Buyer reference tool
Aluminum Alloy and Temper Selection Reference
An alloy number becomes useful only when it is paired with a temper, product form, dimensional standard, and manufacturing route. This reference organizes early questions for sheet, plate, coil, and extrusion. It does not turn a family-level comparison into component approval, and it keeps downstream heat, welding, forming, and corrosion effects visible.
SSR reference
Start with the published comparison
| Family | Common discussion area | Checks before selection |
|---|---|---|
| 2xxx | High-strength plate or sheet where design and corrosion controls permit | Temper, toughness, corrosion protection, joining, formability, and qualification |
| 5xxx | Sheet or plate needing good formability, weldability, or marine corrosion resistance | Magnesium level, temper, service temperature, sensitization limits when relevant, and surface |
| 6xxx | Extrusions and selected sheet or plate with balanced processing and corrosion behavior | Alloy, temper, extrusion profile, weld or bake response, mechanical zones, and tolerances |
| 7xxx | High-strength plate, extrusion, or forged route for controlled applications | Temper, stress corrosion, toughness, joining, protection, thickness, and project approval |
Selection logic
- 1.Choose the product form first because alloy and temper availability, properties, and tolerances are form-specific.
- 2.Filter alloy families by corrosion environment, strength, stiffness, fatigue, formability, machinability, joining, temperature, and surface needs.
- 3.Review how forming, welding, heat treatment, paint bake, machining, or extrusion changes the delivered temper and final component condition.
- 4.Confirm the exact standard, designation, dimensions, tests, traceability, and downstream qualification before releasing the RFQ.
Limits
- The reference does not approve an alloy for a vehicle, pressure part, battery enclosure, crash structure, aircraft, marine class, or regulated component.
- Family-level descriptions do not replace exact alloy, temper, product-form, thickness, test, and corrosion data.
Error recovery
- If the product form is missing, request it before comparing alloy families or tempers.
- If downstream heat exposure is unknown, ask for weld, bake, heat-treatment, and service temperatures before confirming the temper.
- If a similar designation is proposed from another standard, compare the complete composition, temper definition, properties, tolerances, and testing rules.
RFQ requirements
Use the selector with these remaining commercial and technical fields.
- 01
Component duty and corrosion environment
- 02
Product form, standard, alloy, temper, dimensions, and tolerance
- 03
Forming, machining, extrusion, joining, heat, and surface route
- 04
Mechanical, dimensional, surface, internal-quality, and traceability evidence
- 05
Quantity, packing, destination, delivery sequence, and schedule
Frequently asked questions
Can the same aluminum alloy use several tempers?
Yes. Temper records the strain-hardening and heat-treatment condition, so properties and fabrication behavior can differ even when the alloy number is unchanged.
Should alloy or product form be chosen first?
Start with component duty and product form together. Sheet, plate, coil, and extrusion have different available alloys, tempers, properties, dimensions, tolerances, and fabrication routes.
Does this guide cover welded properties?
It identifies welding as a selection input. Weld-zone properties depend on alloy, temper, thickness, joint, filler, process, heat input, restraint, and procedure qualification.