3003H14 Aluminum
3003 Aluminum alloy is aluminum alloyed with 1.2% manganese, which increases the strength of the metal over commercially pure aluminum. This alloy has excellent workability, weldability and corrosion resistance for an aluminum material. It is widely used for drawing, spinning, fuel tanks, sheet metal work and other applications requiring moderate strength with good workability. It has higher strength than pure aluminum (1100 series).

H14 designates the temper, and means the metal has been strain hardened, and partially annealed. In this condition, the metal can be easily formed, with a zero bend radius in thicknesses up to 1/32" thick. Embossing or debossing metal in this temper will not fracture or strain the metal.

 

​5005/5205 Aluminum
Alloys in this series possess good welding characteristics and good resistance to corrosion in a marine atmosphere. In addition, this alloy is often refered to as AQ or Anodize Quality aluminum. The major alloying element of this material is magnesium in sufficient quantities to cause substantial lowering of the melting point without producing brittleness in the resulting alloy. When magnesium is used as the major alloying element or with manganese, the result is a moderate to high strength non-heat-treatable alloy.

The 5005 variety is anodized with a variety of organic colors. Long-term exposure to bright sunlight may fade the colors.

The 5205 variety is cobalt-salt impregnated, colored on one side only, and available only in black. Long-term exposure to sunlight has shown no noticeable fading.

 

316 Stainless Steel
Alloy 316/316L is molybdenum-bearing austenitic stainless steel. The higher nickel and molybdenum content in this grade allows it to demonstrate better overall corrosion resistant properties than 304, especially with regard to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride environments. In addition, Alloy 316/ 316L provides excellent elevated temperature tensile, creep and stress-rupture strengths, as well as outstanding formability and weldability. 316L is the lower carbon version of 316 and is immune from sensitization; therefore, it is very frequently used in heavy gauge welded components.

 

430 Stainless Steel; 14-18 Chromium
This high chromium, low carbon stainless steel has good mechanical and physical properties, good corrosion resistance to many dilute organic acids and very dilute salt solutions, and has excellent resistance to nitric acid. It withstands destructive heat scaling up to about 1550° F.

Type 430, when welded, is susceptible to grain growth with some loss in ductility and toughness. For this reason it is not recommended for welded sections which will be exposed to shock or vibration in service.

Because of it's strength, toughness, and resistance to heat oxidation, as well as chemical and atmospheric corrosion, type 430 is used in range oil burners, heat exchanger flues, oil and gas furnace combustion chambers, and annealing furnaces.

Type 430 is magnetic.

 

304 Stainless Steel; 18-8 Low Carbon
This grade is similar to type 302 except that a maximum carbon content of .08% is guaranteed. The lower carbon content was developed to minimize susceptibility to intergranular corrosion which may result from the carbon separation that takes place in high carbon 18-8 alloys when the metal is heated within the temperature range of 900° - 1650° F. In welding, this temperature gradient is always encountered a slight distance on each side of the weld, in which area carbide separation takes place.

Type 304 is especially recommended for welded construction where severe corrosive conditions are encountered, such as in the dairy, chemical, paper and textile industries. This low carbon grade is not ordinarily required for welded construction subjected only to atmospheric conditions.

Type 304 is non-magnetic.

 

Galvanized Steel
This is a standard commercial quality electro-galvanized steel sheet which has been electrolytically zinc coated in coils by modern methods. It's zinc coating is so completely bonded to the base metal that it will not flake or peel under the most severe forming or drawing operations. It is available with a plain commercial finish where further processing is not required or bonderized for enameled, lacquered or painted parts.

Galvanized steel has a silver grey matte finish, generally acceptable on interior parts. Also has good corrosion resistance, again for interior parts where added rust protection is required.

 

Electro-tinplated Steel
.25# coat, matte finish, T-1 hardness. Excellent forming qualities, therefore utilized often for metal plates to be embossed. Also, good paintability, particularly with matte finish. Electro-tinplate is an inexpensive material with excellent properties for stamping applications.

 

260 Cartridge Brass – Copper, 70%; Zinc, 30%
Cartridge brass, 70% has excellent tensile strength and is very ductile, being better than Yellow Brass in this respect. It can be subjected to severe cold working in deep drawing, spinning, rolling, stamping, flaring and forming. Formerly known as Deep Drawing Brass, Grommet Brass, Spring Brass and Spinning Brass, these names are an indication of its fabricating qualities. It is ideally suited for the production of artillery and small arms cartridge cases and for musical instruments, snap fasteners, eyelets, reflectors, lighting fixtures, and automobile radiators.