3003 aluminum
3003 alloy identity, temper- and product-dependent properties, forming, joining and corrosion limits.
Tags: materials, aluminum, wrought-alloys
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Alloy identity and scope
For Hulamin 3003-H14 rolled product, 0.63–1.2 mm and over 1.2 through 6.3 mm both list 115 MPa minimum proof stress and 140–180 MPa tensile strength. Minimum A50 elongation rises from 3% to 5%. Keep the thickness band and gauge length with the result. Hulamin 3003 data
3003 is a wrought aluminum–manganese alloy. The Aluminum Association's Teal Sheets, revised December 2025, specify manganese at 1.0–1.5% and copper at 0.05–0.20% by mass, with silicon up to 0.6% and iron up to 0.7%. These registered composition limits identify the alloy; they are not a mechanical-property specification or a particular batch analysis. Aluminum Association, Teal Sheets, 3003 entry
Hydro describes 3003 as non-heat-treatable: strength is developed through cold working and temper selection rather than precipitation hardening. Its 3003/3103 guidance emphasizes forming, joining and corrosion resistance rather than high structural strength. Those related alloys remain separate designations; similar application descriptions do not establish interchangeability. Hydro, 3003 and 3103 alloys
Typical application areas include formed sheet, heat-exchanger components and general fabrication. For an actual order, state alloy + temper + product form + dimensions + product standard/edition + surface condition + inspection requirements. Sheet, drawn tube, extruded tube, foil and a clad heat-exchanger product cannot share one unqualified “3003 properties” record.
Temper and product route
O identifies an annealed condition; H14 identifies a strain-hardened, half-hard condition. The temper is part of the product identity, not an optional descriptive tag. Kaiser publishes separate O and H14 values in its tube/pipe technical sheet, showing how substantially the strength changes with condition. Kaiser, Tube & Pipe Alloy 3003, Rev. 05/06
Do not apply a T6-type aging recipe to 3003 to obtain a desired strength. Conversely, “non-heat-treatable” does not mean unaffected by heat: thermal processing can remove cold-work strengthening. Keep supplied temper, intermediate forming condition and final fabricated condition distinct.
For receiving inspection, confirm the product route and applicable specification before selecting a property table. A tube certificate does not establish rolled-sheet properties. Chemistry compliance also does not prove the required tensile strength, thickness tolerance, surface finish or suitability for a pressure-retaining assembly.
Use the correct type of property value
Hulamin's 3003 Rolled Products Data Sheet provides these H14 entries and states that single numbers represent minima:
| Rolled H14 thickness | 0.2% proof strength, minimum | Tensile strength range | Elongation A50, minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.63–1.2 mm | 115 MPa | 140–180 MPa | 3% |
| Over 1.2 through 6.3 mm | 115 MPa | 140–180 MPa | 5% |
The sheet references Hulamin's Active Product Menu for specifications and shows no printed revision date. These are supplier-specific published entries, not a substitute for the ordered standard. Hulamin 3003 rolled-product datasheet
Kaiser's tube/pipe sheet instead labels its mechanical table typical: O has 110 MPa ultimate and 40 MPa yield strength; H14 has 152 MPa ultimate and 145 MPa yield strength. These typical values must not become receiving minima or guaranteed design values. Kaiser 3003 tube/pipe data, p. 1
Bounded table-reading example: a 1.0 mm rolled H14 sheet falls within Hulamin's first row, while a 2.0 mm sheet falls within its second. Their published strength entries match, but their minimum A50 elongations differ. Neither row should be replaced with the tube table merely because its H14 yield number is higher.
Record specimen direction, gauge length, section dimensions and value status with each result. Typical, minimum, maximum and allowable are different concepts. Elongation measured over one gauge length cannot be compared casually with another. Confirm the full specification, including boundary conventions and test provisions, before accepting material at a thickness-band boundary.
Forming and surface requirements
Hulamin rates pressing, drawing and roll forming favorably and publishes recommended 90° cold-bend radii by thickness. For H14, its examples include 1t at 3.2 mm and 1½t at 6.0 mm, where t is sheet thickness. These are guidance for that stated bending operation, not universal limits for every orientation, tool or part. Hulamin 3003 forming guidance
For a production part, qualify bend direction, inside radius, tooling, lubrication and incoming surface condition. Inspect cracking, thinning, springback and visible marks against the drawing or agreed sample. Deep drawing, spinning and multiple sequential bends need their own process window; a successful simple bend does not qualify all forming operations.
A harder temper can change the strength/formability balance. Specify the needed final condition rather than selecting the highest catalog strength and assuming the forming process will remain unchanged. If intermediate annealing is proposed, include its effect on dimensions, surface condition and final acceptance properties.
Joining and heat-affected zones
Good weldability describes the ability to make a suitable joint, not retention of work-hardened parent strength. Hydro explains that fusion welding softens cold-worked non-heat-treatable aluminum around the weld. Evaluate the weld metal, heat-affected zone and unaffected parent separately. Hydro, aluminum welding rods and HAZ behavior
Choose the filler, process and preparation for both joined materials and the required service conditions. A welded H14 assembly must not automatically be analyzed using unwelded H14 properties throughout. Joint geometry, distortion, leak-tightness and inspection requirements belong in the qualified manufacturing route.
Likewise, a favorable brazability description does not define a brazing cycle or authorize arbitrary clad stock. Identify core alloy, any cladding, filler, flux and thermal route separately. Heating and subsequent cooling can change the final strength and geometry even when the core alloy designation remains 3003.
Corrosion, finish and application limits
Hydro describes good outdoor corrosion resistance but asks users to confirm aggressive coastal or industrial exposure. Its general alloy guidance is a selection starting point, not a chemical-resistance guarantee for every fluid, concentration or temperature. Hydro, 3003/3103 application guidance
For service selection, assess wet crevices, dissimilar-metal contacts, cleaning chemicals and the intended surface treatment. Define cosmetic acceptance separately from mechanical acceptance. Anodized color uniformity and appearance cannot be inferred from corrosion resistance or alloy chemistry alone. Hydro's US 3003 page specifically cautions that anodized finishes are not always consistent. Hydro, 3003 aluminum
An application list mentioning food equipment, fuel tanks or pressure vessels does not establish regulatory approval, compatibility with a specific medium or an allowable design stress. Specify the governing requirements and obtain product-specific evidence.
Handling and traceability
Kaiser's KWAR-01, Version 01, SDS covers 3003 among its wrought 3xxx products. It distinguishes solid stock from combustible dust and ignitable fines generated during processing, and calls for suitable dedicated dust-handling equipment. Follow the applicable supplied-product SDS and site process controls rather than treating solid stock and grinding dust as the same hazard. The document's revision-date field reads “Not Applicable”; the download date is not a revision date. Kaiser 3xxx-series SDS, sections 1, 2 and 7
Retain batch identity through cutting and fabrication. Record the supplied temper and any subsequent heating or joining. Release material against the ordered specification and inspection evidence, keeping supplier typical values distinguishable from acceptance limits and demonstrated finished-part performance.