Aluminum/steel clad plate
As a leading manufacturer of aluminum/steel clad plates, we provide precision-engineered composite materials with exceptional corrosion resistance, structural strength, and thermal conductivity.
Aluminum/steel clad plate is a composite material composed of an aluminum alloy layer and a steel layer metallurgically bonded together. This bimetallic plate retains the inherent properties of each metal: aluminum offers lightweight and corrosion resistance, while steel provides structural strength and durability.
Aluminum/steel clad plate is a bimetallic composite material that combines the lightweight and corrosion-resistant characteristics of aluminum alloys with the strength and cost-effectiveness of a steel substrate. It is manufactured by metallurgically bonding an aluminum layer (such as 5083, 1060) onto a steel backing (such as Q235B) using processes like explosive welding, roll bonding, or a hybrid explosive-roll bonding method.
Surface treatments (such as brushing and sandblasting) and controlled heating (300–500°C) are crucial for removing oxide films and promoting diffusion during the bonding process. The resulting clad plate exhibits excellent corrosion resistance, comprehensive mechanical properties, and enhanced thermal/electrical conductivity, making it an ideal choice for marine transition joints. These joints bond aluminum superstructures to steel hulls in tugboats, ferries, yachts, and motorboats, where static loads dominate and fatigue stress is minimal.
As a leading manufacturer of aluminum/steel clad plates, we provide precision-engineered composite materials with exceptional corrosion resistance, structural strength, and thermal conductivity. Ideal for aerospace, marine, and construction applications. Request a quote for certified, custom-sized solutions today.
Aluminum/steel clad plate Material and Structure
- Material Composition: Composed of a steel layer and an aluminum layer bonded through specific processes, combining the high strength (wear resistance, pressure resistance) of steel with the lightweight and corrosion-resistant advantages of aluminum.
- Structural Design: Typically employs "explosive welding technology" or "roll bonding process" to form a metallurgical bonding layer, ensuring a tight interface bond and avoiding delamination risks.
The clad plate consists of two primary material layers: an aluminum alloy cladding and a steel substrate, with complementary properties.
- The steel substrate is usually made of carbon steel to enhance structural strength or stainless steel to improve corrosion resistance.
- Cladding alloys include commercially pure aluminum for ease of bonding, 5xxx series aluminum for enhanced strength and corrosion resistance, or 6xxx series aluminum for structural applications.
Explosive bonded transition joint (steel/aluminum) 5083/1060/B
| Description | Material | Maximum thickness (mm) |
| 1st layer - base material | Grade B | 18 |
| 2st layer - intermediate | 1060/O | 4 |
| 3rd layer - cladding material | 5083/O | 6 |
Aluminum/steel clad plate Mechanical properties specification
| Structural Transition Joint | Shear strength As bonded | Through thickness tensile strength As bonded & After 15min at 320°C | Through thickness tensile strength on welded assembly As bonded |
| 5083/1060/B | min. 55N/mm² | min. 60N/mm² | min. 55N/mm² |
Haomei Aluminum/steel clad plate
| Types of products | Main materials | (mm) Product specifications(mm) | Product standard | Application area |
| Aluminum/steel clad plate | 1A97, 1A93, 1A90, 1A85, 1070, 1060, 5083 | 1~14/6~80x | GB/T 8546-2007 | Electrolytic aluminum, transition joints, naval vessels, aerospace, instrumentation, cryogenic engineering, etc. |
| Q235B, CCSB, Q245R, Q345R, 15CrMoR, 16Mn, 20MnMo, 15CrMo, 109MnNiDR, 16MnD, 09MnNiD | <1000x<4000 |
Core Characteristics of Aluminum/steel Clad Plate
- Lightweight: High aluminum content significantly reduces overall weight, making it suitable for weight-sensitive applications such as ship superstructures.
- Corrosion Resistance: The aluminum layer is naturally resistant to seawater corrosion, extending joint lifespan and reducing maintenance needs.
- Adaptability to Low Stress: Suitable for applications with no significant tearing/fatigue stress (such as small and medium-sized vessels), with flexible designs to mitigate thermal expansion differences.
- Strength: The steel component provides structural integrity for hulls and load-bearing areas.
| Property | Description |
| Mechanical Properties | The strength of the composite material is mainly determined by the steel substrate, while the aluminum layer offers ductility and toughness. |
| Corrosion Resistance | The aluminum cladding protects the steel core from marine and atmospheric corrosion, prolonging service life in harsh environments. |
| Thermal and Electrical Conductivity | The aluminum layer provides high thermal and electrical conductivity, beneficial for heat exchangers and grounding applications. |
| Fatigue and Tearing Considerations | Although the composite interface is metallurgically bonded, its fatigue durability is lower than that of monolithic materials; therefore, clad plates are best suited for static or low-cycle applications with minimal tearing loads. |
Applications of Aluminum/steel Clad Plate
Steel-aluminum clad joints are key components for connecting dissimilar metals (steel and aluminum), especially in fields such as shipbuilding.
