Comment

Comment by Paul Bonasera on October 19, 2011 at 9:27pm

WE make Aluminium where I work (Kaiser). Do not Use 5000 series for anything that is strutural as it is a soft metal and not heat treatable. Some people like to use 5052 for fuel tanks as it is easy to weld. 2024 T3 can be formed to curves but it will need larger radius to keep from cracking. The 750 is built with 6061 t6 for good reasons, easy to form, good corrosion resistance, and strong. If you do use 2024 T3 make sure you buy the clad, this is a layer of 1100 pure alum on the outsides. the strongest you could get is 7075 t4 0r t6 and this is very hard to form without cracking and will corrode in front of your eyes if its not clad. I would say to stay with the 6061 T6.

Just my 2 cent

Comment by Ian McClelland on October 19, 2011 at 2:01pm

look at the construction sandarts manual on the zenair web site. My advice is use only 6061-T6. - good corrosion resistance and workability. You can Substitute with 2024 T3 - stronger but less corrosion resistance. I don't believe 5083 is suitable for Aircraft construction.

Comment by Normand Lambert on October 19, 2011 at 11:46am

Hi Mitch,

if you go to Aircraft Spruce you'll see an explanation on Alu grades. In the case of 5083, it is HARDer than 6061 and sounds heavier. It doesn't seem to be heat treatable (-T6 Solution heat treated, then artificially aged.).

Explanation of the ALU numbers:

5xxx Magnesium

6xxx Magnesium and silicon

5083 & 5086
For many years there has been a need for aluminum sheet and plate alloys that would offer, for high strength welded applications, several distinct benefits over such alloys as 5052 and 6061. Some of the benefits fabricators have been seeking are greater design efficiency, better welding characteristics, good forming properties, excellent resistance to corrosion and the same economy as in other non heat-treatable alloys.

6061
This is the least expensive and most versatile of the heat-treatable aluminum alloys. It has most of the good qualities of aluminum. It offers a range of good mechanical properties and good corrosion resistance.6061 is used where appearance and better corrosion resistance with good strength are required.

In short 6061T6 better resistance, lighter, easier to form.

Norm

Comment by Mitch Torpy on October 19, 2011 at 9:40am

Thanks Jim,
It would seem that the specified material is the prefered in this case.I will order the specified materials and try not to reinvent the wheel

Mitch

Comment by Jim B Belcher on October 19, 2011 at 8:55am

I agree with Chris. If you must try 5063, though, you'd need to compare the specs for 5063 with 6061T6, then check that against the application. You might email the engineering guys at Zenith, who should have access to all the information needed to answer the question.

 

Comment by Mitch Torpy on October 19, 2011 at 8:28am

Thanks Chris

My reason for asking is that today I had work near Jandakot airport so I dropped into an airframe manufacturer to inquire about small quantities of certified materials to purchase.

Their comment was they repair airframes for a living and they use 5083 not to sure of the temper, but this is a certified airframe manufacturer. They asked why it had to be 6061T6?

Mitch

Comment by Chris Aysen on October 19, 2011 at 7:23am

Mitch - Try not to deviate from the recommended alloys especially in formed parts. For instance, 6061 is completely different from 6061 T6. T6 will hold a form where 6061 will not. Don't experiment in this area. My two cents.

Chris