What 5182 Aluminum Is
5182 is an aluminum–magnesium alloy strengthened by solid-solution magnesium and by cold work. It cannot be precipitation hardened — there is no solution treating and aging route, so all strength above the annealed condition comes from strain, expressed in the H tempers.
Two consequences follow from that, and both show up in how the alloy is bought:
- Temper is the specification. Ordering “5182” without a temper is meaningless. The gap between 5182-O (about 145 MPa yield, 21% elongation) and 5182-H19 (about 395 MPa yield, 4% elongation) is larger than the gap between many different alloys.
- Welding softens the heat-affected zone. The cold work is annealed out locally by the weld cycle, and there is no heat treatment to restore it. Welded joints are weaker than the H-temper parent metal, and the joint has to be designed around that.
The governing specifications for flat-rolled product are ASTM B209 (chapa e placa), EN 485-2 (mechanical properties) and EN 573-3 (composition) in Europe, GB/T 3880 in China, and JIS H4000 in Japan. Automotive sheet is frequently specified to GMW15192 or an equivalent OEM material standard rather than to B209 alone. Equivalent designations are UNS A95182, EN AW-5182e ISO AlMg5 in some references.
Chemical Composition of 5182
| Elemento | Peso % | Função na liga |
|---|---|---|
| Magnésio (Mg) | 4.0 – 5.0 | Primary strengthener; drives corrosion resistance |
| Manganês (Mn) | 0.20 – 0.50 | Grain structure control, toughness |
| Ferro (Fe) | 0,35 máx. | Impurity — controlled to protect formability |
| Silício (Si) | 0,20 máx | Impurity — kept low to limit cracking in forming |
| Cobre (Cu) | 0,15 máximo | Impureza — mantida baixa para proteger a resistência à corrosão |
| Zinco (Zn) | 0,25 máximo | Impureza |
| Cromo (Cr) | 0,10 máximo | Minor grain structure control |
| Titânio (Ti) | 0,10 máximo | Refinador de grãos durante a fundição |
| Outros (cada / total) | 0,05 / 0,15 máx. | — |
| Alumínio (Al) | Remainder (93.2 – 95.8) | Metal base |
The magnesium range is the number to remember. At 4.0–5.0%, 5182 carries more magnesium than 5083 (4.0–4.9%) and far more than 5052 (2.2–2.8%). That is where both its strength and its corrosion resistance come from — and it is also what puts it firmly inside the temperature limit discussed later in this guide.
Propriedades físicas
| Propriedade | Valor |
|---|---|
| Densidade | 2.65 – 2.66 g/cm³ |
| Faixa de fusão | 577 – 638 °C (1,070 – 1,180 °F) |
| Condutividade térmica | ~126 W/m·K at 25 °C |
| Condutividade elétrica | ~28 – 32% IACS at 20 °C |
| Coeficiente de expansão térmica | 23.9 × 10⁻⁶ /°C (20–100 °C) |
| Capacidade térmica específica | ~900 J/kg-K |
| Módulo de elasticidade (tração) | ~70 GPa (10,100 ksi) |
| Coeficiente de Poisson | 0.33 |
Two of these are regularly misquoted. The melting range is 577–638 °C, not the 607–649 °C figure often copied from 5052 datasheets — 5xxx physical properties get transposed between grades constantly, and 5182 and 5052 are adjacent in most property tables. And the thermal conductivity of ~126 W/m·K is well below 5052’s ~138, which matters if the part has to move heat rather than just hold shape.
