Material · Specialty Metals
Magnesium AZ31B
The featherweight: 35% lighter than aluminum, machines beautifully, demands fire-aware handling.
Price index: $$$
Material properties
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength | ~260 MPa |
| Yield strength | ~170–200 MPa |
| Hardness | ~49 HRB |
| Density | 1.77 g/cm³ |
Choose it when
When every gram counts and aluminum is still too heavy: best stiffness-to-weight for thin-walled housings, natural vibration damping, and higher cutting speeds than 6061. Note: fine chips are flammable — we machine it under controlled, fire-safe procedures.
Look elsewhere when
Bare magnesium corrodes fast, especially in galvanic contact with steel or in salt — always coat, isolate fasteners, and keep it away from marine service. Strength also trails 6061-T6.
Compatible finishes
As-Machined
The baseline finish: straight off the machine, fastest and cheapest.
Bead Blasting
The uniform matte look: erases tool marks, hides fingerprints, preps perfect anodizing.
Wet Painting
Any color, any gloss, any substrate: the flexible coat for plastics and appearance prototypes.
Laser Marking
Permanent identification with zero dimensional change: serials, logos and codes burned in, not stuck on.
Typical applications
- Drone and UAV structural parts
- Portable electronics chassis
- Automotive lightweighting components
- Vibration-damping instrument housings
Compared with similar grades
| Property | Magnesium AZ31B | Invar 36 |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength | ~260 MPa | ~485 MPa |
| Yield strength | ~170–200 MPa | ~240 MPa |
| Hardness | ~49 HRB | ~130–160 HB |
| Density | 1.77 g/cm³ | 8.05 g/cm³ |
| Price index | $$$ | $$$$ |
| Machinability | 5/5 | 2/5 |
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