They are mainly used to connect aluminum superstructures to steel hulls in ships (tugboats, yachts, ferries). Due to potential interface weaknesses, they are particularly suited for non-critical, low-stress transitional areas.
- Marine Field: Used to connect aluminum alloy superstructures to steel hulls, commonly seen in tugboats and yachts, ensuring both structural stability and lightweight benefits.
- Other Fields: Lightweight engineering applications such as subways and bridges requiring dissimilar metal connections, serving as alternatives to traditional riveting or adhesive bonding.
Bonding of Aluminum Superstructures to Steel Hulls
Clad plates can be used as transition joints between decks, hulls, and bulkheads in tugboats, trawlers, ferries, and recreational vessels.
This method eliminates the need for rivets or mechanical fasteners, thereby reducing corrosion paths, assembly time, and weight.
Transition Joint Design
A typical clad thickness range consists of 3–10 mm aluminum plate and 8–20 mm steel plate, customizable based on ship requirements.
Steel-aluminum clad joints, through material and process innovation, solve the challenge of connecting dissimilar metals. They are particularly suitable for applications requiring lightweight and corrosion resistance, such as in shipbuilding. The core technology lies in balancing strength and corrosion resistance, with standardized production ensuring quality stability.
Advantages of Aluminum/Steel Clad Plate
- Combines the advantages of both metals without the need for bulky mechanical fasteners.
- Simplifies construction through direct welding/connection in specific setups.
- Reduces maintenance costs through corrosion resistance.
Common Issues and Mitigation Measures of Aluminum/Steel Clad Plate
- Galvanic corrosion: Can be addressed through insulating coatings, transition materials (such as bimetallic lugs), or protective sealants to minimize electrolyte exposure.
- Thermal expansion differences: Managed through design flexibility (e.g., expansion joints) and stress distribution analysis.
- Bonding integrity: Quality control during manufacturing ensures interface strength.
Limitations of Aluminum/Steel Clad Plate
- Not suitable for high-stress areas (e.g., ship keels) due to potential interface fatigue.
- Requires careful design to avoid cracking or moisture retention at joints.
Aluminum/steel clad plates offer a practical solution for ship applications focusing on lightweight and corrosion resistance. Their use in low-stress transitions balances performance and practicality, but engineers must consider material incompatibilities during the design phase.
Quality Control of Aluminum/Steel Clad Plate
To ensure safe use of aluminum/steel clad plates in low-stress environments, Haomei implements strict quality control throughout the entire process from raw material to delivery, covering the following aspects:
Raw Material Control
Haomei rigorously inspects incoming aluminum and steel plates to confirm that their composition, surface condition, and flatness meet standards, ensuring subsequent composite quality.
Surface Pretreatment
Haomei performs cleaning, roughening, and acid pickling on aluminum and steel surfaces to enhance interface bonding capability, laying a foundation for roll bonding.
Roll Bonding Process Control
During the bonding process, Haomei precisely controls temperature, pressure, and rolling speed to avoid interface delamination or bubbles, ensuring strong adhesion.
Heat Treatment
Haomei conducts heat treatment according to process requirements to improve interface diffusion strength and overall stability of the clad plate.
Quality Inspection
- Interface bonding strength test: Peel or shear tests are used to confirm strong bonding.
- Corrosion resistance test: Salt spray testing is used to examine interface sealing and corrosion resistance.
- Visual inspection: Products with cracks, delamination, or impurities are rejected.
- Mechanical property testing: Ensures tensile, bending, and other parameters meet application requirements.
Manufacturing Process of Aluminum/Steel Clad Plate
Structural transition joints are manufactured using explosive welding.
Cladding Process:
- Explosive bonding: Uses explosive shock waves to bond steel and aluminum plates under high pressure, suitable for complex shapes and large joints.
- Roll bonding: High-temperature rolling facilitates atomic diffusion bonding of steel and aluminum plates, suitable for mass production.
Welding Process:
- Uses Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) or Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), along with aluminum-based filler wires such as ER5183 to ensure welding quality on the aluminum side.
- The steel side needs to be pre-coated with nickel, zinc, or similar to reduce the formation of intermetallic compounds and improve welding reliability.
Production Steps
Surface Treatment
Before bonding, both aluminum and steel surfaces must be brushed or sandblasted to remove native oxides and contaminants, ensuring intimate metal-to-metal contact.
Preheating and Bonding Parameters
- The coated assembly is heated in air to about 300–500°C to promote oxide formation and fracture during rolling, enhancing mechanical interlocking.
- Subsequent hot rolling is performed with an elongation ratio typically of 1–3% relative to the clad layer to consolidate the bond.
Post-treatment
The clad plates may require straightening, trimming, and sometimes stress-relief annealing to optimize flatness and residual stress distribution.
Aluminum/steel clad plate Precautions
Fatigue Stress Considerations
When designing transition joints, cyclic loading should be minimized; adequate fillets and uniform support should be adopted to reduce stress concentration at the edges of the clad interface.
Operating Temperature Limitations
Operating temperatures above the bonding process range (300–500 °C) may reduce the intermetallic compound layer strength and overall bond integrity; for exact limit values, please refer to the material datasheet.