Aluminum circles are commonly used in kitchen utensils, offering excellent thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance. Rice cookers and pressure cookers, two frequently used kitchen appliances, typically require inner pots, which are mainly made from high-quality aluminum circles.
The material for rice cooker aluminum circles is usually DC 1060 and 3003 aluminum alloys, which provide the necessary strength and hardness. The common thickness ranges from 0.3 mm to 3.0 mm, and can be customized according to different models and requirements.
Most rice cookers on the market today use aluminum alloy inner pots, with surface treatment technologies such as common non-stick coatings and hard anodizing.
Advantages of Aluminum Circles for Rice Cookers
- 1. Excellent Thermal Conductivity: Aluminum alloy has outstanding thermal conductivity, which evenly distributes heat, ensuring food is uniformly cooked. This feature makes aluminum alloy an ideal material for high-efficiency cookware, such as frying pans and baking trays.
- 2. Low Density and Lightweight: Aluminum alloy has a much lower density compared to many other materials, meaning it is lighter for the same volume. This characteristic makes aluminum products easier to handle and transport, reducing shipping costs.
- 3. Low Cost: Aluminum is one of the most abundant metals in the Earth's crust, and its refining technology is highly advanced. As a result, the raw material price of aluminum alloy is relatively low, making production costs more economical. This makes aluminum alloy a cost-effective choice, especially in mass production.
- 4. Easy to Process: Compared to materials like stainless steel, aluminum alloy is softer and easier to process. This means the manufacturing process is less demanding, allowing for more convenient forming and processing operations, such as extrusion, stamping, and casting.
- 5. Excellent Corrosion Resistance: Aluminum alloy has excellent corrosion resistance, making it less prone to rust or deterioration. This allows aluminum alloy products to be used for a long time in various environments, especially in humid or chemically exposed conditions, extending the product's lifespan.
- 6. Environmentally Friendly and Safe: Aluminum alloy materials are non-toxic and meet food safety standards. They do not contain harmful substances and are suitable for direct contact with food. This ensures that food is not contaminated during processing or storage, safeguarding the health and safety of users.
Rice cooker aluminum disc chemical composition
Alloy | Min. AL | Si | Fe | Cu | Mn | Mg | Ni | Zn | V | Other |
1060 | 99.6 | 0.25 | 0.35 | 0.05 | 0.03 | 0.03 | - | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.03 |
3003 | 96.75 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.05-0.2 | 1.0-1.5 | - | - | 0.1 | - | 0.15 |
Rice cooker aluminum disc mechanical properties
Rice cooker aluminum disc 1060 O mechanical properties
Alloy Temper | Specified | Tensile | Yield | Elongation(%) |
Thickness(in.) | strength(ksi) | strength(ksi) | ||
1060-O(annealed) | 0.006-0.019 | 8.0-14.0 | 2.5 | Min15 |
0.020-0.050 | Min22 | |||
0.051-3.000 | Min25 |
Rice cooker aluminum disc 3003 mechanical properties
Alloy-Temper | Tensile Strength (ksi) | Yield Strength (ksi) | Elongation (%) |
3003-O | 16 | 6 | 30 |
3003-H14 | 22 | 21 | 3 |
3003-H18 | 29 | 27 | 3 |
Haomei Aluminum Circle Processing for Rice Cookers
The processing of aluminum circles for rice cookers involves several key steps, including raw material selection, circle cutting, surface treatment, and forming.
- 1. Raw Material Selection: First, selecting the right aluminum alloy material is crucial. The aluminum alloys used for rice cooker circles should have good thermal conductivity, excellent mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance. Commonly used aluminum alloys include 1060 and 3003. These alloys undergo precise chemical composition analysis and physical performance testing to ensure they meet the product requirements.
- 2. Circle Cutting: After selecting the raw materials, the aluminum coils or plates go through a precise circle cutting process. This process typically uses efficient stamping machines or CNC cutting machines to ensure the circle’s diameter, thickness, and edge smoothness meet the specifications. The cutting speed and pressure are carefully controlled to avoid burrs or deformation during the process.
- 3. Surface Treatment: The surface treatment of aluminum circles is crucial to improving product quality and extending their service life. Common surface treatment methods include cleaning, degreasing, polishing, and anodizing. The cleaning and degreasing steps remove oil and impurities from the aluminum circle surface to ensure uniform surface treatment. Anodizing enhances corrosion resistance and surface hardness, while polishing is used to improve surface gloss.
- 4. Forming: Forming is the key step in shaping the aluminum circle into the final product. During this process, the aluminum circles typically undergo deep drawing, stamping, or die-casting to form the inner pot of the rice cooker. The forming process requires precise control of pressure and temperature to ensure the aluminum circle does not crack, develop pores, or present other defects after forming, while also meeting design specifications.
- 5. Quality Inspection: To ensure the stable and reliable quality of the aluminum circles, each step in the production process undergoes strict inspection and testing. This includes dimensional measurements, surface quality checks, and mechanical performance tests. Dimensional measurements ensure that the circle’s diameter and thickness meet specifications, surface quality checks ensure there are no scratches, dents, or other defects, and mechanical performance tests verify whether the circle’s strength and toughness meet the required standards.
The precise control of these processing techniques and strict inspection guarantees the high quality of the aluminum circles for rice cookers, ensuring they provide excellent performance and long service life in practical use.