Al 3003 powder

Overview of Al 3003 Powder

Al 3003 or 3A21 aluminum is a wrought alloy known for its good cold formability, weldability and corrosion resistance. The manganese additions enhance strength through solid solution strengthening while maintaining workability.

Key characteristics of Al 3003 powder include:

• Moderate strength with good ductility
• Excellent formability and weldability
• Dobrá odolnost vůči korozi
• Vysoká tepelná a elektrická vodivost
• Nízká hustota
• Available in a range of powder sizes and shapes

Al 3003 powder is used widely in chemical tanks, pipeline, automotive parts, heat exchangers, utensils, and other applications needing moderate strength, formability and corrosion resistance.

Chemical Composition of Al 3003 Powder

The typical chemical composition of Al 3003 powder is:

Element	Hmotnostní %
Hliník (Al)	Balance
Mangan (Mn)	1.0-1.5%
Železo (Fe)	max. 0,7 %
Křemík (Si)	max. 0,6 %
Měď (Cu)	0.05-0.20%
Zinek (Zn)	max. 0,10%
Hořčík (Mg)	max. 0,10%
Chrom (Cr)	max. 0,10%

Manganese is the main alloying element in 3003 aluminum. Iron, silicon and copper are present as impurity elements. The composition is controlled to ensure optimal properties.

Properties of Al 3003 Powder

Al 3003 powder possesses the following properties:

Nemovitost	Hodnota
Hustota	2,73 g/cm3
Teplota tání	645-650¡«C
Tepelná vodivost	180 W/mK
Elektrická vodivost	43-44% IACS
Youngův modul	68-72 GPa
Poissonův poměr	0.33
Pevnost v tahu	145-185 MPa
Mez kluzu	110-140 MPa
Prodloužení	12-20%
Tvrdost	35-55 Brinell

 

The alloy offers moderate strength with excellent ductility and formability. It has good resistance to atmospheric corrosion. Thermal and electrical conductivity is high.

Production Method for Al 3003 Powder

Commercial production processes used for Al 3003 powder include:

• Plynulá atomizace?- Molten alloy stream disintegrated by high pressure inert gas jets into fine spherical powders.
• Atomizace vody?- High velocity water jet impacts and disintegrates molten metal stream to produce fine powders.
• Mechanické frézování?- Ball milling of aluminum flakes/powders to achieve finer particle sizes and powder characteristics.
• Elektrolýza?- Aluminum produced through electrolysis process and ground to fine powder. Lower purity.

Gas atomization provides the best control over particle size distribution, morphology and microstructure of the powder.

Applications of Al 3003 Powder

Al 3003 powder is used in the following main applications:

• aditivní výroba?- Selective laser melting, binder jetting and other 3D printing processes to produce complex components.
• Prášková metalurgie?- Compaction and sintering to create parts with good mechanical properties and machinability.
• Metal Injection Molding?- To manufacture small intricate components for automotive and electronics industry.
• Tepelné postřik?- Wire arc spraying to deposit Al 3003 coatings offering moderate wear and corrosion resistance.
• Svářecí přísada?- Used as filler wire for arc welding and repair of aluminum components.
• Pigmenty?- Used in paints and coatings to provide luster and corrosion protection.
• Ohňostroj?- V pyrotechnických kompozicích přidávané jako palivo, díky hořlavosti hliníku.

Specifications of Al 3003 Powder

Al 3003 powder is available under different size ranges, shapes and purity levels:

• Velikost částic:?From 10-150 microns for AM methods, up to 300 microns for thermal spray.
• Morfologie:?Spherical, granular, flake and irregular particle shapes. Smooth powder flows better.
• Čistota:?From commercial to high purity (99.8%) grades tailored for applications.
• Tečení:?Powder customized for flow rates above 25 s/50 g.
• Známky:?Conforming to ASTM B209, EN 573-3, ISO 209:2007 etc. Custom grades offered.