Propriedades Mecânicas por Têmpera
Values below are typical values from Aluminum Association reference data. They are representative, not guaranteed — design and acceptance should use the minimums in the governing standard for the specified temper and thickness, together with the values on the mill test certificate.
| Temperamento | Resistência à tração (MPa) | Limite de escoamento (MPa) | Alongamento (%) | Uso típico |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O | ~276 | ~145 | ~21 | Deep drawing, complex forming, automotive inner panels |
| H111 | ~260 | ~125 | ~18 | Tank truck sheet, fuel tanks, formed and welded parts |
| H32 | 290 – 315 | 210 – 230 | 10 – 12 | Automotive body panels, flat structural sheet |
| H34 | ~331 | ~255 | ~11 | Body panels and structural sheet needing more strength |
| H38 | ~372 | ~324 | ~6 | High-strength flat parts |
| H19 / H39 | ~420 | ~395 | ~4 | Can ends, pull tabs, can stock |
| H116 / H321 | Marine-oriented supply | Non-primary marine structure — confirm minimums per standard |
The spread from O to H19 is roughly 145 to 395 MPa of yield strength. That is not a small ordering detail; it is the difference between a material that draws into a door inner and a material that punches into a can tab.
Which Temper for Which Job
- O is annealed and fully soft, with the elongation needed for deep draws, spun shapes, and complex stampings. Automotive inner panels and formed tank ends start here.
- H111 is lightly strain-hardened — more strength than O, still formable, and the common choice for welded tank truck bodies and fuel tanks.
- H32 e H34 are the automotive body panel tempers, strain-hardened and stabilized. They add the strength and dent resistance that outer panels need while keeping enough formability for pressing. H34 skews stronger, H32 more formable.
- H19 and H39 are the packaging tempers. Very high strength from heavy cold rolling, with elongation deliberately low — can end and tab production is a punching and scoring operation, not a deep draw, and the material needs to hold shape at thin gauge. If you are buying 5182 for can stock, this is the temper, and the properties that matter are as much about consistency across the coil as about the absolute values.
Formability and Deep Drawing
Formability is where 5182 earns its place in automotive sheet, and it is more nuanced than a single “excellent” or “good” rating.
In the annealed and lightly worked tempers (O, H111), 5182 draws well — elongation around 18–21% supports deep draws, complex stampings, and spun shapes. Against 5052, 5182 trades a little ultimate drawability for noticeably higher strength: 5052 will generally go further in the deepest draws, while 5182 holds shape and resists denting better once formed. Against 5083, 5182 is the more formable of the two by a clear margin, which is a large part of why 5083 dominates hull plate and 5182 dominates body panels.
For automotive outer panels, the numbers that actually govern selection are the plastic strain ratio (r-value) e o strain hardening exponent (n-value), not just elongation. The r-value controls resistance to thinning during drawing; the n-value controls how strain distributes before local necking. Mills supplying 5182 for exposed automotive panels certify to these, and OEM standards such as GMW15192 specify them. If you are buying for visible body panels, ask for r and n alongside tensile and yield — a 5182 that meets the tensile range can still fail on a draw.
Two practical cautions. Higher magnesium means 5182 work-hardens faster than 5052, so it needs more force, larger bend radii in the harder tempers, and more attention to springback. And interstage annealing may be needed on multi-step draws where 5052 would go in one hit.
Resistência à Corrosão e o Limite de 65 °C
The high magnesium content gives 5182 good resistance to atmospheric, seawater, and many food-product environments, and it is the reason the alloy is used uncoated in marine fittings and food-contact packaging with a qualified lacquer system. It sits comfortably above 5052 and 5754 in chloride environments.
The constraint is thermal, and on 5182 it binds harder than on most 5xxx grades.
At magnesium levels above roughly 3%, sustained exposure to warm temperatures allows magnesium to precipitate along grain boundaries as the beta phase (Al₃Mg₂). That network is anodic to the surrounding matrix, which opens the alloy to intergranular corrosion, exfoliation, and stress corrosion cracking. The usual engineering limit is 65 °C (150 °F) for continuous service in corrosive environments. 5182’s 4.0–5.0% magnesium puts it at the top of the commercial range, so the limit applies with less margin than it does on 5052.
In practice:
- Keep 5182 out of sustained service above 65 °C — hot process lines, uninsulated exhaust zones, and equipment that dwells warm.
- Where warm service is unavoidable, look at 5052 or 5454 rather than trying to engineer around sensitization. The precipitation is not reversible.
- For marine work, H116 or H321 supply is available, but confirm the temper and its guaranteed minimums against the applicable standard and the mill certificate.
