AZ31B Magnesium Alloy Plate

AZ31B Magnesium Alloy Plate Description

Overview:

An AZ31B Magnesium Alloy Plate is a high-performance, ultra-lightweight structural metal plate composed primarily of magnesium, alloyed with approximately 3% aluminium and 1% zinc. It is the industry-standard wrought magnesium alloy, providing a density approximately 33% lighter than aluminium and 75% lighter than steel while maintaining high mechanical strength and exceptional vibration-damping characteristics.

Key Properties & Performance Attributes:

- Ultra-Lightweight: Density of ~1.78 g/cm³, making it one of the lightest structural metallic materials available.

- High Specific Strength: Outstanding strength-to-weight ratio, allowing significant mass reduction in structural components.

- Excellent Damping Capacity: Superior ability to absorb mechanical vibrations and damp acoustic noise compared to aluminium or steel.

- Good Formability & Machinability: Outstanding machinability at high speeds; excellent warm-formability at temperatures between 200°C and 300°C.

- Shielding Capability: Provides good electromagnetic shielding (EMI/RFI) for sensitive electronic equipment.

Chemical Composition (Nominal %):

- Magnesium (Mg): Balance (~95-96%)

- Aluminium (Al): 2.5% – 3.5% (provides strength and hardness)

- Zinc (Zn): 0.6% – 1.4% (improves room-temperature strength)

- Manganese (Mn): 0.2% – 1.0% (improves corrosion resistance)

Common Tempers & Manufacturing Standards:

- Standard Tempers: 

  * H24 (Strain hardened and partially annealed) – Most common for sheet/plate.

  * O (Fully annealed) – Maximum ductility for complex warm forming.

- Standards: ASTM B90 / B90M, AMS 4377, UNS M11311.

Primary Applications:

- Aerospace & Defense: Aircraft floor panels, helicopter gear housings, missile structures, and satellite frames.

- Automotive & Racing: Lightweight structural brackets, valve covers, oil pans, and racecar chassis components.

- Electronics & Consumer Goods: Laptop casings, camera bodies, cell phone frames, and handheld equipment housings.

- Industrial Machinery: High-speed reciprocating machine parts, textile machinery components, and checking fixtures where low rotational/reciprocating inertia is required.