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Tech Steel & Materials offers magnesium alloys in a variety of shapes and parts – rod, bar, sheet, plate, shapes, tube, castings – for use in applications demanding a lightweight metal alloy with good corrosion resistance. Magnesium alloys are commonly used in the aerospace, automotive and nuclear industries.

The lightest structural metal, magnesium alloy is highly desirable. Though highly flammable in its pure form, magnesium is more stable once it is alloyed with other metals. Magnesium is most commonly alloyed with aluminum, zinc, manganese, silicon, copper, rare earths and zirconium.

The names of magnesium alloys, or short codes, are frequently two letters followed by two numbers, with the letters representing the two main alloying elements. The numbers represent the compositions of the main alloying elements. For example, the short code AS41 represents 4 percent of aluminum and 1 percent of silicon alloyed with magnesium.

Named magnesium alloys include Elektron, which was originally developed by Germany during the First World War; Magnox, an alloy made up of 99 percent magnesium and 1 percent aluminum; Magnuminium, an alloy used in aircraft; Brimabright, the magnesium alloy used most popularly in the Land Rover and other British vehicles; and Magnlium, an alloy commonly used in engineering and pyrotechnics.

Properties

The key properties of magnesium alloys are their low density (two thirds the density of aluminum), which makes them versatile, ability to withstand high temperatures, good corrosion resistance and light weight when compared with other metal alloys.

The machinability of magnesium alloys is the best of any commercial metal, and these alloys can be spot welded nearly as easily as aluminum.

However, magnesium alloys are highly combustible in powder or fine chip form. When temperatures rise above 800 degrees Fahrenheit, an oxygen-free atmosphere is needed to prevent combustion during machining.

Applications

Magnesium alloys have many applications and are found in several industries where light weight, corrosion resistance and machinability have high priority.

Magnesium alloys are often used by the aerospace industry, which requires lightweight materials that perform well under incredibly stressful conditions. Magnesium alloys are particularly attractive to designers because of their low density – two-thirds that of aluminum – which contributes to magnesium’s widespread use in castings and wrought products.

Magnesium alloys are also found in automotive applications, specifically in motor racing and for other high-performance vehicles. Magnesium alloys’ lightweight properties and ability to withstand high temperatures – such as those generated by high-powered motor engines – make them particularly appealing to automotive designers.

Magnesium alloys are also commonly found in bicycles, electronics, sporting goods, nuclear applications, office equipment, flares, photography and tools. No matter what shape, size or weight, Tech Steel & Materials can customize your magnesium alloys’ order to your exacting specifications. Simply complete the Request a Quote form, and we’ll take it from there.