Galvanic corrosion is the second caution, and it is the same rule as for any 5xxx alloy: 5182 is anodic to steel, stainless, and copper alloys. In a mixed-metal assembly with an electrolyte present, insulate the joint or add sacrificial protection.
Welding 5182
5182 welds by GMAW (MIG) and GTAW (TIG), and it is routinely welded in tank truck bodies, fuel tanks, and marine fittings. Filler is normally a 5xxx wire — ER5356 for general work and to match the magnesium content, with ER5183 an option where higher as-welded strength or better marine corrosion behavior is wanted.
What welding does not do is preserve the cold-worked properties. The heat-affected zone is annealed by the weld cycle; the strain hardening is removed locally and cannot be restored, because the alloy is non-heat-treatable. A welded H32 or H34 joint is weaker than the parent metal, and the softened band — not the weld metal — is usually what governs the joint design.
A regra de projeto decorre diretamente: size welded 5182 joints on the annealed HAZ properties, not on the parent-temper values. An H34 assembly calculated at 255 MPa yield will be carrying load through a zone that yields near 145 MPa. AWS D1.2 publishes allowable stresses for welded aluminum structure and is the reference to work from.
Machining and Surface Finishing
Usinagem is fair rather than good. 5182 work-hardens quickly and produces stringy chips in the softer tempers; the harder tempers cut more cleanly with better chip breakage. Sharp carbide tooling, positive rake geometry, and generous cutting fluid are the normal recommendations. It is not a free-machining alloy, and shops quoting against 6061 or 2011 will notice the difference in tool life and cycle time.
Acabamento de superfície is a strength in packaging and body panel contexts — the alloy rolls to a clean, uniform surface that takes coating, lacquer, and print well, which is part of why it holds the can end market. It can be anodized for protection, but like other high-magnesium grades it is not a decorative anodizing alloy; the finish is less bright and uniform than 5005 or 6063, and color consistency across batches is harder to hold. Specify anodizing for protection, not appearance.
Where 5182 Is Used
Can ends and pull tabs are the dominant global use, run in H19. The distinction matters when specifying: can bodies are typically a 3xxx alloy such as 3004, while the ends, easy-open ends, and tabs are 5182. If an inquiry says “beverage can” without saying which component, the alloy could be either — ask before quoting.
Automotive body panels are the second major market — hoods, doors, fenders, inner panels, and structural reinforcements, in O through H34 depending on how much forming the part needs. The driver is weight reduction with acceptable dent resistance, and it is why r-value and n-value show up in these specifications.
Tank truck bodies and fuel tanks use H111 and H32, where weldability and corrosion resistance against fuels and mild chemicals matter more than peak strength.
Other uses include marine fittings and non-primary marine structure (H116/H321 where specified), food and beverage containers and closures, pressure vessels, and general industrial parts that need corrosion resistance with moderate strength and good weldability.
5182 vs 5052, 5754, 5083, and 6061
Within the 5xxx family, 5052 → 5754 → 5182 → 5083 is roughly a rising ladder of strength with falling formability.
| Propriedade | 5182 | 5052 | 5754 | 5083 | 6061-T6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magnésio (%) | 4.0 – 5.0 | 2.2 - 2.8 | 2.6 – 3.6 | 4.0 - 4.9 | 0.8 - 1.2 |
| Manganese (%) | 0.20 – 0.50 | — | ≤ 0,50 | 0.40 – 1.0 | — |
| Tração (MPa, típico) | 276 – 420 | 210 – 260 | 220 – 290 | 300 – 350 | ~310 |
| Limite de escoamento (MPa, típico) | 145 – 395 | 160 – 195 | 130 – 190 | 215 – 260 | ~275 |
| Alongamento (%) | 4 – 21 | 12 – 20 | 12 – 18 | 10 – 14 | 8 – 12 |
| Tratável termicamente | Não | Não | Não | Não | Sim |
| Deep drawing | Good (O/H111) | Excelente | Bom | Justo | Justo |
| Corrosão marinha | Muito boa | Bom | Muito boa | Excelente | Moderado |
| Soldabilidade | Bom | Excelente | Excelente | Excelente | Bom |
| Usinabilidade | Justo | Justo | Justo | Justo | Muito boa |
| Typical uses | Can ends, body panels | General sheet, tanks | Marine sheet, tread | Hull plate, cryogenic | Machined parts, frames |
Against 5052, 5182 is stronger and more dent-resistant but gives up some ultimate drawability; 5052 is also typically cheaper and easier to weld. If the part is a deep draw and strength is not binding, 5052 usually wins. If it is a body panel that has to resist denting, 5182 does. Full data is in our guia de alumínio 5052.
