Ⅰ Core application areas of cast aluminum alloys
Casting aluminum alloy has become an indispensable key material in modern industry due to its low density, high specific strength, excellent casting performance, and corrosion resistance. Its application fields can be summarized into the following five directions:
1. Transportation field: the core carrier of the lightweight revolution
Automotive industry: As the largest downstream market for cast aluminum alloys (accounting for over 60%), it is widely used in engine cylinder blocks, transmission housings, wheel hubs, and chassis structural components. Taking ADC12 alloy as an example, the penetration rate of its die-casting parts in new energy vehicle battery pack shells, motor end caps, and other components continues to increase, pushing the aluminum consumption per vehicle towards the target of 220kg.
Aerospace: In aircraft structural components (such as wing beams, landing gear brackets) and engine parts (such as turbine blades, casings), high-strength aluminum alloys (such as ZL205A) achieve a balance between high temperature resistance of 400 ℃ and fatigue resistance through T7 heat treatment process, significantly improving fuel efficiency.
Rail transit: Key components such as high-speed train bogies and gearboxes are made of ZL1101A alloy, achieving a weight reduction of over 30% while ensuring strength.
2. Electronic and electrical field: technical support for precision manufacturing
3C electronic products: The middle frame of smartphones and the shell of laptops are made of ultra-thin aluminum alloy die-casting parts, and ZL402 alloy is precision manufactured with a wall thickness of 0.5mm through semi-solid forming technology, while meeting the requirements of electromagnetic shielding and heat dissipation.
Power equipment: ZL303 alloy is used for the shell of high-voltage switchgear and transformer heat sink, which exhibits unique advantages in the construction of coastal power stations due to its seawater corrosion resistance.
3. Mechanical equipment field: a performance model of wear and corrosion resistance
Industrial robots: The joint reducer housing is made of eutectic Al Si alloy (such as ZL117), and the silicon phase spheroidization technology improves wear resistance by 40%, extending the service life of the equipment.
Construction machinery: ZL104 alloy is selected for hydraulic pump body, valve island base and other components, and achieved with T6 heat treatment to achieve σ b ≥ 350MPa, suitable for high load conditions.
4. Innovative Practice of Green Construction in the Field of Building Templates
Aluminum alloy formwork: The proportion of 6061-T6 alloy formwork used in prefabricated buildings reaches 35%, and its characteristic of being reusable for more than 200 times reduces construction waste by 90% compared to wooden formwork, which meets the requirements of the “dual carbon” strategy.
5. National Defense and Military Industry: Breakthrough in Extreme Environment Performance
Missile compartment: ZL205A alloy is subjected to T77 heat treatment to maintain dimensional stability in the temperature range of -54 ℃ to 150 ℃, and is applied to the structural components of strategic missile bodies.
Ship equipment: ZL305 alloy propellers have a corrosion resistance rate of less than 0.03mm/year in seawater immersion environments, extending their service life by three times compared to traditional copper alloys.
Ⅱ Analysis dimensions and key indicators of cast aluminum alloys
Material Performance Evaluation System
Casting performance: With flowability (spiral length ≥ 500mm) and linear shrinkage rate (≤ 1.2%) as the core indicators, Al Si alloy has become the preferred choice for die casting due to its eutectic composition advantage.
Mechanical properties: The tensile strength (σ b) and elongation (δ) need to match the application scenario, such as automotive safety components requiring σ b ≥ 250MPa and δ ≥ 3%.
Heat treatment response: T6 state has a 15% -20% increase in strength compared to T5 state, but the risk of work hardening needs to be balanced.
Supply and demand analysis of industrial chain
Raw material side: Scrap aluminum supply accounts for 59%, but import dependence still exists (Malaysia and Thailand are the main source countries), and attention should be paid to changes in the 760200090 tariff policy.
Production end: The utilization rate of recycled aluminum production capacity is less than 55%, and the industry concentration rate CR10 is only 45%. The newly added production capacity in Anhui, Guangdong and other places will be released in a concentrated manner (expected to add 2.66 million tons in 2025).
Consumer side: The growth rate of demand in the automotive sector is strongly correlated with the production of new energy vehicles (with a correlation coefficient of 0.82), while the construction sector is significantly affected by the policy of guaranteed delivery.
Evolution Path of Process Technology
Melt purification technology: The rotary injection method (RGI) achieves a hydrogen content of ≤ 0.15ml/100gAl, which is 60% more efficient than the traditional bubble method.
Additive Manufacturing: Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology enables one-time molding of complex channel structural components, increasing material utilization to over 85%.
Simulation technology: ProCAST software simulates the tendency of shrinkage and looseness, guides the optimization of the amount of inoculant added, and reduces the scrap rate by 2.3 percentage points.
Market price drivers
Cost composition: Scrap aluminum accounts for 90%, and the fluctuation of electrolytic aluminum prices is transmitted through A00 aluminum price x discount rate. The current processing fee remains in the range of 800-1200 yuan/ton.
Price arbitrage: The mean regression characteristics of the price difference between ADC12 and A00 aluminum are significant. When the price difference exceeds 2500 yuan/ton, the substitution effect of refined waste becomes apparent.
Inventory cycle: The ratio of social inventory to in-house inventory (15700 tons/79000 tons) is at a historical low, and we need to be alert to the pulse like impact of the replenishment market on prices.
Ⅲ Outlook on Industry Development Trends
Upgrade of demand structure: The demand for new energy vehicle die-casting parts will increase by 24% CAGR, driving the market share of non heat treated aluminum alloys (such as CNC-F) to exceed 30%.
Technological integration acceleration: The application of digital twin technology in the smelting process has achieved a composition control accuracy of ± 0.05% and a yield rate of 92%.
Deepening policy impact: After the full implementation of the “reverse invoicing” policy, the tax burden cost of recycled aluminum enterprises is expected to decrease by 1.2 percentage points, promoting the release of compliant production capacity.
This analysis framework reveals that the casting aluminum alloy industry is transitioning from traditional manufacturing to three-dimensional innovation of “materials process data”. Enterprises need to build a “performance cost delivery” iron triangle competitiveness to cope with the dual changes of the new energy revolution and intelligent manufacturing.
Therefore, the release of the benchmark price for casting aluminum alloy futures contracts by Shanghai futures traders on June 9th is an inevitable result, which not only demonstrates the development of the domestic futures market serving the real economy, but also indicates China’s increasing voice in the global aluminum pricing system. With the deep participation of industrial customers, this variety is expected to become a key indicator for measuring the material cost of new energy vehicles.
Post time: Jun-11-2025