ask aluminium Forum

Product Stocking and Processing Service Program
Aluminium Sheet and Coil/Strip
Alloy
1145, 3003, 3004, 3105, 5005, 5052, 5251
Temper
0, H32, H34, H38
Thickness (mm)
0.5mm to 6.0mm for sheet and coil, 0.5 to 3.0 mm for strip
Width (mm)
900, 1200, 1500, 2000, Customer specific width (25mm minimum)
Length (mm)
1800, 2400, 3000, Customer specific length
Finish
Mill, Customer specific finish
Coating
PE Coating (not standard)
Plasma profile
To customer drawings

Aluminium Plate
Alloy
5005, 5052, 5083, 5186, 5454
Temper
H32, H34, H116, H321
Thickness (mm)
4 to 25
Width (mm)
1200 to 2500
Length (mm)
2400 to 12000, Customer specific length
Finish
Mill, Customer specific finish,
Coating
PE Coating (not standard)
Plasma profile
To customer drawings

Aluminium Treadplate
Alloy
3003, 5052
Temper
3003 - H22, 3003 - H224, 5052 - 0
Thickness (mm)
1.6mm to 6.0mm
Width (mm)
1200, 1500mm
Length (mm)
2400, 3000, 3600, 6000mm
Finish
5052 - 5 Bar - Mill finish, 3003 - 1 Bar Propeller - Bright finish

[b]Advantages of using Aluminium[/b]

Light weight - approximately one-third the density of steel
Strength - some alloys can be substantially strengthened by work or by heat treatment
Workability - easily formed, machined and welded
Corrosion resistance - varies depending on the alloy and the best resist marine exposure
Non-toxic - often used in contact with food
Non-magnetic and non-sparking
Electrical conductivity - high
Thermal conductivity - high
Reflectivity - bright finish options available.

[b]Specification[/b]
Aluminium flat rolled product stocked by Atlas Steels is most commonly specified to ASTM B209M. Product designated as plate for ship building in very specific alloys and tempers in compliance with ASTM B928M.

Further background information on these products is in "Aluminium Standards, Data and Design" published by the Aluminium Council of Australia and in "Aluminium Standards and Data" published by the Aluminium Association (USA).

The following alloys are those commonly stocked in the Atlas Steels Aluminium flat products program.

[b]Alloy Code Derivative[/b]

Alloy series
Major alloying element
1???
Pure aluminium (99.0% and greater)
2???
Copper is major addition
3???
Manganese is major addition
4???
Silicon is major addition
5???
Magnesium is major addition
6???
Magnesium and silicon are major additions
7???
Zinc is the major addition
8???
Other Alloys

[b]Understanding an Alloy code
[/b]An alloy code is made up of 4 digits e.g. 5052 where:

5 = major alloying element i.e. magnesium
0 = Indicates changes to minor alloying elements i.e. no changes to original alloy since it was introduced
52 = Alloy identification number i.e. identifies the chemical composition of this alloy

[b]Alloy Code derivative used in Rolled Products[/b]

Alloy
Example Alloy
1???
1145
3???
3003
5???
5052

[b]Heat Treatable and Non-heat Treatable Alloys[/b]

Alloy
Treatable/Non-treatable
1???
Non-heat treatable
2???
Heat treatable
3???
Non-heat treatable
5???
Non-heat treatable
6???
Heat treatable
7???
Heat treatable

Non-heat treatable alloys can be hardened by cold work. The degree of work hardening is designated by the Temper. Heat treatable alloys (the 2000, 6000, and 7000 series) are able to be solution treated and then age-hardened.

[b]Temper Designation Systems[/b]
[b] H Tempers[/b]

Temper
Hardness
0
Soft
H?2
1/4 hard
H?4
1/2 hard
H?6
3/4 hard
H?8
Hard

Where "?" can be read as:
1 = As rolled - no final anneal e.g. H12
2 = Strain hardened and then partially annealed e.g. H24
3 = Strain hardened and then stabilised (at a lower temperature) e.g. H34

[b]Three-Digit H Tempers
[/b]For marine applications there are specific tempers in select high magnesium alloys. Atlas stock is of alloy 5083, usually in H116 temper. An alternative is H321 with virtually identical properties. H116 tempers are strain hardened as a final opearation and H321 tempers are thermally stabilized.

1-LVDCPN