Why Ask ?
In our daily life, many items will use a metal enclosure to decorate the product or protect the internal parts, such as cell phones, cables, medical equipment, automotive and other fields can see the shadow of the metal shell. Commonly used in manufacturing metal enclosure materials are aluminum alloy and stainless steel. Many users are not clear about the differences between the aluminum alloy enclosure and stainless steel enclosure, not to mention the scope of their applications, and inevitably buy mismatched shell products, so what is the difference between them?
The Differences
Composition :
The main elements of aluminum alloy are aluminum, silicon, copper, magnesium, and zinc. According to the different contents of each element, the aluminum alloy enclosures will be different in performance. Stainless steel is made of steel casting, in the smelting process adding chromium, nickel, manganese, silicon, copper, and other metals. Chromium is the main alloy element, which is at least 10.5%. Aluminum alloy shell and stainless steel shell compositions are different.
Weight and Hardness :
The density of aluminum alloy varies according to the addition of alloying elements, generally between 2.5×10³ kg/m³ to 2.8×10³ kg/m³. So the weight of the aluminum alloy enclosure is lighter, and it is almost one-third of the weight of a stainless steel enclosure. The light weight and portability make aluminum alloy very suitable for making cell phones, cameras, computers, and other electronic product enclosures. However, the hardness of stainless steel is higher, and it is more resistant to scratches and knocks, so stainless steel enclosures can be used in medical equipment and chemical testing equipment, etc.
Performance :
Aluminum alloy can prevent further corrosion of the internal metal due to the corrosion-resistant oxide film on the surface, while stainless steel contains corrosion-resistant nickel-chromium alloy. So when the product application field requires corrosion resistance, the stainless steel enclosure is generally the first choice in the scope of consideration. But the aluminum alloy enclosures produced by E-Abel can also be applied to a number of fields, meeting the application requirements of most scenes after going through anodic oxidation, baking paint, and other processes of corrosion resistance. The processed aluminum enclosures can meet the requirements of most scenarios.
Heat dissipation capacity :
The thermal conductivity of aluminum alloy is higher than that of stainless steel, which is why aluminum alloy shells are generally used in automotive radiators, electrical radiators, lamps, and lantern radiators, while stainless steel shells are generally used in chemical testing equipment, medical equipment, and other products that do not require high heat dissipation capacity.
Price :
In terms of price, due to the difference in raw materials, processing, and production difficulties, aluminum alloy material is easier to cut and shape, so the general price of aluminum alloy enclosures is lower than stainless steel. But for some practical applications, the number of processing technology and processing types of these factors will make the price of aluminum alloy enclosures fluctuate.
What E-Abel Can Do
If you have any questions about the products, please feel free to consult E-Abel specialists for details. We provide customization, mold processing, and production of special profile enclosures. To meet your needs, we offer 100% according to the drawing production. A professional technical engineering team is online 24 hours a day for your service, 7-15 days fast production and shipment, and welcomes customers with pictures consulting.
- E-abel, as leading electric box manufacturer, We welcome bulk non-standard customization needs, and E-Abel will try our best to meet your high standards.
We are flexible, practiced and remarkable.
