7075-T6 Aluminum Sheet is primarily used in aerospace industry, often referred to as the Strongest Aluminum grade. Alloy 7075 has the strength of many steels, while retaining aluminum’s lightweight qualities.
7075 aluminum sheet is one of the highest strength aluminum alloys available Its strength-to weight ratio is excellent and it is ideally used for highly stressed parts. It may be formed in the annealed condition and subsequently heat treated. Spot or flash welding can be used, although arc and gas welding are not recommended. It is available in the clad form to improve the corrosion resistance with the over-all high strength being only moderately affected. Applications: Used where highest strength
7075 is an aluminum alloy with zinc as the primary alloying element. It is strong, with a strength comparable to many steels, and has good fatigue strength and average machinability, but has less resistance to corrosion than many other Al alloys. Due to its high strength, low density, thermal properties and its ability to be highly polished, 7075 is widely used in mold tool manufacture.
Alloy 7050 aluminum sheet are now more commonly used for aerospace applications than 7075, especially in the 3-6 inch thickness range, due to its retention of strength in thicker sections. At Howard Precision Metals, we stock 7050 T7451 (AMS 4050) which provides better SCC resistance and excellent exfoliation resistance at slightly lower levels than that of 7075 T7651(AMS 4342). In addition, 7050 T7451 exhibits better toughness, corrosion resistance, and stress corrosion cracking resistance than alloy 7075. Since it is less quench sensitive than most other aerospace alloys, 7050 maintains its strength properties better than other high strength alloys in the thicker sections and also machines more consistently throughout the thickness of the heavier gauges. With these characteristics, it is no wonder why 7075 T7451 is the premium choice for applications in the aerospace and aircraft industries such as: bulkheads, fuselage frames, and wing skins.
