Billet Grilles Research Guide

Billet Grilles Research Guide Glossary Terms

• ABS Plastic
• Alloy
• Bolt Over Billet Grille
• Chromium
• CNC
• Magnesium
• Pliny the Elder
• Replacement Billet Grille
• Semipermeable
• Silicon
• Thermoplastic

Billet Grilles Research Guide Glossary Definitions

ABS Plastic

ABS is short for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, which is the chemical name for this particular thermoplastic material. Besides being widely used for OEM and aftermarket automotive parts, ABS plastics are also used in pipes and golf club heads. Its rigidity, light weight and shock absorbency make ABS plastic an ideal material for manufacturing. Best of all, it is impervious to rust. An added benefit of ABS plastic is that you have the option of painting it to match or highlight your paintjob.

Alloy

When a base metal, such as aluminum or iron, is combined with additional elements, the resulting metal mixture is called an alloy. The advantage of an alloy metal is that its basic ingredients are greatly enhanced when blended together. For example, brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. When the two elements are separate, they are less durable and not as attractive as when they are combined to form brass.

Bolt Over Billet Grille

Instead of completely replacing your factory-installed grille work, you can simply add a bolt over billet grille. Besides looking great, they easily install using a straightforward system of bolts, brackets and clamps. Best of all, the mounting hardware attaches behind the stock grille, making it totally hidden from view.

Chromium

Chromium is the 24th element on the periodic table, and it is the main ingredient in stainless steel. In fact, the reason that stainless steel is so resilient to rust, corrosion and tarnish is because of the high chromium content, at least 10.5%.

CNC

CNC is an abbreviation of Computer(ized) Numerical(ly) Control(led), an advanced manufacturing technique that integrates computers and metalworking tools. Using CNC, an operator can create complex 3-D designs on a computer in a language called G-code. The computer reads the code and translates it to a metalworking machine, which then recreates the design onto metal. The advantages of CNC manufacturing are greater precision, better consistency and more creative expression.

Magnesium

While magnesium is the 12th element on the periodic table, it is the 8th most abundant element on Earth, constituting about 2% of our planet's crust by weight. It is primarily used as an alloying agent, especially with aluminum alloys. When magnesium is added to aluminum, the resulting alloy is strong and quite resilient to corrosion.

Pliny the Elder

Born Gaius Plinius Secundus in the turbulent year 23 c.e., Pliny the Elder was an influential Roman author, historian and philosopher. While he wrote prodigiously throughout his life, his only surviving work is the Naturalis Historia, an expansive encyclopedia that covers such varied topics as horticulture, mathematics, art and ethnography. He died in 79 c.e. of asphyxiation when his boat was overtaken by poisonous gasses emitted during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Replacement Billet Grille

Unlike bolt overs, which attach in front of your stock grille work, a replacement billet grille completely takes the place of your factory-installed valance. The replacement billet grilles deliver the cleanest, most integrated look possible, but take more time to install because of the extra steps.

Semipermeable

When a material is semipermeable, it allows certain things to pass through while blocking others. A window screen, for example, lets air circulate in and out of a room, but it stops flies, bees and gnats from getting in. Likewise, a billet grille is a semipermeable covering because air can pass through it into your engine compartment. But, road debris is blocked and cannot get in and wreak havoc under your hood.

Silicon

Silicon is the 14th element on the periodic table, and it is the 2nd most abundant element in the Earth's crust, making up about 25.7% of it by weight. Like magnesium, silicon is used as an alloying agent with aluminum, making it stronger and more resilient to corrosion.

Thermoplastic

A thermoplastic is any plastic that softens when it's heated and hardens again once it cools down. This is especially useful for various manufacturing techniques, such as injection molding.