What is the grade of aluminium sheet for electronic enclosures and panels?

Actually, snopping around SMITHS METAL CENTRES website , I think I should be getting 5251 (NS4).

I doubt the grade will make a scrap of difference but the usual medium strength one is 5251 H22.

depends on what you want to do with the ali really, you probably nee to have a couople of grades rather than trying to do everything in a single grade.

Do you want to bend it? If so then you need to go with one of the softer options. However the soft stuff is often a pig to drill nice clean holes without clogging drills. Also tends to stick to press tools and QMax cutters etc even when using copious amounts of lubricant.

If you need to drill lots of holes then go with something fairly hard. Drills, countersinks and deburrs a treat, reasonably stiff without bracing but will not bend - it usually cracks.

If you want to drill, bend and punch holes then half hard is the way to go.

Your stockholder of choice should be able to advise younon exactly which grades they carry and their suitability for your intended use.

We use NS4 for almost everything, but it won't bend that well in the thicker sizes. It is half-hard anodising grade by memory. Peter

-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK snipped-for-privacy@prepair.co.uk

I'm actually wanting to make some flat chassis, and if I build any cabinets, I would put them together using angle. Using say 1mm for the cabinet sides.

So my aim in not to bend any aluminium sheets. So, iyt looks like NS4 is good.