Aluminum EN AC-44500
EN AC-44500
EN AC-44500 (AlSi12(Fe)(b)) is one of the most widely used European high-pressure die-casting alloys, an iron-tolerant eutectic AlSi12 grade run as-cast (F), with thin-wall (F-TW), thick-section (F-THK) and stress-relieved (SR) conditions on file.
Reference datasheet — EN AC-44500 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the F condition
EN AC-44500 tempers and conditions
EN AC-44500 is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard. F is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
F | Use for design allowables in heavy sections or hot-spot zones, where coarse eutectic and porosity drop strength and ductility toward the EN 1706 minima. | 130 | 235 | 1.2 | 58 HB | 31.5 % IACS |
Stress relieved | Choose for precision machined housings that must stay dimensionally stable; a low-temperature bake relieves casting and machining stresses at a small strength penalty (blister-free, unlike T6). | 130 | 245 | 2.5 | 60 HB | 31 % IACS |
FDefault As fabricated | Standard supply condition for EN AC-44500: as-cast HPDC parts, typical 2–4 mm wall, no heat treatment. | 140 | 260 | 2 | 65 HB | 30 % IACS |
F | Pick when the casting is a thin-wall, rapidly solidified section — fine eutectic gives higher strength and slightly better ductility than thick sections. | 160 | 300 | 3 | 70 HB | 29 % IACS |
What is EN AC-44500?
EN AC-44500 (AlSi12(Fe)(b)) is one of the most widely used European high-pressure die-casting alloys, an iron-tolerant eutectic AlSi12 grade run as-cast (F), with thin-wall (F-TW), thick-section (F-THK) and stress-relieved (SR) conditions on file. It is chosen for high-volume thin-wall castings, giving 260 MPa tensile, 140 MPa yield, 2 % elongation, 65 HB, 130 W/m·K and 30 % IACS, with 0.45–1.1 % Fe strongly reducing die soldering. Ductility is low, solution heat treatment causes blistering, fusion welding of die castings is unreliable and service stays near 150 °C. EN AC-44500 has a density of 2.65 g/cm³ (0.0957 lb/in³), lighter than 90% of aluminum grades. It melts at 574°C (1,065 °F). EN AC-44500 has a yield strength of 140 MPa (20.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 260 MPa (37.7 ksi) — weaker than 70% of aluminum grades. Elongation at break is 2% and the elastic modulus is 73 GPa (10.6 Msi).
What is EN AC-44500 used for?
- high-pressure die castings
- automotive housings
- consumer product housings
Limitations
- Low fracture toughness — 15 MPa·√m (13.7 ksi·√in), worse than 93% of aluminum grades
- Limited ductility — 2%, worse than 87% of aluminum grades
- Limited formability — 10/100, worse than 80% of aluminum grades
- Hard to polish — 45/100, worse than 76% of aluminum grades
EN AC-44500 properties
Typical room-temperature values for EN AC-44500-F; bars are the position among aluminum grades.
Physical3
EN AC-44500 has a density of 2.65 g/cm³ (0.0957 lb/in³), lighter than 90% of aluminum grades. It melts at 574°C (1,065 °F).
Mechanical13
EN AC-44500 has a yield strength of 140 MPa (20.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 260 MPa (37.7 ksi) — weaker than 70% of aluminum grades. Elongation at break is 2% and the elastic modulus is 73 GPa (10.6 Msi).
Thermal6
EN AC-44500 is rated for continuous service to 150°C (302 °F). It conducts heat at 130 W/m·K (75.1 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 65% of aluminum grades. Thermal expansion is 20.5 µm/m·K (11.4 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
EN AC-44500 conducts electricity at 30 % IACS, worse than 73% of aluminum grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (60/100), better than 62% of aluminum grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of EN AC-44500 takes about 200 MJ of energy and emits 12 kg of CO₂ — less than 60% of aluminum grades. Typical recycled content is 90%.
Manufacturability8
EN AC-44500's machinability is fair (50/100, worse than 65% of aluminum grades); weldability fair (40/100); formability not recommended (10/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the aluminum family
Yield strength against density for every aluminum grade FabDigit runs. EN AC-44500 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with EN AC-44500
Is EN AC-44500 easy to machine?
