5052 5083 6063 h111 h22 h32 marine grade aluminum sheet plate

2026-01-02 16:45:39

Marine projects demand materials that are lightweight, corrosion‑resistant, and reliable under harsh, salt‑water conditions. Among the most trusted options are the marine grade aluminum alloys 5052, 5083, and 6063 in tempers such as H111, H22, and H32.

Alloy	Series	Main Alloying Element	Typical Use in Marine Field	Strength Level*	Corrosion Resistance*
5052	5xxx	Magnesium (Mg)	Small boats, panels, fuel & water tanks, cabins	Medium	Very good
5083	5xxx	Magnesium + Mn, Cr	Hulls, decks, superstructures, cryogenic & pressure use	High (non‑heat‑treat)	Excellent
6063	6xxx	Magnesium + Silicon	Marine profiles, trims, frames, decorative components	Medium (heat‑treat)	Good

*Relative comparison within common wrought aluminum alloys.

Typical Tempers: H111, H22, H32

“Temper” describes the mechanical and metallurgical condition of the sheet or plate.

Temper	Process Route	Characteristics	Typical Use Case
H111	Strain‑hardened, lightly worked	Slightly higher strength than annealed; good formability	Hull plating, cold‑formed panels
H22	Strain‑hardened, then partially annealed	Balanced strength and ductility; moderate forming	Decorative parts, stiffeners, fairings
H32	Strain‑hardened and stabilized (half‑hard)	Higher strength with acceptable formability	Structural panels, decks, high‑load components

Chemical Composition (Typical Ranges, wt%)

Alloy 5052

Element	Content (wt%)
Mg	2.2 – 2.8
Mn	≤ 0.10
Fe	≤ 0.40
Si	≤ 0.25
Cr	0.15 – 0.35
Cu	≤ 0.10
Zn	≤ 0.10
Ti	≤ 0.15
Others	≤ 0.05 each / 0.15 total
Al	Balance

Alloy 5083

Element	Content (wt%)
Mg	4.0 – 4.9
Mn	0.40 – 1.0
Fe	≤ 0.40
Si	≤ 0.40
Cr	0.05 – 0.25
Cu	≤ 0.10
Zn	≤ 0.25
Ti	≤ 0.15
Others	≤ 0.05 each / 0.15 total
Al	Balance

Alloy 6063

Element	Content (wt%)
Mg	0.45 – 0.90
Si	0.20 – 0.60
Fe	≤ 0.35
Cu	≤ 0.10
Mn	≤ 0.10
Cr	≤ 0.10
Zn	≤ 0.10
Ti	≤ 0.10
Others	≤ 0.05 each / 0.15 total
Al	Balance

Mechanical Properties (Typical Values, Room Temperature)

Actual properties depend on thickness, product form, and manufacturing standard. The following are indicative values.

Yield Strength & Tensile Strength

Alloy – Temper	Yield Strength Rp0.2 (MPa)	Tensile Strength Rm (MPa)	Elongation A50 (%)
5052‑H111	110 – 150	215 – 260	10 – 16
5052‑H32	160 – 200	215 – 260	7 – 12
5083‑H111	145 – 215	275 – 345	10 – 16
5083‑H32	215 – 255	305 – 355	8 – 12
6063‑H22*	110 – 150	150 – 195	8 – 15

*6063 is more commonly supplied in T5/T6 tempers for extrusions; above values indicate typical ranges where H22 is applied to sheet/plate.

Physical Properties

Property	5052	5083	6063
Density (g/cm³)	~2.68	~2.66	~2.70
Modulus of Elasticity (GPa)	~70	~70	~69
Melting Range (°C)	607 – 650	570 – 640	615 – 655
Thermal Conductivity (W/m·K)	~138	~121	~201
Electrical Conductivity (% IACS)	32 – 35	28 – 32	45 – 52

Features for Marine Use

Corrosion Resistance

Alloy	Seawater Corrosion Performance	Notes
5052	Very good	Ideal for fuel tanks, deck housings
5083	Excellent	Preferred for hulls and load‑bearing parts
6063	Good, especially with anodizing	Best used for profiles and non‑primary structure

Highlights:

High magnesium content in 5052 and 5083 forms a stable passive film in seawater, limiting pitting and crevice corrosion.
6063 offers good resistance but is often protected further by anodizing or coatings for long‑term marine exposure.