Against 5754, 5182 is the stronger of the two with comparable corrosion behavior; 5754 is the more established European grade and appears more often in marine sheet and tread plate.
Against 5083, 5182 is more formable and easier to draw, while 5083 is stronger and is the grade classification societies expect for primary marine structure. Our guia do alumínio 5083 covers that side of the comparison, and the de grau marítimo overview shows how the 5xxx marine alloys divide applications between them.
Against 6061, the comparison flips on process: 6061 is heat-treatable, machines well, and reaches higher strength, but its welded joints lose strength and its seawater corrosion resistance is worse. 6061 is the right call for machined parts and frames; 5182 is the right call for formed and welded sheet. See the guia de alumínio 6061.
When 5182 Is the Wrong Choice
Stated as conditions rather than part names, since the conditions are what actually decide it.
Specify 5182 when:
- The part is a can end, easy-open end, or pull tab — H19 is the industry standard for a reason.
- You need automotive body panel strength with real drawability, and dent resistance matters.
- The part is formed and welded rather than machined, in a corrosive or food-contact environment.
- Service temperature stays below 65 °C, or warm zones are isolated.
- You need more strength than 5052 or 5754 can give without going to 5083’s lower formability.
Procure outra opção quando:
- Sustained service exceeds ~65 °C in a corrosive environment. Beta-phase sensitization is not reversible — use 5052 or 5454.
- The part is a deep draw at the limit of what 5052 can do. 5052 draws further and costs less.
- Primary marine structure is involved. Classification rules expect 5083 or 5086, not 5182.
- The part is machined from solid at volume. 6061 or 2011 runs faster and cheaper.
- Decorative anodizing is the finish. Use 5005 or 6063.
- Peak heat-treatable strength is required and welding is minimal. 6061-T6 or 7075-T651 outperforms any 5xxx alloy.
Normas, Equivalentes e Documentação
| Padrão | Escopo |
|---|---|
| ASTM B209 | Chapas e placas de alumínio e ligas de alumínio |
| EN 573-3 | Chemical composition (Europe) |
| EN 485-2 | Mechanical properties of sheet and strip (Europe) |
| GB/T 3880 | Sheet, strip and plate (China) |
| JIS H4000 | Sheet, strip and plate (Japan) |
| GMW15192 | Automotive aluminum sheet — OEM-level requirements |
| AWS A5.10 / D1.2 | Classificação de metal de adição e projeto de solda estrutural |
| ASTM B928 | High-magnesium marine plate (where H116/H321 is specified) |
Designações equivalentes: UNS A95182, EN AW-5182, AlMg5 (some references).
On the purchase order, four things carry the weight. State the temper explicitly — O, H111, H32, H34, and H19 are not interchangeable. Name the governing standard, since B209 and EN 485-2 minimums are not the same numbers. Request a certificado de ensaio do fabricante (MTC) conforme EN 10204 3.1 listing actual tensile, yield, and elongation for the batch. And if the material is for automotive panels or can stock, specify the property window that actually matters — r-value and n-value for drawing, or coil-to-coil consistency for high-speed can lines — rather than relying on tensile range alone.
Most 5182 problems are specification problems: a temper left open, a standard left unnamed, or a forming-critical property never asked for.
Trabalhando com a Linsy Aluminum
A Linsy Aluminum fornece 5182 alumínio as sheet and coil in O, H111, H32, H34, and H19, with H116 and H321 available for marine-oriented supply — as with other high-magnesium grades, the marine tempers are flat-rolled specifications and are not produced in bar. In-house capability covers CNC machining, welding, laser cutting, and surface finishing; forging is coordinated through partner process facilities rather than run in-house, so allow for it in planning if your part needs it.
