AL · aluminium
Aluminium 5083-H116
The marine plate. Cuts like 5052 with slightly better body - the strength comes from magnesium in solid solution, which also makes it gum up a cutter.
Quoting this material
- Typical lead time
- 10–15 working days
- Condition
- H116 - strain hardened and stabilised for marine service
- Achievable finish
- Ra 3.2 µm typical · Ra 1.6 µm best
Machined in-house to your drawing: see the precision CNC machining service and the machine and inspection capability it runs on.
Machinability
Our own 1–10 shop ranking, not a published index: 10 is free-cutting brass C360, 1 is Inconel 718. It ranks how a material behaves on the floor - cycle time, chip control and tool life together. Where a published index exists it is quoted in the note.
The marine plate. Cuts like 5052 with slightly better body - the strength comes from magnesium in solid solution, which also makes it gum up a cutter.
Properties as supplied
| Parameter | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 317 | MPa |
| Yield strength (0.2%) | 228 | MPa |
| Elongation | 16 | % |
| Hardness | 85 | HB |
| Thermal conductivity | 121 | W/m·K |
| Modulus of elasticity | 70.3 | GPa |
Hardness, tensile and thermal figures are typical published values for the condition stated. Actual mill certificates govern; send the specification with the drawing and we confirm against the certificate before the material is cut.
Condition
H116 - strain hardened and stabilised for marine service
Heat treatment
Not heat treatable. Welding softens the heat-affected zone and it stays soft.
Achievable surface finish
Ra 3.2 µm
Ra 1.6 µm
A mill finish plate is usually acceptable; machined faces are left as-machined or anodised.
Tooling and cutting parameters
Cutting speed
- 300–600 m/min (carbide)
Feed
- 0.15–0.35 mm/rev turning · 0.10–0.25 mm/tooth milling
Tooling
- Sharp uncoated carbide, high rake, polished flutes
Coolant
- Flood or heavy mist
Starting points for carbide on a rigid setup, not a guarantee. The right numbers depend on the machine, the toolholder and the fixturing - ask and we will say what we would actually run.
Typical applications
- Marine hull structure and deck fittings
- Offshore and subsea brackets
- Cryogenic tank components
- Rail vehicle structural parts
- Pressure vessel internals
DFM notes for this grade
- The best weldability of any high-strength aluminium - design to weld it and machine only the faces that need a fit
- H116 is specified for resistance to intergranular attack in salt water; do not substitute a generic H32 plate on a marine job
- Gummy chip: deep-hole drilling needs peck cycles and through-coolant rather than conventional feeds
Questions buyers ask
- What does the H116 temper actually buy on a marine part?
- Resistance to intergranular corrosion and exfoliation in salt water. A generic H32 plate of the same alloy can pass the strength spec and still fail in service because of how the magnesium sits at the grain boundaries. For anything that lives in seawater, the temper is part of the specification, not a detail.
- Can 5083 be welded after machining?
- Yes, it is the reason to choose it - but weld after the critical machining, not before. The heat-affected zone loses strength permanently and the part will move, so machining a weld-prep face and then welding past it means machining it twice.