Why use aluminum alloy as support?| Insights by MEI YI

Understanding Aluminum: A Comprehensive Guide for Furniture Makers

As a furniture manufacturer, choosing the right materials is crucial to producing high-quality, durable and beautiful products. A fundamental decision involves the choice of aluminum alloy material. This guide addresses common questions and helps you make informed purchasing choices.

1.What are the differences between aluminum alloy materials on the market?

Aluminum-Copper Alloy：Primary element: Copper (Cu)，Characteristics: High strength but poor corrosion resistance, requiring special anti-corrosion treatment.Application: Widely used in fields requiring high strength and high-temperature resistance, such as aviation and aerospace.

Aluminum-manganese alloy：Major element: Manganese (Mn)，Features: Excellent corrosion resistance but relatively low strength.Usage: Widely used in applications with high corrosion resistance requirements, such as construction, chemical equipment, and cooling devices.

2.What is the durability of aluminum alloy reflected in？

Fatigue resistance：Aluminum alloys exhibit good fatigue resistance under repeated loads and stresses. This means that even in long-term use, aluminum alloy components are less prone to cracking or damage.Adapting to high-frequency loads: Especially in applications such as airplanes and cars that require periodic loads, aluminum alloys exhibit high durability. Aluminum alloy materials that have been forged or extruded, such as 7075 aluminum alloy, exhibit excellent fatigue and tensile strength.

abrasion resistance： Some aluminum alloys have good wear resistance through alloying treatment. Aluminum alloy exhibits good wear resistance and low wear characteristics after long-term use in mechanical components.Application areas: Components such as aluminum alloy wheels, gears, bearings, etc. can withstand high-frequency friction and wear for a long time, extending their service life.

3.What is the cost impact of choosing aluminum alloy?

raw material cost：The cost of aluminum alloy is primarily influenced by its alloy composition. The prices of different alloy elements (such as copper, zinc, magnesium, silicon, etc.) vary, so the prices of different series of aluminum alloys will differ.High strength aluminum alloys, such as 2xxx series (aluminum copper alloy) and 7xxx series (aluminum zinc alloy), are usually priced higher due to the addition of more alloying elements (such as copper and zinc). Especially in high demand applications such as aerospace and military, the cost of these alloys is relatively high.Low alloy aluminum alloys, such as 3xxx series (aluminum manganese alloy) and 5xxx series (aluminum magnesium alloy), have fewer alloying elements and lower raw material costs, making them suitable for general construction, automotive, and other fields.

4.How do environmental factors affect aluminum alloy furniture?

Humidity and moisture：Humidity and moisture are important environmental factors that affect aluminum alloy furniture, especially for aluminum alloy furniture that has been in a humid environment for a long time.

Corrosion resistance: Although aluminum alloy itself has strong corrosion resistance, if exposed to high humidity environments for a long time (such as the seaside, damp basements, etc.), the surface oxide film may be damaged, thereby reducing its corrosion resistance. The invasion of moisture and water may cause corrosion marks on the surface of aluminum alloys, especially without surface treatment such as anodizing or spraying.