Global Suppliers of Al 3003 Powder

Some of the major Al 3003 powder suppliers globally are:

• Valimet Inc, USA
• Makin Metal Powders, UK
• Metal Powder Company, USA
• Shanghai Chaowei Nanotechnology, China
• AMETEK Reading Alloys, USA
• CNPC Powder Group, China
• SCM Metal Products, USA

These companies produce Al 3003 powder suitable for additive manufacturing, thermal spray, welding, powder metallurgy and other uses.

Al 3003 Powder Pricing

Pricing of Al 3003 powder depends on factors like:

• Úroveň čistoty
• Distribuce velikosti částic
• Charakteristika prášků
• Množství objednávky
• Další zpracování
• Dodavatel a lokalita

Hodnost	Cenové rozpětí
Reklamní	$3-8 per kg
Vysoká čistota	8-15 Kč za kg
Ultrajemný	15–30 Kč/kg
Speciální kvality	30–60 Kč za kg

 

Ultrafine, spherical and gas atomized powders command much higher pricing than regular commercial grades.

Storage and Handling of Al 3003 Powder

Al 3003 powder should be properly stored and handled to prevent:

• Oxidace a reakce s vlhkostí
• Dust explosions from powder ignition
• Inhalation of fine powder causing health issues
• Safety practices advised by supplier should be followed

Doporučuje se při manipulaci s práškem uskladnění v inertním plynu, dostatečné větrání, uzemnění a OOPP.

Metody testování a charakterizace

Key test methods used for Al 3003 powder include:

• Chemická analýza pomocí OES nebo XRF pro stanovení složení
• Distribuce velikosti částic dle normy ASTM B822
• Analýza morfologie za pomoci SEM zobrazování
• Flow rate measurement using Hall flow funnel
• Stanovení hustoty pomocí pyknometru s heliem
• Testování nečistot pomocí ICP-MS
• Vyšetření mikrostruktury pomocí rentgenové difrakce

These testing methods ensure reliable and consistent quality of the aluminum alloy powder.

Comparison Between Al 3003 and Al 6061 Powders

Al 3003 and Al 6061 are two aluminum alloy powders compared:

Parametr	Al 3003	Al 6061
Typ slitiny	Nezušlechtitelné tvářením	Tepelně zpracovatelný
Obsah Mn	1.0-1.5%	0,15% max
Obsah Mg	Maximálně 0.1 %	0.8-1.2%
Síla	Střední	Vyšší
Odolnost proti korozi	Dobré	Výborný
Schweißbarkeit	Výborný	Dobré
Cena	Nizší	Vyšší
APLIKACE	Chemical tanks, utensils	Aerospace, automotive parts

 

Al 6061 offers higher strength while Al 3003 provides better weldability and formability at a lower cost.

Al 3003 Powder FAQs

Q: How is Al 3003 powder produced?

A: Al 3003 powder is commercially produced using gas atomization, water atomization, mechanical milling, and electrolysis processes. Gas atomization offers the best control of particle characteristics.

Q: What are the main applications for Al 3003 powder?

A: Key applications include additive manufacturing, thermal spraying, powder metallurgy, metal injection molding, welding filler, pigments, and pyrotechnic compositions.

Q: What is the typical Al 3003 powder size used for laser sintering?

A: For selective laser sintering process, the common Al 3003 powder size range is 20-53 microns with spherical morphology for optimal powder bed density.

Q: Does Al 3003 powder require any special handling precautions?

A: Yes, aluminum powders can be flammable and pose explosion risks. It is recommended to handle them carefully under inert atmosphere using proper grounding, ventilation and PPE.

Q: Where can I procure Al 3003 powder suitable for thermal spray coatings?

A: Companies like Valimet, Makin Metal Powders, and AMETEK offer Al 3003 grades suitable for wire arc spray and flame spray coatings needing moderate wear and corrosion resistance.