What grades of aluminium alloys are used in the automotive manufacturing sector?

What grades of aluminium alloys are used in the automotive manufacturing sector?

Due to the need for environmental protection and energy efficiency, the lightweighting of vehicles has become a global trend in the development of the automotive industry. Aluminium is about 1/3 as dense as steel and is a widely used lightweight material. What are the aluminium alloys used in the automotive industry? Let's explore them together.

The automotive industry is the main market for aluminium castings. Many kinds of elements can be used as alloying elements for casting aluminium alloys, but only Si, Cu, Mg, Mn, Zn and Li are of importance in mass production. Of course, it is not the simple binary alloys mentioned above that are widely used in automobiles, but the simultaneous addition of several elements to obtain good overall performance.

Typically wheels are cast from A356.0 aluminium or formed 5xxx plate.

Cylinder blocks and crankcases are usually made from cast aluminium alloys. Popular aluminium alloys used for cylinder blocks are A356, 319 and, to a lesser extent, 242.

Aluminium 6111 and aluminium alloy 2008 are widely used for the outer panels of car bodies and 5083 and 5754 for the inner panels of car bodies. Valve heads are made from alloys 2036, 6016 and 6111. 5456 aluminium is used for truck and trailer body panels.

Car frames are commonly made from 5182 aluminium or 5754 aluminium forming sheets, 6061 or 6063 profiles.