Aluminum Flat Bar Strip Plate Metal Sheet Width 10mm-200mm Long 500mm All Sizes

Start with your load or span requirement. For light-duty brackets and decorative trim, 1mm–3mm thick bars are typically sufficient. For structural frames or load-bearing gussets, 5mm–10mm or thicker is more appropriate. Width should match your fastener pattern or overlap requirement — allow at least 10mm of edge distance from any drilled hole to the nearest edge. If in doubt, consult a structural engineer for safety-critical applications.

General-purpose aluminum alloy (6061-equivalent) has a typical tensile strength of around 260–310 MPa and yield strength of approximately 240–276 MPa, which is adequate for many light structural applications such as shelf brackets, equipment mounts, and frame gussets. However, for safety-critical or load-rated structural applications, always have a qualified engineer verify the design. These bars are sold as raw stock, not as rated structural components.

Aluminum naturally forms a thin oxide layer that protects it from further corrosion in most environments, including light outdoor exposure. For prolonged outdoor use in coastal or high-humidity environments, anodizing or powder coating is recommended to extend service life. The mill-finish surface is not pre-treated, so surface oxidation (a dull grey patina) may develop over time without a protective finish — this is cosmetic and does not affect structural integrity.

Yes. Aluminum cuts easily with a hacksaw, jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade, angle grinder with an aluminum-rated disc, or a miter saw fitted with a non-ferrous metal blade. Always secure the workpiece firmly in a vise, use cutting fluid or WD-40 to reduce heat buildup, and wear appropriate PPE (safety glasses, gloves). Deburr cut edges with a file or deburring tool before handling.

Yes. The bar stock is undrilled and unthreaded, so you can drill and tap any standard metric (M3–M12 and beyond, depending on bar width) or imperial thread. Use HSS or cobalt drill bits at moderate speed with cutting fluid. For tapping, standard HSS taps work well in aluminum — use a spiral-flute tap for through-holes and a bottoming tap for blind holes. Maintain at least 1.5× thread diameter of engagement for reliable pull-out strength.

Narrow bars (under 20mm wide) are best for edge reinforcement, hinge straps, cable management clips, and linear structural members. Wider plates (50mm and above) suit gussets, mounting flanges, heat spreaders, and panel reinforcement. Consider the bending axis: a bar loaded on its flat face (weak axis) deflects much more than one loaded on its edge (strong axis). For maximum stiffness in a given weight budget, orient the bar so the larger dimension resists the primary load direction.

Yes. General-purpose aluminum alloy is weldable using MIG or TIG processes. Use ER4043 filler wire for general-purpose welds or ER5356 for higher-strength joints. Clean the weld area thoroughly with a stainless steel wire brush (dedicated to aluminum only) and acetone to remove the oxide layer immediately before welding. Preheat is not typically required for thin sections, but thicker bars (10mm+) may benefit from mild preheating to 80–120°C to reduce porosity risk.