Aluminum Stock Engineering Specifications

Aluminum specifications designate aluminum alloys in the following way:

• First digit – principal alloying constituent
• Second digit – variations of initial alloy
• Third and fourth digits – individual alloy variations (number has no significance but is unique)

Alloy Numbering

Copper - One of the most important additions to aluminum. It has significant solubility and a substantial strengthening effect through the agehardening characteristics it imparts to aluminum.
Manganese - An addition that provides substantial strength.
Silicon - In addition to lowering the melting point and increasing the
fluidity of aluminum, silicon adds moderate strength.
Magnesium - One of the most effective and widely used alloying elements, magnesium adds substantial strength and improves the workhardening characteristics of aluminum. When combined with other elements such as copper and zinc, it adds even greater strength.
Zinc—Used with magnesium, zinc helps produce the higheststrength, heat-treatable aluminum alloys.

Non Heat-Treatable Aluminum Alloys. The letter "H" is always followed by 2 or 3 digits. The first digit indicates the particular method used to obtain the temper as follows: H1-means strain hardened only, H2-means strain hardened, then partially annealed and H3-means strain hardened, then stabilized. The temper is indicated by the second digit as follows: 2-1/4 hard; 4-1/2 hard; 6-3/4 hard; 8-full hard and 9-extra hard which means that added digits indicate modification of standard practice. The non heat-treatable alloys are mainly found in the 1xxx, 3xxx, 4xxx, and 5xxx alloys series depending upon their major alloying elements.

Heat-Treatable Aluminum Alloys (e.g. F, O or T): The letter "T" is always followed one or more digits. These digits indicate the method used to produce the stable tempers, as follows: T3-Solution heat treated and then cold worked, T4-Solution heat treated and then naturally aged, T5-Artificially aged only, T6-Solution heat treated and then artificially aged etc. The heat-treatable alloys are found primarily in the 2xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx alloys series

Non Heat Treatable Alloys

1100  - Commercially pure aluminum. Excellent corrosion resistance, workability and weldability.  14,000 to 24,000 psi.

2011 - This alloy can be readily hot worked at temperatures from 500° to 900° F. Its cold workability is good in the T4 and T451 tempers; fair in the T3 temper; and poor in the T8 temper.

2017 - This alloy has good formability. Cold working (shaping, bending, etc.) can be readily accomplished by conventional means. Cold working is easiest when the alloy is in the T4 temper.

3003 - Alloyed with 1,2% manganese.  Very Good workability, weldability and corrosion resistance.  Tensile strength range 17,000 to 30,000 psi .

5005 - Alloyed with .8% magnesium. Excellent workability, weldability and corrosion resistance.  Tensile strength range 18,000 to 30,000 psi .

5052 - Alloyed with 2.5% magnesium.  Very good corrosion resistance, good workability, weldability and strength. Tensile strength between 31,000 to 44,000 psi.

5083 - Alloyed with 4.45% magnesium, .65 % manganese and .15% chromium.  Excellent weldability, light weight and good corrosion resistance.  Tensile strength between 40,000 to 59,000 psi .

5086 - Alloyed with 4.0% magnesium, .45% manganese and .15% chromium.  Very good corrosion resistance, good workability.  Tensile strength between 40,000 to 54,000 psi.

5454 - Alloyed with 2.7% magnesium, 0.8% manganese and 0.12% chromium.  Good formability, weldability and corrosion resistance.  Often used for pressure vessels.  Tensile strength between 36,000 to 47,000 psi.

Heat Treatable Alloys

2024 - Alloyed with 4.5% copper. Fair workability and corrosion resistance. Used for structural applications.  Tensile strength between 30,000 to 63,000 psi.

4032 - This alloy is typically hot worked, not cold worked. Hot working temperature range is 700° to 950° F.

6013 - This alloy has good cold-forming qualities. Difficult cold-forming operations, however, may require intermediate anneals in which case, re-solution heat treating and T6 temper aging should be performed.

6061 - alloyed with 1.0% magnesium and 0.6% silicon.  Good formability, weldability and corrosion resistance.  Very good machine-ability.  Yield between 7,000 to 39,000 psi.

6063 -  Good Formability

6262 - Cold-working characteristics are fair for the following tempers: T6, T651, T6510, and T6511. Cold-working characteristics are poor for T9 temper.

7075 - Alloyed with zinc, magnesium, copper and chromium.  Poor formability, good machine ability.  Yield between 32,000 and 76,000 psi.

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