Strength vs Weight

Alloy	Relative Strength	Weight Advantage vs Steel
5052	Medium	~65–70% lighter
5083	High (non‑heat‑treat)	~65–70% lighter
6063	Medium	~65–70% lighter

The combination of high specific strength and low density reduces hull weight, improves fuel efficiency, and allows higher payloads or speed.

Formability and Weldability

Alloy – Temper	Cold Formability	Weldability (MIG/TIG)	Remarks
5052‑H111	Excellent	Excellent	Suitable for deep drawing and complex bending
5052‑H32	Good	Excellent	Balanced strength and forming
5083‑H111	Very good	Excellent	Common in shaped hull panels
5083‑H32	Good	Very good	Used where higher strength is needed after forming
6063‑H22	Good	Very good	Particularly good for welded frames and profiles

Typical Dimensions and Supply Range

Parameter	Typical Range
Thickness (sheet)	0.5 – 6.0 mm
Thickness (plate)	6.0 – 200 mm (depending on alloy)
Width	1000 – 2500 mm (custom on request)
Length	2000 – 12000 mm or cut‑to‑size
Surface	Mill finish, brushed, anodized, coated

Major Marine Applications

Shipbuilding and Boat Construction

Component	Preferred Alloys / Tempers	Reasons
Hull plating (workboats, ferries, patrol boats)	5083‑H111 / H32	High strength, excellent seawater resistance
Decks and superstructures	5083‑H111, 5052‑H32	Weight saving, good stiffness, easy welding
Cabins and interior panels	5052‑H32, 6063 (profiles)	Good appearance, ease of fabrication
Ribs, frames, stiffeners	5083‑H32, 5052‑H32	Structural support with low weight
Handrails, trims, window frames	6063‑H22 or T5/T6 extrusions	Smooth surface, high quality anodized finish

Offshore and Port Equipment

Application	Typical Alloy	Requirements Met
Gangways and ramps	5083‑H32, 5052‑H32	Strength, slip‑resistant surfaces, lighter weight
Accommodation modules	5052‑H32	Corrosion resistance, ease of installation
Containerized equipment housings	5052‑H32, 6063 profiles	Weather resistance, weldability
Dockside structures, pontoons	5083‑H111/H32	Continuous seawater exposure, fatigue resistance

Tanks, Piping, and Special Components

Component	Alloy / Temper	Advantages
Fuel tanks	5052‑H32	Good resistance to fuel and seawater, easy forming
Fresh‑water tanks	5052‑H32	Hygienic, non‑rusting
Cryogenic tanks (LNG, LPG)	5083‑H321 / H111	High toughness at low temperature, pressure resistance
Lightweight ducting & covers	5052‑H111, 6063	Thin‑gauge forming, good stiffness‑to‑weight

Selection Guide: 5052 vs 5083 vs 6063

Design Requirement	Recommended Choice
Primary hull, decks, and high‑load parts	5083‑H111 / H32
General marine panels, tanks, cabins	5052‑H32 or H111
Extruded frames, rails, decorative parts	6063‑H22 or T5/T6
Best corrosion resistance in seawater	5083 (any marine temper)
Highest formability at reasonable strength	5052‑H111

Processing and Fabrication Notes

Process	Suitability & Notes
Cutting	All alloys cut cleanly by shearing, sawing, plasma, laser, or waterjet
Bending	H111 tempers offer easiest bending; thicker H32 plates may require larger bend radius
Welding	Excellent with MIG/TIG; 5xxx filler wires (e.g., 5183, 5356) commonly used
Surface finish	Mill finish for structural parts; anodizing or painting for exposed decorative areas

Proper joint design and selection of compatible filler metals help maintain corrosion resistance and mechanical properties in marine environments.

5052, 5083, and 6063 marine grade aluminum sheet and plate in tempers H111, H22, and H32 offer a versatile toolkit for shipyards, boat builders, and offshore engineers:

5052: a workhorse alloy for tanks, panels, and formed components, combining good strength, formability, and corrosion resistance.
5083: the benchmark for high‑strength, corrosion‑resistant marine structures such as hulls, decks, and cryogenic tanks.
6063: ideal for profiles and decorative or non‑primary structural elements, especially where anodized appearance is important.

By matching alloy and temper to the required strength, formability, and exposure conditions, designers can achieve durable, lightweight, and cost‑effective marine constructions that perform reliably over a long service life.

Lucy

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