Each aluminum alloy offers a range of different properties that make it an ideal option for some uses and a less than ideal choice for others. When it comes to high strength and fatigue resistance requirements,2024 aluminum alloy is a top choice for many applications.
As a general statement, it is most common to find this aluminum alloy used in the aerospace industry. It is particularly in demand for structural materials for wings and fuselage structures as it can easily stand up to repeated changes in tension and pressure without any resulting drop in performance and strength.
The Basics of 2024
There are several important considerations in the choice of 2024 aluminum over the other aluminum alloys. This is an alloy with average machinability, which means it poses less of a problem in working with as compared to other aluminum alloys used in the aerospace industry.
However, this is an aluminum that cannot be welded with any process other than friction welding. While this is not an issue for some applications, it may need to be considered.
Overall, most of the 2024 aluminum will be clad as the basic alloy has a poor level of corrosion resistance. The cladding, either with aluminum or aluminum-zinc, offers a higher level of corrosion resistance but may also reduce the strength of the material.
The overall composition of 2024 includes up to 4.5% copper, with a low of 4.3 %, as well as magnesium and manganese as the two other primary alloying materials. There will also be a small amount of bismuth, chromium, lead, nickel, silicon, and zinc.
There are different tempers of the alloy with plate, flat sheet and even coiled sheet readily available from most aluminum supply depots. Carefully considering on-hand inventory and the ability to fill orders without extensive turnaround times will always be essential considerations when choosing a supplier.
