What is aluminium alloy

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An “alloy” is a blend of different metallic elements, often created to enhance the strength and durability of the material. An aluminum alloy typically consists of the latter as the main metal in the blend, often combined with other elements, such as silicon, tin, manganese, or even copper, tin, and magnesium, depending on the desired application. With the right combination of elements, aluminum can acquire a lot more strength, and in some cases, it could even outperform steel. Alloys bring the same benefits of pure aluminum, and they are also relatively cost-effective because they have a lower melting point.

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Aluminum by itself is a soft, pliable material. In order to make it more usable for a variety of products and applications, it goes through an alloying process where it is combined with other elements such as silicon, copper, magnesium, manganese, and zinc in order to enhance its strength and other properties.

For classification purposes, aluminum alloys are identified by four-digit numbers. The first digit identifies a general class, or series, characterized by its main alloying elements.

Alloys in the 1xxx series are the closest to pure, unalloyed aluminum. In fact, in this series, aluminum comprises about 99% of the chemical makeup. Because of the softness of this grade of aluminum, it has excellent weldability, but is not typically used for applications requiring high strength.