2012

Classification of Aluminium Alloys

Submitted to Dr.Gul Hameed Submitted by: Mehroz Jasarat

DEPARTMENT OF METALLURGICAL & MATERIAL ENGG

Introduction
Aluminium alloys are alloys in which aluminium (Al) is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon and zinc. There are two principal classifications, namely casting alloys and wrought alloys, both of which are further subdivided into the categories heattreatable and non-heat-treatable. About 85% of aluminium is used for wrought products, for example rolled plate, foils and extrusions. Cast aluminium alloys yield cost effective products due to the low melting point, although they generally have lower tensile strengths than wrought alloys. The most important cast aluminium alloy system is Al-Si, where the high levels of silicon (4.0% to 13%) contribute to give good casting characteristics. Aluminium alloys are widely used in engineering structures and components where light weight or corrosion resistance is required.[1] Alloys composed mostly of the two lightweight metals aluminium and magnesium have been very important in aerospace manufacturing since somewhat before 1940. Aluminium-magnesium alloys are both lighter than other aluminium alloys and much less flammable than alloys that contain a very high percentage of magnesium. Aluminium alloy surfaces will keep their apparent shine in a dry environment due to the formation of a clear, protective layer of aluminium oxide. In a wet environment, galvanic corrosion can occur when an aluminium alloy is placed in electrical contact with other metals with more negative corrosion potentials than aluminium. Aluminium alloy compositions are registered with The Aluminum Association. Many organizations publish more specific standards for the manufacture of aluminium alloy, including the Society of Automotive Engineers standards organization, specifically its aerospace standards subgroups,[2] and ASTM International.

General Information
Aluminum is a silverish white metal that has a strong resistance to corrosion and like gold, is rather malleable. It is a relatively light metal compared to metals such as steel, nickel, brass, and copper with a specific gravity of 2.7. Aluminum is easily machinable and can have a wide variety of surface finishes. It also has good electrical and thermal conductivities and is highly reflective to heat and light. Alloys with smaller amounts of magnesium (about 5%) exhibit greater strength, greater corrosion resistance, and lower density than pure aluminium. Such alloys are also more workable and easier to weld than pure aluminium.[2] Alloys with high amounts of magnesium (around 50%) are brittle and more susceptible to corrosion than aluminium.

Engineering use
Aluminium alloys with a wide range of properties are used in engineering structures. Alloy systems are classified by a number system (ANSI) or by names indicating their main alloying constituents (DIN and ISO). Selecting the right alloy for a given application entails considerations of its tensile strength, density,

ductility, formability, workability, weldability, and corrosion resistance, to name a few. A brief historical overview of alloys and manufacturing technologies is given in Ref.[3] Aluminium alloys are used extensively in aircraft due to their high strength-to-weight ratio. On the other hand, pure aluminium metal is much too soft for such uses, and it does not have the high tensile strength that is needed for airplanes and helicopters.

Classification of cast aluminum alloys.

The Aluminium Association (AA) has adopted a nomenclature similar to that of wrought alloys. British Standard and DIN have different designations. In the AA system, the second two digits reveal the minimum percentage of aluminium, e.g. 150.x corresponds to a minimum of 99.50% aluminium. Aluminium alloy compositions are registered with The Aluminum Association. Many organizations publish more specific standards for the manufacture of aluminium alloy, including the Society of Automotive Engineers standards organization, specifically its aerospace standards subgroups, and ASTM International. The digit after the decimal point takes a value of 0 or 1, denoting casting and ingot respectively. The main alloying elements in the AA system are as follows. The last digit indicates the product form: casting (designated by 0) or ingot (designated by 1 or 2 depending on chemical composition limits.) Types of Aluminum Alloys: 1. Wrought Aluminum Alloys 2. Cast Aluminum Alloys 1.

Wrought Aluminum Alloys:

The term "wrought aluminum" refers to aluminum alloys that have been mechanically worked to improve the grain structure an physical properties. Wrought aluminum is in a form of sheet, foil, plate, rod, bar, or tubing and it leaves the mill in the "as formed" condition. This also includes forms such as extrusions, and some forgings. The transformation from ingot to wrought product gives the material its final stated properties. The forming operations, thermal treatments, and/or aging transform the cast ingot's metallurgic property and crystalline structure. This strongly influences the strength, corrosion resistance, and several other properties of the finished product. 1xxx Aluminum 99.0% minimum; 2xxx Copper (1.9%...6.8%); 3xxx Manganese (0.3%...1.5%); 4xxx Silicon (3.6%...13.5%); 5xxx Magnesium (0.5%...5.5%);

6xxx Magnesium and Silicon (Mg 0.4%...1.5%, Si 0.2%...1.7%); 7xxx Zinc (1%...8.2%); 8xxx .

