What is 5083 Aluminum Plate?

Aluminum comes in a wide range of alloys and shapes. For example, two of the most popular alloys are 2024 and 6061. However, a 5000 series selection (like 5083 aluminum plate) provides a lot of benefits to industry today. Let’s take a closer look at this metal and discover why it can be a valuable material to work with.

How is 5083 Created?

To create this alloy, magnesium is combined with aluminum, manganese and other elements. This creates a versatile alloy but it cannot be heat treated. Yet, among the non-heat treated alloys, it is the strongest. However, it is important to know that 5083 is not usually used in temperatures above 150 F (65 Celsius).

Benefits

Salt can be highly corrosive to a number of materials and even some types of aluminum alloys. Thanks to the structure of 5083 aluminum plate, it is very resistant to saltwater. This makes it highly effective for a wide range of marine applications.

Anti-Corrosive

Many industrial applications must use strong and corrosive chemicals in their processes. As a result, it can wreak havoc with components like steel and some plastics. However, 5000 series aluminum is highly resistant to a number of chemicals.

Fabrication

In many fabrication applications, welding is very important. However, not all kinds of aluminum alloys can be welded and some can only be welded with special methods. 5083 aluminum plate can not only be welded, it retains its original strength after welding.

Stability

Because of its stable nature, 5083 may not require additional machining or finishing. In addition, it is easy to work with and does not easily warp or deform when it is machined. This makes it excellent for precision machining methods. This alloy is often used in the following applications:

 * Armor

 * Large ocean going vessels

 * Rail cars

 * Auto bodies

 * Pressurized tanks and systems