Minimum order quantity is assessed by the total weight of each profile section and color, in kilograms or metric tons. Existing dies and mill-finish profiles generally allow lower minimums. New custom dies, special powder colors, wood-grain finishes and partner-provided anodizing require a review of die size, profile weight per meter and production setup losses. We confirm the minimum for your specification; no single quantity applies to every project.
How are sample and production lead times confirmed?
For standard dies, die manufacture and the initial extrusion trial usually take 7–15 days after drawing approval and receipt of the die fee. Section complexity, die size, press scheduling and further adjustments can affect this timing. We share trial results and any revised trial date. Bulk production is scheduled after sample approval and receipt of the deposit. Its lead time is confirmed based on the order quantity and final production plan.
Can we inquire without a drawing?
Yes. Explain the application, required dimensions, finish and estimated quantity. You can send a complete profile sample approximately 15–30 cm long or longer. Alternatively, provide a clear end-on cross-section photo alongside a ruler, a dimensioned sketch and details of the mating components. Our engineers can help prepare a drawing from this information. Your written approval of the final numbered drawing is required before a new die is made.
How are sample and courier charges confirmed?
Standard samples from existing dies and standard color sample panels are available free of charge. Courier charges are normally paid by the customer on a freight-collect basis. For a new custom die, trial extrusion samples are provided free of charge after the die fee is paid. Samples requiring additional fabrication or special surface finishing are quoted separately based on the work involved and actual project cost.
How are payments arranged?
Custom die fees are payable in full after you approve the die drawing and before tooling begins. Bulk orders normally require a deposit to schedule production, with the balance paid before dispatch or container loading. Payment percentages and milestones depend on the project and trade terms and are specified in the formal quotation and sales contract.
How are shipping and export packaging arranged?
Guantian arranges protective film, EPE foam, kraft paper or shrink-film packaging, shipping marks, forklift loading and cargo securing at the factory. You may appoint a freight forwarder to collect from the factory or ask us to help coordinate logistics and export customs clearance. Confirm any special packaging before placing the order, including custom wooden crates made from fumigation-exempt materials, steel racks or packaging organized by building floor.
How should we report a problem after delivery?
Keep the original packaging labels and provide the order number, production batch number, photographs of the affected areas and measured dimensions. Our quality team will retrieve the retained samples and outgoing inspection records for review within 24 hours. If a manufacturing defect or dimensional nonconformity is confirmed, we will promptly arrange the appropriate replacement or rework.
Procurement and production questions
What determines the price per ton of custom aluminum extrusions?
A quotation generally combines an agreed aluminum price basis with conversion and processing charges. Confirm the reference market or price, currency, date and validity in the quotation. Alloy and temper, wall thickness, section complexity, meter weight, finish, color batches, cutting, machining and packaging can all change the total. Two orders of equal weight can require very different production time and finished surface area. Compare the complete supply scope rather than only the headline price per ton.
How much does a custom extrusion die cost, and can the fee be refunded?
For suitable standard architectural and industrial sections on Guantian's 800–1,500-ton presses, indicative die fees are approximately USD 180–650, or around RMB 1,200–4,500. Section size, solid or hollow construction, cavities and tooling requirements determine the actual price. The quotation confirms the currency and fee; these ranges are not a fixed exchange-rate conversion. Eligible tooling fees can be refunded or credited after the agreed cumulative order quantity is reached. Typical new-project discussions may start around 5–10 or more metric tons, while some existing arrangements use thresholds up to 20 tons. The written terms for each die govern. Customer-specific tooling is identified and stored with confidentiality controls, and ownership, maintenance and refund arrangements are agreed in the order. Payment follows drawing approval and precedes die manufacture. If a trial does not meet the approved drawing, the necessary die correction or remake is provided without a correction charge; later customer design changes may add cost.
How many tons of aluminum profiles fit in a 20GP or 40HQ container?
