Why use 5005 aluminum sheet?

SAF has the largest inventory of 5005 aluminum sheet in North America and maybe the world. Pick a thickness below to see SAF’s aluminum sheet size options, get a quote.

WHY 5005 ALUMINUM SHEET ?

The alloy you choose for your aluminum sheet naturally depends on your application. 5005 Aluminum sheet is often used when the material will be anodized and deployed in an architectural application like flashings, sills, curtain walls etc. Architects often specify 5005 alloy for anodized aluminum architectural metalwork.

The importance of using an anodizing quality (AQ) alloy when the aluminum will be anodized cannot be overstated. Anodizing is an electrochemical process that converts the metal surface into a decorative, durable, corrosion-resistant, anodic oxide finish. For more information about anodizing, please see http://www.anodizing.org/?page=what_is_anodizing. When anodizing, the metal you start with has a tremendous impact on the quality of the finished product that you will receive. Simply stated 5005 AQ alloy is formulated for a decorative architectural anodized finish. It allows for a more uniform and attractive anodized finish than other alloys.

A good example of why one should never anodize 3003 aluminum.

DO NOT attempt to anodize aluminum alloys like 3003 or 3105 if you want the finish to be attractive and consistent. These alloys will show imperfections such as structural streaks, cloudiness, blemishes, and EXTREME color variation.

Many people substitute 5052 for 5005. While 5052 can produce acceptable results, it has more imperfections and is more prone to color variation than 5005 alloy aluminum.

Talk to your anodizer about your applications, and your expectations for the finish. They should be able to recommend an aluminum alloy for your application.

ALLOYS SUITABLE FOR ANODIZING

ALLOYS SUITABLE FOR ANODIZING This Aluminum Alloy Reference matches various alloys with finishing advice. Source: Aluminum Anodizers Council (AAC) Technical Bulletin #2-94, Aluminum Alloy Reference for Anodizing, issued March 1994.

Series (AA)*	Alloying Constituents	Metal Properties	Coating Properties	Uses	A.Q. Types**	Non-A.Q. Types**	Finishing Advice
1XXX	none	soft, conductive	clear, bright	cans, architectural	none	1100, 1175	care should be taken when racking this soft material good for bright coatings susceptible to etch, staining
2XXX	Copper	very strong, hard, low elongation	yellow, poor protection	aircraft, mechanical	none	2011, 2017, 2219, 2224	since copper content is >2%, these produce yellow, poor weather-resistant coatings. Don’t mix with other alloys on load
3XXX	Manganese	strong, small grain	grayish-brown	cans, architectural, lighting	none	3003, 3004	difficult to match sheet-to-sheet (varying degrees of gray / brown). Used extensively for architectural painted products
4XXX	Silicon	strong, fluid	dark gray	architectural, lighting	none	4043, 4343	produces heavy black smut which is hard to remove 4043 & 4343 used for architectural dark gray finishes in past years
5XXX	Magnesium	strong, ductile, fluid	clear, good protection	architectural, welding wire, lighting	5005, 5657	5052, 5252	for 5005 – keep silicon <0.1% and magnesium between 0.7% and 0.9%, maximum of +/- 20% for job watch for oxide streaks
6XXX	Magnesium & Silicon	strong, ductile	clear, good protection	architectural, structural	6063, 6463	6061, 6101	matte – iron >0.2%, bright – iron <0.1%, 6063 best match for 5005, 6463 best for chemical brightening
7XXX	Zinc	very strong	clear, good protection	automotive	none	7029, 7046, 7075	zinc over 5% will produce brown, tinted coatings, watch zinc in effluent stream, good for bright coatings

This information used by permission of the AAC

5005 PROPERTIES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

>General Features

5005 is a non-heat treatable alloy with magnesium content. It can be strengthened (hardened) by cold working. It scores well in weld-ability, formability, and corrosion resistance (especially when anodized).

>Forming

5005 has excellent formability, especially in softer tempers. SAF carriers 5005 H34 temper which is slightly harder and is comparable to 5052 H32 for forming.

>Welding

5005 alloy is noted for excellent welding characteristics. When 5005 material will be welded and then anodized, SAF recommends a 5356 welding wire for best color uniformity. Weld discoloration can still occur, but it is less severe than other welding alloys.

>Machining

5005 machinability is generally fairly poor. Soft 5005 tempers machine worse than harder tempers. 5005 H34 and 5005 H38 can be machined, but with much more difficulty than many other aluminum alloys.

>5005 properties by temper (typical)

Alloy	Form	Temper	Tensile Strength	Yield Strength	Elongation
5005	Sheet	H12	20	19	10
5005	Sheet	H14	23	22	6
5005	Sheet	H16	26	25	5
5005	Sheet	H18	29	28	4
5005	Sheet	H32	20	17	11
5005	Sheet	H34	23	20	8
5005	Sheet	H36	26	24	6
5005	Sheet	H38	29	27	5

Disclaimer

The above information is provided “as is.” SAF makes no guarantee to the accuracy of the subject matter contained herein. SAF disclaims all warranties expressed or implied of merchantability or fitness of material for a particular use.

In no event will SAF be liable for direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

The information contained herein may include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. We may change or modify the information contained herein periodically as new or corrected information becomes available.

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