Aluminum alloy and it application

Pure aluminum is soft and ductile, it is not suitable in most of the engineering environment. However, special mechanical strength can be achieved by the adding other elements to further strengthen it. In general, Aluminum alloy can be classified into two categories.

1. The non-heat-treatable aluminum alloy (alloyed with manganese, silicon, iron, and magnesium) and

2. The heat-treatable aluminum alloys (alloyed with copper, magnesium, zinc, and silicon).

Aluminum is available in a wide variety of alloys to meet specific applications. Following are some of the most commonly used in the precision sheet metal industries.

1100-H14
Pure aluminum with high chemical resistant and weather prove. Excellent for chemical processing equipment and other uses where product purity is important. Easily worked and welded, ductile enough for deep draws. It is a lowest strength aluminum alloy in the market. Mostly Use for light reflectors, decorative and jewelry parts, name plates.

3003-H14
General purpose manganese alloy, stronger than 1100 Aluminum. Good formability and low cost. Fine corrosion resistance and weldability. Used in stampings, spun and drawn parts, mail boxes, cabinets, tanks, fan blades.

5052-H32
Aluminum alloy with higher magnesium contained. Strong mechanical strength compare to 1100 and 3003. Best suit for deep drawn process with reasonable inside drawn radius. Good corrosion resistance and weldability. Mostly use on electronic chassis, tanks, pressure vessels and parts required good strength and formability. My be slight yellowish after anodized.

6061-T6
Aluminum alloys contained magnesium & silicon. Mechanical strength, weldability, corrosion resistance can be improved by proper heat treatment. Widely used for light to medium strength applications. Requires much larger inside drawn radius than 5052-H32 in the deep drawing process.

Aluminum comparison table