Although not a general purpose alloy, 2024 aluminum is used as a specialty type of alloy, particularly in the aerospace industry. It is recognized as being fatigue resistance as well as having a high strength to weight ratio, as with most of the aluminum alloys.
It is very common to find 2024 aluminum used in the construction of fuselages, aircraft ribs as well as wings, but is also used for the exterior parts of RVs and trailer as well as in truck parts and even for computer parts. It is considered very good with regards to finishing, which is why it is popular in the RV and trailer industry.
Different tempers of 2024 aluminum are better suited to different applications, but this is the same as all other aluminum alloys.
The Properties and Percentages
The most prominent alloying metals in 2024 aluminum are copper and magnesium, which provides the high strength and fatigue resistance. Other alloying metals used in the process include manganese, bismuth, nickel, chromium, lead, zinc and silicon.
This combination of alloys makes 2024 aluminum very machinable with most tempers, although there is some variation. It will require machining at high speeds to produce top results. It can be welded using the friction welding process but not other welding techniques.
Depending on the specific temper, which can range from O through to T, there is a difference in tensile strength from a low of 220 MPa to a high of 470 MPa. The higher tensile strengths are found in the 2024-T351 tempers, which also produces the highest elongation.
The Considerations
With the higher percentage of copper, the 2024 aluminum is not considered the best for corrosion resistance, especially in the aerospace or aeronautics industries. To overcome these issues, it is available in Alclad, which is a duplex metal with a core of 2024 aluminum to which pure aluminum had been bonded.
This gives the final product a very similar tensile strength of the 2024 with the corrosion resistance of pure aluminum. This form is often used in the aerospace industry as it is still lightweight while much stronger that other high strength to weight ratio aluminum alloys.
When purchasing 2024 aluminum, it is important to know the specifics of the application to choose the right temper. It is also possible to have custom produced alloys of slightly different composition based on the specific need of the end user.
For more information on 2024 aluminum, visit our website. With over 86 years in business, Howard Precision Metals can provide you the aluminum you need. To see more go to Howardprecision.com.