Every shipment carries a mill test certificate (MTC), and SGS testing can be arranged on request. For automotive panel or can stock work, tell us which properties govern — r-value, n-value, or coil consistency — so the inquiry goes to the mill with the right window attached. For non-stock dimensions, typical lead time is 10–60 days, and we support low minimum order quantities on trial and prototype builds.
Send your drawing or specification and we will confirm available tempers, gauges, tolerances, and documentation, and flag anything in the service conditions that points to a different alloy.
Conclusão
5182 is the strongest of the commonly supplied formable 5xxx alloys, and it holds two markets that pull it in opposite directions: H19 can stock at very high strength and low elongation, and automotive sheet in O through H34 chosen for how far it draws. Pick the temper first, because the spread across tempers is wider than the difference between many alloys. Respect the 65 °C ceiling, since 4.0–5.0% magnesium leaves less margin than most grades. And design welded joints on annealed HAZ properties rather than parent-temper values. Get those three right and 5182 is a capable, well-documented alloy with deep supply behind it. Get them wrong — H19 specified for a deep draw, warm continuous service, or a weld sized on H34 strength — and the failure will look like a material problem when it was a specification problem.
Perguntas frequentes
What is 5182 aluminum mainly used for?
Two dominant applications. The largest globally is can end stock — beverage can ends, easy-open ends, and pull tabs — supplied in the H19 temper. The second is automotive body panels such as hoods, doors, fenders, and inner panels, in O through H34. Note that can bodies are usually a 3xxx alloy such as 3004; 5182 is the end e tab material.
How strong is 5182 aluminum?
It depends entirely on temper, and the spread is wide: roughly 276 MPa tensile / 145 MPa yield / 21% elongation in O, versus about 420 MPa tensile / 395 MPa yield / 4% elongation in H19. Automotive body panel tempers sit in between — H32 around 290–315 MPa tensile and 210–230 MPa yield, H34 around 331 MPa and 255 MPa.
Is 5182 stronger than 5052?
Yes, meaningfully. 5182-H34 reaches about 331 MPa tensile against roughly 210–260 MPa for 5052-H32, with correspondingly higher yield. The trade-off is formability and cost: 5052 draws further in deep-draw work, welds a little more easily, and is usually cheaper. Choose 5182 when strength or dent resistance governs; choose 5052 when maximum drawability or cost governs.
Can 5182 aluminum be welded?
Yes, by MIG and TIG, typically with ER5356 filler, or ER5183 where higher as-welded strength is needed. The important caveat is that 5182 is non-heat-treatable, so the heat-affected zone is annealed by welding and cannot be restored — welded joints are weaker than H-temper parent metal, and joints should be sized on annealed HAZ properties per AWS D1.2.
What is the maximum service temperature for 5182?
About 65 °C (150 °F) for continuous service in corrosive environments. Above that, the 4.0–5.0% magnesium content can precipitate at grain boundaries as the beta phase, leading to intergranular corrosion and stress corrosion cracking. The change is not reversible by heat treatment, so for warm sustained service specify 5052 or 5454 instead.
Is 5182 good for deep drawing?
In the soft tempers, yes. 5182-O and H111 offer around 18–21% elongation and draw well for automotive inner panels, tank ends, and stamped shells. It does not draw quite as far as 5052, and it work-hardens faster, so expect more force, larger bend radii, and possibly interstage annealing on multi-step draws. For exposed automotive panels, specify r-value and n-value, not just elongation.
What is the difference between 5182-H19 and 5182-H32?
They are at opposite ends of the temper range and are not interchangeable. H19 is heavily cold-rolled to maximum strength — about 420 MPa tensile, 395 MPa yield, only 4% elongation — and is used for can ends and pull tabs, where the operation is punching and scoring rather than drawing. H32 is strain-hardened and stabilized to about 290–315 MPa tensile and 210–230 MPa yield with 10–12% elongation, and is used for automotive body panels and structural sheet.
