Aluminum Alloy for Tank Truck: 5083 VS 5059

Aluminium grade 5083 belongs to Al-Mg alloy, with magnesium content of 4.0-4.9%, and contains a small amount of manganese, chromium and other elements. Manganese can improve the strength and corrosion resistance of the alloy, while chromium enhances its resistance to stress corrosion cracking. For example, in marine environment, 5083 aluminum alloy shows excellent corrosion resistance with these elements.

5059 is also an Al-Mg alloy, with a higher magnesium content than 5083, about 5.1-6.1%, and a small amount of zinc, titanium and other elements are added. The higher magnesium content increases the strength of 5059 alloy, the zinc element further strengthens the alloy, and the titanium element refines the grains and improves the overall performance of the material.

Performance comparison

Strength performance

5083 aluminum alloy has medium strength, and its strength can be further improved after cold work hardening. However, its strength will decrease after welding, and annealing is usually required to restore strength and corrosion resistance. In tank truck manufacturing, 5083H111 aluminum sheet is often used for tank bodies, which can meet the basic strength requirements of tank bodies.

Due to the high magnesium content and the synergistic effect of alloying elements, the strength of 5059 aluminum alloy is higher than that of 5083, especially the tensile strength and yield strength are outstanding. This makes 5059 more advantageous in the manufacturing of tank truck parts that are subjected to greater pressure and load, and can be used to manufacture tank truck structural parts with strict strength requirements.

Corrosion resistance

5083 aluminum alloy has excellent corrosion resistance, especially in corrosive environments such as seawater and industrial chemicals, which is better than most aluminum alloys. This is due to the dense oxide film formed by its alloy components, which can effectively block the erosion of corrosive media. For example, in tank trucks used in coastal areas, 5083 aluminum alloy tank bodies can resist seawater corrosion for a long time.

AA5059 also has good corrosion resistance. Due to the high magnesium content, the oxide film formed is more stable and dense. In some extreme corrosive environments, its corrosion resistance is even slightly better than 5083. However, in practical applications, the difference in corrosion resistance between the two needs to be judged according to the specific corrosive media and working conditions.

Processing performance

5083 aluminum alloy has good forming performance and can be cold stamped (small thickness plate) and hot stamped (thick plate or deep drawing). The hot forming temperature is recommended to be 150-260℃, but springback compensation needs to be considered after forming, and the mold may need to be adjusted or the shape correction process may be added. O state (soft state) 5083 aluminum alloy is easier to form, while H112/H321 state needs to pay attention to work hardening. In terms of welding, 5083 is recommended to use 5356 or 5183 welding wire, and local annealing (about 345℃) is recommended after welding to eliminate stress.

5059 aluminum alloy also has good processing performance, but due to its high strength, it has higher requirements on equipment during cold processing, and the processing difficulty is slightly greater than 5083. The hot processing performance is good, and the hot processing temperature range is similar to that of 5083. The welding performance is similar to 5083, and the same welding wire can be used, but the welding process parameters may need to be fine-tuned according to the actual situation to ensure the welding quality.

Application Differences

In tank truck manufacturing, 5083 aluminum alloy is widely used. A complete tank truck tank body generally requires 4-6 aluminum plates to be welded together. The tank body often uses 5083H111 aluminum plate, because its strength and processing performance are balanced and can meet the main structure requirements of the tank body; the tank cover and partition parts on both sides often use 5083O state aluminum plate, which is softer in the O state and easy to bend. 5083 is suitable for all types of tank trucks, including oil tank trucks and gas tank trucks that transport liquids and gases.

Although 5059 aluminum alloy is used less than 5083, it plays an important role in the manufacturing of tank truck parts with extremely high strength requirements. For example, in the manufacture of tank truck heads, reinforcing ribs and other parts that withstand high pressure, 5059 can improve the safety and reliability of parts with high strength. In the manufacture of some high-end, high-performance tank trucks, the application of 5059 aluminum alloy is gradually increasing to meet increasingly stringent safety and performance standards.