5052-H32 Aluminum
A 5000-series Al-Mg alloy, the common sheet alloy for forming and bending
Typical values for the temper in the title
5052 contains about 2.5% magnesium plus chromium. It is not heat treatable, and its strength comes from the magnesium and from strain hardening. In the H32 temper it reaches a tensile strength of 230–260 MPa while keeping excellent bendability.
It is the "professional sheet metal" alloy: enclosures, fuel tanks, sheet metal parts for vehicles and boats. It is much stronger than 3003, holds up well in marine environments, and, unlike 5083, its lower magnesium content practically removes the elevated-temperature sensitization problem.
Mechanical and physical properties
| Property | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength Rm | 230–260 MPa | |
| Yield strength Rp0.2 | 195–210 MPa | |
| Elongation A | 12% | |
| Hardness | 60 HB | |
| Modulus of elasticity E | 70.3 GPa | |
| Density ρ | 2.68 g/cm³ | |
| Machinability | 60% | relative rating in the site database |
Chemical composition (wt %)
| Element | Range | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Mg magnesium | 2.2–2.8 | dissolved in the aluminum, gives the strength |
| Cr chromium | 0.15–0.35 | improves corrosion resistance and controls the grain structure |
| Fe iron | max 0.40 | |
| Si silicon | max 0.25 | |
| Cu copper | max 0.10 | |
| Mn manganese | max 0.10 | |
| Zn zinc | max 0.10 | |
| Others | max 0.05 each, 0.15 total | |
| Al aluminum | balance |
Common tempers
As in all of the 5000 series, the temper describes the degree of strain hardening.
| Temper | Properties | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| O (annealed) | minimum strength | for deep forming and sharp bends |
| H32 | quarter hard, stabilized | the most common: a good balance of strength and bendability |
| H34 | half hard, stabilized | more strength, less bendability |
| H36 / H38 | harder | for flat parts without significant bending |
Applications
- Enclosures, cabinets and electrical boxes
- Fuel tanks and containers
- Sheet metal parts for vehicles and boats
- Panels and light structures in marine environments
- Formed parts in general
Fabrication
Bending and forming
Excellent for bending and forming; in H32 it can be bent to a relatively small radius. It springs back a little after bending, so parts are overbent slightly.
Welding
Welds well with TIG and MIG, usually with ER5356 filler. In the weld zone the material returns to the annealed condition, but the strength loss is limited.
Machining and finishing
Soft and prone to smearing in machining, but H32 machines reasonably with sharp tools. Takes anodizing, paint and powder coating.
Compared with similar materials
| Material | Rm / Rp0.2 | Welding | When it is the better choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5754-H22 | 220 / 170 MPa | Excellent — ER5356 | the close European counterpart: a little more magnesium and more strength · material page |
| 5083-H111 | 275–350 / 125–200 MPa | Excellent — ER5356 | when higher strength is needed in a welded marine structure · material page |
| 3003-H14 | 150–180 / 115–145 MPa | Excellent | when strength matters less and price matters more · material page |
Common mistakes
Bending H38 like H32
In the hard tempers the material cracks when bent. For a bent part, choose H32 or O.
Choosing 5052 for a machined part
The material is soft and smears when machined. For machine parts, 6061 or 6082 is better.
Trying to harden it by heat treatment
5052 is not heat treatable. Its strength is set only by cold work.
Equivalents, standards and supply
| EN | 3.3523 |
|---|---|
| DIN | AlMg2.5 |
| JIS | A5052 |
| Standards | ASTM B209 / EN 485-2 |
| Forms | plate · strip |
| Producers | Novelis · Aleris · UACJ · Alcoa · Kaiser |
Learn more
Values are typical and for comparison only. For design, rely on the standard and on the mill certificate. Sources: Aluminum Association (composition), ASM and MatWeb data sheets, and the METAL HUB materials database.
Updated: October 31, 2026