The Fourteenth International Aluminum Extrusion Technology Seminar & Exposition (ET ’27) will take place April 26–30, 2027, at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando, FL. Presented by the Aluminum Extruders Council, ET is the only major international event devoted exclusively to aluminum extrusion technology.
Although the seminar and exposition are often recognized for its large exhibit hall and international reach, the defining feature of ET has always been its technical program (Figure 1). ET is a technical seminar with an exposition, not an exposition supported by a limited conference program. Every element of the event, from the technical papers and workshops to the equipment exhibits and extrusion applications on display, is organized around one purpose: advancing the knowledge and capabilities of the aluminum extrusion industry.
Technical Program
More than 160 abstracts from over 20 countries were submitted for ET ’27. The selected papers form a comprehensive technical program organized into seven tracks, as follows:
- Alloys & Billet Process
- Extrusion Equipment
- Extrusion Design & Innovation
- Extrusion & Die Process Application
- Extrusion Finishes & Fabrication
- Extrusion & Die Research and Development
- Sustainability & Management
Together, these tracks follow the extrusion value chain from alloy development, melting, casting, and homogenization through die design, press operations, heat treatment, finishing, fabrication, and the development of new applications. The program also addresses the larger operational issues facing extrusion companies, including safety, workforce development, recycling, energy use, process control, and continuous improvement.
The scope of the ET ’27 program reflects how quickly extrusion technology is evolving. Papers will explore subjects such as artificial intelligence in melting and surface inspection, recycled-content alloys, billet quality, thermal management, press automation, die repair using additive manufacturing, process modeling, quenching, heat treatment, anodizing, CNC machining, welding, and advanced fabrication.
These are not simply presentations about products or general industry trends. ET papers examine actual research, operating experience, production challenges, and measurable results. Authors from extrusion companies, equipment and technology suppliers, universities, and research institutions share work that can help attendees understand a problem, evaluate a new approach, or improve a process when they return to their operations.
Some papers push the boundaries of extrusion research through modeling, simulation, and metallurgical investigation. Others focus on problems encountered every day in extrusion plants, such as surface defects, coring, billet temperature measurement, die performance, scrap reduction, equipment reliability, and workplace safety. This balance between scientific research and practical plant knowledge is one of the qualities that makes ET valuable to such a wide range of professionals.
The Best Papers of ET, selected from the technical program, are presented during general sessions, so all delegates can hear research recognized for its contribution to the industry. The papers are also published in the ET Proceedings, creating a permanent technical record that companies, researchers, and extrusion professionals continue to consult long after the seminar concludes.
Further Learning
The ET Expo builds upon this technical foundation. In many trade shows, education is an activity that takes place away from the exhibition. At ET, the two experiences are connected. Attendees can hear a new process, technology, or operating method discussed in a technical session and then continue that conversation with specialists on the Expo floor (Figure 2).
Exhibitors bring equipment, tooling, software, materials, measurement systems, and technical services developed specifically for aluminum extrusion. Their displays allow attendees to connect the concepts presented in the seminar rooms with technologies that can be applied in casting facilities, die shops, extrusion plants, and fabrication operations.
This makes the ET Expo another part of the learning experience. It is a place to ask detailed questions, compare approaches, and discuss specific production challenges with people who understand the extrusion process. For exhibitors, it provides access to a highly focused international audience that comes to ET prepared to learn and to find ways to improve its operations.
The Extrusion Showcase adds yet another dimension by presenting innovative extruded components and finished products. These applications demonstrate how alloy selection, profile design, extrusion, fabrication, and finishing come together to solve real engineering and manufacturing challenges. They also encourage attendees to consider new applications and new possibilities for the extrusion process.
Technical learning at ET also takes place through workshops, demonstrations, and conversations among industry peers. Engineers speak with other engineers. Production personnel exchange ideas with equipment suppliers. Researchers receive feedback from people applying extrusion technology on the plant floor. Because the entire event is focused on extrusion, these conversations can quickly move from general introductions to meaningful technical discussions.
Conclusion
The concentration of knowledge is what distinguishes ET from broader aluminum and manufacturing events. Attendees do not have to search a large program to find the few sessions relevant to extrusion. At ET, extrusion is the program.
For five days in Orlando, the global extrusion community will come together to share research, examine new technology, solve common problems, and explore what the industry can accomplish next. The Expo is an important part of that experience, but the technical program is its foundation.
ET ’27 is where the world’s aluminum extrusion industry comes to learn. For information about attending or exhibiting at ET ’27, visit: aec.org/et-seminar.
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared in the October 2026 issue of Light Metal Age. To receive the current issue, please subscribe.