When manufacturing with commercial pure aluminum (99.5% purity), the 1050 alloy is an industry standard due to its excellent corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity. However, specifying "1050 aluminum" on your purchase order is not enough. You must specify the temper. Choosing between the H111 and H18 tempers means choosing between the two extreme ends of the material's mechanical capabilities.
The main difference between 1050 H111 and 1050 H18 aluminum is their strength, hardness, and processing limits. 1050 H111 is lightly work-hardened, offering excellent ductility and formability for complex bending. In stark contrast, 1050 H18 is fully strain-hardened (full hard), offering the maximum possible strength for this alloy but with very limited formability.
- H111 = Soft, highly formable, easy to bend without cracking.
- H18 = Hardest temper, maximum strength, extremely rigid, almost non-formable.
Ordering the wrong temper will immediately stop your production line. Try to bend an H18 sheet, and it will snap. Try to use H111 for a rigid bottle cap, and it will deform. In this technical guide, we break down the mechanical properties, exact differences, and real-world applications to help you source the correct material.
Struggling with high scrap rates due to cracked aluminum sheets? Or is your current material too soft for your high-speed stamping line? Stop guessing. Contact GNEE today to request free samples of our 1050 H111 and H18 aluminum to test directly on your factory floor.
What is 1050 H111 Aluminum Plate?
To understand the H111 temper, we must look at the rolling process. The "H" indicates that the material is strain-hardened (cold-worked). The "111" suffix means the aluminum has undergone a very slight amount of work hardening.
This usually happens during post-rolling operations, such as stretching or tension leveling, which are necessary to ensure the sheet is perfectly flat.
Key features of 1050 H111 aluminum:
- Slightly Strain-Hardened: It is structurally very close to the fully annealed "O" temper (the softest state).
- Excellent Ductility: The material stretches and flows easily.
- High Forming Ability: It can be deep-drawn, spun, or folded at tight angles.
- Relieves Internal Stress: The slight stretching removes internal stresses, preventing the plate from warping when laser-cut.
What is 1050 H18 Aluminum Coil & Sheet?
The "H18" designation represents the absolute maximum strength you can achieve with the 1050 alloy without adding other alloying elements like magnesium or copper. It is categorized as "full hard."
To achieve the H18 temper, the aluminum is aggressively cold-rolled to its final thickness with a final cold reduction of approximately 75%. It receives absolutely no heat treatment (annealing) to soften it afterward.
Key features of 1050 H18 aluminum:
- Fully Strain-Hardened: The internal grain structure is highly compressed.
- Maximum Strength: It offers the highest tensile and yield strength in the 1050 series.
- Very Low Ductility: Because the grains are completely compressed, there is no room left for the metal to stretch.
- Rigid and Flat: It maintains exceptional structural rigidity, especially in very thin gauges (like foils or closure sheets).
1050 H111 vs 1050 H18 Comparison Overview
Here is a side-by-side comparison of how these two extreme tempers behave in a manufacturing environment.
| Property | 1050 H111 Aluminum | 1050 H18 Aluminum |
| Temper Type | Slight Work Hardening | Full Hard (Maximum Hardening) |
| Tensile Strength | 65 – 95 MPa | 110 – 145 MPa |
| Yield Strength | ≥ 30 MPa | ≥ 95 MPa |
| Ductility | Very Good | Very Low |
| Formability | Excellent | Poor |
| Hardness | Low | High |
| Bendability | Easy to bend 90° | Very difficult, highly prone to cracking |
1050 H18 vs H111 Strength Comparison
For purchasing managers and mechanical engineers, the data on the Mill Test Certificate (MTC) dictates the setup of press brakes and stamping machines. The numbers below clearly illustrate the gap between the softest and hardest practical states of this alloy.
| Mechanical Property | 1050 H111 Temper | 1050 H18 Temper |
| Tensile Strength (Rm) | 65 – 95 MPa | 110 – 145 MPa |
| Yield Strength (Rp0.2) | ≥ 30 MPa | ≥ 95 MPa |
| Elongation (A50mm) | ≥ 20% | ≤ 5% |
Data Analysis: Notice the Yield Strength. 1050 H18 has a yield strength of ≥ 95 MPa, which is more than three times that of H111 (≥ 30 MPa). This means H18 requires three times the force to permanently bend, but because its elongation is so low (≤ 5%), it will likely snap before it holds a complex shape.
