Perforated metals are used in many kinds of commercial and industrial applications today. Perforations can be standardized holes, mesh or panel, or they may be customized to your needs. Usually, certain aluminum alloys are used in the process and this provides a number of solutions to businesses today. So what’s the best aluminum perforated sheet? Let’s look a little closer to see.
Which Alloys Are Best for Perforating?
When you think of aluminum alloys, most people usually think about either 2024 or 6061 alloys. These are some of the most popular alloys in use today and serve many purposes. However, when it comes to aluminum perforated sheet, one of three different alloys are often used. They are 7075, 5052 and 3003.
7075
7075 utilizes zinc as its main alloy. This creates some of the strongest metal available, depending on the temper. In fact, some 7075 aluminum tempers are comparable to steel when it comes to strength. 7075 sees a great deal of use in the aircraft industry because of its resistance to fatigue and anti-corrosive properties. 7075 is not too difficult to machine and can be worked into shapes, yet for some purposes it may not be cost effective.
7075 is versatile and is used a lot in the automotive industry. Also, its exceptional strength and light weight make it perfect for high quality bicycle frames. Plus, strength, weight, durability and corrosion resistance, are exactly what many marine applications call for.
5052
5052 utilizes magnesium and to a lesser extent, chromium, iron, copper and other metals. Although 5052 is sometimes heat treated it does not lend itself well to cold or hot working processes. Yet, it does yield excellent strength when it has been annealed, making it a good choice for many aluminum perforated sheet applications. However, machining this alloy can be a difficult process, but it is easy to work with when fabricating.
3003
3003 is wrought aluminum alloy with manganese as its main component. If you want a good general purpose punched sheet application, 3003 is a viable choice because it provides excellent corrosion resistance, strength and workability. It is not difficult to extrude into a variety of shapes, either. However, 3003 is not meant for casting applications. You may see 3003 used in seamless gutters and roofing products as well as a variety of aluminum perforated sheet applications.
