Technical Resources
Aluminum Procurement Guide
Alloy selection, procurement, quality, and manufacturing guides for engineers and buyers working with aluminum plate.
NOX METALS Raises an $11.5M Seed Round to Reindustrialize America
NOX METALS has raised an $11.5M seed round led by Hyperion, with participation from Palmer Luckey, Y Combinator, and others, to build 100x more factories and revitalize America's industrial base.
NOX METALS Is Now ISO 9001:2015 Certified
NOX METALS is ISO 9001:2015 certified — independent, third-party confirmation that quality is built into a repeatable system, with full traceability and certification documentation on every aluminum plate order.
6061 vs 7075 Aluminum: Which Alloy Should You Specify?
A technical comparison of 6061 and 7075 aluminum alloys covering strength, weldability, corrosion resistance, machinability, and cost.
7075 vs 7050 Aluminum: Choosing the Right High-Strength Alloy
Compare 7075 and 7050 aluminum for thick-section aerospace applications, covering SCC resistance, temper designations, AMS specs, and when to specify each.
What Is DFARS Compliance and Why It Matters for Aluminum Procurement
Understand DFARS specialty metals compliance for aluminum procurement in defense contracts, including the specialty metals clause, qualifying countries, and verification requirements.
How to Read an Aluminum Mill Certificate
A step-by-step guide to reading an aluminum mill certificate (MTR), including key fields, chemistry verification, heat number traceability, and common red flags.
T651, T6, and T7351: A Practical Guide to Aluminum Temper Designations
Understand aluminum temper designations including the T4, T6, T651, T7351, and T7451 series - what each means, how stress relief affects machinability, and when to specify each.
5052, 5083, and 5086: Choosing the Right 5000 Series Aluminum
Compare 5052, 5083, and 5086 aluminum for marine, cryogenic, and general fabrication applications, covering strength, tempers, weldability, and corrosion performance.
Guillotine Cutting for Aluminum Plate: What Buyers Need to Know
How bandsaw guillotine cutting works for aluminum plate, including kerf width, achievable tolerances, rectangular cut constraints, AI nesting optimization, and remnant management.
How AI Is Improving Metal Procurement for Aerospace Manufacturers
How AI nesting optimization and instant quoting reduce lead times, minimize material waste, and lower cost per part in aluminum plate procurement for aerospace and defense.
Why Mill Certifications Are Non-Negotiable in Aerospace and Defense
How mill certifications support AS9100 traceability, what can go wrong without them, and how to manage cert packages through the aerospace supply chain.
Aluminum Plate Thickness Tolerances: What to Expect from Your Supplier
ASTM B209 thickness tolerances for aluminum plate, bandsaw cut dimensional tolerances, and how to account for mill and cut tolerances when specifying stock allowance for machined parts.
Aluminum in the New Space Economy: Alloys Behind Modern Rockets
Which aluminum alloys power modern launch vehicles. SpaceX, Relativity Space, and Blue Origin material choices, with data on the $613B space economy and aluminum demand.
The Data Behind AI-Driven Metal Procurement: Lead Times, Waste, and Cost
Real data on procurement inefficiency in aerospace supply chains. How AI reduces RFQ processing time, material waste, and quote lead times. Market statistics on AI adoption in procurement.
US Aluminum Market 2025: Tariffs, Supply Chains, and What Buyers Need to Know
US aluminum market data for 2025: Section 232 tariffs raised to 25%, Midwest premium at record highs, USGS production data, and what it means for aerospace and defense buyers.
Aluminum in Electric Vehicles: How the EV Transition Is Reshaping Demand
Data on aluminum content per EV vs ICE vehicle, battery tray alloys, and global demand forecasts. How EV growth is driving 6000 and 5000 series aluminum demand through 2030.
The Future of High-Strength Aluminum: 7xxx Series Trends in Aerospace and Defense
Market data on 7075 and 7050 aluminum demand through 2034. F-35 program requirements, UAV proliferation, carbon fiber cost comparison, and where 7xxx alloys win against composites.
DFARS and Domestic Metals: A Complete Guide for Defense Contractors
Complete guide to DFARS specialty metals compliance. The specialty metals clause, qualifying country list, melt and manufacture requirements, mill cert documentation, rising thresholds, and common pitfalls.
Stress Corrosion Cracking in 7xxx Aluminum: Mechanisms, Testing, and Alloy Selection
Deep technical guide to SCC in 7075 and 7050 aluminum. Grain boundary precipitation mechanism, short-transverse vulnerability, ASTM G44/G47/G64 testing, and temper selection for SCC-critical applications.
Aluminum Heat Treatment Metallurgy: What Happens During T6 and T651 Processing
Deep technical guide to aluminum precipitation hardening. Solution heat treatment, quench mechanics, aging kinetics, stress relief stretching, and why T651 is the correct designation for machined plate.
The New Purchasing Manager's Guide to Aluminum Plate Procurement
A practical guide for purchasing managers new to aluminum plate. Alloy selection shortcuts, what to put on a PO, reading quotes, mill certs, DFARS basics, tolerances, and common mistakes to avoid.
How to Evaluate an Aluminum Plate Supplier: A Buyer's Checklist
A practical checklist for evaluating aluminum plate suppliers. Inventory depth, DFARS capability, mill cert quality, cutting tolerances, quote speed, pricing structure, and what red flags to watch for.
Machine Shop Certifications: Which Ones to Get and in What Order
A practical guide to aerospace and defense manufacturing certifications. What they cost, how long they take, and which ones actually open doors.
7075, 7050, and 6061 in Aerospace: Where Each Alloy Earns Its Place
How aerospace engineers choose between 7075, 7050, and 6061 for airframes, fittings, wing structures, and secondary hardware. Real applications from Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed, and SpaceX.
7075, 7050, and 6061 in Defense: Alloy Selection for DoD Programs
Where 7075, 7050, and 6061 aluminum end up on defense hardware - from missile bodies to armored vehicle bulkheads to ground support equipment. DFARS implications throughout.
Machining 7075, 7050, and 6061: What Changes on the Shop Floor
Practical machining differences between 7075, 7050, and 6061 aluminum - speeds, feeds, tool wear, chip behavior, and coolant strategies for each alloy.
7075, 7050, and 6061 Lead Times: What to Expect in 2026
Current lead times for 7075, 7050, and 6061 aluminum plate - stock availability, special-order timelines, and the Midwest premium factors shaping 2026 procurement.
Substituting Between 7075, 7050, and 6061: When It's Safe and When It's Not
A practical decision framework for substituting between 7075, 7050, and 6061 aluminum - when upgrades and downgrades are safe, and when they require engineering signoff.
Corrosion Resistance of 7075, 7050, and 6061: Field Performance Compared
How 7075, 7050, and 6061 aluminum perform in corrosive environments - general corrosion, pitting, stress corrosion cracking, and real-world field data across marine, industrial, and aerospace service.
Metals in the New Space Economy: Who's Buying What and How Much
Data-driven analysis of metal demand from SpaceX, Blue Origin, Relativity, Rocket Lab, and 40+ commercial space companies - launch rates, vehicle mass, and alloy consumption through 2030.