2A12

2A12 (corresponding to the American designation 2024) is a typical strong hard aluminum alloy of the aluminum-copper-magnesium series. Its main features are high strength and good heat resistance, but poor corrosion resistance.

Main advantages and features:

Thermal treatment process is strict: usually, quenching (at 495-505℃ water-cooled) followed by aging (natural or artificial) is adopted to achieve high strength.

Corrosion resistance is relatively low: susceptible to corrosion in the air or certain media. Corrosion resistance can be enhanced through anodizing, painting, or surface coating with pure aluminum (aluminum coating).

Weldability: Good for spot welding, but intergranular cracks are prone to occur during gas welding and argon arc welding. Therefore, main load-bearing structural components are usually joined by riveting.

Main application fields:

Thanks to its high strength, lightweight design and certain heat resistance, 2A12 is widely used in fields where weight and strength are strictly required:

Aerospace (main application): It is used to manufacture main structural components such as aircraft skins, frames, partition frames, wing ribs, wing beams and rivets. It is also used in aerospace components such as missile components and rocket fuel tanks.

Transportation: It is used to manufacture truck wheels (to reduce weight), truck frames and propeller components.

Other industrial fields: It is also applied in mold manufacturing, mechanical equipment and some building components that require higher strength.