Aluminium casting alloys: chemical composition
Aluminium casting alloys are mostly aluminium-silicon alloys, in which silicon provides the fluidity and low shrinkage needed for sound castings. Small additions of magnesium make the alloy heat-treatable, copper raises strength at the cost of corrosion resistance, and nickel together with copper and magnesium retains strength at elevated temperature. European grades are specified in EN 1706, American grades are registered by the Aluminum Association, and the former British LM grades were specified in the withdrawn BS 1490.
Typical castings are pump and valve bodies, housings and covers, impellers, marine fittings, and structural or pressure-tight parts where low weight and good corrosion resistance matter.
Grades compared (mass %)
| Grade | Material no. | Standard | Si | Mn | Ni | Cu | Ti | Fe | Sn | Zn | Pb | Mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EN AC-42000 | – | EN 1706 | 6.50–7.50 | ≤ 0.35 | ≤ 0.15 | ≤ 0.20 | ≤ 0.25 | ≤ 0.55 | ≤ 0.05 | ≤ 0.15 | ≤ 0.15 | 0.20–0.65 |
| EN AC-43000 | – | EN 1706 | 9.00–11.0 | ≤ 0.45 | ≤ 0.05 | ≤ 0.05 | ≤ 0.15 | ≤ 0.55 | ≤ 0.05 | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.05 | 0.20–0.45 |
| EN AC-44100 | – | EN 1706 | 10.5–13.5 | ≤ 0.55 | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.15 | ≤ 0.20 | ≤ 0.65 | ≤ 0.05 | ≤ 0.15 | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.10 |
| EN AC-46000 | – | EN 1706 | 8.00–11.0 | ≤ 0.55 | ≤ 0.55 | 2.00–4.00 | ≤ 0.25 | ≤ 1.30 | ≤ 0.15 | ≤ 1.20 | ≤ 0.29 | 0.05–0.55 |
| EN AC-48000 | – | EN 1706 | 10.5–13.5 | ≤ 0.35 | 0.70–1.30 | 0.80–1.50 | ≤ 0.25 | ≤ 0.70 | – | ≤ 0.35 | – | 0.80–1.50 |
| A356.0 | UNS A13560 | Aluminum Association | 6.50–7.50 | ≤ 0.10 | – | ≤ 0.20 | ≤ 0.20 | ≤ 0.20 | – | ≤ 0.10 | – | 0.25–0.45 |
| A357.0 | UNS A13570 | Aluminum Association | 6.50–7.50 | ≤ 0.10 | – | ≤ 0.20 | 0.04–0.20 | ≤ 0.20 | – | ≤ 0.10 | – | 0.40–0.70 |
| LM6 | – | BS 1490 (withdrawn) | 10.0–13.0 | ≤ 0.50 | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.20 | ≤ 0.60 | ≤ 0.05 | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.10 |
| LM25 | – | BS 1490 (withdrawn) | 6.50–7.50 | ≤ 0.30 | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.20 | ≤ 0.20 | ≤ 0.50 | ≤ 0.05 | ≤ 0.10 | ≤ 0.10 | 0.20–0.60 |
Aluminium casting alloys: cast and machined in-house
We sand cast these aluminium alloys and machine the castings in the group's own CNC machine shop; the chemistry is verified by spectrometer and EN 10204 3.1 certificates are available.
- Sand casting at our foundry in Mandra, Attica; centrifugal casting for bushings, sleeves and liners
- Heat treatment at the foundry (water, oil or air quench); CNC machining in our machine shop in Perama
- Spectrometer analysis of every heat, mechanical testing and NDT
- EN 10204 3.1 inspection certificates; ISO 9001 (both plants) and ISO 14001 (foundry) certified
All alloy families
For information only, without warranty: limits per the cited standard or, where stated, typical or house values; ≈ marks a comparable grade, not an equivalent. The current edition of the standard, the purchase order and the drawing govern.