Everything about Zamak totally explained
ZAMAK, also known as
ZAMAC, was the
trademarked name covering a family of
zinc alloys, with a base metal of
zinc and alloying elements of
aluminum,
magnesium and
copper. ZAMAK alloys are part of the zinc aluminum alloy family; they're distinguished from the other ZA alloys because of their constant 4% aluminum composition. These alloys are most commonly
die cast. ZAMAK avoided this by the use of 99.99% pure zinc metal, produced by
New Jersey's use of a
refluxer as part of the
smelting process.
ZAMAK can be electroplated, wet painted, and
chromate conversion coated well.
Standards
Zinc alloy chemical composition standards are defined per country by the standard listed below:
| Country |
Zinc ingot |
Zinc casting |
| Europe |
EN1774 |
EN12844 |
| USA |
ASTM B240 |
ASTM B86 |
| Japan |
JIS H2201 |
JIS H5301 |
| Australia |
AS 1881 - SAA H63 |
AS 1881 - SAA H64 |
| China |
GB 8738-88 |
- |
| Canada |
CSA HZ3 |
CSA HZ11 |
| International |
ISO 301 |
- |
ZAMAK goes by many different names based on standard and/or country:
| Traditional name |
Short composition name |
Form |
Common |
ASTM† |
Short European designation |
JIS |
China |
UK BS 1004 |
France NFA 55-010
or
Kirksite | ZnAl4Cu3 |
- |
ZX04 |
- |
Z35541 |
ZX01 |
- |
Z33520 |
|
Ingot |
Used in Asia only |
ZA-4, ZN-004 It later gained popularity for making short run injection molding dies.
|
| Property |
Metric value |
English value |
| Mechanical properties |
| Ultimate tensile strength |
397 MPa (331 MPa aged) |
58,000 psi |
| Yield strength (0.2% offset) |
361 MPa |
52,000 psi |
| Impact strength |
38 J (7 J aged) |
28 ft-lbf (5 ft-lbf aged) |
| Elongation at Fmax |
3% (2% aged) |
| Elongation at fracture |
6% |
| Shear strength |
317 MPa |
46,000 psi |
| Compressive yield strength |
641 MPa |
93,000 psi |
| Fatigue strength (reverse bending 5x108 cycles) |
59 MPa |
8,600 psi |
| Hardness |
130 Brinell (98 Brinell aged) |
| Modulus of elasticity |
96 GPa |
14,000,000 psi |
| Physical properties |
| Solidification range (melting range) |
379—390 °C |
714—734 °F |
| Density |
6.8 kg/dm3 |
0.25 lb/in3 |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion |
27.8 μm/m-°C |
15.4 μin/in-°F |
| Thermal conductivity |
105 W/m-K |
729 BTU-in/hr-ft2-°F |
| Electrical resistivity |
6.85 μΩ-cm at 20 °C |
2.70 μΩ-in at 68 °F |
| Latent heat (heat of fusion) |
110 J/g |
4.7x10-5 BTU/lb |
| Specific heat capacity |
419 J/kg-°C |
0.100 BTU/lb-°F |
| Coefficient of friction |
0.08 |
KS
The KS alloy was developed for spin casting decorative parts. It has the same composition as ZAMAK 2, except with more magnesium in order to produce finer grains and reduce the
orange peel effect.
