Aluminium is a wonderful metal. It has great mechanical properties that make it a prime candidate for countless applications. You can choose various options, including aluminium coil and sheet 3103 (H14). The different grades and types can give you a selection of properties and performances.
Thermal performance
One of the most important things to take note of is thermal conductivity. Of all the most commonly used metals, aluminium and copper have the best conductivities. As a result, you can use them whenever there’s a project involving the moving or regulation of heat.
Specific features of aluminium tend to hog all the attention. Examples include the wonderful formability, corrosion resistance, and strength to weight ratio. Thermal conductivity though gets overlooked. With the capacity to conduct heat far better than stainless steel and similar mediums, aluminium has become the top choice for many industries. Aerospace, plastics, and electronics are among them.
One question you should ask is how hot can a material become before it becomes an issue. You will want to know how much heat you can apply to machinery and parts before they fail. The answers here come down to two leading principles; the melting point and thermal conductivity. We are going to discuss them next to ensure you have all the necessary knowledge.
What is thermal conductivity?
When we mention this, we are talking about a material’s ability to conduct heat. It can differ by material and alloy. For example, aluminium coil and sheet 3103 (H14) won’t have the same conductivity as pure aluminium.
In scientific terms, it is specified as a number based on Fourier’s law. Said law states that heat transfer’s rate through a substance is proportional to the temperature’s negative gradient and to the area, at right angles to the gradient, through which the heat flows. It is a complex way of saying thermal conductivity informs us how quickly heat transfers through a metal. The greater the number, the faster this heat transfer. Additionally, we need to note that the actual number varies depending on the quantity of heat.
Calculating conductivity can become more complex with many alloys. It is preferable to never assume the lab number is right. You must test an application in multiple scenarios. This will let you see how it handles all the temperatures.
Examples of products
We will look at some real world examples next. Styrofoam is a substance that is frequently employed as an insulating material. It has bad thermal conductivity. A Styrofoam cup can hold hot coffee as it doesn’t allow the liquid’s heat to transfer rapidly to the hand holding the cup. A metal like aluminium though has outstanding thermal conductivity. So, if you have an aluminium cup full of very hot coffee, the cup would be hot and hard to keep hold of.
Then there is the heat sink. This refers to a passive heat exchanger where heat is created by a mechanical or electronic device. It’s transferred to either a liquid coolant or the air. This stops the contraption from overheating. Heat sinks tend to appear in GPUs and CPUs. These run hot and excess heat can damage them. Aluminium shows up in such devices thanks to its low weight and high thermal conductivity. Contact us if you need top quality aluminium sheet and coil 3103 (H14) products.
One other industrial application is plastics processing. You solidify melted plastic into a finished item via blow moulding or injection moulding. Here, the mould’s curing time comes down to its material’s thermal conductivity. Using aluminium rather than steel lowers the cycle time to make each part. As a result, it improves productivity and minimises valuable machine/press time.
To a point
Something important to remember about thermal conductivity is that it’s only good to a point. If you heat the metal too much, it will deform. Thus, you need to know your metal’s melting point and how much heat it can take before using it for applications.
There are other scenarios where knowing a material’s melting point is critical too. Examples are when heat treating or welding an aluminium alloy.
Aluminium’s melting point
If you look up the textbook answer, it will be 660.3ºc (1,221ºF). Manufacturers tend not to work with pure aluminium though. They could use aluminium coil and sheet 3103 (H14) or other options. Every alloy has its own melting point. Some are created with the intent of thriving in high temperature settings. High strength aluminium alloys with Sc, Cu, Mg, and Zn as alloying elements can have a melting point as high as 1275ºF.
On the other hand, you have to realise that the melting point isn’t the sole factor to consider here. For instance, let’s say you are welding an aluminium work piece utilising 5356 aluminium as a weld rod. Here, the products would be highly vulnerable to stress corrosion cracking at as low as 150º. The same goes for 5556 and 5813 alloys.
You might never reach the melting point when working with materials. Even so, you must know of the other issues that can pop up when you expose some alloys to even moderately high temperatures.
There is another leading concern with high temperature aluminium applications. It is the point at which the metal’s mechanical properties will be influenced. Richly alloyed grades strengthened via heat treatment processes will lose their higher mechanical features. This is when you expose them to extreme temperatures. You could have an application that will experience high heat. If so, it is crucial to test it in the prototyping phase if durability is a consideration.
We’re very reliable if you need aluminium sheet and coil 3103 (H14)
At Brindley Metals, we’ve become known as one of the UK’s most reliable metal suppliers. With our help, you can obtain products that suit your application’s needs. Moreover, we can offer expert knowledge on the goods we supply.
So, if you are after aluminium sheet and coil 3103 (H14), let us know. We can talk to you about sizing, specs, and more.