Richardson Metals is a custom manufacturer specializing in precision aluminum extrusions and CNC machining for aerospace, medical, defense, and other sectors. We help design engineers and R&D managers bridge the gap between concept and production, with no high minimums. Learn more about our small-run aluminum extrusion capabilities, rapid tooling timelines, and comprehensive engineering support below.
Why Richardson Metals Is Built for Small Runs
At Richardson Metals, we’ve structured our facility to accommodate small-run aluminum extrusion work, tight tolerances, and small-part geometries that involve a much higher level of process control. When customers bring their extrusion work to us, they gain access to capabilities rarely found in the domestic market:
- Zero high minimums. We gladly accept prototype quantities and low-volume production runs.
- Ultra-precision tolerances. We hold tolerances to ±0.001 inches on critical dimensions.
- Small-part specialization. We are able to provide profiles with part diameters that fit within 4-inch circumscribed circles and with part thicknesses as low as 0.020 inches.
- JIT delivery. We build reliable stocking programs for recurring customers.
From Drawing to Extruded Part in 6-8 Weeks
Lead times can be a major hurdle for rapid prototype aluminum extrusion programs. At Richardson Metals, we work with customers from drawing through to production to meet extruded part specifications while maintaining lead times that keep your engineering iterations on schedule:
- 2–4 weeks: Standard production lead time once a die is available.
- 3–4 weeks: Total time required to design and manufacture a completely new die.
We can work with DWG, DXF, IGES, STEP, SolidWorks 2019, Inventor, or PDF files. Our team maintains strict process controls at each stage of the process, from raw material inspection to processing and packaging.
Engineering Support for Prototype Extrusions
Our sales and engineering teams review every drawing at intake and offer upfront design-for-manufacturability (DFM) guidance. We flag wall-thickness issues, draft angles, tolerance stack-ups, and profile features that complicate the extrusion process. For customers who are working through a concept without finalized drawings, we work directly from sketches to develop a viable profile.
We maintain a full suite of secondary operations in-house, including cutting-to-length, deburring, drilling, tapping, punching, grinding, 3-axis and 4-axis CNC milling, and welding. When a project requires tapped holes, threading, or specific machined features, our sister company in Denver, Colorado, Accudyne Corp, handles these needs. For final finishing, we coordinate with qualified partners for heavy anodizing, powder coating, painting, silk screening, and polishing.
Why Work With Richardson Metals?
At Richardson Metals, we serve as a reliable partner in custom extrusions. Customers like Hewlett-Packard, Texas Instruments, Kaman, and Kurt Manufacturing trust us for several distinct reasons:
- Experience. We have decades of experience in small quantity aluminum extrusions and prototype runs, and our engineers intimately understand extrusion chemistry and die mechanics.
- Precision. We execute ultra-precision work, not just standard tolerances.
- Seamless transitions. Prototype work transitions directly into medium-run production without changing suppliers.
- Turnaround times. We offer 6-8 week lead times, depending on the project’s requirements, and we operate a fully RoHS and REACH-compliant facility.
If your project requires low-volume aluminum extrusion with extreme precision, you don’t need to commit to a high part minimum. Request a quote today to get started and have our engineers review your drawings.