Key Differences Explained
1. Strength and Hardness in Thin Gauges
If you are manufacturing products out of thick plates (e.g., 5mm or 10mm), structural rigidity comes naturally from the thickness. But what if you are working with a 0.2mm or 0.5mm sheet?
At 0.2mm, a 1050 H111 sheet feels like heavy paper. It will sag, dent easily, and deform under slight pressure.
A 1050 H18 sheet at 0.2mm, however, is stiff, springy, and resists indentation. The heavy cold rolling process gives ultra-thin materials the rigidity needed to function as physical barriers or structural covers.
2. Processing Behavior: Bending vs. Punching
1050 H111 is the king of the press brake. With ≥ 20% elongation, operators can execute sharp 90-degree bends or complex U-channels without worrying about the outer radius tearing. It has very low springback, meaning the metal stays exactly where the die presses it.
1050 H18 hates the press brake. If you attempt a 90-degree bend on an H18 sheet, it will fracture along the bend line almost instantly. However, H18 is fantastic for high-speed flat punching. Because it is hard and brittle, a punch press punches through it cleanly without leaving dragged, burred, or gummy edges, which often happens with softer tempers.
Applications of 1050 H111 Aluminum Sheet
Because it is soft and highly formable, H111 is specified for:
- Chemical Equipment: Processing tanks and pipes where the metal must be rolled into cylinders.
- Sheet Metal Fabrication: Custom enclosures, brackets, and chassis requiring complex folding.
- Reflective Panels: Lighting fixtures that require metal spinning into parabolic shapes.
- General Forming Parts: Deep-drawn kitchenware and food industry containers.
Applications of 1050 H18 Aluminum Coil & Sheet
Because it is extremely rigid and flat, H18 is strictly used in flat or non-deformed applications:
- Aluminum Caps and Closures: ROPP (Roll-On Pilfer-Proof) bottle caps for beverages and pharmaceuticals.
- Roofing Sheets: Corrugated panels where the high yield strength prevents sagging.
- Insulation Jacketing: Thin metal wraps used to protect industrial pipes from weather.
- Fins for Heat Exchangers: Flat, punched fins where rigidity is required to maintain airflow spacing.
How to Choose Between 1050 H111 and H18?
Use this simple decision matrix to ensure you order the correct material for your production line:
Choose 1050 H111 if:
- You need to bend the metal on a press brake.
- Your manufacturing involves deep drawing, spinning, or rolling.
- The final product has complex, 3D shapes.
- High ductility is critical to prevent cracking during fabrication.
Choose 1050 H18 if:
- You are manufacturing thin products (like caps or insulation jacks) that must not dent easily.
- Your process involves high-speed flat punching or stamping with NO deep bending.
- You need the absolute maximum strength available for a 99.5% pure aluminum sheet.
- The material will remain mostly flat in its final application.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why Choose GNEE as Your Chinese Aluminum Supplier?
- Full Tempers Available: We process the 1050 alloy in strictly controlled tempers, including O, H111, H14, H24, and H18. You get exactly the mechanical properties you ask for.
- Large Stock for Immediate Shipment: We maintain extensive inventories of both 1050 H18 aluminum coil for packaging and 1050 H111 aluminum plate for fabrication.
- Custom Thickness & Cutting: Stop paying for scrap. We slit coils and cut flat sheets to your exact width and length requirements using precision CNC equipment.
- Multi-Alloy Combined Orders Supported: You don't need to buy a full container of a single specification. We allow mixed loading of 1000 series, 3000 series, and 5000 series aluminum to optimize your shipping costs.
- Rich Export Experience: We provide heavy-duty, seaworthy wooden pallet packaging with moisture-proof films, ensuring your material arrives without water stains or edge damage.
Get a Fast Quote Now
Don't let the wrong temper ruin your production schedule. Whether you need the extreme formability of H111 or the ultimate rigidity of H18, GNEE has the capacity to supply it at direct-from-factory prices.
Ready to lock in your material costs? Send us your required specifications, thickness, and quantity today.
Contact GNEE for:
Free technical advice to verify your temper selection.
A precise, best-price quotation within 24 hours.
Sample support and full Mill Test Certificates (MTC).
