Aluminum EN AW-5754: Composition, Properties, Temper Guide & Applications

Comprehensive Overview

EN AW-5754 belongs to the 5xxx series of aluminum alloys, specifically an Al–Mg grade commonly designated as AlMg3 in many standards. This family is characterized by magnesium as the principal alloying element which provides solid-solution strengthening and improved corrosion resistance compared with the 1xxx and 3xxx series.

The principal alloying elements in EN AW-5754 are magnesium, with minor additions of manganese, chromium and trace impurities such as iron and silicon. Strengthening is achieved predominantly by work hardening and solid-solution strengthening from magnesium; the alloy is not heat-treatable to higher strengths by precipitation hardening.

Key traits include a favorable combination of moderate-to-high strength, very good resistance to general and localized corrosion in atmospheric and marine environments, and excellent weldability with appropriate filler selection. Formability is good in annealed and lightly strain-hardened tempers, which makes the alloy attractive for shaped sheet and formed components across many industries.

Typical application industries are automotive body and structural panels, marine craft and hardware, pressure vessels, and general fabrication for transportation and consumer products. Engineers often select EN AW-5754 when a balance of corrosion resistance, weldability and moderate strength-to-weight is required and when heat-treatment routes are not practical or necessary.

Temper Variants

Temper	Strength Level	Elongation	Formability	Weldability	Notes
O	Low	High	Excellent	Excellent	Fully annealed condition; best formability
H111	Low–Medium	High	Very Good	Excellent	Slightly strain-hardened; good for complex forming
H14	Medium	Moderate	Good	Excellent	Quarter-hard strain-hardened; improved strength
H22	Medium	Moderate	Fair	Good	Strain-hardened then partially annealed for balance
H32	Medium–High	Lower	Reduced	Good	Strain-hardened and stabilized; higher strength, less ductile

Temper has a primary and predictable effect on EN AW-5754 by shifting the alloy along the formability–strength trade-off. Annealed (O) condition maximizes ductility for deep drawing and hammer-forming while H tempers provide process-controlled increases in yield and tensile strength through cold work.

Selecting a temper requires consideration of final forming operations, required springback, and the intended use-case for welded assemblies, since higher strain-hardening reduces formability and can increase springback and resistance to bending.

Chemical Composition

Element	% Range	Notes
Si	≤ 0.40	Impurity; controlled to limit intermetallics and retain ductility
Fe	≤ 0.40	Common impurity; increases strength slightly but can reduce corrosion resistance
Mn	0.50–1.00	Refines grain structure and improves strength and toughness
Mg	2.6–3.6	Principal strengthener; increases corrosion resistance in marine environments
Cu	≤ 0.10	Kept minimal to avoid degradation of corrosion resistance
Zn	≤ 0.20	Minor impurity; small influence on strength
Cr	0.05–0.25	Grain control and resistance to sensitization during processing
Ti	≤ 0.15	Grain refiner in cast/semifabricated product
Others (each)	≤ 0.05	Residuals including V, Zr; collectively ≤ 0.15

The chemistry of EN AW-5754 is engineered to prioritize magnesium for solid-solution strengthening and corrosion performance while keeping copper and iron low to avoid galvanic susceptibility and intermetallic-driven pitting. Manganese and chromium provide grain structure control and stability against recrystallization during thermomechanical processing, which helps maintain consistent mechanical properties across thicknesses.

Control of silicon and iron is especially important in sheet products because coarse intermetallics can embrittle the material during bending and reduce fatigue resistance; manufacturing specifications therefore often include strict quality limits for cleanliness and inclusion size.

Mechanical Properties

EN AW-5754 exhibits a tensile behavior that is strongly dependent on temper and cold work level. In annealed condition it shows relatively low yield and moderate ultimate tensile strength with high elongation, which translates into progressive, ductile fracture during overload and favorable energy absorption in forming operations.

Yield strength and tensile strength increase substantially with strain hardening; typical H-tempers are produced via controlled cold rolling or stretch leveling to achieve target proof stresses while preserving sufficient ductility for forming. Hardness scales with cold work and correlates to the alloy’s increased 0.2% proof stress and ultimate tensile strength in sheet and extruded sections.

Fatigue behavior is generally good for 5xxx alloys when surfaces are well finished and corrosion pits are avoided; thickness influences fatigue life through residual stress distributions and through-thickness microstructural gradients introduced by rolling. Thicker plates tend to show slightly higher scatter in mechanical properties due to slower cooling rates and potential texture development, making thickness-specific data essential for design.