|-
! Property
! Metric value
! English value
|-
! colspan=3| Mechanical properties
|-
| Ultimate tensile strength
| < 200 MPa
| < 29,000 psi
|-
| Yield strength (0.2% offset)
| < 200 MPa
| < 29,000 psi
|-
| Elongation
| colspan=2 align="center"| < 2%
|-
| Hardness
| colspan=2 align="center"| 150 Brinell max
|-
! colspan=3| Physical properties
|-
| Solidification range (melting range)
| 380—390 °C
| 716—734 °F
|-
| Density
| 6.6 g/cm
3
| 0.25 lb/in
3
|-
| Coefficient of thermal expansion
| 28.0 μm/m-°C
| 15.4 μin/in-°F
|-
| Thermal conductivity
| 105 W/m-K
| 729 BTU-in/hr-ft
2-°F
|-
| Electrical conductivity
| colspan=2 align="center"| 25% IACS
|-
| Specific heat capacity
| 419 J/kg-°C
| 0.100 BTU/lb-°F
|-
| Coefficient of friction
| colspan=2 align="center"| 0.08
|}
ZAMAK 3
ZAMAK 3 is the
de facto standard for the ZAMAK series of zinc alloys; all other zinc alloys are compared to this. ZAMAK 3 has the base composition for the ZAMAK alloys (96% zinc, 4% aluminum). It has excellent castablity and long term dimensional stability. More than 70% of all North American zinc die castings are made from ZAMAK 3. (Ingot)
| min
| 3.9
| -
| 0.025
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| max
| 4.3
| 0.1
| 0.05
| 0.004
| 0.003
| 0.002
| 0.075
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| rowspan=2|ASTM B86 (Cast)
| min
| 3.5
| -
| 0.025
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| max
| 4.3
| 0.25
| 0.05
| 0.005
| 0.004
| 0.003
| 0.1
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| rowspan=2|EN1774 (Ingot)
| min
| 3.8
| -
| 0.035
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| max
| 4.2
| 0.03
| 0.06
| 0.003
| 0.003
| 0.001
| 0.02
| 0.001
| 0.02
| -
| -
|-
| rowspan=2|EN12844 (Cast)
| min
| 3.7
| -
| 0.025
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| max
| 4.3
| 0.1
| 0.06
| 0.005
| 0.005
| 0.002
| 0.05
| 0.02
| 0.03
| -
| -
|-
| rowspan=2|JIS H2201
| min
| 3.9
| -
| 0.04
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| max
| 4.3
| 0.03
| 0.06
| 0.003
| 0.003
| 0.001
| 0.05
| -
| 0.001
| 0.0005
| 0.001
|-
| rowspan=2|GB8738-88
| min
| 3.9
| -
| 0.03
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| max
| 4.3
| 0.1
| 0.06
| 0.004
| 0.003
| 0.0015
| 0.035
| -
| -
| -
| -
|-
| colspan=13|
†Impurity
|}
| Property |
Metric value |
English value |
| Mechanical properties |
| Ultimate tensile strength |
208 MPa |
30,200 psi |
| Yield strength (0.2% offset) |
268 MPa |
38,900 psi |
| Impact strength |
46 J (56 J aged) |
34 ft-lbf (41 ft-lbf aged) |
| Elongation at Fmax |
3% |
| Elongation at fracture |
6.3% (16% aged) |
| Shear strength |
214 MPa |
31,000 psi |
| Compressive yield strength |
414 MPa |
60,000 psi |
| Fatigue strength (reverse bending 5x108 cycles) |
48 MPa |
7,000 psi |
| Hardness |
97 Brinell |
| Modulus of elasticity |
96 GPa |
14,000,000 psi |
| Physical properties |
| Solidification range (melting range) |
381—387 °C |
718—729 °F |
| Density |
6.7 g/cm3 |
0.24 lb/in3 |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion |
27.4 μm/m-°C |
15.2 μin/in-°F |
| Thermal conductivity |
113 W/mK |
784 BTU-in/hr-ft2-°F |
| Electrical resistivity |
6.37 μΩ-cm at 20 °C |
2.51 μΩ-in at 68 °F |
| Latent heat (heat of fussion) |
110 J/g |
4.7x10-5 BTU/lb |
| Specific heat capacity |
419 J/kg-°C |
0.100 BTU/lb-°F |
| Coefficient of friction |
0.07 |
ZAMAK 4
ZAMAK 4 was developed for the Asian markets to reduce the effects of
die soldering while maintaining the ductility of ZAMAK 3. This was achieved by using half the amount of copper from the ZAMAK 5 composition.
