Aluminum alloy
356 aluminum castings
The general-purpose workhorse: good castability, weldability and pressure tightness at a good price.
356 is one of the most frequently cast aluminum alloys, valued for castability, weldability, pressure tightness and corrosion resistance. It is widely available, which helps on cost and delivery.
Like A356, it is commonly heat treated to T6 for strength.
We cast 356 in green sand, no-bake and permanent mold, and machine and heat treat it in-house.
- Composition
- 6.5 to 7.5% silicon and 0.2 to 0.45% magnesium, with small amounts of iron, copper, titanium and zinc; the balance is aluminum.
- Typical uses
- General-purpose castings, housings and covers.
- Processes
- Green sand, no-bake, permanent mold
Other alloys we pour
- A356The higher-purity version of 356: strong, ductile and corrosion resistant, usually heat treated to T6.
- 333 & A333A permanent mold favorite with better as-cast properties than 319 at a similar price.
- C355Copper-strengthened and pressure-tight, and keeps its strength at higher temperatures than A356.
- 319A versatile aluminum-silicon-copper alloy with good strength as cast.
- 535 (Almag 35)High strength and excellent corrosion resistance without heat treatment.
- 713 (Tenzaloy)Reaches high strength at room temperature, with no heat treatment and high impact strength.
Related reading
A Guide To Non-ferrous Metal Alloy Casting
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Read the article →When to use castings vs. machining
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