Property	O/Annealed	Key Temper (e.g., H32/H111)	Notes
Tensile Strength (UTS)	95–145 MPa	160–260 MPa	Values vary with temper and thickness; suppliers supply certified values
Yield Strength (0.2% proof)	35–85 MPa	120–240 MPa	Strength rise is a function of cold work and strain-hardening level
Elongation (A%)	20–35%	6–18%	Elongation decreases markedly as temper is hardened
Hardness (HB)	20–40 HB	45–90 HB	Correlates with tensile/yield; reported as Brinell or Vickers depending on spec

Physical Properties

Property	Value	Notes
Density	2.66 g/cm³	Typical for Al–Mg alloys; used for mass and weight calculations
Melting Range	~ 640–650 °C (solidus to liquidus approx)	Alloy melting range close to pure aluminum; avoid overheating during welding
Thermal Conductivity	~ 120–140 W/m·K	Lower than pure Al by a modest amount due to alloying; good for heat spreaders
Electrical Conductivity	~ 30–38 % IACS	Reduced from pure aluminum but still conductive for bus-bar and conductor applications
Specific Heat	~ 900 J/kg·K	Typical value near 20–100 °C for aluminium alloys
Thermal Expansion	~ 23–24 µm/m·K (20–100 °C)	Relatively high expansion coefficient requires design attention in thermal cycling

EN AW-5754 retains many of the favorable thermal and electrical transport characteristics of aluminum, though alloying reduces conductivity relative to pure aluminum. Thermal conductivity and expansion data are important for heat-exchange and electronics applications as they affect thermal gradients and mechanical constraints during operation.

Melting and thermal behavior also influence welding parameters and brazing/painting processes, as the alloy’s solidus/liquidus temperatures set the safe processing windows to avoid incipient melting or excessive grain growth.

Product Forms

Form	Typical Thickness/Size	Strength Behavior	Common Tempers	Notes
Sheet	0.3–4.0 mm	Uniform through thin gauges; cold work raises strength	O, H111, H14, H32	Widely used for body panels and marine components
Plate	>4.0–100+ mm	Thicker product can have slightly different properties	O, H111, H32	Used for structural components where stiffness is required
Extrusion	Profiles up to 200 mm cross-section	Strength depends on subsequent aging/strain	O, H32, H111	Common for rails, frames and structural extrusions
Tube	OD 6 mm–200 mm	Similar mechanical response as sheet/plate of equivalent temper	O, H111, H32	Widely used in fluid handling and marine tubing
Bar/Rod	Diameters up to 100 mm	Machinability and strength depend on temper	O, H111	Used for fittings, shafts, and turned components

Processing routes influence final microstructure, dimensional stability, and texture. Sheet and plate are typically produced via hot rolling followed by controlled cold rolling sequences to achieve target tempers and surface quality. Extrusions are shaped via direct or indirect extrusion processes, often followed by solutionizing of cast billets and controlled cooling to produce homogeneous microstructures.

Product selection should reflect the intended forming and joining method; for example, deep-drawn sheet should be specified in O or H111 while structural extrusions that require higher static strength may be supplied in H32 or strain-hardened states.

Equivalent Grades

Standard	Grade	Region	Notes
AA	5754	USA	Common USA designation aligned with international 5xxx series
EN AW	5754	Europe	European designation; composition and tempers per EN standards
JIS	A5054 (approx)	Japan	JIS equivalents exist but direct cross-reference should be verified per spec
GB/T	5754	China	Chinese standard nominally aligns with EN/AA designations but check tolerances

Standards between regions are highly similar for Al–Mg alloys, but subtle differences in guaranteed mechanical property ranges, surface quality, and allowable impurities can occur. When substituting across standards, review material certificates and heat numbers for compliance with project-specific tensile, elongation and corrosion test requirements.

Because of these small differences, procurement engineers should request certified compositional analysis and mechanical test reports to confirm equivalency for critical applications such as pressure vessels or marine fittings.

Corrosion Resistance

EN AW-5754 presents very good atmospheric corrosion resistance and is specifically resistant to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride-bearing environments relative to many heat-treatable alloys. The magnesium content improves the alloy’s passive film stability in seawater and improves long-term resistance versus nearly pure Al grades.

In marine applications, 5754 performs well for hull panels, fittings and fasteners when proper coatings and cathodic protection strategies are implemented. Localized attack can still occur where coating damage or detrimental galvanic couples exist; surface preparation and sealing of joints mitigate such risks effectively.

