There is a wide variety of aluminum and aluminum alloy tubes, which are generally categorized into three main types based on their strength characteristics and processing properties: pure aluminum, soft alloy, and hard alloy tubes. The extrusion of pure aluminum and soft alloy tubes is relatively easy, with high deformation capacity and good surface quality. Conversely, the extrusion of hard alloy tubes is more challenging, requiring limited deformation and substantial equipment capacity. Additionally, surface defects are more prone to occur. Consequently, higher operational skills are required, involving numerous processes, longer production cycles, significant tooling and mold consumption, higher costs, and lower yield rates.
　　
Surface quality requirements for aluminum and aluminum alloy tubes are high, yet their hardness is not substantial, especially in the hot state. Consequently, great care must be taken during production and shipping to avoid impacts with hard objects, preventing any damage. This necessitates enhanced product protection during production and handling, as well as gentle handling, surface protection, and civilized production practices.
　　
Aluminum and aluminum alloy tube materials are prone to adhesion during extrusion, often resulting in local adhesion to the tool, leading to various defects on the inner and outer surfaces of the tubes. Therefore, in the extrusion process, in addition to using process lubrication, the surface finish and hardness of the tools are required to be high, and all surfaces that come into contact with the tubes should meet the process specifications.
　　
When extruding aluminum and aluminum alloy tube materials, pure aluminum can be extruded without controlling the speed, but other alloys require specific extrusion speeds, which must be strictly controlled during production. Therefore, it is advisable to choose an extruder with adjustable speeds.

Many aluminum and aluminum alloys are easily weldable under high temperatures and pressures, which provides favorable conditions for the production of tubes. For example, flat combination dies and tongue-shaped dies are used to produce tubes by leveraging this characteristic. This not only expands the variety, specifications, and applications of tubes but also allows for the extrusion of tubes and complex hollow sections from solid billets on conventional single-action extrusion presses.
　　
Under appropriate processing conditions, piercing extrusion can be employed. During the piercing extrusion process, the inner surface of the extruder and the surface of the piercing pin typically become coated with a complete layer of metal. It is crucial to maintain this metal layer clean and intact during operation to produce high-quality tubing. Failure to do so can degrade the quality of both the inner and outer surfaces of the tubing, leading to defects such as bubbles, peeling, and scratches.
　　
To ensure the dimensional accuracy of piping, minimize wall thickness eccentricity, and prevent broken needles and damage to other tools, it is crucial to maintain the alignment of equipment and tools as much as possible.
　　
Aluminum and aluminum alloy tube materials are not suitable for production via the skinning extrusion method. The primary reason is that the extruded shell has been damaged, making it difficult to remove.