Benefits of 7075 Aluminum for Various Industries

If you are interested in purchasing one or more temper grades of 7075 aluminum alloy, it is important to purchase this alloy from an aluminum supplier with extensive experience and a wide range of capabilities serving your industry. At Howard Precision Metals, we work intricately with an array of top-quality producers in the metals and aluminum supply industry to help ensure you obtain the exceptional quality products you need for your applications. Our sawing services enable us to implement state-of-the-art technological processes that allow us to consistently provide the ideal aluminum shapes our customers require.

Zinc is the primary alloying element used in 7075 aluminum alloy. It possesses above average machinability and good fatigue strength. However, it delivers less corrosion resistance than many other types of alloys, and it also is not weldable. Where less expensive alloys are not a good option, this relatively higher cost alloy is often the better choice.

7075 aluminum alloy is produced in a few different temper grades – 7075-T6, 7075-T651, , 7075 T7351 and 7075-O.

7075 Properties

As a durable and high strength aluminum alloy grade, 7075 consists of various alloying elements proven to create an Aluminum alloy designed to provide exceptional capabilities and features. These elements include zinc, silicon, magnesium, chromium, iron, and obviously, aluminum. The combination of these elements gives the alloy good machinability and an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio.

Beneficial Features of 7075 Aluminum

7075 aluminum has the reputation of being the strongest grade aluminum alloy among many widely used aluminum alloys for various industrial purposes. It delivers a similar level of strength as many steel alloys while also possessing the benefits of easy machinability, corrosion resistance, and a lightweight metal.

7075 alloy has a reflective characteristic and produces a visually appealing finish when polished – this often eliminates the need for painting and also reduces the weight of the object, which is an important necessity in aerospace applications.

7075 aluminum consists of (90%) Aluminum, zinc (5.6%), magnesium (2.5%), and copper (1.6%) and has a density of .102 lbs/ cubic inch. It can support stresses that are produced during high-altitude flights, which makes it the ideal option for many aircraft structural components.

Aluminum alloy 7075 tempers T7351 T173 deliver exceptional stress corrosion resistance.

As indicated above, zinc is the chief alloying element in 7075 aluminum. This alloy was the first Al-Zn-Mg-Cu high-strength alloy that included chromium, an element that provides 7075 with exceptional resistance to stress corrosion cracking in its sheet form. 7075 aluminum possesses a high level of fatigue strength despite the fact that it is not weldable, performs at an average level, and delivers a minimal amount of corrosion resistance. However, the alloy’s high-strength to density ratio makes it ideal for applications involving military rifles and rock climbing, just to name two.

7075 Aluminum Applications

The 7000 aluminum alloy series is used in a variety of applications. 7075 aluminum has lightweight and toughness characteristics that manufacturers and product users alike recognize as highly beneficial. The aerospace, aircraft, and automotive industries utilize this aluminum alloy with its exceptional fatigue resistance, which is highly beneficial in the industries just mentioned. This aluminum alloy is the cost-efficient option for applications that involve particular stresses such as continual movement and pressure changes.

7075 is used extensively in the development of aircraft related structures such as fuselages and wings. Applications in other fields, including those involving recreation, such as bicycling, rock climbing, archery, and gun manufacturers benefit from 7075 aluminum alloy for various components. The military has used 7075 aluminum alloy in the manufacture of M-16 rifles.

Aluminum alloy 7075 is offered in various forms to meet the needs of different applications. Aluminum bar in particular is utilized for various types of high stress applications. Regardless of whether the application involves bicycle components, military grade rifles, or plastic industry molds, 7075 is often the alloy chosen. Other types of highly stressed structural components such as gears, fuse parts, and bows are also manufactured with 7075 aluminum alloy.

Machining and Welding Operations

Grade 7075 is a highly machinable Aluminum Alloy, however welding of 7075 is not recommended. The heat treating of this alloy disperses the alloying elements uniformly around the base element of Aluminum. This creates a product that chips well when machined at high speeds and does not clog up the cutting tools. Unfortunately, the combination of the alloying elements contained in 7075, along with the heat-treating process to make the temper designation, does not create a product that can be welded soundly. Since this product is used for high strength applications by design, introducing a welded area diminishes the strength in both the base part and the weld areas. I am not saying that 7075 is not able to be welded, but because of the concern of micro-cracking and reduced strength in the heat affected zone of the material, welding 7075 is frowned upon by design engineers and riveting is the preferred method for joining two pieces of 7075. Although it is not recommended to employ general welding operations on 7075 aluminum alloy, there is one application that will occasionally weld 7075 or 7000 series alloys. The plastic mold industry often finds itself repairing or modifying existing injection or blow molds. The process of cutting or grinding out a defect then filling it in is commonplace in the mold industry. Many molds are made of 7075 Aluminum. However, even in the mold industry, welding 7075 can create problems. The need to heat up the base material before the filler is laid into the defect changes the micro-structure of the aluminum. This area is called the heat affected zone. Once this area is heated it becomes softer than the rest of the mold and causes a potential change in the surface appearance of the mold. Especially if the mold has a textured surface as part of its design. This surface texturing will not look consistent. The alloy’s corrosion resistance properties may also be reduced when subjected to arc or gas welding.

For more than 90 years, we have provided an array of industrial customers with the metals they need for their applications. Regardless of your specific aluminum alloy requirements, such as 7075 aluminum in one or more of its various tempers, in addition to aluminum stock and extrusions, our team has you covered. To learn more about how we can serve your 7075 aluminum alloy requirements, call us today at 800.444.0311 or request a quote through our website.