2024 (D16) Aluminium Alloy

Alloy 2024 (equivalent to D16) is the most widely used structural “aerospace” aluminium. It is a high-strength, heat-treatable Al-Cu-Mg (aluminium-copper-magnesium) alloy known for its exceptional hardness and fatigue resistance.

Characteristics of 2024 / D16 Aluminium Alloy:

• High strength: Its mechanical properties outperform most other aluminium grades and match mild steel, while weighing three times less.
• Hardness: It shows excellent hardness levels, particularly in T3, T351, and T4 tempers.
• Machinability: It is perfect for finish machining on CNC lathes and milling machines, producing excellent brittle chips and a high-quality surface finish.
• Corrosion resistance: It features moderate corrosion resistance. Sheet metal is often supplied clad with a layer of pure aluminium (marked as D16AT) to significantly improve oxidation protection.
• Welding limitations: It has low weldability. The alloy is considered difficult to fusion weld, so components are typically joined using rivets, bolts, or specialized adhesives.

Popular Tempers of 2024 Alloy:

• 2024 / D16 (M): Annealed (soft). It provides maximum ductility and bends easily but offers low strength. It requires subsequent heat treatment.
• 2024-T3 / D16T: Solution heat-treated and naturally aged. This is the most common temper for bars and sheets, offering an optimal balance of strength and dimensional stability.
• 2024-T351: Solution heat-treated and stress-relieved by stretching. This is ideal for milling complex parts, as the plate or bar will not warp after material removal.

Applications of 2024 (D16) Alloy:

Alloy 2024 (D16) is used where reliability under high loads is required.

• Aerospace manufacturing: 2024 aluminium is used to make critical components subjected to tension and cyclic loads:
  • Fuselage skin: Clad sheets (D16AT) provide strength and durability for aircraft bodies.
  • Structural elements: Wing spars, bulkheads, frames, and fastening nodes.
• Heavy and precision engineering: Due to excellent machinability on CNC machines, D16T (2024) bars and plates are used for manufacturing:
  • Shafts and axles: Operating at high rotation speeds.
  • Engine parts and housings: Pistons and valvetrain components where thermal conductivity and low weight are vital.
  • Adapters and fittings: Working under high pressure.
• Defense industry and specialized equipment: Used as “light armor” to manufacture protective vehicle elements, mechanism components, receiver groups, and firearm accessories requiring high rigidity.
• Production tooling: Stress-relieved T351 aluminium plates are used to manufacture:
  • Molds: For low-pressure plastic injection molding.
  • Dies and stamps: For packaging and rubber parts manufacturing.
  • Test and measurement benches: Where perfect geometric stability of the component is required.
• High-strength fasteners: 2024 (D16) aluminium alloy is used for manufacturing bolts, nuts, studs, and rivets operating in heavy-load joints.
• Instrument making: Production of massive yet lightweight enclosures for electronic equipment, optical devices, and laboratory gear that require high protection for internal components.

Available Product Range of 2024 Aluminium Alloy at APTT-TRADE:

Our warehouses stock 2024/D16 aluminium alloy in the following forms:

• Flat aluminium sheets: Thicknesses from 0.5 mm to 10 mm (both plain and clad).

• Aluminium plates: Thicknesses from 8 mm to 200 mm (T351 temper). D16 plates are supplied in the T351 condition (solution heat-treated and stress-relieved by stretching). This eliminates internal stresses in the metal, preventing the part from warping or distorting even during deep milling when up to 80% of the blank volume is removed.
• Aluminium round bars (rods): Diameters from 8 mm to 450 mm. Alloy 2024 features high resistance to cyclic loads and vibrations, making it indispensable for dynamically loaded parts like linkages, shafts, and axles.