Design standards in relation to aluminium alloys

There are some important design standards in relation to aluminium alloys that I think you should know.

The first is EN 12020-2. This standard is generally applied for alloys such as 6060, 6063 and, to a lesser extent for 6005 and 6005A if the shape of the aluminium extrusion isn’t too complex. Applications of products subject to this standard are:

• Window and door frames
• Wall profiles
• Profiles with snap-on connectors
• Shower cabin frames
• Lighting
• Interior design
• Automotive
• Products in which small tolerances are required

The second important design standard is EN 755-9. This standard is generally applied to all heavier alloys, such as 6005, 6005A and 6082, but also to alloys in the 7000 series. Applications of products subject to this standard are:

• Car bodywork
• Train construction
• Ship building
• Offshore
• Tents and scaffolding
• Automotive structures

As a rule of thumb, it can be assumed that the tolerance values of EN 12020-2 are approximately 0.7 to 0.8 times the values of EN 755-9.

Aluminium shape and complexity as exceptions.

Of course, there are exceptions, and certain measurements can often be applied with smaller tolerances. It depends on the shape and complexity of the extrusions.