The aluminium window frame always look interesting to me. I kind of know the reason behind that complicated profile is sth related to the water tight, structure. But I don't have clear understanding. I wonder if anyone knows it or where to look for the answer?

BTW, I searched the alcoa website, AND I couldn't find the explanation for the alum. window frame profile. But someone told me I should be able to find sth. I guess I missed some area?

Thanks

Water-tight, air-tight, lightness, strength, heat-conduction, maintenance-free... so much are into its little section.
I think that aluminum frame sections are the most hard-working section in a building.

Thank You. Guys.

Go to the download section of this page:
http://www.jansen.com/e/index_s.html
You'll get dxf files for windows applications...
You'll find shüco systems files too.

Its also to do with the heat transfer across the profile. You don't want the window frame to suffer from condensation so the profile allows a gradual decrease in temperature across the section as opposed to a sudden drop.
Notice how you can get condensation forming on the window pane, but rarely the frame itself!

Water-tight, air-tight, lightness, strength, heat-conduction, maintenance-free... so much are into its little section.
I think that aluminum frame sections are the most hard-working section in a building.

Yeah, but the corners are a killer

If you want to do corners -
do glass to glass or a butt connection.
Otherwise you will need a structural post that can be clad in the same material as your window unit.

If you want to do corners -
do glass to glass or a butt connection.
Otherwise you will need a structural post that can be clad in the same material as your window unit.
What Bruce meant by "corners" are, I think, the four corners of a window frame.
Water-tight, air-tight, thermal-break, whatever you are trying to achieve by designing a little aluminum profile, there are always four malicious corners to interrupt them. :(

Is there a way of using a simple metal window like you see in early modernist architecture and getting around the problem of cold bridging? I was once in a new build home in the Rockies... the living room (or Great Room as they called it) had a view that you could only dream of, you could have cut a hole in a shoe box and stuck it on the site and you'd be shortlisted for a multitude of awards. But they had managed to do the (almost) impossible and mess it up. UPVC window frames. big fat bulky white plastic picture frames for every vista. i wanted to cry. for little more money they could have used curtain walling but it seems like non architects don't seem to mind UPVC. Sometimes i think my obsession with this subject is more of a curse than a blessing, i used to be able to go to a foreign place and be like a kid in a sweet shop. now i have to go to every building i've heard of there, and if they're a let down then so is the holiday. thats why i'll never learn anything about wine! but yes, i wish i was indifferent to upvc.

What Bruce meant by "corners" are, I think, the four corners of a window frame.
Water-tight, air-tight, thermal-break, whatever you are trying to achieve by designing a little aluminum profile, there are always four malicious corners to interrupt them. :(

That's the one! Nothing a good dob of silicone won't fix apparently :P

EPDM sealant... do the trick...In Portugal aluminum frames, are the most used material in Buildings...
We don´t need to detail... just use the sistem that the exists in the market...

Go to the download section of this page:
http://www.jansen.com/e/index_s.html
You'll get dxf files for windows applications...
You'll find shüco systems files too.
Or try here: www.sky-frame.ch (http://www.sky-frame.ch), completely another system but very slim sections