What grade of aluminium should I specify for my sheet metal component?

There are 3 main commercial grades of aluminium that we would manufacture your components from, they are 1050a, 5251 and 5005. The 1050a grade is used where a component needs only moderate strength and is not going to be anodised. It is ideal for components that need a lot of bending as it’s very ductile and it has excellent corrosion resistance. The 5251 grade has a medium strength and can be anodised. It work hardens rapidly and can show signs of cracking on tight bends or safe edge bends. 5251 aluminium has a high corrosion resistance making it particularly useful in marine applications. The 5005 grade is mainly used for components that need to have a decorative, high quality anodised surface finish such as electronic component front panels. All 3 aluminium grades can be welded and painted. Please have a look at our design data section where we have more data on these materials and their uses, treatments and finishes.