The Use of Aluminum Steel Clad Sheet
Aluminum steel clad sheet utilizes specialized composite processes (such as explosive lamination and rolling lamination) to tightly bond aluminum and steel layers. This approach retains the advantages of both metals while mitigating the shortcomings of a single material. Their core features perfectly suit the complex operating conditions of ships:
A balance of lightweight and high strength: Aluminum's density is only about one-third that of steel, significantly reducing a ship's weight and fuel consumption. The steel layer provides sufficient structural strength to withstand external forces such as wind and wave impact and cargo compression during navigation, ensuring hull stability.
Excellent corrosion resistance: When a ship is exposed to corrosive environments such as seawater and humid air for extended periods, a dense oxide film forms on the aluminum layer, effectively shielding it from seawater corrosion. The steel layer, acting synergistically with the aluminum layer, further enhances overall corrosion resistance and reduces hull maintenance costs.
Excellent processing and welding properties: Aluminum-steel composite panels can be cut, bent, and stamped like single metal materials, adapting to complex ship structures. Furthermore, specialized welding processes ensure secure connections with other hull components, avoiding structural risks caused by material compatibility issues.
Aluminum-steel composite panels are used in multiple key areas of shipbuilding, from hull structure to internal facilities, comprehensively improving ship performance:
Superstructure: Ship superstructures (such as the wheelhouse and crew quarters) require high lightweighting while also resisting marine atmospheric corrosion. The use of aluminum-steel composite panels not only reduces superstructure weight, lowers the hull's center of gravity, and improves navigational stability, but also reduces routine maintenance workload through the corrosion resistance of the aluminum layer.
Cargo hold and tank linings: If the cargo carried by the ship (such as chemicals or seawater) is corrosive, the lining of the cargo hold or tank must be corrosion-resistant. The aluminum layer of the aluminum-steel composite panel is in direct contact with the corrosive medium, while the steel layer provides structural support, effectively preventing corrosion of the hull, extending the service life of the cargo hold and preventing cargo contamination due to hull corrosion.
Local areas of the ship's deck: Certain areas of the deck (such as those near seawater spray or areas with frequent cargo loading and unloading) require both wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The steel layer of the aluminum-steel composite panel ensures wear resistance, while the aluminum layer enhances corrosion resistance. This can replace traditional anti-corrosion coatings, reducing the trouble of coating peeling and recoating, and lowering maintenance costs.
Pipeline and ventilation systems: The ship's seawater cooling and ventilation ducts are exposed to constant humidity and are prone to rust and blockage. Aluminum-steel composite panels are used to construct the pipes. The aluminum layer on the inner wall resists corrosion, while the steel layer on the outer wall ensures structural strength. This effectively prevents rust from forming and ensures stable operation of the ship's power and ventilation systems.
Common specifications of aluminum clad steel
Thickness: Total thickness typically ranges from 3mm to 50mm, with the aluminum layer comprising 10% to 50%. For example, composite panels used for superstructures typically have a total thickness of 5mm to 15mm (aluminum layer 1mm to 5mm, steel layer 4mm to 10mm); those used for cargo hold linings typically have a total thickness of 10mm to 30mm (aluminum layer 2mm to 10mm, steel layer 8mm to 20mm), ensuring a balance between corrosion resistance and structural strength.
Width and Length: Standard widths range from 1000mm to 2000mm, but lengths can be customized to meet the needs of ship components, up to 12000mm, reducing the number of joints and improving construction efficiency. Welcome to tell me the aluminium cladding sheet size you need.
Material Combination: The aluminum layer is typically constructed from corrosion-resistant aluminum alloys such as 3003, 5083, and 6061. 5083 marine grade aluminum sheet is most widely used in shipbuilding and marine engineering due to its excellent seawater corrosion resistance. The steel layer is typically constructed from low-carbon steels or low-alloy high-strength steels such as Q235 and Q345. Q345 steel, due to its high strength, is particularly suitable for load-bearing areas of the hull structure.
Lamination Process: Marine aluminum-steel composite plates are primarily produced using explosive lamination, which achieves a metallurgical bond between the aluminum and steel layers, resulting in a high bond strength (shear strength ≥ 100 MPa) that can withstand the vibration and impact of a ship underway. For thinner components requiring high precision (such as ventilation ducts), a rolling lamination process can also be used to ensure surface flatness.
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