Section shape and packaging determine whether space or mass is the limiting factor. For initial planning, typical window and door bundles may load around 9–13 metric tons in a 20GP or 18–22 tons in a 40HQ. Compact heavy sections can approach 23–26 tons in a 40HQ when the container, carrier and road limits permit; bulky hollow sections or protective crates can reduce the metal weight significantly. Obtain a loading calculation from the actual section mix and packed dimensions. A 20GP commonly uses about 5.80 m bars, rather than the longer lengths that may fit in a 40HQ.
Which aluminum profile length reduces container and cutting waste?
Do not assume that 6.0 m is the best export length. A typical 20GP is approximately 5.89 m long internally, so around 5.80 m is a common planning choice; 5.85 m needs a check of the actual container and packaging. Two rows around 5.80–5.95 m may suit a 40HQ. For repeated components, send the finished cut list so that a custom bar length can be compared with the standard options. Include every saw kerf and end trim before calculating the yield. The saving depends on the component mix and production plan.
Should thermal-break assembly take place before or after powder coating?
Both routes can be considered when the materials and process are suitable. Coating the aluminum shells first and assembling them afterward is the normal choice for different inside and outside colors, and keeps the strips out of that coating-oven cycle. Assembly before coating may suit a single-color system if the PA66GF25 strip and assembled profile are qualified for the complete pretreatment and curing process. Confirm the strip grade, supplier limits, finish, dimensional checks and required assembly-strength tests before choosing the route.
How can we make sure window profiles fit our local hardware and EPDM gaskets?
Provide the component drawings and physical samples before tooling. Powder specified at 60–80 µm adds about 0.06–0.08 mm to each coated face, so opposing faces can reduce a groove by approximately 0.12–0.16 mm. Our engineers review the coating allowance and tolerance stack with the actual component, then check the finished trial profile using appropriate gauges and practical fitting tests. Slot allowances must be agreed for the particular assembly; one enlargement value does not suit every gasket or hardware system.
How do powder coating, wood grain and anodizing compare?
Outdoor-grade powder coating is useful for colored architectural windows, doors, curtain walls and railings; common project film specifications are around 60–80 µm. Wood-grain sublimation (heat transfer) adds a timber-like decorative pattern over a compatible base, with an outdoor-qualified combination required for exterior use. Anodizing forms an integral oxide layer and can suit industrial slots, rails and machined parts; example specifications may be around 10–25 µm according to the application. Every finish affects the surface and can affect dimensions. Review exposure, appearance, wear, mating clearance and maintenance before approving samples.
What is the difference between 6063-T5, 6063-T6 and 6061-T6?
6063 is frequently considered for intricate architectural sections and good surface appearance. T5 and T6 identify different processing conditions; a specified 6063-T6 product can offer higher mechanical properties than its T5 counterpart. 6061-T6 is often considered for more demanding structural or machined components, but it is not mandatory for every industrial rail. The complete section, loading, connection design and applicable product standard determine the choice. Strength acceptance values depend on the product specification and thickness; a Webster hardness reading is a useful agreed process check, not a universal conversion to tensile strength.
How can buyers reduce water staining and bending during sea freight?
Pack dry profiles indoors and use suitable low-tack protective film, interleaving, outer wrapping and edge protection for the finish. Provide adequate bundle support, dunnage and restraint so long sections cannot move or bend in the container. Moisture-resistant wrapping does not eliminate condensation risk, so agree additional moisture controls for the route where needed. At receipt, check labels, packaging and visible damage, retain photographs, and store bundles in a dry, ventilated indoor area. Open and investigate damp packaging promptly rather than leaving moisture trapped against the metal.
How can we verify an aluminum extrusion factory in Foshan?
Request a continuous live walkthrough or an arranged visit covering the billet yard, die library, extrusion, finishing, quality inspection and packing. Ask which operations are in-house and which use partners, then connect the equipment shown to real batch and inspection records. Guantian's current Sanshui base has 7 extrusion lines with presses from 800 to 1,500 metric tons and 2 in-house coating lines, with actual 2025 output above 50,000 metric tons. Its Nanhai location serves spot inventory, while the planned Sihui base is expected to operate in 2027. Confirm the correct location and navigation details before travel.
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