Aluminum materials
Description
American standards list eight different groups of aluminum alloys:| 1000-series | pure aluminum types | |
| 2000-series | aluminum | copper alloys |
| 3000-series | aluminum | manganese alloys |
| 4000-series | aluminum | silicon alloys |
| 5000-series | aluminum | magnesium alloys |
| 6000-series | aluminum | magnesium-silicon alloys |
| 7000-series | aluminum | zinc alloys |
| 8000-series | other | |
The aluminum types used in motor vehicle construction are primarily the 5000- and 6000-series. The 5000-series alloys cannot be precipitation-hardened and are used for interior components. These alloys are easily formed, but flow lines may occur in processing. The 6000-series alloys can be precipitation-hardened for vehicle outer skins. These alloys, however, are somewhat more difficult to form but are free of flow lines. For ease of recycling (single material grade scrap) the use of a single alloy type is preferred.
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