Taking Stock of ShapeCUT’s Aluminium Stock & Services

With ShapeCUT adding another aluminium router to our expanding range of tools, what better time to take stock of our range of Aluminium grades and services.

All About Aluminium

Aluminium is a brilliant, silver-white metal that is similar to steel, both physically and mechanically. In fact, some of same the fabrication tools and methods can be used in steel and aluminium.

What makes aluminium unique as a metal is that it combines so many valuable properties into one metal.

It’s:

• Lightweight – About 3 x times lighter than steel
• Extremely durable – Although not as tough as steel, aluminium’s strength and malleability vs. weight means its used in all types of vehicles
• Corrosion and rust resistant – Protected by a fine layer of oxide film
• Recyclable – It can be melted down and repurposed repeatedly without damaging its unique properties. In fact, 75% of aluminium in use today has been around since aluminium industry existed.
• Reflective – Bouncing back light and heat, making aluminium a great insulator
• Versatile – From fine electric wire, crushable cams, and foil thinner than spider silk, to thick bars and sheets.

What are Aluminium Grades?

A quick search of Aluminium will turn up a whole array of numbers. But what do they mean?

Most aluminium grades in commercial use are alloys. Elements like iron, copper, silicon, magnesium, zinc and manganese have been added to a pure aluminium base to enhance key properties. The closest you’ll get to pure aluminium are the 1XXX series with 99% + purity, seen in power grids and packaging.

Other alloys, like the 2XXX, 6XXX and 7XXX series, are heat-treatable, meaning they are strengthened by heating the aluminium and rapidly cooling to freeze the atoms in place.

Non-heat treatable alloys, 3XXX, 4XXX and 5XXX, are strengthened by “cold-working” the metal, through methods like rolling and drawing.

New aluminium alloys are being created all the time.

ShapeCUT’s Aluminium Grades

ShapeCUT stock a large range of steel, aluminium and stainless steel plate, sourced from trusted local suppliers.

We have large quantities of the 5XXX aluminium grades most widely used in manufacturing, building and construction:

• 5005 – An all purpose alloy used in a variety of sheet metal applications
• 5052 – (Flat Plate, Propeller Plate and Tread Plate) The highest strength non-heat-treatable steel, known for its finishing qualities
• 5083 (DNV Plate) – A tough alloy known for its performance in marine contexts and extreme environments

ShapeCUT also stock 6061 Aluminium sheets:

• 6061 – A heat-treatable jack of all trades, often used in construction

Comparing Aluminium Grades? Here’s how they stack up

ShapeCUT Aluminium processing

ShapeCUT are trusted providers of quality metal cutting and processing. We now have two Aluminium routers that can cut aluminium up to 42mm thick.

We stock aluminium sheet, all different types, grades and sizes, at our Brisbane-based workshop. We are expanding our Brisbane aluminium stock even further with our workshop expansion, due to open by end of 2021.

As one of Australia’s leading providers in precision profile cutting services, we deliver quality results quickly, on projects of any size. From bulk metal cutting orders to intricate, unique designs, give 1800 ShapeCUT a call today.