Materials

From CPFWiki

[edit] Aircraft Grade Aluminum

Most flashlights that are made out of "Aircraft Grade Aluminum" are typically of the 6061-T6 alloy.
This alloy is strong, hard, cheap, anodizable and weldable.

Mechanical Properties of 6061-T6:
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)    = 45 ksi
Tensile Strength (Yield)       = 40 ksi
Shearing Strentgh (Ultimate)   = 30 ksi
Hardness                       = 95 (Brinnell, 500 kg load 10 mm ball)
Modulus of Elasticity          = 10000 ksi
Thermal Conductivity           = 167 W/m-K
Machinability                  = 50% (0-100% scale of all aluminum alloys)

[edit] Aerospace Grade Aluminum

Flashlights that are made from "Aerospace Grade Aluminum" can be made from a wide range of alloys.
Typically, these alloys are 2024-(T3 or T351), 7050-(T7451 or T6) and 7075-(T6/T651 or T7351),
with 7075-T6 being the most common. These alloys are very strong and very hard.
The 2024 alloys generally aren't anodizable or weldable.
The 7050 and 7075 alloys generally are anodizable, but not weldable.

Mechanical Properties of 7075-T6:
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)    = 83 ksi
Tensile Strength (Yield)       = 73 ksi
Shearing Strentgh (Ultimate)   = 48 ksi
Hardness                       = 150 (Brinnell, 500 kg load 10 mm ball)
Modulus of Elasticity          = 10400 ksi
Thermal Conductivity           = 130 W/m-K
Machinability                  = 70% (0-100% scale of all aluminum alloys)