Are you specifying 3003 or 5052 alloy aluminium and do you know the difference?

Aluminium products have always been a popular choice in the construction industry and now even more so as a solution to the recladding crisis that is currently gripping all States throughout Australia. With solid aluminium panels currently taking the lead there is more to the decision of which product to use than simply the brand name. An additional decision needs to be made regarding the right aluminium series to use: 3003 alloy and 5052.

What is the difference and why should you care?

5052 – this alloy contains Magnesium as its main alloy and is also known as ‘marine grade’ aluminium. The reason being that it is typically used for marine applications. It is also easy to fabricate and due to it being highly corrosion resistant (Including saltwater) it is beneficial in the Australian construction market where the majority of developments are on a coastline or located in a corrosive environment.  5052 also has higher tensile strength and is considered a superior grade of alloy.

 3003 – this aluminum contains Manganese as its major alloying element and is an alloy with only moderate strength. It is a much softer alloy and has less tensile and impact strength than 5052. 3003 Aluminium is typically used in soft drink cans, stampings and the manufacturing of pressure vessels, builder’s hardware, garage doors, awning slats, refrigerator panels, gas lines, gasoline tanks, heat exchangers, drawn and spun parts and storage tanks.

These are just some the reasons why the Queensland Government specify 5000 series alloy on all government projects. In addition to the above, the 5052 outperforms 3003 in an independent NATA approved hail test which is a particularly important consideration for Queensland and other northern States.

At Aodeli we considered both alloys in terms of their pros and cons when developing our SAP (Solid Aluminium Panel). Based on 5052’s superior benefits, this is the alloy that our research and development team made the decision to use for this important and premium quality façade cladding product.

With regards to the recladding and rectification market in Australia, Aodeli has two main products for architects, builders, engineers and owners to choose from: frontrunners: SAP (sold aluminium panel) as mentioned above as well as , NCP (non-combustible panel). Both are fully compliant and tested to Australian Standards and can be seamlessly used to replace non-compliant composite panels.

If you are interested in learning more, please contact our team.