As setting up industries become costlier by the day, engineers and technologist are looking for alternative materials to reduce costs.

One of the key areas is use of aluminum wire as an alternative to copper. This issue has been in a lot of focus lately in the construction industry as copper prices are continuing to increase.

Price alone is a compelling reason to use aluminum wire. Many experts are of the view that aluminum conductors offer a value proposition, as enterprises can expect to spend at least 25 % less if they use aluminum conductor instead of copper.

Here are a few arguments that support the use of aluminum wire

Saving in expenditure

Every entrepreneur strives to get the best return on investment (ROI). This is especially a challenge in these days of rising raw material costs.

When aluminum conductor is used, the savings can be significant. Businesses have experienced that not only is aluminum cheaper than copper, its pricing is also comparatively stable.

Technical design advances in aluminum

Much of the apprehensions regarding aluminum are due to technical design issues in earlier alloys. Better designs and higher quality of installations have largely addressed these issues.

One significant advance is in the area of physical properties of aluminum. The present alloys that are currently in use have done away with many of the problems encountered in the past. Of special mention is Series 8000 aluminum that is having better conductivity, creep resistance and workability. Electrical contractors have found that this alloy is easier to install because of better bending and pulling properties.

Broader usage

Engineers are now recommending use of aluminum wires in transformers to switchboards and even from switchboards to motor control centers.  Good savings occur when larger cables are used as in feeders.

Surmounting installation issues

Historically, aluminum connections were more critical than copper. Now by following a proper protocol, aluminum conductor installation are not in way more difficult than copper wire installations.

They say necessity is the mother of inventions.

This is very true in the case of aluminum wire. Engineering expertise as well as research has contributed much to the use of aluminum in place of copper the world over. High quality non-destructive testing and inspection as well as exacting quality control procedures have seen to it that aluminum can be leveraged to the maximum as an electric conductor.

With time we may see more advances in aluminum.

Any major change does require evaluating risks.  So a plant manager must weigh-in the advantages and drawbacks of aluminum versus copper before deciding the best choice for a particular application.

According to a latest research report, the global aluminum wire rod market is slated to touch nearly 6.8 million tons in consumption by 2019.

India and China are expected to contribute significantly to this growth. According to the “Make in India” promotion, 700 GW of power generation capacity is expected to be added in India. This projection translates into substantial demand for aluminum wire rods for transmission and distribution purposes.

Rajasthan Electric is one of the leading copper wire manufacturers in India. The company’s products under the brand name “Britex” has found wide acceptance among consumers. The company also manufactures a wide range of aluminum conductors.