Aluminum Alloys Vs. Zinc Alloys

Aluminum Alloys Vs. Zinc Alloys

There are two types of common metal alloy cast material in modern industrial manufacturing, they are aluminum alloys and zinc alloys. Since different metal properties, these material cost and production cost are different. Aluminum alloys cost is cheaper, but production cost is higher, require higher temperature to process, consumpt more heat energy. However, zinc alloys cost are higher, but production cost is very lower, require low temperature to form, and have a fast cast cycle. So these two types alloys are made into some specific functional and structural casting part in different sectors. Aluminum Alloys Vs. Zinc Alloys, Choose the right alloy material to produce proper components in actual applications.

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Aluminum Alloys Pros And Cons And Applications

Advantages Of Aluminum Alloys

Lightweight: a low density (~2.7 g/cm³), making it ideal for aerospace, automotive, and portable electronics.
Good Strength-to-Weight Ratio: The metal alloy can offer a good strength to weight ratio due to small density.
Excellent Corrosion Resistance: Naturally forms a protective oxide layer, reducing rust. So it has exellent corrosion resistance.
High Machinability: Softer alloys (such as A380, 6061) are easy to machine, with a good integrated structural guarantee.
Good Thermal & Electrical Conductivity: Used in heat sinks, electrical enclosures, and LED housings, transfer the overheat energy into air and other media substances quickly, aluminum metal is an electrical conduct body.
Castability & Fluidity: flow well in molds, allowing complex, thin-walled designs, but ductility is less, and suitable for big size casting part.
 Recyclability: Aluminum is 100% recyclable without quality loss, it is eco-friendly.

Disadvantages Of Aluminum Alloys

Lower Hardness & Wear Resistance: Softer than steel or zinc, leading to wear in high-friction applications.
Higher Cost Than Zinc Alloys: Aluminum alloy require higher temperature to process than zamak alloy metal.
Lower Dimensional Stability: Higher thermal expansion can cause high shrankage and lead to lower dimensional stability.
Porosity in Castings: Hydrogen absorption can cause voids, requiring vacuum casting or degassing. this the special properties of aluminum alloy.
Surface Finishing Challenges: void on the surface of aluminum casting part should be pretreated for bonding the electroplating material.

Applications Of Aluminum Alloys

Aluminum alloy is very light metal, and castable, and also good hardness and very anti-wear. So it can be cast into some precision components across many industries. Depends on the specific functional and application environments, die casting manufacturer can choose the right aluminum alloy composition to produce more high precision parts. and use them in many industries.

Zinc Alloys Pros And Cons And Applications

Advantages Of Zinc Alloys

Superior Castability & Fluidity: Zamak alloys (e.g., Zamak 3, Zamak 5) flow exceptionally well in molds, enabling thin walls (as low as 0.5mm)
Excellent Dimensional Stability: Low shrinkage (~0.7%) compared to aluminum (~1.3%), making zinc ideal for tight-tolerance parts (e.g., gears, connectors).
High Strength & Hardness: higher strength, higher tensile strength, strong resists wear.
Smooth As-Cast Surface Finish:  less post-machining/polishing than aluminum.
Faster Production Cycles: lower temps (~385°C/725°F vs. ~660°C/1220°F for Al), allowing quicker die-casting cycles and energy savings.
 Cost-Effective for Small, Complex Parts: The lower melting decide zinc alloys to cast small sizes casting parts, but the zinc die castings are high precision.

Disadvantages Of Zinc Alloys

Heavy: 2.5x denser than aluminum, making it unsuitable for weight-sensitive applications.
Limited High-Temperature Performance: Loses strength above ~120°C (250°F), not suitable for engine components or hot environments.
Corrosion Resistance Requires Plating: Bare zinc  in humid or salty environments requires equires chromate plating, powder coating, or nickel finishes for protection.
Brittleness in Certain Alloys: Zamak 7 and ZA-12 are more brittle than aluminum, risking fracture under impact.
Not Ideal for Large Parts: Higher density makes large zinc castings unwieldy and expensive (aluminum or magnesium are better for big components).

Applications Of Zinc Alloys