Aerospace aluminum extrusions generally refer to 7000 series aluminum alloy extrusions, while ordinary aluminum extrusions are used in our daily production and life, generally 6000 series aluminum alloy extrusions, such as architectural aluminum extrusions, industrial aluminum extrusions, etc. are ordinary 6000 series aluminum alloy profiles.
The obvious difference between aerospace aluminum extrusions and ordinary aluminum extrusions is the mechanical properties. 7000 series aluminum alloy has the highest hardness value among all aluminum alloys, so it is suitable for the aerospace field. The hardness of 6000 series aluminum alloy is medium, which can basically meet the needs of production and life.
Another difference is the cost. The higher the hardness of the aluminum profile, the more difficult it is to form, so the cost of aerospace aluminum extrusions is very high. Our common 6000 series aluminum alloys (commonly used 6063, 6061, etc.) have medium hardness, easy extrusion and low production cost.
The third difference is that aerospace aluminum extrusions cannot be welded and can only be connected by other methods. And ordinary buildings, industrial aluminum profiles can be welded, so the application field is wider.
The fourth difference is also very big, that is, corrosion resistance. The corrosion resistance of 7000 series aluminum alloys is very poor, so the surface needs to be treated by a special process, which increases the cost. The 6000 series aluminum alloy itself has some erosion resistance. If the surface is anodized, the erosion resistance can be greatly improved.
To sum up, aviation aluminum alloys have advantages only in hardness, and are not as good as 6000 series aluminum alloys in other aspects, so they are generally only used in the aviation field. The 6000 series aluminum alloy has many good properties and has a wide range of applications.