Products & Services
Protocase manufactures fully finished custom electronic enclosures and associated parts from a wide variety of materials and components, in 2-3 days with no minimum order. Protocase also provides expert and affordable enclosure design services.
Aluminum
Aluminum is corrosion resistant and light weight.
It has a lower structural stiffness than steel (about 1/3), which must be compensated for by thicker gauge.
Finish:
Powdercoat, No Finish or Grained Finish
Fasteners:
Typically, stainless steel fasteners are used with aluminum. However, in some cases, zinc-plated fasteners are used, depending on the application.
Stocked Aluminum alloy ( Sheet/Plate )
5052 Aluminum - H32
5052 Aluminum is optimal for sheet metal work and is very easy to form at room temperature. This material is very bendable, and can therefore handle tight radii. A non-heat treatable alloy, 5052 aluminum is readily welded by conventional methods. It has good forming characteristics and good corrosion resistance, including resistance to salt water. 5052 aluminum is also relatively easy to machine.
| Gauge | Thickness | Thickness Tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| (0.250" | 6.35 mm) | ± 0.014" | |
| (0.188" | 4.78 mm) | ± 0.009" | |
| 8 gauge | (0.1285" | 3.26mm) | ± 0.007 | ± 0.18mm |
| 10 gauge | (0.102" | 2.59mm) | ± 0.006 | ± 0.15mm |
| 11 gauge | (0.091" | 2.31 mm) | ± 0.0045" |
| 12 gauge | (0.081" | 2.06 mm) | ± 0.0045" |
| 14 gauge | (0.064" | 1.63 mm) | ± 0.0040" |
| 16 gauge | (0.051" | 1.30 mm) | ± 0.0035" |
| 18 gauge | (0.040" | 1.02 mm) | ± 0.0035" |
| 20 gauge | (0.032" | 0.81 mm) | ± 0.0030" |
6061 Aluminum - T6 ( Sheet/Plate )
Aluminum is a general-purpose alloy commonly used in extrusions, and is also available in sheet metal. However, it is not recommended for sheet metal work because it tends to crack on the outside radii once it passes its yield (and therefore requires a much larger radii to be able to bend properly). 6061 aluminum is also very easy to machine.
| Gauge | Thickness | Thickness Tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| (0.102" | 2.6mm) | ± 0.006" | |
| (0.1285" | 3.26 mm) | ± 0.007" | |
| (0.188" | 4.78 mm) | ± 0.009" | |
| (0.250" | 6.35 mm) | ± 0.014" | |
| (0.375" | 9.53 mm) | ± 0.017" | |
| (0.500" | 12.7 mm) | ± 0.023" |
Aluminum MIC-6 Plate
Aluminum MIC-6 is cast plate known for its stability and consistency between plates. It has superior flatness and dimensional tolerances on the thickness which makes it popular for tooling and base plates.
| Gauge | Thickness | Thickness Tolerance | Flatness Tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|
| (0.250" | 6.35 mm) | ± 0.005" | 0.13mm | 0.015" | 0.38mm | |
| (0.375" | 9.53 mm) | ± 0.005" | 0.13mm | 0.015" | 0.38mm | |
| (0.500" | 12.7 mm) | ± 0.005" | 0.13mm | 0.015" | 0.38mm | |
| (1.000" | 25.4 mm) | ± 0.005" | 0.13mm | 0.005" | 0.13mm |
Please note: Our suppliers have provided the material data above, with the nominal thicknesses based on industry standards.
Note: Gauges are typically not used when specifying aluminum as the actual thickness of the aluminum is more internationally recognized. It starts at sheet by thickness and migrates into plate at the thicker end of the scale.