Aluminum is a non-ferrous, lightweight and malleable metal that is used to manufacture a huge range of products. It is prized for its high strength-to-weight ratio, good corrosion resistance, formability, weldability and good conduction of heat and electricity. It has a lower mechanical strength than alternative metals like steel, but it is a versatile and highly useful material.

Aluminum is also alloyed with other elements, including copper, magnesium, silicon, zinc and manganese, to create versions of aluminum with different physical qualities. In this article, we’ll look at the most common aluminum alloys used in sheet metal manufacture. We’ll look at their mechanical, processing and performance characteristics so you can make an informed choice about the type of aluminum you use in your sheet metal production project.

Key Takeaways

• All types of aluminum share certain characteristics, including a good strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance and formability.
• When aluminum is alloyed with other elements, the new material enhances certain properties. It might increase the strength-to-weight ratio, for example.
• You should take the time to familiarize yourself with the properties of the different aluminum alloys and choose one that suits your project.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Key Takeaways
• The Aluminum Material Family
• Specific Alloys of Aluminum for Sheet Metal Fabrication
• AL1060 Aluminum
• AL5052 H32 Aluminum
• AL6061 T6 Aluminum
• AL6063 T5 Aluminum
• AL7075 T6 Aluminum
• Other Popular Aluminum Alloys
• Aluminum Alloy Tempering
• Aluminum Alloy Comparison Table
• How to Select the Right Aluminum Alloy Material
• Komacut

The Aluminum Material Family

When it comes to using aluminum in sheet metal manufacturing, it’s best to think of aluminum as a family of different aluminum alloys.

All aluminum alloys have some characteristics in common:

• Light weight and good strength-to-weight ratio - Aluminum is about one-third the weight of steel, but it still maintains good strength.
• Corrosion resistance – Aluminum naturally forms a protective, surface oxide layer.
• Good thermal and electrical conductivity.
• Good formability - Easy machinability, weldability and overall formability.
• Recyclability - Fully recyclable, without losing quality.

Aluminum can also be alloyed with other metals to create variations of aluminum with different properties. Alloy materials can be used to increase strength, thermal conductivity or formability, for example. The alloy is then better suited to certain manufacturing processes and in-life uses.

In airplanes and high-performance sports equipment, for example, aluminum is alloyed with zinc to create a material with high strength.

The most common alloy metals are copper, magnesium, silicon, zinc and manganese.

AL1060 Aluminum

AL1060 is a pure form of aluminum and actually isn’t an alloy.

AL1060 has a lower level of mechanical strength compared to other materials in the aluminum family, but despite this, AL1060 is a very useful manufacturing material. Where strength is not an important requirement, AL1060 is often the right production material.

Here are the most beneficial properties of AL1060:

• Mechanical characteristics: Excellent corrosion resistance, high ductility, high electrical and thermal conductivity and high reflexivity.
• Processing characteristics: Good forming, welding, brazing and surface finishing
• Performance: Ideal for applications requiring light weight and high malleability.

Common Applications

Here are some common applications for AL1060: Food, pharmaceutical and liquid containers, wiring, circuit boards, and other electrical applications, roofing and cladding (due to its durability and corrosion resistance) and lighting fixtures and solar panels (due to its high reflectivity).

AL5052 H32 Aluminum

In AL5052 H32, aluminum is alloyed with both magnesium and chromium. Magnesium is the primary alloying element, and it is used to reduce weight without reducing strength. It also increases other properties, including corrosion resistance. Chromium also hardens and toughens the aluminum and increases corrosion resistance.

Here are the main strengths of AL5052 H32:

• Mechanical characteristics: Lower weight than other alloys (increased strength-to-weight ratio) and moderate hardness. Excellent corrosion resistance, making it suitable for marine use.
• Processing characteristics: Good formability (including through CNC bending) and weldability.
• Performance: Best suited to engineering applications requiring strength in a corrosive environment.

Common Applications

Some common uses for AL5052 H32 are marine craft and products, aircraft components, architecture, general sheet metal work, heat exchangers, fuel lines and tanks, streetlights, wiring and structural components.

AL6061 T6 Aluminum

AL6061 T6 is an aluminum alloy made with magnesium and silicon. Silicon is added to alloys to improve fluidity and increase strength and durability. It is very useful in creating aluminum alloys that can be cast in processing. Magnesium also reduces weight without reducing strength.

AL6061 T6 is a good general-purpose aluminum alloy.

• Mechanical characteristics: High yield and tensile strength compared to other common aluminum alloys.
• Processing characteristics: Good machinability and weldability. Good for casting and extrusion. It can be too hard for sheet metal bending or forming processes, with micro or macro cracking likely to occur.
• Performance: Good for applications where strength and formability are important.

Common Applications

AL6061 T6: Often used in heavy-duty structures, such as aircraft, bridges and ships. It is also commonly used to make smaller components such as yacht components and bicycle components.

AL6063 T5 Aluminum

AL6063 T5 is also an alloy of magnesium and silicon. It is a medium-strength material (but can be heat treated to increase strength) that is known for its corrosion resistance and weldability. It is also known for being good for extrusion and is used to create complex shapes with smooth surfaces that can be anodized.

