Multiple sources indicate that the iPhone 17 Pro series will feature an aluminum alloy middle frame. This not only maintains the brand’s consistent simplicity and premium feel, but also reaffirms aluminum alloy’s position in high-end manufacturing.
It is no accident that aluminum alloy is widely used. Its unique combination of properties makes it the material of choice across multiple industries.
Core Advantages of Aluminum Alloy
High Specific Strength
Aluminum alloy has a density of approximately 2.7 g/cm³, which is much lower than that of steel. However, its strength can be significantly enhanced through alloying and heat treatment. For instance, the 7000 series aluminum alloy can achieve a tensile strength of over 500 MPa after heat treatment—comparable to some types of steel, but much lighter. This property makes it highly advantageous in scenarios where weight reduction is required, such as electronic products and transportation vehicles.
Good Corrosion Resistance
Aluminum alloy naturally forms a dense aluminum oxide film on its surface, which effectively prevents the internal metal from further oxidation. Through anodization, this oxide film can be artificially enhanced. This not only further improves corrosion resistance and surface hardness, but also enables a variety of colors.
Excellent Thermal Conductivity
Aluminum alloy has a relatively high thermal conductivity, which facilitates the rapid transfer and dissipation of heat. In electronic products, this property helps control the temperature of chips, preventing performance degradation or device damage caused by overheating.
Excellent Machinability
Aluminum alloy is suitable for various processing methods, including casting, extrusion, and CNC cutting. For example, smartphone middle frames are often made from a single aluminum ingot through precision CNC machining, enabling complex structures and high dimensional accuracy. Meanwhile, aluminum alloy is also easy to recycle, aligning with the concept of sustainable development.
Main Application Fields of Aluminum Alloy
With the aforementioned advantages, aluminum alloy has been widely used in many important industries. As a professional aluminum alloy casting manufacturer, QD provides customers with one-stop solutions from material selection to finished product delivery.
| Application Fields | Specific Cases | Advantages | Strengths of QD |
| Consumer Electronics | Mobile phone casings, laptop bodies, tablet computers | Lightweight, good heat dissipation, and strong electromagnetic shielding. | Adopt high-precision die-casting and CNC machining technologies. The surface treatment of castings can reach above Ra0.4μm. Meet the strict appearance requirements of electronic products. |
| Automobile Manufacturing | Engine cylinders, wheel hubs, vehicle body structures | Reduce vehicle weight, lower energy consumption, and increase cruising range. Meanwhile, maintain structural strength. | Provide battery pack casings and structural components for multiple new energy vehicle enterprises. Ensure airtightness through vacuum die-casting process. Possess IATF 16949 quality management system certification. |
| Aerospace | Aircraft fuselage frames, drone components, aerospace components | High specific strength, reduce weight, and excellent fatigue resistance. Help improve carrying efficiency and fuel economy. | Have AS9100 certification for aerospace. Provide lightweight castings meeting AMS standards for drones. Strictly control internal defects and consistency of mechanical properties. |
| Architecture and Home Furnishings | Doors and windows, curtain walls | Strong weather resistance, not easy to rust, beautiful and durable. Low maintenance cost. | Use sand casting and gravity casting processes to produce large-scale building components. The surface undergoes anodic oxidation or powder spraying treatment. Can ensure no deformation or fading during long-term use. |
| Industrial Equipment | Automation equipment frames, robot structural components | High rigidity, light weight, and corrosion resistance. Suitable for high-speed and high-precision motion scenarios. | Provide integrated joint arm castings for industrial robot manufacturers. Adopt simulation optimization for rib layout. While reducing weight by 30%, ensure dynamic stiffness requirements. |
Common Forming Processes of Aluminum Alloy
Depending on the component shape, performance requirements, and production volume, aluminum alloy can use a variety of forming processes. Among these, casting technology is the most common.
High-Pressure Die Casting
It is suitable for mass production, featuring high efficiency and low cost. It can manufacture parts with complex structures and high surface quality requirements, such as electronic product casings and automotive components. We have a group of die-casting machines with different tonnages ranging from 280T to 2000T, capable of producing die-cast parts weighing 0.1kg to 25kg.