|
Alloying elements |
Impurities |
| Standard |
Limit |
Al |
Cu |
Mg |
Pb |
Cd |
Sn |
Fe |
Ni |
Si |
In |
Tl |
| Ningbo Jinyi Alloy Material Co. |
min |
3.9 |
0.3 |
0.03 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| max |
4.3 |
0.5 |
0.06 |
0.003 |
0.002 |
0.002 |
0.075 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Genesis Alloys Ltd. |
min |
3.9 |
0.3 |
0.04 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| max |
4.2 |
0.4 |
0.05 |
0.003 |
0.002 |
0.001 |
0.02 |
0.001 |
0.02 |
0.0005 |
0.001 |
| Property |
Metric value |
English value |
| Mechanical properties |
| Ultimate tensile strength |
317 MPa |
46,000 psi |
| Yield strength (0.2% offset) |
221—269 MPa |
32,000—39,000 psi |
| Impact strength |
61 J (7 J aged) |
45 ft-lbf (5 ft-lbf aged) |
| Elongation |
7% |
| Shear strength |
214—262 MPa |
31,000—38,000 psi |
| Compressive yield strength |
414—600 MPa |
60,000—87,000 psi |
| Fatigue strength (rotary bending 5x108 cycles) |
48—57 MPa |
7,000—8,300 psi |
| Hardness |
91 Brinell |
| Physical properties |
| Solidification range (melting range) |
380—386 °C |
716—727 °F |
| Density |
6.6 g/cm3 |
0.24 lb/in3 |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion |
27.4 μm/m-°C |
15.2 μin/in-°F |
| Thermal conductivity |
108.9—113.0 W/m-K @ 100 °C |
755.6—784.0 BTU-in/hr-ft2-°F @ 212 °F |
| Electrical conductivity |
26-27% IACS |
| Specific heat capacity |
418.7 J/kg-°C |
0.100 BTU/lb-°F |
ZAMAK 5
ZAMAK 5 has the same composition as ZAMAK 3 with the addition of 1% copper in order to increase strength (by approximately 10%
|-
! Property
! Metric value
! English value
|-
! colspan=3| Mechanical properties
|-
| Ultimate tensile strength
| 331 MPa (270 MPa aged)
| 48,000 psi (39,000 psi aged)
|-
| Yield strength (0.2% offset)
| 295 MPa
| 43,000 psi
|-
| Impact strength
| 52 J (56 J aged)
| 38 ft-lbf (41 ft-lbf aged)
|-
| Elongation at F
max
| colspan=2 align="center"| 2%
|-
| Elongation at fracture
| colspan=2 align="center"| 3.6% (13% aged)
|-
| Shear strength
| 262 MPa
| 38,000 psi
|-
| Compressive yield strength
| 600 MPa
| 87,000 psi
|-
| Fatigue strength (reverse bending 5x10
8 cycles)
| 57 MPa
| 8,300 psi
|-
| Hardness
| colspan=2 align="center"| 114 Brinell
|-
| Modulus of elasticity
| 96 GPa
| 14,000,000 psi
|-
! colspan=3| Physical properties
|-
| Solidification range (melting range)
| 380—386 °C
| 716—727 °F
|-
| Density
| 6.7 kg/dm
3
| 0.24 lb/in
3
|-
| Coefficient of thermal expansion
| 27.4 μm/m-°C
| 15.2 μin/in-°F
|-
| Thermal conductivity
| 109 W/mK
| 756 BTU-in/hr-ft
2-°F
|-
| Electrical resistivity
| 6.54 μΩ-cm at 20 °C
| 2.57 μΩ-in at 68 °F
|-
| Latent heat (heat of fusion)
| 110 J/g
| 4.7x10
-5 BTU/lb
|-
| Specific heat capacity
| 419 J/kg-°C
| 0.100 BTU/lb-°F
|-
| Coefficient of friction
| colspan=2 align="center"| 0.08
|}
ZAMAK 7
ZAMAK 7 has less magnesium than ZAMAK 3 to increase fluidity and ductility, which is especially useful when casting thin wall components. In order to reduce inter-granular corrosion a small amount of nickel is added and impurities are more strictly controlled.
|-
! Property
! Metric value
! English value
|-
! colspan=3| Mechanical properties
|-
| Ultimate tensile strength
| 285 MPa
| 41,300 psi
|-
| Yield strength (0.2% offset)
| 285 MPa
| 41,300 psi
|-
| Impact strength
| 58.0 J
| 42.8 ft-lbf
|-
| Elongation at fracture
| colspan=2 align="center"| 14%
|-
| Shear strength
| 214 MPa
| 31,000 psi
|-
| Compressive yield strength
| 414 MPa
| 60,000 psi
|-
| Fatigue strength (reverse bending 5x10
8 cycles)
| 47.0 MPa
| 6,820 psi
|-
| Hardness
| colspan=2 align="center"| 80 Brinell
|-
! colspan=3| Physical properties
|-
| Solidification range (melting range)
| 381—387 °C
| 718—729 °F
|-
| Coefficient of thermal expansion
| 27.4 μm/m-°C
| 15.2 μin/in-°F
|-
| Thermal conductivity
| 113 W/m-K
| 784 BTU-in/hr-ft
2-°F
|-
| Electrical resistivity
| 6.4 μΩ-cm
| 2.5 μΩ-in
|-
| Specific heat capacity
| 419 J/kg-°C
| 0.100 BTU/lb-°F
|-
| Casting temperature
| 395—425 °C
| 743—797 °F
|}
Uses
Common uses for ZAMAK alloys include:
Blenders
Mirror frames
Plumbing fittings
Zippers
Bathroom fixtures (faucets and shower heads)
Staplers
Handles
Locks
Die-cast toys
Automotive parts[
Ceiling fans][
Golf clubs][
Fishing reels][
Wheel balancing weights (especially prominent in the European Union)Further Information]
Get more info on 'Zamak'.
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