Wrought Aluminum Numbering System:

Aluminum classification numbering system has been established by American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Aluminum Association (AA). This classification system uses an alpha-numeric code to identify major alloying element and heat treating condition of the material. The primary alloy groups are designated by a four digit code. The first digit indicates the major alloying element as shown below. Wrought Aluminum major alloying elements code: 1. 1xxx:

Aluminum (99% minimum purity) ductile easily formed corrosion resistant

2.

2xxx:

Aluminum - Copper alloys This is the most common heat treatable alloy. aluminum-copper alloys respond to solution heat treatment

subsequent aging will increase strength and hardness while decreasing elongation. 3. 3xxx:

Aluminum - Manganese alloys Manganese increases strength either in solid solution or as a finely precipitated inter-metallic phase. It has no adverse effect on corrosion resistance. 4. 4xxx:

Aluminum - Silicon alloys Most of aluminum-silicon wrought alloys are not heat-treatable (except alloy 4032 containing 1% of magnesium and alloy 4145 containing 4% of copper). 5. 5xxx:

Aluminum - Magnesium alloys Aluminum-magnesium alloys are not heat-treatable may be strengthened by cold work (strain hardening) Effectiveness of cold work hardening increases when magnesium content is increased.

Alloys of this series have moderate to high mechanical strength combined with relatively high ductility in annealed condition (up to 25%), good corrosion resistance and weldability. 6. 6xxx:

Aluminum - Magnesium and Silicon alloys Precipitation upon age hardening forms Guinier-Preston zones and a very fine precipitate.

Both of these increase the strength of these alloys.

7.

7xxx:

Aluminum - Zinc alloys Aluminum-zinc alloys containing other elements offer the highest combination of tensile properties in wrought aluminum alloys. 8. 8xxx:

Aluminum - Other Aluminum alloys Aluminum-lithium alloys were developed for reducing weight in aircraft and aerospace structures. Aluminum-lithium alloys are heat-treatable. 9. 9xxx:

Aluminum Unused.

Uses and Applications of Wrought aluminum alloys:

1. 1100 include light reflectors, decorative and jewelry parts, name plates. Seldom used in precision sheet metal stampings. 2. 2011 is widely used for automatic screw machine products and in parts 3. Requiring extensive machining. 3. 2014 and 2017 are used in a wide variety of screw machined and billet parts.

4. 2024 is primarily used in aerospace industry for aircraft components, fittings, and hardware; other uses include automotive wheels and other parts for the transportation industry. 5. 3003 is commonly used to make cooking utensils, decorative trim, mail boxes, awnings, siding, storage tanks, and window frames lithography plates. Although they are generally more expensive than aluminium, the high strength, low density, and greater workability of alloys with low amounts of magnesium leads to their use in aircraft and automobile parts. Alloys with about 50% magnesium are brittle and corrode easily, which makes them unsuitable for most engineering uses. However, these alloys are flammable when powdered, are more resistant to corrosion than pure magnesium, and are more reactive than pure aluminium and are therefore used in pyrotechnics as a metal fuel and to produce sparks. Magnalium powder also burns with a crackling sound if burnt by it, and provides a good compromise between the reactivity of Magnesium, and the stability of Aluminum. Another benefit for pyrotechnics is the brittleness of the alloy, as mentioned before. It is easily broken with a hammer and then ground in a coffee grinder to usable powder. It will grind in a ball mill into a fine powder in a matter of hours, as opposed to a matter of days with aluminium powder. Although it must be noted that it is much more powerful than Aluminium powder (when compared at similar mesh size) and similar precautions should be taken as per magnesium. These include dangers of moisture and incompatibility with other compounds (boric acid and ammonium compounds). Although they are generally more expensive than aluminium, the high strength, low density, and greater workability of alloys with low amounts of magnesium leads to their use in aircraft and automobile parts. Alloys with about 50% magnesium are brittle and corrode easily, which makes them unsuitable for most engineering uses. However, these alloys are flammable when powdered, are more resistant to corrosion than pure magnesium, and are more reactive than pure aluminium and are therefore used in pyrotechnics as a metal fuel and to produce sparks. Magnalium powder also burns with a crackling sound if burnt by it, and provides a good compromise between the reactivity of Magnesium, and the stability of Aluminum. Another benefit for pyrotechnics is the brittleness of the alloy, as mentioned before. It is easily broken with a hammer and then ground in a coffee grinder to usable powder. It will grind in a ball mill into a fine powder in a matter of hours, as opposed to a matter of days with aluminium powder.

