Aluminum 3B21 vs 3003 vs 3004 vs 3005
Benchmark · 4 materials
Side-by-side benchmark of 4 aluminum grades.
3B21 vs 3003 and 2 more: propertiesHow to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all aluminum grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
How to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all aluminum grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
Mechanical
Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.
Elastic (Young's) Modulus
Shear Modulus
Bulk Modulus
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)
Yield Strength (0.2% offset)
Elongation at Break
Shear Strength
Fatigue Strength (Endurance Limit)
Hardness, Brinell
Compressive Strength
Same in both: Poisson's Ratio 0.33
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Density
Melting Point (Solidus)
Liquidus Temperature
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Thermal Conductivity
Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)
Latent Heat of Fusion
Max Service Temperature (continuous)
Min Service Temperature
Same in both: Specific Heat Capacity 893 J/kg·K0.21 BTU/lb·°F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Electrical Conductivity
Electrical Resistivity
Chemical & Environmental
Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).
Galvanic Potential (seawater, vs SCE)
Corrosion Resistance
Manufacturability
FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.
Machinability
Machinability Rating (AISI 1212 = 100 %)
Weldability
Formability (cold)
Brazeability / Solderability
Polishability
Sustainability
Primary-production footprint per kilogram.
Embodied Energy (primary production)
Embodied Water
Typical Recycled Content
Same in both: Embodied Carbon (primary production) 12.5 kg CO₂/kg
Common Calculations
Ratios derived from the values above.
Specific Strength (UTS / density)
Specific Stiffness (E / density)
Modulus of Resilience
Thermal Diffusivity
Thermal Shock Resistance Index
Strength versus weight
Yield strength against density for every aluminum grade in the FabDigit library; the compared grades are highlighted. Up and left is stronger for its weight.
Manufacturing and finishing
| Capability | 3B21 | 3003 | 3004 | 3005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNC machining | Yes | |||
| Sheet metal | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Default condition | ||||
| Relative cost | $$ Standard | $ Budget | $ Budget | $ Budget |
| Min. machined wall | 0.5 mm | |||
| Best machined surface | Ra 0.8 µm | |||
| Anodizing Type II | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Cerakote | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Chem Film (Alodine) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| DLC | Yes | |||
| E-Coating | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Electropolishing | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Hard Anodize Type III w/ PTFE | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Hard Anodizing Type III | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Nickel Plating | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| PTFE Coating | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Painting | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Powder Coating | Yes | Yes | Yes |
They share 4 finishes: Electroless Nickel (EN), Epoxy Coating, Gold Plating, Silver Plating.
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in 3B21 and 3003 side by side — material, machining time, tolerance and finish in one quote. Certified material data ships with the order on request.
Typical handbook values for the conditions named above, normalised for comparison. Hardness on non-Brinell scales is converted approximately for charting only. Request certified data with your order for design-critical properties.