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Zinc Zamak 5
Zamak 5 is a zinc die casting alloy with 4% aluminum and about 1% copper. The copper raises tensile strength to about 48 ksi (331 MPa) and hardness to 91 HB, and improves creep resistance over Zamak 3. It casts and plates the same way. Choose it for parts under load, such as brackets, gears and hardware that sees torque.
- UNS
- Z35531
- ASTM
- B86 (AC41A)
- EN 12844
- ZP5 (ZnAl4Cu1, ZP0410)
- Trade name
- Zamak 5
How does it compare?
Typical room-temperature values for Zamak 5, against all 48 materials in the library.
- Tensile strength
- 331 MPa60th pct
- Yield strength
- 269 MPa45th pct
- Density
- 6.6 g/cm³57th pct
- Max service temp
- 100 °C10th pct
- Elongation
- 7 %11th pct
- Relative cost
- $$$$$
Bars are relative to the strongest, densest or hottest material in the SSG library. Percentile vs all 48 materials.
- Density
- 6.6 g/cm³ · 0.2384 lb/in³
- Tensile strength
- 331 MPa · 48.0 ksi
- Yield strength
- 269 MPa · 39.0 ksi
- Elongation
- 7%
- Elastic modulus
- 96 GPa · 13.9 Msi
- Hardness
- 91 HB
- Max service temperature
- 100 °C · 212 °F
- Melting point
- 380 °C · 716 °F
- Thermal conductivity
- 109 W/m·K
When should you use Zamak 5?
Strengths
- About 17% higher tensile strength than Zamak 3
- Better creep resistance for loaded bosses and threaded joints
- Same fast hot-chamber casting and plating as Zamak 3
- Harder surface, 91 HB, for wear
Watch for
- Lower ductility, about 7% elongation
- More long-term dimensional growth than Zamak 3
- Still creeps above about 120 °F (50 °C) under sustained load
- Heavy: about 2.4× the density of aluminum
Typical parts
- Door and cabinet hardware
- Automotive locks and handles
- Small gears and levers
- Appliance knobs and brackets
- Faucet bodies and plumbing components
- Hand tool components
How Zamak 5 is made into parts
Cost, finishes and design rules for each process in this material.
What does a part in Zamak 5 cost?
A representative part, die casting. Raw material at about $4.20/kg is one line of it; process time and tooling usually matter more.
Housing · Die casting
Order total $35,921
- Tooling
- $18,550
- one-time, spread over the order
- Piece price
- $3.35
- before setup + tooling
- Lead time
- 8–12 weeks
- to first production
Size
Drag a row to adjust · click to type
Length140140 mm
Width90.090.0 mm
Wall2.202.20 mm
Quantity
Price per part falls as volume rises
Exact quantity50005000 pcs
Material
Design checks pass
Open in builderBudgetary estimate for a representative part. Firm quotes come from principals after drawing review.
Compared head to head
Zamak 5 questions
Why choose Zamak 5 over Zamak 3?
For strength and creep resistance. Zamak 5 runs about 48 ksi (331 MPa) tensile versus 41 ksi (283 MPa) and resists creep better. Zamak 3 keeps its dimensions better over years and is slightly more ductile.
Is Zamak 5 good for gears?
For light-duty gears, yes. It holds tooth form as cast and wears better than Zamak 3. For higher loads, powder metal FC-0208 or FN-0205 is the better call.
Does Zamak contain lead?
No intentional lead. ASTM B86 caps lead at a few thousandths of a percent in Zamak castings, far below the 0.1% RoHS limit.
Similar materials
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