Although it must be noted that it is much more powerful than Aluminium powder (when compared at similar mesh size) and similar precautions should be taken as per magnesium. These include dangers of moisture and incompatibility with other compounds (boric acid and ammonium compounds).

Cast Aluminum Alloy Classification:

Aluminum can be cast by every process used in metal casting. These processes, in descending order of quantity of aluminum casting are: die casting, permanent mold casting, sand casting, plaster casting, investment casting, and continuous casting. The casting process is selected based on factors such as cost, feasibility, quality of parts, etc. For instance, large products are made using sand casting. The quality factor is also important in selecting the casting process. Quality refers to both, mechanical properties (ductility and strength) and soundness (surface imperfections, cracking, and freedom from porosity).

1xx.x series are minimum 99% aluminium 2xx.x series copper 3xx.x series silicon, copper and/or magnesium 4xx.x series silicon 5xx.x series magnesium 7xx.x series zinc 8xx.x series lithium

Cast Aluminum Numbering System:

The first digit is an alpha indicator of base metal. Always A for aluminum in the UNS system. The AA system uses the alpha character to distinguish between alloys that differ only slightly in percentages of impurities or minor alloying elements. The alpha character can be A356.0, B356.0, F356.0 are common examples.

Casting Alloy Designation:

1st digit alloys: In 1st digit alloys have the major element aluminium so we always use letter A to designate aluminium.

2nd digit alloys: A1xxx: It contains 99% of aluminium. A2xxx: It is the alloy of aluminum and copper. And it is capable of developing highest strengths among all casting alloys. Good casting design and foundry techniques must be used to get full mechanical properties and consistent high quality parts. Good high temperature strength. Heat treatment is required with these alloys. Lower corrosion resistance and surface protection is required in critical applications. A3xxx: It is an alloy of aluminum-Silicon alloy with Copper and/or Magnesium. They are in low cost, highest volume usage. Three main types Al-Si-Mg, Al-Si-Cu or Al-Si-Cu-Mg. Those with copper are heat treatable. both copper and magnesium increase strength and hardness in the as cast (f) temper and at elevated temperatures. A4xxx: It is an aluminium-silicon alloy. It is based on the binary aluminum-silicones system and contain 5-12% silicon. It has moderate strength and high ductility impact resistance. A5xxx: It is an aluminium magnesium alloy. It has moderate to high strength and toughness. High corrosion resistance especially to sea water and marine atmospheres. can be welded and good machinability, anodized. A6xxx: It is unused. A7xxx: It is an alloy with zinc.it has good finishing characteristics, good corrosion resistance. capable of high strength through natural aging without heat treatment.

A8xxx:

It is an alloy with tin. It contains 6%tin and small amounts of copper and nickel for strength.

These

alloys were developed for bearing applications. Tin imparts lubricity. 3rd & 4th digit alloys: A319.x: It is a commercial code of this alloy and it is low cost aluminium silicon alloy. A360.x: This alloy is corrosion resistant.

5th digit alloys: Axxx.0: This alloy is used in casting. It has good casting characteristics. Axxx.1: It is used to make ingots. It has good ingot specifications. Axxx.2: It is also used to make ingot and it has tighter ingot specifications.

Uses and application of cast aluminum alloys:

1. A242 alloy is used extensively for applications where strength and hardness at high temperature are required. 2. A319 is also used in permanent mold casting with applications including watercooled cylinder heads, rear axle housings and engine parts. 3. A355 has been used very effectively in aftermarket aluminum engine block castings. When heat treated to T6 condition the alloy remains very strong to 300 F which is 100 F higher than A356. 4. . A356 has largely been replaced by 295 used in permanent mold castings for machine tool parts, aircraft wheels pump parts, tank car fittings, marine hardware, valve bodies, and bridge railing parts. 5. A360.0 is commonly found in applications such as frying pans, instrument cases, cover plates, and electronic component frames.

6. . The Al-Si alloy 368.0 replaced the single phase, Al-Mg 515 alloy that was used in boat propeller production for over 25 years because 368.0 had significantly higher strength and better ductility. 7. A390 is often Selected for special applications where high strength, fluidity and wear-resistance/bearing properties are required. 8. A518.1 for conveyor components, escalator parts, aircraft, marine hardware.