Machines cleanly at high speed but the eutectic Si is abrasive — use PCD or polished-flute carbide, high rpm, flood or MQL coolant; avoid deep cuts into as-cast skin porosity.
Can EN AC-44500 be welded?
Fusion welding of HPDC parts is unreliable (entrapped gas blisters); use ER4047/AlSi12 filler for repairs on low-porosity zones, otherwise join by mechanical fastening, self-pierce riveting, or adhesive.
Can EN AC-44500 be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent HPDC alloy: near-eutectic freezing range, high fluidity for 1–2 mm walls, low hot-tearing, and the 0.45–1.1% Fe strongly reduces die soldering and extends die life; do not solution heat treat (blistering).
EN AC-44500 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Sinear-eutectic, drives fluidity | 10.5 – 13.5 | 12 |
| Fedeliberate Fe addition to suppress die soldering | 0.45 – 1.1 | 0.8 |
| Cu | ≤ 0.15 | 0.05 |
| Mn | ≤ 0.55 | 0.3 |
| Mg | ≤ 0.1 | 0.03 |
| Zn | ≤ 0.15 | 0.05 |
| Ni | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Ti | ≤ 0.15 | 0.05 |
| Pb | ≤ 0.1 | |
| Sn | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Others (each)total ≤0.15 | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Al | balance |
What surface finishes work on EN AC-44500?
Best finished with chromate-free conversion coating plus powder/wet paint; decorative anodizing turns dark grey and patchy, hard anodize only where wear demands it; shot blasting or vibratory finishing evens out the cast skin.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on aluminum parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Organic Coating
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Aluminum EN AC-44500 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- AC-44500
How much does EN AC-44500 cost?
EN AC-44500 is a standard-cost aluminum ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
EN AC-44500 — frequently asked
What is EN AC-44500 used for?
EN AC-44500 is typically used for high-pressure die castings, automotive housings and consumer product housings. In short: standard European HPDC alloy; fe content limits die soldering; thin walls at high volume.
What is the yield strength of EN AC-44500?
EN AC-44500 has a typical yield strength of 140 MPa (20.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 260 MPa (37.7 ksi) — weaker than 70% of aluminum grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is EN AC-44500 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (50/100, worse than 65% of aluminum grades). Machines cleanly at high speed but the eutectic Si is abrasive — use PCD or polished-flute carbide, high rpm, flood or MQL coolant; avoid deep cuts into as-cast skin porosity.
Can EN AC-44500 be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (40/100). Fusion welding of HPDC parts is unreliable (entrapped gas blisters); use ER4047/AlSi12 filler for repairs on low-porosity zones, otherwise join by mechanical fastening, self-pierce riveting, or adhesive.
What surface finishes work on EN AC-44500?
Best finished with chromate-free conversion coating plus powder/wet paint; decorative anodizing turns dark grey and patchy, hard anodize only where wear demands it; shot blasting or vibratory finishing evens out the cast skin.
Can EN AC-44500 be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent HPDC alloy: near-eutectic freezing range, high fluidity for 1–2 mm walls, low hot-tearing, and the 0.45–1.1% Fe strongly reduces die soldering and extends die life; do not solution heat treat (blistering).
What is the maximum service temperature of EN AC-44500?
EN AC-44500 is rated for continuous use to about 150°C (302 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between EN AC-44500-F and EN AC-44500 F-TW?
F is the default condition — standard supply condition for EN AC-44500: as-cast HPDC parts, typical 2–4 mm wall, no heat treatment. F-TW: pick when the casting is a thin-wall, rapidly solidified section — fine eutectic gives higher strength and slightly better ductility than thick sections. Yield strength is 140 MPa in F versus 160 MPa in F-TW.
How much does EN AC-44500 cost?
EN AC-44500 is a standard-cost aluminum ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- EN 1706 — Aluminium and aluminium alloys — Castings — Chemical composition and mechanical properties — CEN (2020)
- EN 1676 — Aluminium alloy ingots for remelting — CEN (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol.2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys (A413.0/Al-Si12 data) — ASM International (1990)
- Rheinfelden Alloys / Trimet die-casting alloy datasheets (AlSi12(Fe)) — Rheinfelden Alloys, Trimet Aluminium (2021)
- ASM Handbook Vol.13B — Corrosion of aluminium alloys — ASM International (2005)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.