Stress corrosion cracking susceptibility is generally low for properly processed 5xxx alloys containing moderate magnesium levels such as 5754, provided the alloy is not overaged and residual tensile stresses are controlled. Galvanic interactions should be addressed by insulating dissimilar metals and choosing compatible fasteners, because aluminum will act anodic to many steels and copper-containing alloys.

When compared with 6xxx series alloys, EN AW-5754 typically offers superior performance in chloride environments but lower peak strength, while compared with 1xxx and 3xxx series it supplies higher strength at modest reduction of electrical conductivity.

Fabrication Properties

EN AW-5754 is straightforward to fabricate using conventional metalworking techniques; the alloy’s combination of ductility and strain-hardening makes it amenable to stamping, bending, roll forming and spin forming. Weldability and cold formability are two of the alloy’s strengths, but process parameters must be tuned to temper and thickness to avoid HAZ softening or excessive springback.

Weldability

TIG and MIG welding of EN AW-5754 are well-established and produce high-quality joints with low hot-cracking risk when using appropriate filler wires. Common fillers include 5356 and 5183 (Al-Mg alloys) to match or slightly elevate Mg content and to reduce loss of ductility in the weld metal; preheat is seldom required but control of heat input is important to limit HAZ softening and distortion.

Machinability

Machining performance of 5754 is moderate and typically poorer than that of 6xxx series alloys due to higher work hardening and lower chip-break tendencies. Carbide tooling, rigid workholding and ample coolant are recommended; feed rates are typically reduced compared with softer alloys and attention to chip evacuation avoids built-up edge and surface smear.

Formability

Enabling excellent cold forming in O and H111 tempers, EN AW-5754 allows tight bend radii and complex geometries with low springback when properly annealed. For severe bending or deep-drawing operations, O temper or very light strain hardening is preferred, and tooling radii should be set conservatively (typical minimum inside radius ~ 1.5–3 × material thickness depending on temper and finish).

Heat Treatment Behavior

EN AW-5754 is a non-heat-treatable alloy, and mechanical property changes are accomplished almost exclusively by cold work (strain hardening) and by thermal annealing. Solution treatment and age hardening processes common to 6xxx and 7xxx series are not effective for producing stable precipitation strengthening in this alloy.

Typical industrial annealing to fully soften 5754 is performed at temperatures in the range of 300–415 °C followed by air cooling; this recovers ductility and reduces residual stresses but will reduce strength. Stabilizing heat treatments that relieve residual stresses without full anneal are used in some H tempers to provide dimensional stability while retaining much of the cold-worked strength.

Because of its non-heat-treatable nature, designers should rely on careful process control in rolling, forming and welding to achieve required mechanical properties; post-fabrication anneals are often applied for formability or to restore properties but must be scheduled to avoid loss of hardness in service-critical components.

High-Temperature Performance

EN AW-5754 begins to lose significant mechanical strength well below its melting range, with notable reductions in yield and UTS above roughly 100–150 °C depending on temper and loading duration. For continuous service at elevated temperatures engineers should verify creep and yield behavior as the alloy is not optimized for high-temperature strength or long-term creep resistance.

Oxidation is not a primary failure mode because aluminum forms a protective oxide, but elevated temperatures can accelerate intergranular changes and coarsening of microstructural features, impacting fatigue life and toughness. In welded assemblies, HAZ regions can suffer from reduced strength and should be assessed for thermal exposure and possible post-weld restoration if operating temperatures are elevated.

Designers should limit operating temperatures to conservative ranges for structural components and consider alternative alloys or stainless steels where sustained strength above 150 °C is required, or implement cooling regimes and thermal barriers to protect aluminum components.

Applications

Industry	Example Component	Why EN AW-5754 Is Used
Automotive	Body panels, fuel tanks	Good formability, weldability and corrosion resistance
Marine	Hull plating, deck hardware	Excellent chloride resistance and weldability
Aerospace	Secondary structures, interior fittings	High strength-to-weight and good corrosion performance
Electronics	Heat spreaders, enclosures	Favorable thermal conductivity and machinability
Pressure vessels	Tanks and piping	Good weldability and strength in medium thicknesses

EN AW-5754 is commonly chosen when a balance of corrosion resistance, fabricability and moderate strength is required across a broad range of thicknesses. Its properties suit components that require forming and joining while operating in corrosive atmospheres or where weight savings are important.

Selection Insights

Choose EN AW-5754 when you need higher strength and better corrosion resistance than commercially pure aluminum while retaining good weldability and formability. It is a strong candidate for structural sheet and marine hardware where heat-treatable alloys are unnecessary or impractical.

Compared with commercially pure aluminum (1100), 5754 trades off some electrical and thermal conductivity and marginally reduced