7175 T74 Aluminum

7175-T74 aluminum alloy is a high-strength aluminum alloy commonly used in aerospace and military fields. Its characteristic is that after solution heat treatment and artificial aging, it achieves an excellent balance of mechanical properties.

7175 T74 Aluminum Alloy Composition and Properties

• Basic Composition: 7175 aluminum alloy mainly contains zinc (Zn), with additions of magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), and small amounts of manganese (Mn) and other elements. It belongs to the aluminum-zinc alloy series and generally has high strength and good corrosion resistance, especially after aging treatment.
• T74 Condition: The T74 condition means that the aluminum alloy has undergone solution heat treatment and a process called "over-aging." Over-aging stabilizes the alloy's structure, resulting in higher strength, stress corrosion resistance, exfoliation corrosion resistance, and fracture toughness.

7175 T74 Aluminum Properties

• Ductility: Compared to other variants of the 7175 series, the T74 condition exhibits outstanding ductility, offering good formability and machinability.
• Stress Corrosion Resistance: Through T74 over-aging treatment, the stress corrosion resistance of 7175 aluminum alloy is enhanced, especially in high-stress environments (e.g., aircraft external structures), which helps to extend its service life.
• Exfoliation Corrosion Resistance: This alloy has excellent exfoliation corrosion resistance, which is crucial for aerospace and other transportation vehicles used in harsh environments (such as high humidity and marine conditions).
• Fracture Toughness: 7175-T74 aluminum alloy optimizes its fracture toughness through over-aging treatment, demonstrating good crack resistance and preventing sudden fractures under higher stress.
• Corrosion Resistance: Due to its excellent stress corrosion and exfoliation corrosion resistance, 7175-T74 aluminum alloy can withstand the harmful effects of corrosion when used in high-stress environments. It offers exceptional durability and service life, especially in aerospace applications.

7175 T74 Aluminum Mechanical Properties

Chemical Composition of 7175 Aluminum

7175 T74 Aluminum Applications

• Aerospace: 7175-T74 aluminum alloy is widely used in structural components of aircraft, such as wings, fuselage frames, and load-bearing parts. These components need to withstand immense mechanical stresses while ensuring a long service life.
• Military: In military spacecraft and related equipment, 7175-T74 aluminum alloy is used to manufacture high-strength structural components, requiring both high strength and sufficient ductility to adapt to complex loading conditions.
• High-performance Structural Components: In addition to aerospace, 7175-T74 is also used in other high-strength, high-performance applications, such as high-speed rail, high-performance racing cars, and other environments where strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance are critical.

7175 T74 Aluminum Machining Characteristics

• Weldability: 7175-T74 aluminum alloy has poor weldability. Special attention is needed to avoid performance degradation in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) during welding. Specific welding techniques, such as TIG welding (argon arc welding) or specialized aluminum welding processes, are typically used.
• Machinability: Despite the high strength of 7175-T74 aluminum alloy, it has good machinability. It can be cut, milled, and turned using conventional machining processes.

7175 T74 Aluminum Heat Treatment Process

• Solution Heat Treatment: First, 7175 aluminum alloy needs to undergo solution heat treatment, where it is heated to a specific temperature to dissolve the solid solution, further optimizing its metal crystal structure.
• Artificial Over-aging: After that, artificial over-aging treatment is applied to stabilize the metal's properties, achieving the optimal balance of strength, corrosion resistance, and toughness. This process allows the alloy to maintain its excellent mechanical properties over an extended period.

7175-T74 aluminum alloy is an ideal high-performance material, particularly suited for aerospace and military fields where strict requirements for strength, corrosion resistance, ductility, and fracture toughness are needed. Through the combination of solution heat treatment and artificial over-aging, this alloy maintains high strength while offering improved ductility and durability in practical applications.