1060 aluminum plate has high conductivity and corrosion resistance, while 3003 aluminum plate has medium strength, excellent formability and excellent corrosion resistance, especially in humid environments.
| Properties | 1060 Aluminum Plate | 3003 Aluminum Plate |
| Alloy Composition | 99.6% Al | Al + Mn |
| Strength | Low | Moderate |
| Corrosion Resistance | Good | Good, slightly better with Mn |
| Formability | Excellent | Good |
| Weldability | Good | Good |
| Machinability | Excellent | Slightly lower |
| Surface Finish | Smooth | Smooth |
| Cost | Lower | Slightly higher |
| Applications | Signage, electrical appliances, reflectors, cooking utensils, chemical equipment | Automotive parts, cooking utensils, storage tanks, general sheet metal work |
| Tensile Strength | 60-95 MPa | 110-205 MPa |
| Yield Strength | Below 70 MPa | 40-150 MPa |
| Density | ~2.7 g/cm³ | ~2.73 g/cm³ |
| Work Hardening | Low | Higher |
| Heat Treatment | Non-heat-treatable | Non-heat-treatable |
| Availability | Readily available | Readily available |
| Anodizing Ability | Poor | Better |
| Electrical Conductivity | Excellent | Slightly lower |
Alloy composition
1060 aluminum plate: pure aluminum, containing 99.6% aluminum.
3003 Aluminum Plate: A manganese-containing alloy that provides greater strength and corrosion resistance.
1060 aluminum skin is pure aluminum, and the aluminum content can reach more than 99.6%, and the other elements are silicon and other elements. 3003 aluminum skin is an aluminum-manganese alloy, and the main alloying element is manganese.
Characteristic
1060: Excellent electrical conductivity, good thermal conductivity, high corrosion resistance, especially in environments without significant chemical exposure.
3003: Moderate strength, good formability, excellent corrosion resistance, especially when exposed to moisture, and can be welded.
Strength
1060: Relatively low strength, suitable for applications where strength is not a primary consideration.
3003: Due to the presence of alloying elements, it has higher strength than 1060 and is suitable for applications requiring medium strength.
Corrosion resistance
Both 1060 and 3003 have good corrosion resistance, but 3003 may have slightly better corrosion resistance due to the presence of manganese.
Formability
1060: Offers excellent formability, ideal for applications requiring complex shapes or deep drawing processes.
3003: Provides good formability, although slightly lower than 1060 due to the presence of alloying elements, but still suitable for a variety of forming processes.
Weldability
Both 1060 and 3003 aluminum sheets can be easily welded using conventional welding methods such as TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding, MIG (metal inert gas) welding and resistance welding.
Machinability
1060: Excellent machinability due to its softness and low strength, allowing for easy cutting, drilling and milling operations.
3003: Slightly less machinable than 1060 due to the presence of alloying elements, but is still considered relatively easy to machine.
Surface finish
Both alloys achieve a smooth surface finish, but 1060 may have a slight edge due to its purity. Both alloys can be rolled, polished or anodized to achieve a smooth surface finish that provides both aesthetics and surface protection.
Cost
1060: Typically lower in cost compared to 3003 due to its simpler composition and greater availability of raw materials.
3003: The cost is slightly higher because alloying elements such as manganese are added, which increases production costs.
Application
1060: Commonly used in signage, appliances, reflectors, cookware, chemical equipment, and other applications that require lightweight and corrosion resistance.
3003: Widely used in automotive parts, cookware, storage tanks, general sheet metal processing, and other applications requiring moderate strength and corrosion resistance.
Tensile strength
1060: Tensile strength values typically range from 60 to 95 megapascals (MPa), depending on processing and tempering conditions.
3003: Due to the presence of alloying elements, typically provides higher tensile strengths ranging from 110 to 205 MPa.
Yield Strength
1060: The general yield strength is below 70MPa, indicating its low strength.
3003: Yield strength values range from 40 to 150 MPa, making it more suitable for structural applications requiring moderate strength.
Density
The densities of both alloys are relatively similar, with 1060 aluminum plate having a density of approximately 2.7 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3) and 3003 aluminum plate having a slightly higher density of approximately 2.73 g/cm3.
Work hardening
1060: Has a low work hardening rate, which means the strength does not increase significantly when subjected to cold working processes such as rolling or bending.
3003: Has a higher work hardening rate than 1060 due to the presence of alloying elements, allowing for increased strength through cold working operations.
Heat treatment
Both 1060 and 3003 aluminum sheets are non-heat treatable alloys, which means they do not respond to heat treatment processes such as annealing or precipitation hardening to improve their mechanical properties.
Anodizing ability
Due to the alloying elements, 3003 is more susceptible to anodizing than 1060.
Due to its alloying elements, 3003 aluminum plate is more susceptible to anodizing than 1060 aluminum plate, resulting in improved surface finish and corrosion resistance when anodized.
Conductivity
1060: Has excellent electrical conductivity and is suitable for electrical applications such as conductors, busbars and wires.
3003: Due to the presence of alloying elements, it has a slightly lower conductivity than 1060, but is still considered sufficiently conductive for many electrical applications.