Gravity Casting
Molten metal fills the mold under the action of gravity. The castings have good density and can be strengthened through heat treatment. It is often used to manufacture automotive engine components, wheel hubs, etc. QD’s gravity casting workshop is equipped with a constant temperature control system to ensure process stability.
Low-Pressure Casting
It fills the mold under low pressure, allowing molten metal to flow smoothly and resulting in few casting defects. It is suitable for manufacturing components requiring high airtightness and relatively high mechanical properties. The battery pack housings produced by QD using low-pressure casting can reach an IP67 airtightness rating.
Sand Casting
It offers high flexibility and can produce large-sized parts. It is suitable for low-volume, large-sized, or complex-structured products. We can manufacture large sand castings with a maximum size of 2m × 1.5m, which are used in large equipment and building structures.
Key Factors Determining the Quality of Aluminum Alloy Components
To obtain high-performance aluminum alloy parts, strict control is required in multiple links:
Alloy Formula
Select the appropriate alloy series (such as A356, ADC12, 7075, etc.) based on application needs to balance strength, fluidity, and corrosion resistance. QD has a material laboratory that can conduct spectral analysis and metallographic inspection to ensure accurate material composition.
Melting and Impurity Removal
Control the melting temperature precisely, and reduce oxide inclusions and gas pores through refining and degassing processes. We adopt a centralized melting + quantitative furnace supply system, ensuring stable and controllable quality of molten metal.
Mold Design
A reasonable mold structure can significantly improve the yield rate and dimensional accuracy. We use simulation software such as Flow-3D to optimize the gating system in advance, reducing the number of mold trials.
Heat Treatment
Enhance the material’s strength, hardness, and toughness through aging processes like T5 and T6. We are equipped with a fully automatic heat treatment production line, with a temperature control accuracy of ±3℃, to ensure performance consistency.
Conclusion
From daily life to cutting-edge technology, aluminum alloy has become an indispensable material in modern manufacturing thanks to its comprehensive properties.
QD has focused on the R&D and manufacturing of aluminum alloy castings for over 20 years, boasting a complete process chain and quality assurance system. We provide customers with one-stop solutions covering mold design, precision casting, machining, and surface treatment.
Our technical team is proficient in optimizing material formulas and process parameters for different application scenarios, ensuring each component meets strict performance requirements while achieving lightweight.
If you are looking for a reliable partner for aluminum alloy parts, please feel free to contact the QD team. We will provide professional technical advice and manufacturing solutions based on your needs to jointly create more competitive products.
FAQ
1. What Are the Differences Between Aluminum Alloy and Stainless Steel?
Aluminum alloy is lighter, has good thermal conductivity, and is easy to process. It is suitable for scenarios requiring lightweight and high heat dissipation.
Stainless steel is heavier, with higher strength and hardness, and more comprehensive corrosion resistance. It is often used in occasions with extremely high requirements for wear resistance and strength.
2. Is Aluminum Alloy Component Prone to Deformation or Scratching?
The base material of aluminum alloy without heat treatment or surface treatment has low hardness. But, its hardness and wear resistance can be significantly improved through alloy strengthening, heat treatment, and surface treatments such as anodization.
3. Will Aluminum Alloy Corrode in Humid Environments?
The oxide film on the surface of aluminum alloy can provide good protection, giving it strong resistance to atmospheric corrosion. But, in environments with long-term exposure to acid, alkali, or salt spray, it is still necessary to select a suitable aluminum alloy and surface treatment method according to actual conditions.
4. What Is “Cast Aluminum Alloy”?
It refers to aluminum alloy grades mainly used in casting processes (such as A380, ADC12, etc.). They usually have good fluidity and hot cracking resistance, making them suitable for producing parts with complex structures.
5. How to Evaluate the Quality of Aluminum Alloy Castings?
In addition to appearance inspection, it is also necessary to use methods such as mechanical property testing, X-ray flaw detection, and dimensional inspection to comprehensively assess whether the internal density, strength, and precision meet the standards. We are equipped with a full set of testing equipment including coordinate measuring machines and X-ray flaw detectors to ensure the quality of delivered products.