• Mechanical characteristics: Moderate strength, corrosion resistance and excellent surface finish.
• Processing characteristics: Good weldability and good for extrusion.
• Performance: Highly suitable for architectural applications and popular for decorative and structural uses.

Common Applications

Some common uses for AL6063 T5 are construction applications such as window frames, door frames, roofs and sign frames. It is also used for applications such as recreation equipment, storage tanks and vehicle and trailer structural components.

AL7075 T6 Aluminum

AL7075 T6 is a zinc aluminum alloy that is known for its strength, toughness and fatigue resistance. It also has good corrosion resistance and is easily formed. AL7075 T6 is a more expensive alloy that is used in applications that require the most strength and toughness, with strength more like titanium than aluminum.

• Mechanical characteristics: Exceptional strength, toughness and fatigue resistance while still maintaining a low weight.
• Processing characteristics: Limited weldability but excellent machinability.
• Performance: Used in applications requiring low weight but great stress resistance.

Common Applications

Some common uses for AL7075 T6 are airplane components, high-performance vehicle components and the defense industry.

Aluminum Alloy Tempering

Aluminum alloys can be tempered to alter their mechanical or physical properties. This refers to processes the alloys undergo during production. Tempering will further enhance certain properties of an aluminum alloy, such as hardness or ductility.

The main tempering processes used for aluminum are:

• Annealing
• Solution heat treatment
• Artificial aging
• Strain hardening
• Stress relieving

The following table demonstrates the benefits of each process as well as the disadvantages:

Aluminum Alloy Comparison Table

The following table provides some technical information regarding the popular aluminum alloys discussed in this article:

Note: You can refer to GB/T codes for aluminum for detailed information about specific alloys.

How to Select the Right Aluminum Alloy Material

In this section, we’ll run through the decision-making process for choosing an aluminum alloy for a sheet metal manufacturing project.

The Decision Making Process

The important factors that determine your choice of aluminum alloy are the requirements in application, the processing requirements and your budget.

• As a rule, choose an alloy that meets your requirements but which maintains as much formability as possible and comes at a low cost.
• While there may be stronger, lighter weight aluminum alloys available, there is no point increasing manufacturing difficulty and sacrificing your funds if there are no tangible benefits.

Requirements in Application

Possibly the most important consideration is how you need your aluminum alloy to perform when it’s in use.

To make this judgement properly, you need to accurately know what kind of stress your component will be put to in use. Ideally, components should be tested to ascertain minimum yield and tensile strength requirements as well as hardness. Alternatively, this can be modeled within most standard 3D software.

This consideration will often need to be made alongside weight because weight can be a limiting factor in type selection.

Refer to our table above for guidance.

You can also refer to GB/T codes for aluminum for detailed information about alloys, including their chemical composition, mechanical properties, tempering designation, corrosion resistance and application guidance.

Processing Requirements

The next consideration is what manufacturing processes you need your alloy to be compatible with.

• CNC Bending – Aluminum alloys that are too hard are not suitable to bending. Alloys with a hardness of T6 are prone to micro-cracking during bending. AL5052 is the primary choice for sheet metal bending.
• Stamping – High-hardness aluminum can also crack during stamping, depending on the thickness of the material and the type of stamping.
• CNC Machining – All aluminum alloys are suitable for machining, though a softer material will require less machining time.
• Welding – Aluminum alloys can be welded without issue, though they do require TIG or laser welding, as opposed to the simpler / less expensive MIG welding technology. Some types are also easier to weld.
• Extrusion – While it doesn’t apply to sheet metal parts, extrusion cannot be done with alloys with a hardness higher than T5. AL6061 T5 is a typical choice for extruded parts.

Remember to plan your finishing processes ahead of production as well.

The following table displays the fabrication processes the different aluminum alloys are suitable for:

Budget Constraints

The last consideration to make is cost. This is generally a less critical aspect, because the cost differences between alloys is generally not high.

Aim to choose an alloy that is compatible with your requirements in application and your processing requirements and which comes at an acceptable cost.

You can find out the cost of different aluminum alloys when you get a quote from the Komacut platform. Upload your complete 3D drawings, which will include material type and finishing requirements, and we’ll provide you with an instant quotation, design for manufacturing feedback and part analysis.

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Normal Applications for Aluminum Alloys

It’s helpful to look at the typical alloy choices for certain applications:

• High-stress aerospace and automobile components: AL7075 T6
• Lightweight, corrosion-resistant automotive parts: AL5052 H32
• Vehicle and trailer structural components: AL6063 T5
• Decorative architectural components: AL6063 T5
• Structural components: AL5052 H32
• Heavy-duty structures, such as aircraft, bridges and ships: AL6061 T6
• Bicycle components: AL6061 T6
• Food, pharmaceutical and liquid containers: AL1060
• Electrical applications and lighting fixtures: AL1060
• Marine craft and products: AL5052 H32

Komacut

Komacut is a subsidiary of Komaspec, a Canadian-owned contract manufacturer with more than 20 years experience of sheet metal manufacturing.

You can upload your sheet metal drawings to the Komacut platform and receive an instant manufacture quotation. You also get instant design for manufacturability feedback so you can iterate and improve designs. If you’d like to discuss the suitability of different aluminum alloys for your sheet metal project, we’d be happy to talk to you about this before you place an order as well.

Komacut can be used for anything from prototypes to high-volume (100,000 +) orders.