Balford deep draws and stamps aluminum housings, tubes and sensor components — lightweight, corrosion-resistant parts for automotive and HVAC use.
Deep-drawn aluminium housings for pressure sensors.
Deep-drawn thin-walled aluminium tubes for lightweight assemblies.
Duralumin washers for valve spring retainers.
Aluminum is processed at Balford for lightweight housings, thin-walled deep-drawn tubes and sensor components — typically 3000/5000-series alloys with controlled forming parameters.
What each grade actually is, what the standard guarantees, where it is used, and which grade to move to when the first choice does not work. Values are the standard minimums or typical annealed ranges; every lot is confirmed against its mill certificate.
Formability falls as strength rises: 1050 draws deepest, 5052 carries load, 6061 is a machining grade and not a drawing grade.
| Grade | EN | UNS / AISI | JIS | GB | Chemistry (wt%) | Mechanical | Typical use | Use instead when… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1050A | AW-1050A | A91050 | A1050 | 1050 | Al ≥99.5 | O temper: Rm 60–95 · A ≥25 | Cosmetic shells, anodised covers | Best formability; choose when appearance or conductivity leads |
| 3003 | AW-3003 | A93003 | A3003 | 3003 | Mn 1.0–1.5 · Cu ≤0.10 | O temper: Rm 95–130 · A ≥20 | Covers, housings, general drawn parts | Replaces 1050 when more strength is needed without losing drawability |
| 5052 | AW-5052 | A95052 | A5052 | 5052 | Mg 2.2–2.8 · Cr 0.15–0.35 | O temper: Rm 170–215 · Rp0.2 ≥65 · A ≥12 | Structural housings, brackets, marine parts | Replaces 3003 for strength or salt-water corrosion |
| 6061 | AW-6061 | A96061 | A6061 | 6061 | Mg 0.8–1.2 · Si 0.4–0.8 | T6: Rm ≥260 · Rp0.2 ≥240 · A ≥8 | Machined details, not drawn shells | Use T6 for machined parts; do not specify it for a deep draw |
Rm = tensile strength, Rp0.2 = 0.2% proof stress, A80 = elongation at 80 mm gauge. Chemistry is the ladle range from the named standard. Cold work, temper and heat treatment move the mechanical values, so the certificate for the delivered coil is the governing document.
Other materials: Stainless steel · Carbon steel · Brass · Copper · Monel 400 · Special alloys
Full material catalogue — every grade we form and machine, with process fit →
Real Balford projects that specified this material. The grade and the wording from the job record are kept so you can compare against your own drawing.
| Case study | Grade | Raw material as specified |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum Housing for Automotive Pressure Sensor | 5052 | 5052 aluminum |
| Aluminum Tube of Deep-drawn Thin-walled | 5052 | 5052 aluminum |
| Copper Coiled Tube with Formed Straight Legs | 1060 | Copper C1100 |
| Copper Hairpin Bends for Fluid, Refrigerant and Heat-Exchange Lines | 1060 | Copper C1100 |
| D Ring With Backing Plate | 5052 | Aluminium 5052 |
| Duralumin Washer for Valve Spring Retainer | 6061 | 6061 duralumin (3 mm) |
6 cases on this page.
Real projects from Balford's production history:
Balford deep draws aluminium on presses from 25 t to 350 t, up to Ø250 mm, with walls as thin as 0.35 mm on aluminium parts where the drawing route allows it.
We commonly work with 3000 and 5000-series alloys for formed and deep-drawn parts. Alloy and temper are confirmed against your application.
Aluminum needs careful tooling and lubrication to avoid cracking and galling. Balford's deep drawing experience covers thin-walled aluminum tubes and housings.
Yes — anodizing and other surface treatments can be coordinated after forming and machining.
Send us your 2D drawing or STEP/IGES model. We will review material, tolerances, forming requirements and production volume before quoting.
Aluminium draws well, but it behaves differently from steel in three ways that decide whether a part is straightforward or difficult:
The drawable families are the 1xxx (pure aluminium), 3xxx (manganese) and 5xxx (magnesium) series; the 6xxx and 7xxx families are stronger but much harder to form and usually belong to machining rather than deep drawing. Within a family, the specific grade and temper decide the draw ratio you can hold.
| Family | Formability | Typical reason it is chosen |
|---|---|---|
| 1xxx — pure aluminium | Best formability | Maximum ductility, good thermal and electrical conductivity |
| 3xxx — manganese | Very good | Better strength than 1xxx with little loss of formability |
| 5xxx — magnesium | Good to moderate | Higher strength, good corrosion resistance, used for structural housings |
| 6xxx / 7xxx | Limited to poor | High strength; normally machined or bent rather than deep drawn |
Grade, temper and thickness are confirmed against your drawing before tooling: the same geometry in a soft temper and a hard temper is a different draw sequence.
Usually not in a single stage. Aluminium's formability depends heavily on the grade and temper, so the same depth may need more draw stages, larger radii, or an intermediate anneal. The review tells you which before the die is designed.
Decide the requirement first — strength, corrosion resistance, weight, conductivity, later anodising — and the grade follows. If your drawing already names a grade, send it and the review confirms whether it draws well at that depth and thickness.
It is the usual choice for those parts: light, non-magnetic, and available in grades that draw cleanly into thin-walled cylindrical forms. See the sensor housing and deep drawing pages for the part families.