What is the Difference Between 7050 vs 7075 Aluminium?

Overview of aluminium alloys

Aluminium 7050 and 7075 are alloys that are almost identical in composition and performance. The 7xxx series of aluminium alloys are well known as aerospace aluminium alloys.

Both aluminium alloys use zinc as the primary alloying element. The AL 7050 alloy has slightly more aluminium (Al), copper (Co), magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn). In contrast, the AL 7075 alloy’s chemical composition has marginally more chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), and zirconium (Zr).

Many performance characteristics of the two alloys are the same, including tensile strength, elongation, sheer modulus, thermal resistance and stiffness to weight.

These high strength aluminium alloys appear to be invulnerable, but their superior strength and durability over other alloys comes with a few limitations. While both exhibit significant strength properties and are among the highest-strength aluminum alloys available, they are considered unweldable. Their workability is less than desirable, and their machinability is considered fair.

Both alloys are used in many outdoor products and in the aerospace applications, where strength and weight are critical. They are relatively expensive alloys, and the price of these two materials is almost identical.

7050 Aluminium (AL 7050)

This aluminium alloy is prevalent across the aerospace industry, where the high stress structural bodies require exceptional strength, stress corrosion resistance and toughness. AL T7050 is used for fuselages, bulkheads and the exterior skin of airplane wings. The alloy is available in two tempers, AL 7050-7451 and AL 7050-7651.

Mechanical properties

The AL T7050 alloy is slightly tougher than AL T7075, with slight advantages in density, toughness, corrosion resistance and fatigue strength. It also has somewhat higher thermal and electrical conductivity values. This aluminium alloy has exceptional strength, especially in thicker sections, with high resistance to stress corrosion cracking, excellent fatigue resistance and high fracture toughness. The material is often used in cold forging, is heat treatable, and may also be anodised.

7075 Aluminum (AL 7075)

This aluminium alloy is produced in several tempers, including AL 7075-0, AL 7075-T6, AL-7075-T7, AL 7075-T651 and AL7075-RRA. Interestingly, AL 7075-T6 is fast becoming the preferred material for sports enthusiasts. Aside from aircraft fuselages, bulkheads, and wing skins, where low weight, strength, and high stress resistance are critical, the alloy is frequently used in several aerospace, automotive, defence, marine, and other applications.

The material is famous for various applications, including all-terrain vehicle (ATV) sprockets, missile parts, bike frames, gears, shafts, valves, keys, blow moulding moulds, golf heads, rock-climbing equipment, and machinery and equipment that require the strength of AL 7075.

Mechanical properties

Like AL T7050, AL T7075 has a tight structure and is stronger and lighter than steel. It is one of the highest strength aluminium alloys available, offering a high strength-to-weight ratio. T7075 aluminium alloy also has strong corrosion resistance and slightly better tensile and shear strength than AL 7050. It also offers good resistance to exfoliation and stress corrosion cracking, and is somewhat less quench-sensitive.

To improve its resistance to corrosion, the aluminium alloy 7075 in the T6xxx temper condition undergoes a short-duration, high-temperature heat treatment process called retrogression and re-ageing (RRA). As with AL 7050, AL 7075 is can also be anodised.

For structural applications such as frames, AL 7075 can be particularly useful due to its high yield strength – the maximum stress that a material can withstand before permanent deformation. The T7075 aluminium alloy offers a tensile yield strength of 503 MPa (73 KSI)!

Find aluminium at Metal Supermarkets

Metal Supermarkets is a proud to be a leading small-quantity aluminum supplier, offering many different shapes and grades of aluminum, cut to size. We carry aluminum 7075 products in round bar.