7075-T651 Aluminum vs. 7075-T652 Aluminum
The difference between 7075-T651 and 7075-T652 aluminum mainly lies in the way they release stress and the resulting mechanical properties. Both of these alloys belong to the 7075 series, known for their high strength, and are commonly used in aerospace, military, and high-performance engineering applications.
- Strength: 7075-T651 is stronger and more durable than 7075-T652, with higher tensile strength, yield strength, fatigue strength, and shear strength.
- Ductility: 7075-T651 has a higher elongation at fracture, meaning it is more ductile and can withstand more deformation before fracturing.
- Stress Relief Process: 7075-T651 is stress-relieved through a stretching process, while 7075-T652 is compressed by 1-5%, leading to different mechanical properties.
- Applications: 7075-T651 is suitable for high-stress, high-performance applications (such as aerospace structures), while 7075-T652 is used for applications that require strength but will not face significant stress or fatigue.
7075-T651 offers excellent mechanical properties, making it an ideal choice for high-stress applications, whereas 7075-T652 provides a cost-effective alternative for less demanding applications with slightly lower mechanical properties.
Comparison Table of 7075-T651 Aluminum and 7075-T652 Aluminum
Property | 7075-T651 Aluminum | 7075-T652 Aluminum |
Heat Treatment Process | Solution heat treatment, stretching stress relief, artificial aging | Solution heat treatment, compression stress relief, artificial aging |
Stress Relief Method | Stress is relieved by stretching the metal by a certain amount | Stress is relieved by compressing the metal by 1-5% |
Strength | High strength, suitable for high-load applications | Lower strength, suitable for light-load or less demanding applications |
Yield Strength | Higher, suitable for high-stress environments | Lower, suitable for medium-to-low strength applications |
Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) | Higher, suitable for structures with high strength requirements | Lower, not suitable for applications requiring extremely high strength |
Fatigue Strength | Higher, suitable for applications requiring fatigue resistance | Lower, poorer fatigue resistance |
Shear Strength | Higher, suitable for high-strength and high-durability applications | Lower, suitable for structural components with smaller loads |
Elongation at Fracture | Higher, with better ductility | Lower, with poorer ductility |
Application Areas | Aerospace structural components, aircraft wings, high-load bearing parts | Suitable for medium-to-low load aerospace components or other applications not exposed to high stress |
7075-T651 Aluminum vs. 7075-T652 Aluminum Mechanical Properties
Mechanical Property | 7075-T651 Aluminum | 7075-T652 Aluminum |
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa | 70 | 70 |
Elongation at Break, % | 8.2 | 1.8 |
Fatigue Strength, MPa | 160 | 110 |
Poisson's Ratio | 0.32 | 0.32 |
Shear Modulus, GPa | 26 | 26 |
Shear Strength, MPa | 330 | 270 |
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa | 550 | 470 |
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa | 460 | 370 |
7075-T651 Aluminum
7075-T651 Aluminum Process
- Solution Heat Treatment: The aluminum is first subjected to a solution heat treatment, which dissolves alloying elements like zinc, magnesium, and copper into a solid solution.
- Stress Relief: After solution heat treatment, the metal undergoes stress relief by being stretched a specific amount. This stretching helps relieve internal stresses caused by the previous processing steps. The amount of stretching is typically tailored to the specific product, such as thin sheets, plate material, bars, or forgings.
- Artificial Aging: After stress relief, artificial aging is performed to enhance the alloy's strength and hardness by precipitating out the alloying elements.
7075-T651 Aluminum Mechanical Properties
- Higher Strength: 7075-T651 typically exhibits higher tensile strength, yield strength, fatigue strength, and shear strength compared to 7075-T652. This makes it ideal for applications where high strength and durability are critical.
- Higher Elongation at Fracture: It has a relatively higher fracture elongation, meaning it can stretch more before breaking compared to 7075-T652.
7075-T651 Aluminum Applications
Due to its superior strength and toughness, 7075-T651 is used in demanding applications like aircraft wings, structural components in aerospace, and other critical, high-stress structural parts.
7075-T652 Aluminum
7075-T652 Aluminum Process
- Solution Heat Treatment: Like 7075-T651, 7075-T652 also undergoes solution heat treatment to dissolve the alloying elements.
- Stress Relief: Instead of being stretched, 7075-T652 is subjected to a compression process to relieve stresses. The material is compressed by 1-5% to eliminate internal stress. This method of stress relief is different from the stretching in 7075-T651.
- Artificial Aging: After compression and stress relief, the material is artificially aged to enhance its strength.
7075-T652 Aluminum Mechanical Properties
- Lower Strength: Compared to 7075-T651, 7075-T652 generally exhibits lower tensile strength, yield strength, and fatigue strength. This is primarily due to the compression stress relief process, which can make the material less resistant to high-stress conditions.
- Lower Elongation: 7075-T652 has a lower elongation at fracture, meaning it is more brittle and less ductile than 7075-T651.
7075-T652 Aluminum Applications
While 7075-T652 is still a strong material, its lower strength and ductility make it more suitable for less demanding applications where the risk of fatigue and fracture is lower. It is often used in less critical aerospace parts, structural applications where maximum strength is not the key factor, or parts that experience lower stresses.