What is the difference of aerospace aluminum extrusions and ordinary aluminum profiles?
Aerospace aluminum extrusions generally refer to 7 series aluminum alloy profiles, while ordinary aluminum profiles are used in our daily production and life. They are generally 6 series aluminum alloy profiles, such as architectural aluminum profiles, industrial aluminum profiles, etc. are common 6 series Aluminum alloy profile.
The obvious difference between
aerospace aluminum extrusions and ordinary aluminum profiles is the mechanical properties. The 7 series aluminum alloy has the highest hardness value among all aluminum alloys, so it is suitable for the aerospace field. The 6-series aluminum alloy has a medium hardness, which can basically meet the needs of production and life.
The other difference is that the cost is different. The higher the hardness of the aluminum profile, the more difficult it is to form, so the cost of
aerospace aluminum extrusions is very high. And our ordinary 6 series aluminum alloy (commonly used 6063, 6061, etc.) has medium hardness, easy extrusion and low production cost.
The third difference is that
aerospace aluminum extrusions cannot be welded and can only be connected by other methods. For ordinary buildings, industrial aluminum profiles can be welded, so the application field is wider.
The fourth difference is also very big, that is, corrosion resistance. The corrosion resistance of 7 series aluminum alloy is very poor, so the surface has to be treated with special technology, which increases the cost. The 6-series aluminum alloy itself has a certain degree of corrosion resistance. If the surface is anodized, the corrosion resistance can be greatly improved.
In summary, aerospace aluminum alloys only have advantages in hardness, and are not as good as 6-series aluminum alloys in other aspects, so they are generally only used in the aviation field. The 6-series aluminum alloy has many good properties and has a wide range of applications.
