Aluminum is one of the most popular metals today because of the unique benefits it offers. However, by itself, this gray metal is soft and it’s important to alloy it with other metals to give it special and unique properties. In fact, 2000 series alloy (like you find in high grade aluminum round plate) offers exceptional value today. Here are some of its beneficial features.
What is 2000 Series?
There are 8 specific categories for aluminum alloys. They range from 1000 to 8000 series alloy. Each series has a different metal as its primary component. For instance, 1000 series is virtually pure aluminum. 2000 series has copper as its main component. 3000 series contain a high amount of manganese and so on. 2000 series (often used for aluminum round plate) is one of three series which can be heat treated for greater strength.
More on Heat Treatment
Why is heat treating so important? Many alloys obtain their most desired properties after the process of heating and then cooling. The metal is heated to a specific temperature and then rapidly cooled. It is sometimes naturally aged, but the process can be sped up by storing the metal in a heated environment.
Benefits of 2000 Series for Aluminum Round Plate
Round plate is used for specific applications. It has the following benefits:
* 2024 can be friction welded – not all alloys lend themselves to welding.
* Excellent resistance to fatigue
* High strength
* High corrosion resistance
* Is easily extruded into many different sizes and shapes
* Commonly employed in aerospace applications
* Wide range of tempers available to suit many applications
* Can be machined
When it comes to aluminum round plate, a high quality 2000 series alloy is one of the best overall choices you can make.
