Aluminum / Aluminium Alloys, Grades, Applications & Global Manufacturers
A practical engineering reference covering wrought and cast aluminum alloys, temper designations, corrosion, welding, heat treatment, product forms, applications and major producers worldwide.
How to use this aluminum library
Start with alloy family and temper, then compare strength, corrosion resistance, weldability, formability, machinability, fatigue, operating temperature and product form. Aluminum properties depend heavily on temper and processing, so alloy number alone is not enough.
Main aluminum families
Explore individual guides: Aluminum alloy series 1xxx–8xxx, Aluminum 6061, Aluminum 7075, and Aluminum welding guide.
Commercially pure aluminum for conductivity, corrosion resistance and forming.
Al-Cu aerospace and high-strength alloys.
Al-Mn sheet and heat-exchanger alloys.
Al-Si brazing, welding and casting-related alloys.
Al-Mg marine, tank and welded structural alloys.
Heat-treatable Al-Mg-Si extrusion and structural alloys.
Very-high-strength Al-Zn-Mg(-Cu) aerospace and transport alloys.
Foundry alloys for automotive, machinery and complex shapes.
Engineering note
Choosing an aluminum grade: quick comparison
| Alloy | Typical strength or fabrication emphasis | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| 1050 / 1100 | Conductivity, forming and general corrosion resistance | Lower structural strength than heat-treatable grades |
| 3003 | Sheet forming, cladding and heat-transfer components | Not precipitation hardenable |
| 5052 | Marine-adjacent sheet, tanks and formed components | Check temper and bend-radius requirements |
| 5083 | Welded marine and transport structures | Temper and prolonged temperature exposure can affect corrosion performance |
| 6061 | Machined, extruded and welded general engineering components | Weld heat-affected zones may lose parent-metal strength |
| 6063 | Architectural and general-purpose extrusions | Verify temper and structural requirements |
| 7075 | High-strength aerospace and mechanical parts | Corrosion sensitivity and weldability require special attention |
What alloy temper codes mean
O denotes an annealed condition; H tempers indicate strain hardening and related treatments; T tempers identify thermal treatment sequences. For example, T6 indicates solution heat treatment followed by artificial aging, but the resulting mechanical properties still depend on alloy, product form and thickness. Do not use generic web strength values in a design without matching the exact certified condition.
How to compare material certificates
Check alloy designation, temper, product standard, dimensions, lot identity, chemical analysis, tensile properties and any required corrosion or conductivity tests. Where welding is planned, confirm the qualified procedure and design allowables for the joint rather than relying on unwelded base-metal strength.
This library supports education and preliminary selection. Final design and procurement should verify the governing specification, alloy/temper, product form, dimensions, corrosion environment, joining process, heat treatment and mill certification.
Industry context is aligned with current International Aluminium Institute production data and major global producer portfolios.
